An easy to customize breakfast that will fill you up! These mason jar overnight oats – 5 ways are an easy prep ahead breakfast. Keep a few jars on hand to just fill at night, and enjoy in the morning!

5 mason jars with overnight oats recipes, with chocolate and oats on a white distressed board

I may be working remotely still, but my days are no less hectic than they were before. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for good reason. It sets the stage for how the rest of your day will go. That, and a cup of coffee. Fine, two. I’m late to the overnight oats party, but I am a convert using all of the mason jars I have from my canning, to create these mason jar overnight oats recipes – 5 different ways!

Whether you’re making them fruity, or sinfully chocolatey, you can mix and match flavors, and mixings to create a custom overnight oats experience. I like making these shelf stable and great for batch meal prep, using ingredients that will hold and don’t need refrigeration until I pour the milk in! Want to see my secrets for delectable overnight oats?

5 mason jars with overnight oats recipes, with chocolate and oats on a white distressed board with a photo overhead

What are overnight oats?

Simply put, overnight oats are prepared the night before you want to eat them. They require no heating, and are eaten chilled. Overnight to milk soaks into the oats to create a thick oatmeal for you to just grab and eat. The beauty of mason jar overnight oats are that you can use any milk you choose, or add-ins to create a fun combo.

I prefer to use unsweetened almond milk. But you can use any milk you prefer, depending on your taste preference or dietary needs. I use unsweetened coconut, so if you need some sweetness in your oats, use sweetened coconut! The options are endless.

What kind of oats?

Can I use regular oats for overnight oats? Yes. Old Fashioned oats are best for this. You can also use gluten-free oats for those that might have a sensitivity or allergy. Steel cut oats don’t absorb and expand as well, and minute oats create a less textured oatmeal.

Are overnight oats healthy?

There are a lot of questions as to “what’s so special about overnight oats?”, well, I’m not a registered dietician, but I have found that I like that it takes the guesswork out of what I can have for breakfast. They are packed with nutrient dense ingredients, and can keep you satisfied for a long period of time. You can customize ingredients that fit your diet, or change ingredients if you’re sensitive to certain foods. I know when I have these prepped, I have less excuse to reach for something less healthy – like a doughnut.

5 mason jars with overnight oats recipes, with chocolate, dried fruit and coconut on a counter

Are these shelf stable?

YES! The beauty of these shelf stable overnight oats is that the ingredients here allow you to prepare several jars worth, without worrying that they will spoil or go back. And it just makes your day much more productive when you just want to pour milk into the jar and put it in the fridge. And at the end of my day, I would prefer to not be cooking more, and making a singular jar for the next day. These allow you to prep them ahead of time and grab one when it suits you, with minimal fuss.

Using dry ingredients will allow you to keep these mason jars shelf stable. Choose dried fruit, powdered protein powder, powdered peanut butter, cocoa powder, dried coconut, freeze dried fruit, nuts, and spices! While honey is shelf stable, it is best to wait until you add in your milk before adding in a liquid sweetener.

Close up photo of peanut butter and chocolate overnight oats in a mason jar.

Flavor Combinations

For these mason jar overnight oats – 5 ways – I wanted to use a limited number of ingredients to the maximum amount of variation. I focused on oats, coconut, nuts, cinnamon, chai spices, dried fruit and cocoa powder, cinnamon bits. What makes these fun is that you can use whatever is in your pantry, and don’t have to buy more stuff.

Peanut Butter Cup – oats, chocolate shavings, powdered peanut butter, salt.

Almond Joy – Oats, chocolate shavings, sliced almonds, dried unsweetened coconut, salt.

Cinnamon Roll – Oats, cinnamon chips, chopped pecans, salt, coconut.

Mixed Berry – Oats, unsweetened coconut, dried blueberries, freeze dried strawberries, dried cherries.

Dirty Chai – Oats, unsweetened coconut, espresso powder, chai spice blend, salt.

Other popular additions to overnight oats can be 

  • nut butters – almond butter, peanut butter, macadamia butter, etc.
  • fruits – berries, banana – though these are best added in the morning you eat them and not overnight.
  • seeds and nuts – almonds, flax seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds are a popular addition as they expand overnight and are very filling.
  • Additional sweeteners – maple syrup, agave syrup, honey
  • ​Other protein rich dairy – greek yogurt
  • Spices – cinnamon, cardamom, cocoa powder, chai, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, or more!

What type of liquid is used in overnight oats?

You can use whatever type of dairy or nondairy you prefer in overnight oats recipes. I like dairy milk or coconut milk with a chocolate and coconut oats for an Almond Joy inspired treat. Or almond milk is a great flavor as well. Use whatever suits your taste buds best.

What else can I put in overnight oats?

There are some super filling things to add to your overnight oats recipe. I love that you can make a large batch with multiple jars, that just require to be filled with milk the night before. Here are some more suggestions for ingredients to add to overnight oats.

  • Nut Butter – cashew, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, all great options!
  • Maple Syrup – is a great and easy sweetener and flavor
  • Banana
  • Greek Yogurt – for added protein and tang
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Walnuts
  • Almonds
  • Cardamom
  • Seeds – Flax seeds, Chia seeds, or hemp or sesame seeds
  • Nutmeg or Cinnamon

What else can you make with mason jars?

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

25 Amazing No Bake Desserts in Jars

Cherry Cheesecake in a Jar

Homemade Greek Seasoning

Print
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Mason Jar Overnight Oats – 5 Ways

  • Author: Megan Keno
  • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 Hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 Jar Each 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: American

Description

An easy to customize breakfast that will fill you up! These mason jar overnight oats – 5 ways are an easy prep ahead breakfast. Keep a few jars on hand to just fill at night, and enjoy in the morning!


Ingredients

Scale
  • Peanut Butter Cup –
    • 1/3 cup Old Fashioned oats
    • 1 Tbsp chocolate shavings, or mini chocolate chips
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp Powdered Peanut Butter
    • Pinch of Salt
    • Honey, optional
  • Almond Joy –
    • 1/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats
    • 2 Tbsp Chocolate Shavings
    • 1 Tbsp Sliced Almonds
    • Shredded Coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
    • Salt
    • Honey, optional
  • Cinnamon Roll –
    • 1/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats,
    • 2 Tbsp Cinnamon Chips, or Cinnamon Bits
    • 2 Tbsp Chopped Pecans,
    • Pinch of Salt,
    • Sweetened Coconut (sweetened or unsweetened.)
  • Mixed Berry –
    • 1/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats,
    • 2 Tbsp Shredded Coconut (sweetened or unsweetened),
    • 1 Tbsp dried blueberries,
    • 1 Tbsp freeze dried strawberries,
    • 1 Tbsp dried cherries, chopped.
  • Dirty Chai –
    • 1/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats,
    • 2 Tbsp Shredded Coconut (sweetened or unsweetened),
    • 1/81/4 tsp Espresso powder (more or less to taste)
    • 1/81/4 tsp Chai spice blend,
    • Pinch of Salt

Instructions

In each jar, pour in the listed amount of ingredients. Seal jar and place in a cool, dry place until ready to make! Pour in approximately 2/3 cup of milk and stir to combine. If you want to sweeten it, add in honey or other sweetener at this stage. Seal the jars, place in the fridge, and rest overnight. Stir, and devour!

Shelf stable for 3 months


Keywords: Oatmeal, Breakfast, Meal Prep