Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit are a healthy make-ahead breakfast that's ready in 5 minutes! It's packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats, and is vegan and dairy-free.
This recipe for overnight oats with frozen fruit is great for busy people who don't have time to cook! You can whip up the oats the night before and enjoy them the next morning with your favorite toppings.
It's also great if you're out of fresh produce or your favorite fruit is not in season. This way, you get to enjoy a bowl of creamy oatmeal all year round.
And if you're looking for more recipes featuring oats, check out my Banana Oat Pancakes, Air Fryer Granola, and Vegan Mug Cookie.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for meal prep and make-ahead.
- Made with 6 simple ingredients!
- Easy breakfast to take on the go.
- Versatile and customizable.
- Packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
Ingredients
- Oats: Make sure to use old-fashioned oats for the best results. They have a great texture and work better than steel-cut or instant oats.
- Frozen fruit: Use your favorite fruit here.
- Milk: I like to use soy milk, because it has a rich texture, and is high in protein, but you can also use your favorite milk such as almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk.
- Chia seeds: They help thicken the overnight oats, and also add healthy fats and fiber. If you don't have them on hand you can use ground flax seeds instead, like I did in my flaxseed overnight oats. Or you can omit them entirely similar to my overnight oats without chia seeds.
- Maple syrup: You can use any other sweetener, including honey, agave, or brown sugar.
- Vanilla extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract goes a long way here.
- Yogurt: I like to use plain Greek yogurt to help thicken the oats and give them creaminess. To make this recipe vegan, make sure to use a dairy-free yogurt such as coconut or soy.
- Salt: A tiny pinch of salt helps enhance the flavors of this recipe.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
How to Make Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit
- To a mixing bowl or an air-tight container, add frozen fruit, dry oats, chia seeds, milk of choice, maple syrup, yogurt, salt, and vanilla extract. You can also add the ingredients in a jar if you need to grab it for an on-the-go breakfast in the morning.
2. Using a spoon or a whisk, give everything a good stir. Cover with a lid or paper towel and rest in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
3. Your overnight oats with frozen fruit are ready when the oats have thickened and absorbed the liquid, and the chia seeds have softened. Before eating, stir the oats, taste and adjust the texture and flavor if needed. You can add a splash of milk if you want to thin them out, or more maple syrup to taste.
Expert Tips
- Use frozen mixed berries for the best results. Although you can use any frozen fruit you like including mango, strawberries, or cherries, I think frozen berries work best. They have great texture even after thawing, whereas strawberries become mushy.
- Add your favorite toppings. Overnight oats with frozen fruit are delicious but neutral in taste, that's why it's essential to add good toppings. Not only do you add more flavor, but you can make them more nutritious by adding nuts, seeds, and fresh fruit.
- Prepare it in jars for on-the-go breakfast. If you're a busy person and don't have the time to make breakfast in the morning, this is the perfect recipe for you. You can make the oats in a mason jar and take them on the go with you.
- Make a big batch. This recipe uses ½ cup oats, which makes 1 serving only. However, I highly encourage you to make a big batch on Sunday night so you can have a week's worth of healthy breakfast in your fridge.
- Warm it up! Some people are not a fan of cold oatmeal, and I get it! You can warm your overnight oats in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! These overnight oats with frozen fruit, are packed with 15g of protein, 12g of fiber, and healthy fats.
In general, oats are very nutritious food and are a great source of carbs and fiber, as well as iron, Zinc, magnesium, selenium, vitamins (such as A, C, D, B1, and B5), and more!
Yes. While they're usually eaten cold, if you're not a fan of having cold breakfast, you can always warm them up. Add your overnight oats to a microwave-safe container and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway.
You can use both fresh and frozen fruit when making overnight oats. The only difference is that as frozen fruit thaws it releases liquid, which can lead to runny oatmeal. To fix that, simply add less milk.
Larger-flaked oats such as old-fashioned rolled oats will give the best texture. Quick oats will get too soggy and won't provide the same chewy texture, and steel-cut oats won't soften. This recipe has the perfect ratio between oats and water so that you're left with soft, chewy, and thick oatmeal.
Yes, if you don't have milk on hand, you can simply replace it with the same amount of water. For a full recipe with tips and tricks, check out my overnight oats with water recipe.
Optional Add-ins
This easy overnight oats recipe is super versatile. You can make different flavors by adding one or more of the following ingredients.
- Protein powder: Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to make this recipe more satisfying and feel full for longer.
- Cacao powder: If you want to add a chocolaty flavor, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of cacao powder. I recommend using Dutch-processed.
- Apple sauce: If you don't want to use added sugar, I suggest adding a few tablespoons of apple sauce to naturally sweeten your oatmeal.
- Mashed banana: Use a ripe banana and mash it with a fork, then add to your oatmeal and stir. Again, it will add natural sweetness, as well as flavor.
- Jam: If you want to take the flavor to the next level, substitute the maple syrup with a tablespoon of blueberry or raspberry jam.
Topping Ideas
- Fresh fruit: You can use any fruit you like such as bananas, fresh berries, mango, etc.
- Dried fruit: To add more natural sweetness, you can add raisins or dried cranberries.
- Nut butter: I love adding a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter to my overnight oats. It adds healthy fat, protein, and fiber, and keeps me full for longer.
- Chocolate chips: If you want to have some fun with your breakfast, I highly recommend topping your bowl of oats with a handful of chocolate chips or some chopped dark chocolate.
- Nuts and seeds: I sometimes like to add a mix of hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds for crunch and healthy fats.
- Coconut flakes: If you're allergic to nuts (or even if you're not), try adding toasted coconut flakes. They're so delicious!
Storage
These overnight oats with water can be stored in an airtight container or a jar, and in the fridge for 4-5 days.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
📖 Recipe
Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit
Equipment
- Mason jar
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup frozen fruit (such as frozen berries or cherries)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼ cup yogurt of choice (Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt, soy yogurt, etc.)
- ½ - ¾ cup non-dairy milk, add less for thicker oatmeal (I use soy milk, but you can use almond milk or oat milk)
- A tiny pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl or an air-tight container, add frozen fruit, dry oats, chia seeds, milk of choice, maple syrup, yogurt, salt, and vanilla extract. You can also add the ingredients in a jar if you need to grab it for an on-the-go breakfast in the morning.
- Using a spoon or a whisk, give everything a good stir. Cover with a lid or paper towel and rest in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
- Your overnight oats with water are ready when the oats have thickened and absorbed the liquid, and the chia seeds have softened. Before eating, stir the oats, taste and adjust the texture and flavor if needed. You can add a splash of milk if you want to thin them out, or more maple syrup to taste.
Notes
- Use frozen mixed berries for the best results. Although you can use any frozen fruit you like including mango, strawberries, and cherries, I think frozen berries work best. They still have great texture even after thawing, whereas strawberries become mushy.
- Add your favorite toppings. Overnight oats with frozen fruit are delicious but more neutral in taste, that's why it's essential to add good toppings. Not only do you add more flavor, but you can make it more nutritious by adding nuts, seeds, and fresh fruit.
- Prepare it in jars for on-the-go breakfast. If you're a busy person and don't have the time to make breakfast in the morning, this is the perfect recipe for you. You can make the oats in a mason jar and take them on the go with you.
- Make a big batch. This recipe uses ½ cup oats, which makes 1 serving only. However, I highly encourage you to make a big batch on Sunday night so you can have a week's worth of healthy breakfast in your fridge.
- Warm it up! Some people are not a fan of cold oatmeal, and I get it! You can warm your overnight oats in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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