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
I haven’t been an overnight oats fan, but decided to try this recipe, and it wasn’t bad. A bit too sweet for my taste, but I will try again and omit the brown sugar, only using the maple syrup.
Thanks for your feedback, Sherry! Yes, this is definitely a little bit of a sweet overnight oats recipe. You should be able to leave out the brown sugar without too much change in flavor!
I used 1% milk instead of almond milk because that’s what I had on hand. I’m not super familiar with almond milk so maybe it would work a little differently, but my oats came out pretty liquid-y! I was fine with it because I usually add a little milk anyway, but I would maybe go with just 1-1/2 or 1-3/4 cups of milk next time. I also added some chia seeds for a little extra “umph”! Super yummy!! I was looking for an overnight oats recipe I could use when I don’t have fruit in the house and I think I’ve found the one 🙂
Hi Lindsey! I love that you added chia seeds! What a great way to bump up the fiber. Thanks so much for your comment and feedback 🙂
Cooking won’t be needed?
Hi Von! No cooking is needed, but if you like your oats warm, you can always add a bit more milk and heat them up a bit!
Silly question but if I purchase the 4oz mason jars what is the recipe measurements? Instructions I mean? I prefer the 4 oz to you can just grab and go, we hardly re-refrigerate oats, so I wouldn’t want to make them in 12 oz for them to go to waste.
Hi Sarah! I think you will be able to fill roughly 6 4-oz. mason jars. It will be a pretty tight squeeze. If you want to fill 8 that might make the math a little easier!
Hi, I was wondering if 1/4 of this will fit into a half pint mason jar, or is this for pint sized jars? Thanks!
Hi Shawna! You should be able to put 1/4 of the recipe in a half pint mason jar! The jar will be pretty full, but should fit all of the oats!
I have been eating this weekly. Sometimes I will even add coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar. Thank you for a great recipe!
This is kind of late to the party (and probably a silly question)…but what do you do with the rest of the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture? It says to pour half into the oats the night before, but I’m unclear on whether you mix add second half in the morning. I’m making overnight oats for the first time so I’m a bit paranoid! 😉
Hi Ashley! I just updated the recipe to be a bit more clear. The recipe makes 4 servings. You can either make this in two jars or four different jars. Mix up the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture and divide it evenly among the 2 or 4 jars. Hope this helps!
This sounds amazing! I only have steel cut oats in the house… do you think these will work? Maybe just need to let them soak longer?
Thanks ☺️
Hi Stephanie! Steel cut oats should work but may take a bit longer (definitely overnight!) and will be a bit chewier than quick or old-fashioned oats. Thanks for the question!
I’m neither gluten free nor dairy free. I do love overnight oats and use whole milk. I often add yogurt to my overnight oats also, for added protein.
That’s a wonderful idea, Phyllis! Thanks for sharing your tip!
Phyliss, I got my original recipe from WaterColors in Florida. It called for rolled oats (I use the large round box of Quaker Oaks) and 1/2 &1/2 cream. I think this would eliminate the need for syrup. When it gets too thick, I just add almond milk or more cream. My family loves this recipe. I like the idea of adding yogurt.
So this is the Old Fashioned oatmeal you get in the round cardboard box?
Hi Bobbi! I use the gluten-free “old fashioned rolled oats” from Bob’s Red Mill! You can use the quick oats, but you won’t need quite as much liquid!