Like your favorite oatmeal, only easier.
Life can get a little hectic at times.
Instead of grabbing whatever you can find on those busy weekday mornings when “hangry” hits, why not prepare some of these Overnight Oats and have them ready to go for the morning rush?!
You can prepare them the night before, pull them out of the refrigerator in the morning, and off you go with a happy morning in sight.
No more grumbling tummies while you are trying to find any glimmer of a nutrition bar in your purse.
If you’re loving the convenience of prepping breakfast ahead, try these other Overnight Oats Recipe for busy mornings.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Pecans. Roasted pecans add the perfect crunch and texture to this breakfast dish.
- Oats. Old-fashioned oats are key. Quick oats will get soggy, while steel cut oats won’t soften. Be sure to grab gluten-free if needed.
- Milk. Just about any type of milk will work—either regular or plant-based, like almond milk, coconut milk, or even oat milk. The higher the fat content the richer the oatmeal will be.
- Sweetener. Dark brown sugar or light brown sugar along with pure maple syrup are used to add flavor to this oatmeal. You can easily sub for another type, like coconut sugar or honey.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Combine oats and milk.
Start by adding equal amounts of oats, milk, and vanilla extract in each jar. This should come out to about ½-cup oats, ½-cup milk, and ¼-teaspoon vanilla.
Give everything a stir to combine.
Pro Tip: The best thing to use when making overnight oats is an 8-ounce mason jar. These are the perfect size and conveniently have a top. But any airtight container will work.
Top with sweetener.
In a small or medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Pour equal amounts over the milk and oats in each jar. Seal with a lid.
Place the prepared jars in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but they’re best after chilling overnight.
Toast pecans and serve.
Just before you’re ready to enjoy the oatmeal, roast the pecans in a single layer at 325℉ for 5 to 7 minutes.
Sprinkle some pecans in each jar and serve with extra cinnamon and maple syrup if you’d like! Pair with fresh berries or banana slices for the perfect breakfast.
FAQs
Depending on the flavor you like, some excellent sweeteners include pure maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
The most important things to avoid in overnight oats are steel-cut or instant oats. Additionally, nuts and granola will lose their crispiness overnight, and some types of fresh fruit don’t do well.
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Maple Brown Sugar Overnight Oats
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Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups milk regular or plant-based
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup roasted pecans coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Combine Oats and Milk. In four 8-oz. mason jars place equal amounts of the oats, milk and vanilla in each. (½ cup oats, ½ cup milk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla in each.) Stir to mix well.2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups milk
- Top with Sweetener. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup. Pour a quarter of this mixture in each of the jars over the oats. Refrigerate the oats for at least 2 hours or overnight.3 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- Toast Pecans and Serve. Just before serving, toast pecans at 325 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Divide pecans and sprinkle in each jar. Serve with additional cinnamon and maple syrup, if desired, and enjoy!¼ cup roasted pecans
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Video
Notes
- Serving size: This recipe can either be made in two larger mason jars, each holding two servings, or four smaller mason jars, each containing one single serving.
- Oats: Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick or steel-cut oats for the best results.
- Flavors: While maple syrup and brown sugar add to the classic flavor, you can easily change it up with different sweeteners.
- Pecans: Don’t add the toasted pecans until you’re about to dig into this brown sugar oatmeal recipe.
- Add ins: An easy way to feel full longer is to include some optional add-ins, like protein powder, flax seeds, or chia seeds.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
Once you’ve had hot or cold overnight oats, you’ll be scouring the internet for more varieties. Thankfully, I have a ton of other versions that will quickly become your favorite breakfast.
Blueberry Overnight Oats
2 hrs 5 mins
Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats
2 hrs 5 mins
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
4 hrs 5 mins
Peach Overnight Oats
2 hrs 20 mins
How long will they last in the fridge
While these will last for a couple of days in the fridge, it’s best to mix the milk in the night before and enjoy the following day. After 24 hours, this might get soggy.
So is it 2 cups per jar? or 1/4 oats if making 4 jars
Thanks for your question! You will start with 2 cups of oats, along with the other ingredients. Then, divide the mixture among 4 jars.
I love this recipe! I was doing a cacao and pb combo for the longest time but wanted to change it up. This recipe reminds me of the maple brown sugar oatmeal packets that I don’t buy because of the laundry list of ingredients in them. I sub coconut sugar for the brown sugar, use unsweetened oat or almond milk and add ground flax seed and collagen peptides. So so good! I divide the recipe between 2 jars but I eat 2 servings at a time since I’m trying to gain weight back that I’ve lost due to multiple recent surgeries.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Beth! It’s wonderful you have found a tasty and healthy meal that works for your diet plan. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Does this heat well?
You can heat them up. However, I would encourage you to let them sit at room temperature for a little bit so you do not have to heat them up too much in the microwave! This will ensure that the oats do not dry out too much. Feel free to add additional milk as needed to get the consistency you want. Hope this helps!
Your guide is so simple; I tried and succeeded the first time.
I will find more recipes on your website and cook them soon.
Thanks for your sharing.
Yay, Kristine! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
What size Mason jar for 1 serving ? 4oz or8oz?Thanks!
One serving should fit pretty easily within an 8 oz mason jar (perfect size for breakfast!). But you can put it in even smaller 4 oz jars for a snack if you’d like!
Could you omit the brown sugar and just have the maple syrup and cinnamon? I put cooked apple on top in the morning so that adds sweetness.
Absolutely! The sweeteners don’t affect the texture, just the flavor – so adjust as you please!
Do you not warm the oatmeal before serving?
Hi Kimberly! You don’t have to heat it up, but you definitely can if you’d like. The texture will change quite a bit, though. You can also set them out at room temperature before eating. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Out of Curiosity instead of Almond Milk can regular Whole Milk be used.
Absolutely! Any type of milk will work great in this recipe. Hope you enjoy! 🙂