No chia seeds? No problem! Make these overnight oats without chia seeds with just 4 ingredients in less than 10 minutes! They're creamy, chewy, and a perfect vessel for your favorite toppings.
We're big fans of overnight oats here, and today I'm adding one more recipe to my catalog.
From overnight oats without yogurt, to overnight oats with water, to Biscoff overnight, I kind of consider myself an overnight oats pro. 😉
There are a quite few things to consider, including the ratio of ingredients, what type of oats to use, and how to store it.
But today we're answering all of those questions in depth so you can make perfect overnight oats every time. Let's get started!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Great for meal prep! This recipe is the perfect make-ahead breakfast as it last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Made with simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.
- It's customizable and versatile, you can add your favorite toppings such as fresh fruit, creamy peanut butter, and more!
- It's budget-friendly and convenient. If you often find yourself rushing to get out of the door on busy mornings, you can grab a jar of overnight oats instead of paying for overpriced brunch later.
Ingredients You Need
- Oats: Make sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best results. They have a great texture and work better than steel-cut oats or instant oats.
- Yogurt of choice: I use unsweetened coconut yogurt, but soy yogurt, oat yogurt, or Greek-style yogurt can also work.
- Milk of choice: You can use any milk you like here, including whole milk or non-dairy milk such as almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc. y like to use soy milk, because it has a rich texture, and is high in protein.
- Sweetener of choice: You can use any sweetener of your choice. Pure maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, and brown sugar are all great options.
- Vanilla extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract goes a long way, but it's completely optional.
- Salt: A tiny pinch of salt helps enhance the flavors of this recipe.
Scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
How to Make Overnight Oats without Chia Seeds
To a medium bowl or an air-tight container, add milk, rolled oats, sweetener of choice, salt, and vanilla extract (optional).
You can also add the ingredients in a mason jar if you need to grab it for an on-the-go breakfast in the morning.
Using a spoon or a rubber spatula, give everything a good stir. Cover with a lid or a clean kitchen towel and let the oats soak for at least 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Your overnight oats without chia seeds are ready when the rolled oats have softened and absorbed the liquid.
At this point, you can adjust the consistency if needed, adding a tablespoon of milk if you need to thin it out.
After that, either store for later, or add your favorite toppings of choice and enjoy! I like to add sliced bananas, berries, and chopped nuts.
Expert Tips
- Use rolled oats for the best results. They provide a chewy, yet creamy texture and always work best when making overnight oats. Other types of oats such as instant oats, quick oats, and still-cut oats won't work in this recipe.
- Use the right liquid-oats ratio. Since we're not using chia seeds, it's important to use the right ratio between liquid and oats. I've found that for every ½ cup of rolled oats, you need ½ - ¾ cup of milk, depending on whether or not you're also using yogurt, which also adds some moisture.
- Give it enough time to soak. You need to let the oats soak for at least 3 hours, or for best results- overnight. This way the mixture will thicken, and the oats will get soft and chewy.
- Add your favorite toppings! This recipe is quite natural in taste, with hints of maple and vanilla. To add more flavor and to boost the nutritional value, add any toppings that you like such as fruits, nuts, seeds, etc. I've left plenty of topping ideas below.
- Make a big batch. These overnight oats without chia seeds can keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. This means that you can make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it for breakfast during the week.
FAQ
Yes, overnight oats are high in fiber, iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium, several vitamins (such as A, C, D, B1, and B5), and more! They're a satisfying and healthy breakfast option, especially when served with a protein source like Greek yogurt, soy yogurt, or protein powder.
The most common substitute is flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds), but you can also easily make overnight oats without chia seeds.
Yes! While usually they're eaten cold, you can warm them up in a microwave or on the stovetop.
No, this is a key step when making this recipe. If you don't give them enough time to absorb the liquid, you'll be left with raw oats with a runny texture.
