Are you a faithful breakfast eater? Do you eat mostly the same thing for breakfast each morning, or do you like variety? I most definitely have to eat breakfast every morning, or I’m a shaky lightheaded mess by 9am. I usually have either an egg and cheese sandwich on an english muffin, or a bowl of cereal – a LARGE bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds and whole milk, just in case you were wondering.
I was inspired to try something new when Lindsay over at Pinch of Yum, one of my favorite food bloggers, shared her recipe for Flax and Blueberry Vanilla Overnight Oats. This is one of those recipes that super versatile, and there are about 101 possibilities when it comes to mix-ins and toppings. These are a few of my favorites…
The toasted coconut (directions below) was soooo over the top delicious. I pretty much just kept taking a bite, adding more toasted coconut, then taking a bite, and then a little more…
Adding the raisins to the yogurt and oatmeal before it sits overnight makes them get nice and soft and plump. Simple but good.
If you like your oatmeal on the sweeter side, a drizzle of honey is the perfect thing. A generous sprinkle of chopped almonds adds a nice crunch too. Maybe some sliced bananas?
I’ve actually been eating this for lunch more than breakfast, simply because I can’t seem to remember to make it the night before! So I make it early in the morning, divide it into mason jars, and put them in the fridge for later. Then when I’m heading out to run errands, or take the boys to the park, I just put one in my purse to eat on the go. Just don’t forget a spoon like I did! I love that these cute little jars keep me from being tempted to hit the drive-thru when I’m out and about and that lunch time hunger strikes. I like using steel cut oats because it retains a nice chewy texture, but if you prefer a softer texture you can definitely substitute old fashioned rolled oats as well.
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Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal (Plus Mix-In Ideas)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
Ingredients
Overnight Oatmeal
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup steel cut oats
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Toppings
- Berries
- Toasted Coconut
- Chopped Almonds
- Honey
- Cinnamon
- Raisins
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt, milk, oats and brown sugar. Add berries or cinnamon and raisins at this point if desired.
- Divide into three jars or containers, and refrigerated at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Add additional toppings such as toasted coconut, almonds, or honey.
Toasted Coconut
- To toast your coconut, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread sweetened coconut flakes on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake the coconut for about five minutes, watching for most of the flakes to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Notes
***Since I’ve made this a few more times, I’ve noticed that the oats soften quite a bit more when the jar is allowed to set at room temperature, for example, when I take it out of the fridge before leaving the house in the morning and then eat it later for lunch. So if you feel like the oats are too crunchy, allow it to sit at room temperature for a while. If this does not work well with your schedule, you may want to substitute old fashioned rolled oats instead of steel cut oats, or a mixture of the two. ***I’ve also tried microwaving the mixed oats, yogurt, brown sugar and milk for a minute or so before pouring into the jars to refrigerate. This really made the oats soften up by the next morning, even without sitting out at room temp. So you can kind of play with the recipe to get it to the texture you prefer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving (toppings not included)
- Calories: 194
- Sugar: 9.9g
- Sodium: 52mg
- Fat: 2.8g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2.7g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 7mg
Allie says
Could you adjust the recipe to make it with the big tubs of yogurt? The ones at my store are 32 oz. Thanks!
Jennifer says
Just curious, where are the jars in your photo, from? They’re so cute!
Julie says
Thanks! My mother in law gave them to me.
Dee says
Walmart carries ball jars close to those 😊
Jill says
Hi everyone,
I tried an overnight oatmeal with greek yogurt in it the other day. I have to say it just wasn’t my thing. I was thinking maybe I would like it better warm, however I wasn’t sure how the yogurt would do being warmed in the microwave. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
Amy says
Is there an alternative to the brown sugar?
Julie says
Hi Amy, you could use honey or maple syrup. Enjoy!
Kait says
I absolutely love your website, so many amazing, simple and delicious receipts to choose from. I am excited to get cooking 🙂
Kait
Julie says
So sweet of you to leave me such a nice comment! Happy cooking!
Debbie says
What is the consistency of the steel oats when you are ready to eat them, kind of dry or wet?????
Susan says
I absolutely love this overnight oatmeal recipe. I have taken your recipe and added and subtracted my own flavors. I mostly make it with Greek yogurt, Almond Milk, Steel Cut Oats and Blackberries. when I am ready to eat it I sometimes add some Almonds slivers and a touch of honey.
For anyone wondering about the oats softening up overnight, I generally make this 24 to 36 hours ahead. I put the mixture in Ramekins and cover. I make 2 at a time. Then put in fridge. Best breakfast ever.
Julie says
Love your take on these Susan. Glad you enjoy!
Shawnie W says
You can substitute unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin puree, silk soy yogurt or so delicious coconut yogurt for the greek yogurt if you are vegan or just eliminating dairy. Also, soy/almond/cashew milks work great as a substitute for the dairy milk. Love overnight oats, so easy and convenient.
Mr Chef.today says
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address and thought I might as well check things out. I like what I
see so now i am following you. Look forward to going over your web page for a second time.
Sylvia lee says
I often add protein powder to overnight oats instead of youghurt. . I love the chocolates or berry flavour it gives, and the protein adds great nutrition. And heating the oats before eating gives it true comfort food status in cold weather.
Liesa B says
I add flax seed meal to mine and it gives it a real creamy consistency. Yummy.
Susan says
Hello Julie, Thanks for this terrific recipe for overnight oatmeal. I have tried the original recipe and then have altered for my finicky taste. I like to use ramekins, so I use 4 ramekins for 4 days worth of flavor. I also place my fruit in the bottom of the cup instead of blending into the liquid mixture. I usually use blackberries as they are not as sweet as blueberries or raspberries. I have also tried sliced strawberries. On occasion I have used old fashioned oats instead of steel cut oats which also works fine in a pinch. I mix Almond milk, light brown sugar, chia seeds, stir in Greek Yogurt and oatmeal. Mix with a wire whisk and pour over berries in the cup. Next morning when ready to eat I add some sliced almonds and about an 1/8 tsp of honey to the top. Mix and eat. I have been eating this for over a year now and I am so glad you posted this recipe. I am a very finicky eater and struggle with food. So Thanks for this.
Jan says
Hi Julie,
I didn’t have quick oats only steel cut oats and wasn’t sure if I could do overnight oatmeal with these. I found your website and did as you suggested and cooked the oatmeal and milk for just under one minute as it started to rise to the top of my jar. I then added Greek vanilla yogurt, hemp and chia seeds and topped with frozen blueberries. I will see how this turns out as I usually eat this around 9:00 am when I’m at work. Thank you for the tip on cooking it as I was worried they still might be hard in the morning. 🙂
Brenna Wanklyn says
Hi Julie,
I have been using your recipe for a few years now and it just occurred to me leave a comment. I first came across it searching for a version with steel cut because the texture of rolled oats made me want to throw up. (I was pregnant at the time but I still much prefer steel cut) The first time I made this, I inadvertently bought Quick Steel Cut Oats and it was great, then when I bought again I got the regular ones and it was really really chewy! I see from your notes you added that you were looking for ways to make them softer. I really recommend the quick steel cut for, in my opinion, the perfect balance of soft and chewy. I get these from Aldi.
I also double the recipe and it lasts the family a few days. I usually add a couple tablespoons of chia seeds and flaxmeal. I have even made a quadruple batch for a lake house full of relatives, with a variety of fruit and toppings for people to choose from. I usually leave it unsweetened in this case and then each person can do as they wish.
Thanks for the inspiration!
★★★★★
Nora Amarachi Iyeh says
I just tried this today, not a fan of plain yogurt but I hope this tastes great