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Peanut Butter Overnight Oats are an easy meal prep breakfast that you can grab straight from the fridge. All you need is 5 minutes to assemble them!
If you’re new to this idea, overnight oats are simply rolled oats that have been soaked overnight (or just for a few hours) in liquid to help them soften up. The next morning, the oats are ready to eat straight from the fridge, with no cooking required.
They make a convenient breakfast for people who need a fast, affordable option, and they taste amazing!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Use non-dairy milk to keep this recipe dairy-free and vegan, or use cow’s milk if you prefer. In that case, you can also add a spoonful of Greek yogurt for extra protein, too.
The addition of ground flax seed helps make this breakfast more filling, but you can swap it for a tablespoon of chia seeds for added texture. You can also swap the peanut butter for any other nut butter, like almond butter or cashew butter. Use sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
Since this recipe is easy to customize, feel free to add in extra flavor, like a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla extract, or use a different sweetener, like honey.
You can even stir in a few mini chocolate chips for a batch of peanut butter chocolate overnight oats. (Like a peanut butter cup!)
How to Make Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
In a 12-ounce or larger mason jar, combine the oats, peanut butter, ground flax seed, maple syrup, and milk of choice (I use almond milk).
Stir well to combine, making sure the oats are submerged in the liquid.
Secure the lid on the jar and store the oats in the fridge overnight. They will soften over time and will be ready to eat the next morning.
When you’re ready to eat, remove the jar from the refrigerator and add an extra splash of water or milk to loosen the texture, if you’d like. Add an extra drizzle of peanut butter, if desired, and serve with fresh berries or sliced banana on top.
You can make overnight oats up to 3-4 days in advance, so feel free to double or triple the recipe if you want to have several days of breakfast ready to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Uncooked oats have more resistant starch than cooked oats, and eating resistant starch may promote gut health. Soaking oats in liquid also helps to reduce their phytic acid content, which in turn may boost iron absorption.
Yes, you can warm up overnight oats by pouring them into a saucepan over medium-high heat and stirring well until heated through. I usually add a 1/4 cup of extra liquid in this case, since the oats will thicken up even more when heated. If you would rather microwave the oats, I recommend transferring the overnight oats to a heat-safe bowl, as a cold glass container may shatter if the temperature of the oats changes too quickly.
Old-fashioned rolled oats are not technically raw, so yes they are safe to eat without cooking them. Oat groats are steamed before they are rolled.
Rolled oats are naturally gluten-free but be sure to shop for “certified gluten-free oats” on the label if you need a gluten-free breakfast, so they aren’t contaminated during processing.
I will often use quick oats when I don’t plan on soaking this recipe for long; it’s ready to eat almost immediately. If quick oats soak overnight they may be mushier the next day.
I don’t recommend using steel-cut oats for this recipe unless you don’t mind a chewy consistency. They won’t soften up the way old-fashioned rolled oats do.
Looking for more overnight oats recipes? For a chocolate flavor try Chocolate Overnight Oats made with cacao powder, or Banana Overnight Oats for a banana bread flavor.
Ingredients
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¾ cup milk of choice
Instructions
- In a 12-ounce or larger glass jar, combine the rolled oats, flax, peanut butter, maple syrup, and milk. Stir well to mix.
- Secure a lid on the jar, then place it in the fridge to chill overnight. You can make this up to 3 days in advance, so feel free to double or triple the recipe to make more jars at once.
- In the morning, take the lid off the oats and stir well. Add any toppings you like, such as fresh fruit or an extra drizzle of peanut butter. These oats are ready to eat right away.
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Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Peanut Butter Overnight Oats recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
So easy and so tasty, kids love them too!
This was delicious! I doubled the recipe for me and my partner, used some hemp hearts as well as some chocolate pea protein powder. My picky partner said he could eat this everyday for breakfast! Topped wit fresh strawberries in the morning, so delish! Thank you! 🙂
amazing recipee I love this
I made these in the winter, and liked them, but decided to eat regular heated oatmeal for my warm breakfast. Now that it’s summer, these are my go-to breakfast! Since I am making them just for me, I decided to decrease the peanut butter to a generous tablespoon. I love the taste of 2 tablespoons, but don’t want to have that many calories. To compensate for the flavor loss, , I toss in a sprinkle of cinnamon. Then eat them with banana slices or blueberries. It’s very satisfying and satiating. I rarely get hungry until lunch time when I eat these for breakfast. Thanks so much for this recipe!
This peanut butter oatmeal look so yummy and healthy.