Making overnight oats with frozen fruit is not only convenient and cost-effective but also makes a super quick and delicious breakfast that's nutrient richt and easy to prepare. It's also perfect when you don't have any fresh fruit on hand such as during the winter months.
Overnight oats are perfect for busy mornings as they can be prepared ahead of time. Making a batch on Sunday night ensures that you're covered when it comes to healthy breakfast options throughout the week.
Plus, they are super versatile- you can add your favorite fruit and toppings to create different flavors!
For more overnight oat recipes check out our Almond Milk Overnight Oats, Overnight Oats with Water, Overnight Oats with Coconut Milk or Overnight Oats without Yogurt.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Budget friendly: Frozen fruit is often more affordable than fresh fruit, especially when the fruit is out of season or not local to your country.
- Convenience: Frozen fruit is already cleaned, chopped and ready to use.
- Extended shelf-life: It lasts much longer than fresh fruit, making it easier to have it on hand without constantly stocking up on fresh fruit.
- Year-round availability: Frozen fruit allows you to enjoy fruits that are out of season.
What are Overnight Oats?
When rolled oats are soaked in liquid overnight, you'll end up with a thick and creamy oatmeal the next day- that's what's called overnight oats.
They make the perfect make-ahed breakfast as they can easily be prepared in a mason jar the evening before.
While they are usually prepared with fresh fruit, you can just as easily make overnight oats with frozen fruit.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Oats: We recommend using old-fashioned oats. They result in a thicker and creamier texture compared to quick oats or instant oats. If you only have quick oats at hand you could try using these but you'll end up with slightly runnier oats. Choose certified gluten-free oats if you're on a gluten-free diet. Don't use steel cut oats.
- Chia Seeds: They have the ability to soak up a lot of liquid. Adding a teaspoon of chia seeds will result in extra thick oats and a pudding-like texture. Could be replaced with ground flax-seeds.
- Milk of choice: You can use a plant-based milk if choice or regular whole milk. My favorite milk for overnight oat recipes is oat milk because of its natural sweetness. However, you could use any non-dairy milk of choice such as almond, cashew milk, soy milk or even coconut milk.
- Maple Syrup: Oats on their own are quite neutral in flavor which is why we'll add some sweetener. I prefer maple syrup because of its delicious taste but you could use any sweetener of choice such as agave syrup, honey (not vegan), coconut sugar or regular sugar.
- Yogurt of choice: The combination of yogurt and chia seeds will result in an even creamier texture. Any unsweetened yogurt of choice would work here such as plain greek yogurt or a plant-based yogurt such as soy yogurt for a dairy-free breakfast.
- Frozen Berries: We found that the recipe works best with a frozen berry blend. Ours consisted of frozen blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Personally, I didn't like the texture of defrosted strawberries but it's up to you.
- Vanilla Extract (optional): for some vanilla flavors, can also be omitted.
- Sea Salt (optional): to enhance the flavors, can also be omitted.
How to make overnight oats with frozen fruit
This is just another one of our really easy overnight oats recipes, all you'll need is 6 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time.
Step 1: Simply start by whisking together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. I usually start with mixing together plant milk, yogurt and maple syrup and then add oats, chia seeds and frozen berries. Give the mixture a good stir.
Step 2: Refrigerate. Put the oat mixture into the fridge for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
Step 3: Toppings. Adding a variety of toppings is what turns these overnight oats into an even more delicious breakfast.
I love adding fresh berries and other fruit, nuts or nut butter but check out my topping recommendations below for some ideas.
Katie's expert tips
- Frozen Fruit: I recommend using a frozen berry mix that includes blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It also works great with frozen mango pieces but I didn't particularly like the taste of frozen strawberries. So you might need to play around a bit with different types of fruit until you find your favorites!
- Toppings: Don't skip the toppings- it's what makes an oatmeal recipe taste even more delicious. Oats themselves taste slightly sweet and nutty but are otherwise quite neutral in their taste, that's when toppings come into play! Choose whatever you like, preferably different ones with different textures and tastes. You'll find some ideas below.
- Rolled Oats: This recipe works best with old-fashioned oats. Using instant or quick oats will result in a much runnier consistency.
