No yogurt in the fridge? These overnight oats don't need it - and they're still thick, creamy, and ready in 5 minutes.
This recipe actually started with reader questions. After I shared my Overnight Oats with Water recipe, several of you asked for overnight oats without yogurt that are just as thick and creamy. I tested a handful of add-ins to get the texture right, and this is the combination that stuck.
For more overnight oat recipes check out our Almond Milk Overnight Oats, Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit or Overnight Oats with Coconut Milk.
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What readers say
★★★★★
"I'm lactose intolerant and this has become my go-to overnight oats recipe! It's so creamy even without yogurt and honestly tastes just as good. I've been making it on repeat!" - Emilia.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Overnight oatmeal is a great make-ahead breakfast option - perfect for busy mornings!
- This recipe includes only 7 simple ingredients and is very easy to prepare!
- It's packed with nutrients, plant-based protein and dietary fiber which can help you feel full for longer!
- It can easily be made dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free by opting for gluten-free oats.
- There's no cooking involved- just whisk everything together and you're ready to go!
Ingredients & Substitution Notes
- Oats: I recommend using old-fashioned, rolled oats - I've found they hold up much better than quick oats, which can turn mushy after soaking overnight. If you prefer to make gluten-free overnight oats, opt for certified gluten-free oats. This recipe won't work with steel-cut oats.
- Chia Seeds: They can soak up even more liquid than oats, which will help create a thick texture. You could use ground flax seeds instead, but this will slightly change the taste as flax seeds have a more distinct flavor. Plus they also don't soak as much water leaving you with a thinner texture. If chia seeds are hard to find or pricier where you shop, flax is the easiest swap - just use the same amount.
- Milk of choice: Any milk of choice should work here- which one you take is based on personal preference. You could use regular cow's milk or for vegan overnight oats use any non-dairy milk alternative such as oat milk, almond milk, soy or cashew milk. Coconut milk would also work but this will also add some coconut flavors. Also, make sure that the coconut milk you choose is not too thick or you'll need more milk.
- Maple Syrup: Our preferred choice is maple syrup because it tastes delicious and works well as a sweetener. Feel free to use your preferred sweetener such as agave syrup, honey (not vegan) or sugar (coconut sugar or regular brown sugar).
- Apple Sauce (Unsweetened): Apple sauce is what replaces the yogurt here - it thickens the oats and adds natural sweetness. I recommend the unsweetened kind. It could be replaced by equal amounts of mashed bananas.
- Vanilla Extract (optional): adds a touch of vanilla, could be omitted.
- (Sea) Salt (optional): further enhances the flavors, could also be omitted.
- Toppings: Oats don't taste particularly exciting on their own, that's when your toppings of choice come into play! Feel free to play around with different flavor combinations.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This basic overnight oats recipe consists of only a couple of healthy ingredients - no special equipment needed beyond a bowl and a spoon. In case you'll want to prepare it as a grab-and-go breakfast, you'll need a meal-prep container or mason jar with a lid.
STEP 1: Mix ingredients together. Combine all of the ingredients to a small bowl.
Give the mixture a good stir so that everything is well combined.
STEP 2: Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours but preferably overnight. This will leave the oats enough time to fully absorb the liquid.
STEP 3: Toppings. This is where the fun part starts. Oats don't taste particularly exciting on their own so toppings are crucial to making this easy breakfast taste delicious.
The different flavor variations that you can achieve with toppings are endless. My personal favorite is a combination of different fruits, nuts, nut butter and more maple syrup on top. For more ideas check out our topping recommendations below.
Flavor & Topping Ideas
- Fresh Fruit: Slice up your favorite fruit or fruits and add them to your oatmeal bowl to turn this into a delicious breakfast. Great additions would be fresh blueberries, (caramelized) banana or slices of apple.
- Nut Butters: Homemade Almond Butter or peanut butter add some healthy fats, protein and more flavor. We recommend using natural unsweetened nut butters that don't include any additives. If you can't tolerate nuts, sunflower seed butter might be an option.
- Nuts & Seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds or walnuts make amazing toppings. Add a brazil nut or two for some extra selenium!
