These overnight oats are loaded with fiber and protein, and I find them irresistible. They take no time to assemble and the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for make-ahead breakfasts for the week.

A bowl over overnight chia oats and berries.

In May, en route home from the Pizza Night photoshoot in Northern California, I grabbed a cup of the overnight oats from the Dolores Park Cafe stand at SFO. I typically don’t love overnight oats from these places for a few reasons — they tend to be too sweet and the fruit included often is on its last legs — but I was short on time and craving something healthy-ish.

Once settled in my seat on the plane, I tucked in, and immediately wished I had bought two, because they were so tasty: not too sweet, loaded with fresh berries, and garnished with toasted coconut. These oats had a higher ratio of chia seeds than others I had tried, and I loved the creaminess they provided.

I vowed to re-create the recipe upon returning home, thinking it would be so nice to have a stash of overnight oats in the fridge to wake up to each morning. I saved the lid, which listed the ingredients on a sticker, for weeks — months — but finally tossed it when I never got around to making them.

I mostly forgot about the oats until a few weeks ago, when my friend Serena Wolf posted a reel of her favorite breakfast of late — overnight coconut chia oats! — noting her creation was “heavier on the chia seeds than normal overnight oats, but too oat-y to be a true chia pudding.”

Serena’s oats looked exactly like those DPC oats I so loved, and I made her recipe immediately, subbing in oat milk for the coconut milk. Friends! These oats are irresistible, perfectly sweet, vanilla- and cinnamon-spiced, and oh so satisfying.

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be tailored to your liking by using the milk, sweetener, and flavorings of your choice. It takes no time to stir together and yields enough for two servings, but can be doubled or tripled for make-ahead breakfasts for the week. And while I loved the toasted coconut garnish at DPC, I skip it at home, opting for fresh fruit instead.

How to Make Overnight Chia Oats, Step by Step

Gather your ingredients: chia seeds, oatmeal, oat milk or milk of choice, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, flaky sea salt.

The ingredients to make overnight chia oats on a counter top.

Measure your ingredients…

The ingredients to make overnight chia oats all measured in separate bowls on a countertop.

… then combine them all in a large bowl.

A large bowl filled with the ingredients to make overnight chia oats not yet mixed together.

Stir to combine…

A large bowl filled with the ingredients to make overnight chia oats all mixed together.

… then transfer them to a storage vessel. I love these Weck Jars.

A Weck jar filled with overnight chia oats ready to be stashed in the fridge.

Transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours but preferably for at least 8 to 12 hours. During their time in the fridge, the chia seeds swell and the oats hydrate and soften.

A Weck jar filled with the overnight chia oats.

I find them irresistible.

An overhead shot of a Weck jar filled with overnight chia oats, ready to eat.

Top with fruit of choice (if desired)…

A Weck jar filled with overnight chia oats with strawberries and blueberries on top.

… and store until you are ready…

A Weck jar filled with overnight chia oats topped with blueberries and strawberries.

… to enjoy. Such a treat.

A bowl over overnight chia oats and berries.
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
A bowl over overnight chia oats and berries.

Overnight Chia Oats (Gluten-free, Dairy Free)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 36 reviews

  • Author: Alexandra Stafford
  • Total Time: 4 to 12 hours
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

Description

Adapted from my friend Serena Wolf’s recipe, which can be found here. Her apple pie overnight oats are also a favorite but entail a teensy bit more work.

Notes

Oat Milk: I love the Minor Figures oat milk for my morning muesli, for my sleeping chocolate (Beam), and, now, for these oats. As noted below, use whatever milk your heart desires.

Weck jars: I love these Weck jars for storing the muesli because one is large enough for the entire batch with room for fruit.  

Individual Jars: I also love these jars for making individual portions, in which case to each jar I add: 

  • 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup oat milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1.5 teaspoons maple syrup
  • pinch sea salt
  • dash cinnamon

Large-Batch Portion: When I can’t locate all of those cute jars, I make a large batch and store it in one of these 2-quart vessels. Then I dish out smaller servings as needed.

  • ¾ cup chia seeds
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 4.5 cups oat milk
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups oat milk or milk of choice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • a big pinch of flaky sea salt
  • cinnamon, to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, using 1.25 cups milk if you like a thicker “oatmeal” consistency and 1.5 cups milk if you like a milkier mixture. Transfer the mixture to a storage jar and place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours but ideally 12 or more. The oats can stay in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
  2. Remove the jar from the fridge and transfer the contents to two bowls. Top with fruit if desired, then serve. 
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stir
  • Cuisine: Amerian