I have been growing tired of my usual breakfast rotation. My early classes force me to stick to effortless morning meals, but there’s only so much yogurt and cereal a person can take. Thankfully, TikTok — somehow sensing my breakfast dilemma — recently presented a great option — overnight oats. Different recipes monopolized my For-You page on TikTok, so I took the hint and tried them out.
After throwing together several recipes, I have compiled a ranking of my top five favorite overnight oats flavors, which are perfect for diversifying your morning menu. Each flavor requires the same 1:1 ratio of oats to milk and only varies in terms of the add-ins and toppings. Therefore, regardless of the ingredients in your fridge or pantry, overnight oats are an excellent meal option. As long as you have some oats and milk — whether it’s soy, almond, cashew or some other type — in stock, you can whip up a batch at any time.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Oats
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1.5 tablespoons fruit jelly (or jam)
- 2-3 chopped fresh strawberries
Directions:
- Combine oats, milk, peanut butter, yogurt and jelly in a mason jar, and mix together.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.
- Add in chopped strawberries.
For the past few years, I have been obsessed with all PB&J-related products. From Trader Joe’s PB&J bars to Bradley’s Cashew Butter & Jelly smoothie bowl at Juice Laundry, this classic combination never disappoints. So, when I stumbled upon an overnight oats version, I knew I had to try it out.
Despite having a high standard for these PB&J oats, the recipe exceeded all of my expectations. The sugary fruit jelly with the nutty peanut butter provides the best salty-sweet balance, and the addition of the chopped strawberries provides bursts of brightness and freshness. The flavors and creamy, smooth texture allow PB&J overnight oats to secure the first-place spot in my ranking.
- Reese’s Oats
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 handful chocolate chips
Directions:
- Combine oats, milk, peanut butter and yogurt in a mason jar, and mix together.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.
- Add in chocolate chips!
This flavor incorporates peanut butter and chocolate chips — another classic combination. If you’re like me and rely on chocolate peanut butter cups to get you through the week, you must try this recipe. The rich, bold peanut butter taste shines through with every bite, and the small chocolate chips are comparable to little pockets of sweetness. It’s a game-changing breakfast even if you don’t constantly crave Reese’s peanut butter cups. After all, it’s impossible to go wrong with the peanut butter-chocolate combination.
- Banana Bread Oats
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ mashed banana
- 3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 teaspoons maple syrup
- Handful of chopped almonds
Directions:
- Combine oats, milk, yogurt, cinnamon, vanilla, banana and maple syrup in a mason jar, and mix together.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.
- Add in chopped almonds.
Banana bread overnight oats is like comfort in a mason jar, primarily thanks to the delicious pairing of mashed banana with notes of cinnamon and vanilla. Additionally, although I’m not normally a big fan of almonds or walnuts, I really enjoyed the sprinkling of chopped almonds as a topping. They provided a nice crunch — a textural contrast — to the overnight oats. It’s also important to note that, unlike my top two favorites, this flavor is not super sweet, only requiring about a teaspoon and a half of maple syrup. If you’re a fan of banana bread, these overnight oats must be a breakfast staple.
- Apple Pie Oats
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ apple (chopped)
Directions:
- Combine oats, milk, yogurt, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, cinnamon and maple syrup in a mason jar, and mix together.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.
- Add in chopped apple.
Like the banana bread oats, this flavor practically radiates coziness. The cinnamon and brown sugar perfectly complement the juiciness of the cut-up apple pieces. Additionally, since the apples are freshly chopped, they also serve as a textural element to the smooth texture of the oats. While these overnight oats mimic — with remarkable similarity — the flavors of an apple pie, they require minimal effort, making them a great breakfast option.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Oats
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons softened cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Directions:
- Combine oats, milk, pumpkin puree, cream cheese and maple syrup in a mason jar, and mix together.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.
Finally, pumpkin cheesecake overnight oats rounds out my ranking of the top five flavors. The pumpkin puree provides a strong, powerful pumpkin flavor perfect for this time of the year and contributes — along with the cream cheese — to the velvety texture of the overnight oats. In fact, out of all the five flavors, pumpkin cheesecake oats had the best, most luscious consistency, very similar to pudding. They are also the ideal breakfast option to put you in the fall spirit.
Ultimately, whether you’re new to the overnight oats game or have been on this wave for awhile, I highly recommend trying out these variations, which provide fun, simple twists on the classic recipe. They require minimal effort the night before and guarantee a better, brighter morning.
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