Creamy Strawberry Overnight Oats

Recipe features

• Blended strawberry milk adds more strawberry flavor in every bite
• Easy make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings
• Works with fresh or frozen strawberries
• Vegan, dairy-free, and easy to customize

Ingredient notes and substitutions

The strawberry oats use simple ingredients for a creamy texture and bright strawberry flavor. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements and easy swaps.

Strawberries - Fresh or frozen strawberries, both work well. For the best flavor, use sweet, flavorful berries.  Frozen berries make the oats thinner.  To make strawberry overnight oats with frozen strawberries, reduce the amount of strawberries to ⅓ cup (44 grams).  For more strawberry-inspired breakfast ideas, try flax pudding with strawberries or strawberry chia seed pudding.

Dairy-free milk - Use any dairy-free milk, such as unsweetened almond, oat, soy, or cashew milk.  For a creamier texture, use a creamier dairy-free milk, such as soy milk or some brands of oat or cashew milk.

Maple syrup - Sweeten the oats with pure maple syrup, agave syrup, or date syrup. 

Lemon juice - This adds a slight burst of flavor that pairs well with the strawberries in the overnight oatmeal.  

Vanilla extract - Adds a sweet aromatic flavor.

Rolled oats - Old-fashioned rolled oats work best for overnight oats because they soften but still maintain a little texture. If needed, use certified gluten-free oats. Quick oats can become mushy, and steel-cut oats are not a good substitute in this recipe.

Ground flaxseed - Ground flaxseed helps thicken the oatmeal. You can substitute them with whole chia seeds. For more oatmeal ideas without chia seeds, try no chia seed overnight oats.

Ground cinnamon - Adds more flavor, but it can be skipped or reduced. For another breakfast recipe with cinnamon, try cinnamon overnight oats.

Salt - Just a pinch to bring out the flavors.

Fresh vs frozen strawberries

Fresh or frozen strawberries both work well in these overnight oats. For the best flavor, choose sweet, flavorful strawberries.

Fresh strawberries

Fresh strawberries add the brightest flavor when in season.  If they're out of season, they may be more bland.

Frozen strawberries

Frozen strawberries are an easy, budget-friendly choice for year-round meal prep, and you can add them directly to the blender without thawing. They might make the oats slightly thinner. If using frozen strawberries, reduce the amount to ⅓ cup. Their flavor can vary by brand and harvest date. Some frozen strawberries are very flavorful, while others can taste bland.

Variations

• Strawberry banana - Top with sliced banana or try banana overnight oats with diced strawberries.
• Strawberry cheesecake - Stir in 1 tablespoon of dairy-free cream cheese while preparing the oats.
• Protein strawberry - Add vegan protein powder or hemp hearts. The protein powder will thicken the oats, so you'll need to add more milk.  If the protein powder is sweetened, you may want to skip the maple syrup.
• Almond butter strawberry - Add a drizzle of almond butter before serving.
• Chia strawberry - Swap flaxseeds for chia seeds.
• Lemon strawberry - Add lemon zest while preparing the oats.
• Strawberry blueberry - Add fresh blueberries before serving.

Toppings

These healthy strawberry overnight oats are delicious straight from the jar, but toppings make them even better.  Add your favorites just before serving for extra texture, flavor, and variety.

Fresh toppings - Diced fresh strawberries, other fresh berries, or sliced banana.

Crunchy toppings - Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted almond slices, hemp seeds, or plant-based granola.

Creamy toppings - Add a dollop of non-dairy yogurt, cashew butter, peanut butter, or almond butter.

Tips and troubleshooting

• The strawberry milk gives the oats a pretty pink color, but the color will fade as they sit.
• Too thick? Stir in a splash of dairy-free milk before serving.
• Too thin? Add a little more oats or ground flaxseed and let the oatmeal sit a bit longer to thicken.
• Want more strawberry flavor? Stir in diced strawberries before serving or sweeten with strawberry preserves instead of maple syrup.
• Want it creamier? Add a spoonful of dairy-free yogurt before serving.
• Want it sweeter? Drizzle in a little more maple syrup.

How to make overnight oats with strawberries 

1. Blend the strawberry milk: Blend the strawberries, dairy-free milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. This creates the pink strawberry milk that gives the oats their creamy texture and strawberry flavor. 

2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a jar or another small airtight container, combine the rolled oats, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Stirring the dry ingredients first helps everything distribute evenly.

3. Stir together and chill: Pour the strawberry milk into the oat mixture and stir until combined.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.  For the best texture, enjoy within 2 to 3 days.

4. Add toppings and serve: Before serving, give the oats a good stir and add any toppings you like.

How to Make Strawberry Milk for Multiple Servings

This recipe is written for one serving, but the strawberry milk can easily be scaled up for breakfast meal prep.

Option 1: Blend each serving separately.
Blend the strawberry milk for each serving individually, then pour it into each prepared oat mixture.

Option 2: Blend the wet ingredients all at once.
Blend the wet ingredients for multiple servings in one batch, then mix them into a large bowl of the prepared dry ingredients for the multiple servings. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to thicken, stir again, and portion it into jars or store it in one larger container.