Blended Overnight Oats
If you’ve ever found yourself standing in front of the fridge at 7am, bleary-eyed and hungry, wondering if you have the energy to chew your breakfast—well, blended overnight oats will be right up your alley. I remember the first time I made these: I’d flubbed up the batch, blended way too long, and ended up with something that looked vaguely like a caffeinated pudding. Still ate it, though. (Actually… it wasn’t half bad.) Now I whip these up most weeks, especially when nobody else wants to use the blender for their green monstrosity smoothies. Plus, my dog stares at me the whole time. Guess he thinks he deserves oats, too.
Why You’ll Love This (I Do!)
I make this a lot right after I’ve survived a rough Monday or if I know my week will be bananas (sometimes literally; I toss in an overripe one). My family goes crazy for it because it’s like eating pudding for breakfast, only you can pretend it’s health food—I mean, it is healthy, but you know what I mean. Sometimes the kids complain about “lumpy oats” (their words), so blending it to smithereens keeps everyone happy. And I’ll be honest: if you’re the forgetful type (guilty), prep this before bed and you’ll feel like a kitchen wizard in the morning.
What You’ll Need: Ingredients (Swaps Encouraged!)
- 1 cup rolled oats (Honestly, I’ve used quick oats in a pinch. My Gran always said Bob’s Red Mill is the best, but anything works)
- 1 cup milk (I go for oat milk, but almond, dairy, or whatever’s in the fridge is fair game)
- 1 small banana (Totally fine to skip, or sub in a handful of frozen mango if you’re wild)
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt (regular yogurt works, or use coconut if you’re into that)
- 1–2 tbsp maple syrup or honey (or a dash of whatever sweetener isn’t stuck at the bottom of the jar)
- 1 tbsp chia seeds (I forget these sometimes—doesn’t hurt much)
- A pinch of salt (skippable, but I think it wakes up the flavors)
- Optional: handful of frozen berries, tablespoon of nut butter, dash of vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon (Actually, cinnamon’s non-negotiable in my book)
How I (Usually) Throw It Together
- Add the oats, milk, banana, yogurt, sweetener, chia seeds, and salt into your blender. Yes, just dump ’em in together—no need to fuss.
- Blend on high for 1–2 minutes. Watch it turn creamy and smooth; if you see little oat flecks, that’s totally fine. (This is where I usually sneak a quick taste and sometimes—okay, often—I end up adding extra honey.)
- Pour the mixture into a lidded jar or container. If it looks a bit runny, don’t fret. It thickens up overnight. Worst case, blame it on the humidity?
- Stir in (or just plop on) your optional extras. Mix-ins on top, or marble them through—depends if you’re feeling fancy or lazy.
- Pop it in the fridge. Let it sit at least 4 hours, but overnight is better. Sometimes I’m too impatient and check early. It’s always a mess at that stage.
- When you’re ready to eat, give it a good stir. If it’s too thick, splash in another bit of milk. Too thin? Eh, grab a spoon and go for it.
Notes from Trial and Error (Mostly Error, if I’m Honest)
- Don’t over-blend—unless you like paste. I once answered a text mid-blend. Pure porridge glue.
- If you forget the banana, I think it’s actually smoother (but a little less sweet, so just add more maple syrup…)
- Turns out, cinnamon covers a multitude of sins, including bland oats.
- Actually, my favorite version came from a happy accident when I ran out of yogurt and threw in a splash of kefir—tangy and awesome.
Variations I’ve Experimented With (Some More Successful Than Others)
- Tried adding cocoa powder for a dessert-vibe—major win, especially if you toss on a few chocolate chips (I only regret not adding whipped cream, ha!)
- Once swapped in matcha powder, but honestly, it tasted like lawn. Maybe just me?
- Chopped dates instead of sweetener: delicious and so chewy, though they gummed up my blender once.
About the Equipment (Don’t Stress If You Lack Gadgets)
I always use my old blender (it’s got more life in it than I do some mornings), but you can get away with a sturdy food processor. Oh, and once I used one of those stick blenders straight in a mason jar… it mostly worked, but my kitchen looked like Jackson Pollock visited.
How to Store It (But It’s Gone Before You Know It)
Just put a lid on your jar or container and keep it in the fridge; it’ll be fine for 2–3 days. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! On second thought, maybe double the batch.
How We Serve (Spoiler: It’s Usually in Jam Jars)
I like to spoon it straight from the jar with some extra berries or granola sprinkled on top. Sometimes we add a dollop of peanut butter or a sharp handful of chopped apples for crunch—makes it feel oddly celebratory on a Thursday morning.
Oh, and if you’re eating it straight form the blender jug, that’s between you and your oats.
Pro Tips (Learned the Hard-ish Way)
- Don’t try to eat it right after blending; it’s weirdly soupy. Patience. (I once tried, instant regret.)
- Clean the blender right away or you’ll be chiseling cemented oats out, trust me… with a teaspoon, no less.
- Taste and adjust your sweetener. Actually, it’s amazing how much sweetness you think you need before the flavors meld overnight.
FAQ (From My Real, Curious Circle)
- Can I make this without a blender?
- Kinda! You can mash everything up really well with a fork, though it won’t be silky. Still tasty though.
- Is it ok to use steel-cut oats?
- Not really, or at least, I’ve never gotten it to work out. They stay kinda gritty. Maybe there’s a secret pro trick I don’t know?
- Can I freeze blended overnight oats?
- I’ve never tried, but a friend said they split weirdly after defrosting. Probably best to stick to the fridge.
- How sweet is this?
- Depends how much maple syrup you chuck in, really. I go lighter, but everyone’s tastebuds are different. Make it yours!
- Help! It’s too thick this morning!
- No worries—just stir in some milk (or even a splash of coffee, which—by the way—gives it a cool vibe, if that’s your thing).
Anyway, give it a whirl. If it comes out weird, just sprinkle on extra toppings and say it’s artisan. Life’s too short to stress about oats, right?
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sliced banana
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
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1Add rolled oats, milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, banana, and salt to a blender.
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2Blend on high speed until completely smooth and creamy.
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3Pour the blended mixture evenly into two jars or containers.
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4Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
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5In the morning, stir well and top with your favorite fruits, nuts, or seeds before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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