Delicious Simple Base Overnight Oatmeal Recipe
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One thing I struggle with is breakfast. I don’t always eat it because I’m not hungry, but my children wake up absolutely FAMISHED. Like, as soon as my daughter’s eyes open WHAT ARE WE EATIN’ MAHHMMMMM. I love her so much. I don’t buy cereal… expensive as heck… and I don’t buy premade anything… also expensive as heck. But sometimes, convenience is needed, so this is how I do that with my overnight oatmeal recipe. And I know, yes you can CAN oatmeal… but it’s really not that good. I neeeeeed healthy breakfast ideas and this one has become a frequent flyer.
We go in kicks where we absolutely love oatmeal, and while it’s pretty easy to make from scratch the day of, it does take about 10-15 minutes to cook. On busy mornings where with farm happenings have all my attention, somedays it’s near impossible to get breakfast on the table for them. I try to keep a couple jars of this base recipe of overnight oatmeal in the fridge because I know my kids will eat them and they’re SO GOOD. We can decide what we want when I’m warming up the oatmeal and choose something from the canning larder to add in.
I know everyone probably already knows how to make oatmeal. It’s not rocket science. BUT, you don’t know how I make them :D and I say it’s the perfect make-ahead breakfast for our household! I also have zero idea how many grams of protein would be in here, but what I do know is it does keep me fueled for a good long while. The goal isn’t to stuff yourself chock full of food, but just to fuel your body. Ain’t nobody need to be unbuttoning their pants to eat more…. just to eat until you’re no longer hungry.
Sweetened Condensed Milk
This recipe uses my home canned sweetened condensed milk made with goat milk from my dairy goats and sweetened with either raw unrefined sugar or maple syrup. That way, I know the ingredients are good and I’m happy to add it to my oats. Store bought sweetened condensed milk tastes SO WEIRD once you’ve made your own. Take my word for it. If you’d like the recipe, I wrote a blog post on it.
I normally make a pretty big batch because it is a labor of love and does take some time to make. Another delicious add to overnight oats is cajeta, which is basically sweetened condensed milk cooked past its condensed form and into caramel. It’s big YUM.
I know some will ask if you can use plant based milks, to which I say probably… but I don’t consider those “milk” and I don’t use them. Almond milk and oat milk have no place here! The type of milk I’m always using is raw goat milk, which will always be the best in my opinion… because I have goats. Major bias.
You really can use whatever the heck milk you want… I just don’t know how this works with cashew milk because I don’t drink blended nut infused water. And I’m sure goat milk gives it a much better creamy texture (AND an extra protein boost) than the latter. Cow’s milk is fine too… just don’t tell me about your jersey… those things are nuts-o (coming from someone who raises red angus LOL).
The Best Oats for My Overnight Oatmeal Recipe
I recommend you use old-fashioned oats or steel-cut oats for overnight oats for best results. Quick oats just won’t hold up to them soaking for 24 hours or more in your refrigerator. You can use this recipe to make oatmeal on the stovetop using quick oats, but may need to adjust the liquid level as I don’t use quick oats, so I’m not sure the liquid amount they require to cook. We also prefer old fashioned or steel cut for the texture. The closer to eating horse feed, the better. I don’t want some runny icky gruel… we want TEXTURE. Kay?
Our Favorite Toppings / Flavor Variations:
- Home canned blueberries (when they’re out of season)
- Home canned peach slices
- Fresh berries or fruit from the garden
- Greek Yogurt
- Chocolate Chips
- Canned pumpkin puree & pumpkin pie spice
- Apple Pie Filling
Play around with different flavors and additions to see what you enjoy. Freeze dried fruit is really fun to add, and if you have a freeze dryer, that makes it even easier! (I don’t…. yet). We’ve been stuck on a peaches and cream kick lately with extra cinnamon! I also like to sneak in about a tablespoon of freeze dried beef liver or chicken hearts into the mix every so often. Organ meats are so amazing for you, and while my kids don’t love them as is, they are nice to hide behind a delicious meal!
Let’s make the best overnight oatmeal recipe!
Equipment You Might Want:
- Quart Mason Jar
- Jar Lid
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk (goat milk is the best!)
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup old fashioned oats or steel cut oats
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- splash of vanilla extract
Step 1: Prep
This recipe feeds 1 adult + 2 kids in my household. I double if my husband is home and eating breakfast with us. When serving, I will use 1 quart of peaches and distribute it between 4 bowls if I double the recipe; 1 pint of peaches if it’s a single recipe. Just to give you a little guideline and idea of how much this makes :)
To a quart jar, add all the ingredients. Stir to combine.
Place jar in the fridge….. overnight….. or up to 2-3 days in the fridge. I’m not going to lie… sometimes I go 7, but I’m using raw milk, so I’m okay with that.
Step 2: Serve
If you are okay with cold oatmeal, give it a stir, add whatever else you want, and eat!
I dump into a saucepan the next morning and heat through, then serve. We’re a hot oatmeal family.
Notes:
If you want to make the oatmeal on demand, no overnight soaking, add all ingredients to a properly sized sauce pan and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, or til the oatmeal is at a pudding-like texture. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then serve with your desired additives!
Regular rolled oats or steel cut oats are best for this recipe. Quick-cooking oats don’t hold their texture very well and are not recommended for this recipe.
I hope you enjoy this easy overnight oatmeal recipe with simple ingredients that help me put a healthy breakfast on the table with just a handful of ingredients.
Equipment
- quart mason jar
- Jar Lid
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk goat milk is the best!
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup old fashioned oats or steel cut oats
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- splash of vanilla extract
Instructions
- To a quart jar, add all the ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Place jar in the fridge….. overnight….. or up to 2-3 days in the fridge. I’m not going to lie… sometimes I go 7, but I’m using raw milk, so I’m okay with that.
Serve
- If you are okay with cold oatmeal, give it a stir, add whatever else you want, and eat!
- I dump into a saucepan the next morning and heat through, then serve. We’re a hot oatmeal family.