YES! Store in an airtight container or a mason jar and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Flavor Variations
- Chocolate: Add 1-2 tablespoon of cocoa powder when you're mixing the rest of the ingredients. You may need more maple syrup to taste to make up for the natural bitterness.
- Protein powder: Add a scoop of your favorite protein to make this breakfast more satisfying and filling. I like to use this vanilla protein powder, but any flavor will work.
- Berries: Similar to my overnight oats with frozen fruit, you can add ½ cup of fresh or frozen berries. They not only add color and flavor but also fiber and antioxidants.
- Apple sauce: If you want to sweeten this oatmeal naturally, add a few tablespoons of apple sauce. You may need to adjust the amount of liquid you add, as apple sauce can be a bit watery.
- Banana chocolate chip: Add ½ chopped banana and a handful of dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate.
- Lemon blueberry: Add the zest of ½ lemon, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and a handful of fresh blueberries.
- Matcha green tea: If you're a matcha lover, add ½ teaspoon of matcha powder to your overnight oats for a boost of energy.
- Pumpkin pie: Add a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree, alongside ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- Extracts: They're great if you want to add more flavor without adding too many ingredients. Almond extract, rum extract, and mint extract will all work here.
- Spices: Any of your favorite spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ground ginger, etc. for best results, add ¼ - ¼ tsp.
Delicious Topping Ideas
- Fresh fruits: I recommend using fruits that are in season for the best flavor. In the summer, add fresh berries, sliced peaches, or figs. For a tropical flavor, add mango or pineapple chunks. In the winter, you can use apples, permission, or pears.
- Caramelized fruits: Just like in my applesauce overnight oats, I like to caramelize apples or bananas on the stovetop with a little bit of coconut oil or butter, and brown sugar. It adds a TON of flavor and is ready in less than 10 minutes!
- Dried fruits: If you don't have access to fresh fruits, dried fruits will be your next best bet! Think dried apricots, figs, raisins, cranberries, and beyond!
- Nut/seed butter: A drizzle of peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter will not only add creaminess and nuttiness but will boost the nutritional value of this recipe by adding healthy fats and fiber.
- Chopped nuts and/or seeds: Hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds will add omega-3 fatty acids. For nuts, I like to use pecans, almonds, cashews, or peanuts.
- Granola: I'm obsessed with my homemade granola made in the air fryer! It's SO easy to make and goes well on literally anything, including these overnight oats without chia seeds.
- Chocolate chips: Who said chocolate and breakfast don't go together? Level up this recipe by adding a handful of mini dairy-free chocolate chips or some chopped dark chocolate bar.
- Coconut flakes: If you're allergic to nuts (or even if you're not), try adding toasted coconut flakes. For even more flavor, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. So delicious!
Storage
Store in an airtight container or a mason jar, in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Similar Recipes
📖 Recipe
Overnight Oats without Chia Seeds
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if needed)
- ½ cup non-dairy milk (i'm using fortified soy milk)
- 3 tablespoon yogurt of choice (either Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt)
- 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup (or another sweetener of choice)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- To a medium bowl or an air-tight container, add non-dairy milk, rolled oats, sweetener of choice, salt, yogurt, and vanilla extract (optional).½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup non-dairy milk, 3 tablespoon yogurt of choice, 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, Tiny pinch of salt
- You can also add the ingredients in a mason jar if you need to grab it for an on-the-go breakfast in the morning.
- Using a spoon or a spatula, give everything a good stir. Cover with a lid or a clean kitchen towel and let the oats soak for at least 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Your overnight oats without chia seeds are ready when the rolled oats have softened and absorbed the liquid. At this point, you can adjust the consistency if needed, adding a tablespoon of milk if you need to thin it out.
- After that, either store for later, or add your favorite toppings of choice and enjoy! I like to add sliced bananas, berries, and chopped nuts.
Notes
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container or a mason jar, in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Store in an airtight container or a mason jar and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
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
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