Easy Cinnamon Overnight Oats

Use old-fashioned oats as your base, sweeten with maple syrup and raisins, then add a generous amount of ground cinnamon for a delightfully sweet breakfast treat. For more cinnamon-inspired overnight oatmeal, try banana and cinnamon overnight oats with peanut butter.

It only takes about 5 minutes to whip up these cinnamon oats and you have oatmeal ready for busy mornings.  This easy breakfast recipe is quick, vegan, gluten-free, and made without yogurt. 

For more overnight oatmeal recipes try basic overnight oats with flaxseed, frozen fruit overnight oats, or applesauce overnight oats. They can all be made in advance, making them perfect for the next morning.

Recipe features

• Only takes 5 minutes to meal prep
• Great make-ahead breakfast
• Dairy-free and gluten-free
• Uses simple ingredients and no yogurt
• Add a variety of toppings to change things up
• Great for adults, kids, and the whole family

What are overnight oats?

Overnight oatmeal uses a method of softening uncooked oats without cooking them.  Instead of cooking your oats in the microwave or stovetop with liquid, they are soaked for at least a few hours or overnight.  The result is a creamy consistency for a cold no-cook method for making oatmeal.

The flavor combinations are endless, making them great for meal prep for adults or busy school mornings. Mix things up and try raspberry overnight oats, vegan pumpkin overnight oats, or even chocolate peanut butter overnight oats. 

Ingredients notes

You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these creamy oats.  Please see the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Old-fashioned oats - They are the basis for my easy overnight oat recipes.  I like to stick to old-fashioned oats for the best texture, not steel-cut oats or quick oats.

Non-dairy milk - Any dairy-free milk will work.  Try it with almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk.  Some are creamier than others; use your favorite.  I prefer a 1:1 ratio of milk to oats, but if you like your oats a bit thinner, add a splash more.

Ground flax seeds - The ground flaxseed makes the oats a little thicker.  Chia seeds can be used instead, but I prefer to reduce the amount to 1-2 teaspoons instead of a tablespoon.

Raisins - They add little pops of chewy sweetness.

Pure maple syrup - Any sweetener will work for the oats, agave, or brown sugar can also be used.  Alter the amount to fit your own unique sweetness preference.

Ground cinnamon - Can’t have cinnamon overnight oats without the cinnamon!

Vanilla extract - To make these vanilla cinnamon overnight oats, add about ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract for more flavor.

How to make cinnamon overnight oats

Add all of the ingredients in a sealable jar or container with a lid.  Stir everything together until combined.

Refrigerate the oats for at least 2 hours to soften or for the best results let them soak overnight.  

Taste and adjust, add more maple syrup if you prefer it sweeter, add more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency, and if you prefer even more cinnamon add more.  Give the oats a stir and top with toppings or eat as is.

The recipe is for one serving, but multiple servings can be prepped at one time for meal prep.

Toppings

Add some fresh or cooked fruit as a topping to change up the flavor of the cinnamon overnight oats.  I usually just stick to adding 1-2 tablespoons of raisins to the oats as they soak overnight per the recipe.  The dried fruit puffs up a little after soaking in the milk, and I just love the cinnamon-raisin flavor combination. 

For more topping ideas try adding any of these:

• Sliced bananas (I would add them the morning of so they don’t brown)
• Chopped walnuts or pecans (add the morning of so they don't soften)
• Oil-free granola (add the morning of)
• Peanut or almond butter (add either when making the oats or the morning of)
• Fresh berries (add the morning of)
• Any fresh fruit (add the morning of)
• Vegan chocolate chips (add either when making the oats or the morning of)
• Vegan yogurt (add either when making the oats or the morning of)

Variations

• Add diced crisp apples or cooked apples to make it apple cinnamon overnight oats.  You can even substitute the ground cinnamon with apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
• Add a drizzle of melted coconut butter to the top for cinnamon roll overnight oats.

Tips

• Rolled oats are naturally gluten-free, but if needed ensure your oats are certified gluten-free.
• The recipe is for one serving, but it can be used to make as many servings as you need.
• Make sure all of the oats are submerged in the milk.

Storage

The cinnamon oats work great for meal prep so they can be stored in an airtight container for about 5 days in the refrigerator.

Frequently asked questions?

Delicious breakfast recipes

• Mango Overnight Oats
• Cherry Overnight Oats
• Simple Overnight Oats with flax seeds
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
• Pumpkin Overnight Oats
• Raspberry Overnight Oats
• Overnight Oats with PB2

As always, I hope you enjoy this maple cinnamon overnight oats recipe that is perfect for meal prepping for the next day! If you like this healthy breakfast recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.