Easy Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit

The recipe doesn't require any cooking and uses simple ingredients to make this creamy oatmeal.  This is a basic recipe on how to add frozen mixed berries to overnight oats.  For more flavor options on overnight oatmeal using frozen fruit, try blueberry cheesecake overnight oats, cherry overnight oats, mango overnight oats, strawberry overnight oats, or raspberry overnight oats.  You can use fresh or frozen fruit in all of these recipes.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

This healthy make-ahead breakfast only needs a handful of ingredients to make creamy overnight oatmeal.  Please see the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

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

Frozen fruit - Most frozen fruit should work, for this oatmeal, I use a mixed berry blend.  The texture of whole thawed strawberries can be a little off-putting. If used try mashing them after thawing them to have a strawberry puree layer, or you can blend them with milk like in this strawberry overnight oats recipe.  Blueberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, and mangoes work well, or use your favorite fruit.

Dairy-free milk - Any plant-based milk will work, try almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.  I prefer a 1-to-1 ratio of rolled oats to milk but adjust for your preferences. To use water, try overnight oats without milk.

Maple syrup - This can be substituted with agave syrup or another sweetener of your choice.  Adjust the amount of sweetener to suit your preference. 

Ground flax seed - It soaks up the milk and creates a creamier texture for your overnight oats with frozen fruit.  It can be replaced with chia seeds if needed.  When I substitute them with chia seeds, I prefer using only 2 teaspoons of chia seeds. For more recipes with flaxseeds try banana flaxseed pudding with strawberries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips

• Thawed strawberries can be a little mealy.  I’m not a fan of the texture, but they do work great if you thaw them, then mash them, or puree them to flavor the overnight oatmeal. 
• I prefer the consistency of a 1-to-1 ratio of oats to milk and I use ground flax seeds to soak up some of the milk.  If you prefer a thicker consistency for these overnight oatmeal, then reduce the milk by a tablespoon or two.  
• If you prefer a thinner consistency then add more milk.
• Add maple syrup to suit your preferences for sweetness.
• The recipe is for one serving but multiple servings can be made at one time. This makes them perfect for a make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings.

How to make overnight oats with frozen fruit

There are several ways to add frozen fruit to this easy oat recipe.  I added option 1 to the recipe card, but here are a couple of other options for you to try.

Option 1: Mix all the ingredients for the overnight oatmeal (except fruit), then mix in the frozen fruit.  They’ll thaw overnight.  When ready to consume, mash the berries while you stir the oats.  The juices will flavor the oats.  A similar method is to mix the oats, and then layer the frozen fruit on top.  Again they’ll thaw, helping to flavor the oats.  Stir them before consuming.

Option 2: Thaw the frozen berries until they’ve softened and mash them in the bottom of the jar to have a layer of fruit.  Then mix the rest of the ingredients for the oats separately.  Let the oatmeal sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken.

Next, layer the oat mixture on top of the fruit layer, like in my blueberry cheesecake overnight oats.  With this method, you might want to add more flavor to the oats since the fruit will be separate.  This can be done by adding lemon juice, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, or a nut or seed butter.

Option 3: Use a blender to puree the frozen fruit with the milk. Then mix the liquid with the rest of the ingredients for the oatmeal.  Like in my vegan strawberry overnight oats.  When I puree the berries, I like to add ½ tablespoon of lemon juice to help preserve the color.

Ideas to enhance overnight oats

There are all sorts of ways to add different flavors to oatmeal, but here are a few suggestions.

• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, almond butter, hazelnut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• A little lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Make it chocolatey by adding cocoa powder; you may need to add more maple syrup to balance the bitterness of the cocoa powder, and a splash of milk to thin out the oats.
• Chocolate chips

Toppings

If you add toppings to your overnight oats, add them the next morning, especially granola and nuts or seeds, for them to remain crunchy.

• Chocolate chips or cocoa nibs
• Oil-free Granola
• Vegan yogurt
• Nuts or seeds
• Fresh fruit like sliced banana or more fresh berries
• Coconut flakes

Related recipes

• Raspberry overnight oats
• Mango overnight oats
• Overnight oats with water

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe for easy dairy-free overnight oats! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.