- Dried Fruits: chopped up dates, cranberries or figs are naturally quite sweet and dates amazing in oatmeal.
- Caramel Sauce: Adding a tablespoon of our 2-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce is another great way to pimp your oatmeal.
- Granola: A sprinkle of granola adds crunch and texture on top. My Applesauce Granola is a natural match here since this recipe already uses apple sauce - or try my Vanilla Almond Granola or Dark Chocolate Granola for something different.
- Jam: A spoonful of your favorite jam or fruit preserves stirred in adds sweetness and pairs especially well with nut butter.
- Cocoa Powder: give these overnight oats into some chocolatey flavor by adding a teaspoon of unsweetened dark cacao powder.
- Coconut Flakes: For more tropical flavors, add some (toasted) coconut flakes.
- Protein Powder: for some additional protein, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder. Make sure that it's quite neutral in taste though. Especially plant-based protein powder blends can have a quite strong taste.
Top Tips
- Hot oatmeal: If you're not a fan of cold oats simply heat them up in the microwave (using a microwave-safe container) or on the stovetop while constantly stirring. That way you can enjoy your overnight oats as a warm breakfast.
- Grab-and-go: Instead of a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together in a suitable container with a lid. That way you can take your breakfast to work. Store toppings in a separate container and add them just before serving.
Storage
- To store: Store your overnight oats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You could make a big batch on Sunday night and have some breakfast ready throughout the week. Give it a good stir before serving and add a tablespoon of milk of too. Serve with different toppings of choice.
- To freeze: You can also freeze overnight oats (without toppings) in individual portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.
FAQs
Not if you get the ratio right. The most common mistake is too much liquid relative to oats and chia seeds - this recipe uses roughly 1:1.5 (oats to liquid), which gives you thick, spoonable oats rather than soup. If yours come out too loose, stir in a bit more oats and let them sit for another hour.
The chia seeds together with the apple sauce in this recipe help thicken the oats and you'll end up with a creamy oatmeal even though there's no yogurt included.
(Unsweetened) apple sauce makes a great substitute for yogurt, as does mashed bananas.
Chia seeds help thicken the oat mixture further and result in a creamier oatmeal base. Especially because this recipe doesn't include yogurt, I would recommend not skipping the chia seeds. They could be replaced with ground flax seeds though.
Usually YES, but since this recipe doesn't include yogurt, you could probably let the oat mixture sit on the counter for 1 night (if you're using a dairy-free milk). If you make a big batch for the week ahead, I would suggest storing them in the fridge.
More Recipes to try
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📖 Recipe
Overnight Oats Without Yogurt
Ingredients
- ½ cup (50 g) large flaked, rolled oats
- ⅓ cup (90 g) unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (or agarve, honey...)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¾ cup (180 ml) milk of choice (regular milk or non-dairy option such as soy milk, almond milk, oat milk...)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- tiny pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl or your preferred meal-prep container if you want to prepare it as a grab-and-go breakfast for the next morning.
- Give the mixture a good stir so that everything is well combined.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
- Add your toppings of choice shortly before serving (grab-and-go breakfast: Store toppings in a separate container and add them just before serving)
Video
Notes
- Top Tips: Check out our expert tips above.
- Type of oats: This recipe works best with old-fashioned, large flaked oats.
- Topping Ideas: Toppings are essential to make this simple breakfast taste delicious! Try adding fresh fruit, nut butters (peanut butter, homemade almond butter), nuts & seeds (add a brazil nut for some extra selenium), dried fruit pieces, 2-Ingredient Caramel Sauce, coconut flakes, protein powder...
- Meal Prep: Overnight oats will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. This means you could prepare a big batch on Sunday night and won't need to think about breakfast until the middle of the week. Give the mix a good stir each time before serving.
- Nutritional information calculated without toppings.
Megan says
Made these last night and they turned out so good! I usually find overnight oats a bit bland, but these had the perfect texture. Could I warm them up in the morning instead of eating them cold?
Katie says
Yes, absolutely! I usually warm mine in the microwave - just be careful not to overdo it. You can also heat them on the stove, but I personally find the microwave much easier. If I know I want them warm the next morning, I just prep the oats in a microwave-safe bowl the night before so they can go straight in 😊