My overnight oats with yogurt recipe is a nutritious and delicious way to get your morning started off right! It's a great breakfast choice for busy weekdays because you just pop it in the fridge the night before and it's ready to eat by morning. Portion it out into mason jars to meal prep a quick grab-and-go breakfast for work or school!
Easy Overnight Oats Recipe
Overnight oats are all the rage and it's easy to see why. You just pop them in the fridge at night and you have a ready-to-eat breakfast waiting for you in the morning!
With the added Greek yogurt, it's high in protein to keep you full for longer and you can use any of your favorite oatmeal toppings! You may never go back to eating hot oatmeal again!
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🥘 Ingredients For Yogurt Overnight Oats
The toppings are easily customizable. So you can use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have on hand or leave it off entirely, it's up to you!
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt - 1 cup of yogurt. Unflavored works too, but it's easier to start with a flavor base.
- Milk - 1 cup milk. Choose your favorite milk including non-dairy options like almond, soy, or oat milk.
- Honey - 2 to 4 tablespoons of honey to sweeten your oats. Start with the 2 tablespoons and add more to taste.
- Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract is preferable.
- Salt - ¼ teaspoon salt to balance out the sweetness and enhance flavor.
- Cinnamon - ½ teaspoon cinnamon, or use one of my tasty spice mixes like apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, and even garam masala.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - 1 ½ cups oats.
- Fresh or Thawed Berries or Fruit - A tasty option for adding to your overnight oats, along with a drizzle of honey and some crushed nuts or seeds.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
❗ Best Oats to Use for Overnight Oats
The 'no-cook' technique is what makes overnight oats so appealing. The oats slowly soak up the liquid over time instead of quickly absorbing it like they do when they are heated.
Because the oats are left to sit in cold liquid for a prolonged period of time, some types are better suited for overnight oats than others. The 3 most common types of oats are:
Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
The preferred choice for making overnight oats. Old-fashioned rolled oats are made from oat groats, steamed, and pressed into flat flakes using steel rollers.
These are the best choice for overnight oats specifically because they soften as they absorb the milk without disintegrating or becoming too mushy. The precise size and thickness of rolled oats may vary.
Steel-Cut Oats
Like old-fashioned oats, steel-cut oats are also made from oat groats. Instead of being flattened into thin flakes, they are cut into 2-3 larger pieces.
The large, thicker pieces will not absorb milk as easily. They will remain dense and chewy despite soaking for a long period of time.
Instant or Quick Oats
Instant, or Quick, oats are a form of rolled oats that have been steamed and rolled extra-thin in comparison to old-fashioned oats. Because of that, the liquid will get absorbed quickly but the oats do not have the capacity to absorb all of it.
Instant oats tend to fall apart after sitting for a while. This will yield mushy, wet overnight oats that should be eaten within 24 hours.
🔪 How To Make Overnight Oats With Yogurt
Anyone can make overnight oats, there's no cooking required! Grab a bowl and measuring cups to get started making this easy breakfast option that's wonderfully simple for busy weekdays!
This recipe makes enough for 4 4-ounce servings or 2 8-ounce servings.
- Combine. In a medium to large mixing bowl combine 1 cup of vanilla yogurt, 1 cup of your preferred milk, 2 tablespoons of honey (you can add up to 4, but taste it first and adjust as needed), and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth and the honey is fully dissolved.
- Add. Whisk in ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of salt until evenly distributed, then add 1 ½ cups of rolled oats and stir to combine.
- Portion and chill. Transfer the mixture into 4 small 4-ounce jars, or two 8-ounce jars. Seal and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4-6 hours before serving.
- Serve. Top portions with berries or fruit, honey, nut butter, and/or crushed nuts and seeds.
These overnight oats make a great breakfast meal prep for the week! Try using different toppings to switch things up like roasted berries or homemade pumpkin butter. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- This recipe will make about 4 4-ounce servings with maybe a little left over.
- Any variety of milk will work for this recipe. Skim, whole, or your favorite non-dairy milk like almond or coconut milk.
- I used blueberries to top off my overnight oats though other berries like sliced strawberries or raspberries would also be delicious!
- They are called 'overnight oats' because you soak the oats overnight. If time does not allow that, the minimum you should let them soak is 4 hours.
🥡 Storing
Keep overnight oats with yogurt refrigerated in an airtight jar or container for up to 5 days (as long as you used old-fashioned rolled oats and not quick oats). Be aware of the expiration date of your yogurt and milk, because if it falls within those 5 days it may spoil sooner.
❓ Recipe FAQs
The most obvious difference between oatmeal (or 'porridge' in some parts of the world) is the temperature. Overnight oats are enjoyed cold, though you could technically heat them up if you wanted, and oatmeal is enjoyed warm. The other main difference is the cooking technique. Overnight oats are not cooked but rather absorb liquid until soft and ready to eat whereas oatmeal is heated on the stovetop, in the microwave, or with boiling water.
The general consensus is 8 or 16-ounce mason jars because it leaves room to add toppings. The glass cools quickly and they are easy to pack up to take for breakfast at work or elsewhere. Any airtight container, like Tupperware, would work perfectly fine.
Another reason overnight oats are so popular is that they are easily customizable! Whatever you like with your oatmeal will be equally delicious on overnight oats. A few favorites of mine include nut butter (almond, peanut, sunflower, etc.), fruit purees, jam, fresh fruit or berries, granola, and nuts.
🍳 More Breakfast Recipes
- Panettone French Toast Bake - A sweet cherry chocolate chip french toast bake that will feed the whole family!
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Baked Donuts - These easy cake donuts are hard to resist with the classic flavor combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
- Microwave Omelet - Whip up a quick and easy omelet in half the time!
- Homemade Pancakes - You can never go wrong with a heaping pile of made-from-scratch pancakes for breakfast!
- Southern Shrimp and Grits - This Southern classic is the ultimate comfort food, especially at breakfast time!
- Apple Banana Bread - Soft and moist apple banana bread is perfect for breakfast or brunch!
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📖 Recipe Card
Overnight Oats With Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (vanilla)
- 1 cup milk
- 2-4 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure vanilla extract is best)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- berries (for topping)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a medium to large mixing bowl combine the vanilla yogurt, milk, honey, and vanilla until smooth and the honey is fully dissolved.
- Whisk in the cinnamon and salt until evenly distributed, then add the oats and stir to combine.
- Transfer the mixture into 4 small 4-ounce jars, or two 8-ounce jars. Seal and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4-6 hours before serving. Top portions with berries or fruit, honey, nut butters, and/or crushed nuts and seeds.
Notes
- This recipe will make about 4 4-ounce servings with maybe a little left over.
- Any variety of milk will work for this recipe. Skim, whole, or your favorite non-dairy milk like almond or coconut milk.
- I used blueberries to top off my overnight oats though other berries like sliced strawberries or raspberries would also be delicious!
- They are called 'overnight oats' because you soak the oats overnight. If time does not allow that, the minimum you should let them soak is 4 hours.
- To store: Keep overnight oats with yogurt refrigerated in an airtight jar or container for up to 5 days (as long as you used old-fashioned rolled oats and not quick oats). Be aware of the expiration date of your yogurt and milk, because if it falls within those 5 days it may spoil sooner.
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