Overnight Oats: Three Ways

Overnight Oats, pretty much the most perfect meal prep there ever was. I’m not one to be scrambling eggs in the morning, I am one to choose something nourishing and easy, and this fits the bill. Today, I’m showing you how to make three variations of overnight oats: berries & cream, pineapple coconut, and spiced chocolate!

Here we go, with an oatmeal post because it’s one of my favorite ways to start the morning. I am NOT one to wake up, have coffee, and make eggs. Eggs I save for when I am having breakfast out and someone else can poach, scramble, and fry them for me. Don’t get me wrong – I’ll have eggs in the morning maybe once a month if that. But it’s not my go-to. My go-to is either a yogurt granola bowl or these overnight oats and today I am sharing my simple method with you.

Base Recipe for Overnight Oats:

These six ingredients are the perfect base for overnight oats, in my opinion. Below I detail why each one is important:

• yogurt: the yogurt not only thickens the overnight oats slightly, but it adds a creaminess overall; you can use any type of yogurt: greek, full fat, and any vegan yogurt works;
• milk: the milk is essential, whether you use dairy or plant-based, as it helps the rolled oats hydrate; you can use dairy, oat, coconut, almond – whatever you’d like;
• rolled oats: obviously key in overnight oats, rolled oats are inexpensive and go a long way; don’t try to substitute for steel-cut oats, they won’t hydrate overnight;
• chia seeds: these seeds were prized for their ability to provide sustainable energy and the word “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.” Plus, they thicken the oats nicely to provide for optimal texture;
• vanilla extract: everything improves with a splash of vanilla extract, but you can add any kind of extract you enjoy: peppermint if pairing with chocolate, almond extract, and more;
• sea salt: this is a must as it balances all the flavors – a pinch is all you need.

Berries & Cream Overnight Oats

This Berries & Cream Overnight Oats recipe is incredibly simple and combines the fresh sweetness of berries with the tartness of cranberries – one of my all-time favorites now that I live so close to Cape Cod and the best cranberries in the world.

This overnight oats recipe combines two simple ingredients: Organic Berry Powder and frozen berries. The berry powder has 20+ of the planet’s most nutrient-dense fruits and berries and is a phytonutrient and antioxidant powerhouse that supports daily vitality and well-being. The frozen berries can be a combination of any of your favorites: cranberries, strawberries, raspberries – it all works!

Pineapple Coconut Overnight Oats

This version of overnight oats, with creamy coconut and tart but sweet pineapple takes me back to the Caribbean. For this variation, you can really amp up the coconut flavor by replacing regular milk with coconut milk and the yogurt in the recipe for coconut yogurt. Even more coconut flavor? Add a drop of coconut extract – so so delicious!

Spiced Chocolate Overnight Oats

These oats are just the thing when you’re craving something extra sweet but don’t want refined sugars. The addition of cocoa powder not only adds flavor but also tons of health benefits! I also love adding a few spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, plus ground flaxseed. So much goodness in every bite!

DID YOU TRY THESE RECIPES? I want to see it! Follow Cooking with Books on Instagram, take a photo, and tag me in it. I love to know what you are making and how you made this recipe your own!