- Batch Cooking: If you're not a morning person but would like to enjoy a filling breakfast throughout the week, then batch cooking is your best friend! You could prepare a big batch of overnight oats on Sunday. That way you are covered when it comes to breakfast for the next couple of days. While they taste best the next day, they are good to eat for another 3 days. However, add your toppings shortly before consuming them!
- Warm oatmeal: Simply put them into the microwave (make sure to use a microwave-safe container) for a minute or so to enjoy them as a warm breakfast. Alternatively you could heat them on the stovetop on low-medium heat but you might need to add an additional splash of milk.
Mix-in & topping ideas
- Fresh Fruit: Additional toppings are a must-have for any oatmeal recipe. The choices are endless, simply slice up some of your favorite fruits such as bananas, fresh blueberries or apples. Or try my Breakfast Fruit Salad instead.
- Nut Butters: such as Homemade Almond Butter or peanut butter not only taste amazing but turns this into an even more nutritious breakfast. It adds some healthy fats as well as additional protein. Make sure though that you're using nut butters that consist 100% of nuts!
- Nuts & Seeds: such as pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, (toasted) almonds, cashews, brazil nuts or walnuts all make an amazing topping.
- Caramel Sauce: We highly recommend you try our 2-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce as a topping.
- Applesauce
- Cacao Powder: add a teaspoon of dark cacao powder for some nice chocolaty flavors.
- Spices: add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg for some warm flavors.
- Protein Powder: for a breakfast higher in protein, try adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder. Or try my High-Protein Overnight Oats or this Vegan Protein Overnight Oats recipe.
Storage
- To store: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Variations
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats and make sure you choose gluten-free toppings.
- Dairy-free: Use a plant-based milk of choice such as almond milk, soy milk or oat milk (my favorite).
- Nut-free: Use a nut-free milk and don't include any nuts as a topping. Instead of peanut butter as a topping you could use sunflower seed butter.
FAQs
Absolutely, simply put them into the microwave (make sure to use a microwave-safe container) for a minute. Alternatively, you could heat them on the stovetop on low-medium heat but you might need to add an additional splash of milk.
Large flaked oats work best in overnight oat recipes. Using instant or quick oats will result in a much runnier consistency.
The chia seeds help thicken the oats and result in oatmeal with a more pudding-like texture. You could theoretically omit it (or replace it with flaxseeds) but I highly recommend adding them.
If you ran out of milk overnight oats can also be made with water. Check out our Overnight Oats with Water recipe!
More recipes to try
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📖 Recipe
Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit
Ingredients
- ½ cup (50 g) old fashioned oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ cup (120 ml) oat milk *or use any other milk of choice
- 1-2 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) maple syrup *or other sweetener of choice
- ¼ cup (40 g) unsweetened plain yogurt of choice *such as soy (dairy-free) or greek yogurt
- ½ cup (80 g) frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries + blackberries)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Start by mixing together plant milk, maple syrup and yogurt. Then add oats, chia seeds and frozen berries. Give the mixture a good stir.
- Put the oat mixture into the fridge for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
- Add mix-ins and toppings of choice- see below for some ideas.
Video
Notes
- Grab-and-go: If you want to prepare it as a grab-and-go breakfast, you could whisk together all of the ingredients in a mason jar or container of choice with a lid. That way they are ready right away and you don't have to transfer them to a jar the next morning.
- Frozen fruit: We recommend using a frozen berry mix that includes blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It also works great with frozen mango but I particularly didn't like the taste of frozen strawberries. So you might need to play around a bit with different types of fruit until you find your favorites!
- Topping ideas: fresh fruit, blueberry puree (such as seen on the photo+video), nut butters such as Homemade Almond Butter , nuts & seeds, our 2-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce, cacao powder, mashed banana, apple sauce, protein powder...
Don says
Diolch yn fawr / a massive thank you,
Great recipe, love it. Now my go to breakfast.
Love from Cymru/Wales
Katie says
Hi Don, thanks a lot for leaving a feedback! Very glad to hear that you liked it- it's one of my go-to breakfast options as well 😊