These Gingerbread Overnight Oats are a delicious breakfast for the holiday season! Especially perfect when you're craving the flavor of classic gingerbread cookies and want a healthy breakfast! With a couple of minutes of meal prep the night before, your easy breakfast will be waiting for you the next day 😊
As a dietitian, I appreciate a nourishing breakfast to start my day. Bonus points if it only takes a couple minutes of prep time and is a great source of fiber with a boost of protein. If you're like me and you're a fan of classic gingerbread flavor and creamy oatmeal, you gotta try these gingerbread oats!
It's a creamy combination of oats, milk, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and all the gingerbread spice flavors including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and a bit of molasses! Add your favorite toppings and enjoy it Christmas morning - the perfect way to start your day.
This recipe was inspired by my Gingerbread Pancakes and Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats. It pairs great with Kale and Mushroom Egg Bites or a Cottage Cheese Egg Bake for more protein.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
These Gingerbread Overnight Oats are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements.
- Rolled Oats - I recommend using rolled oats, also known as old fashioned oats, because they give the best texture to overnight oats. They absorb the milk and become super creamy. I don't recommend using quick oats because they will get mushy. I don't recommend using steel cut oats because they will not become as soft. To make it gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats.
- Milk of Choice - I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk for overnight oats, but you could use any milk you like. Coconut milk or cashew milk will make it even creamier. Other non-dairy milk like oat milk or soy milk work, too. Feel free to use dairy milk (regular milk) if you prefer it over plant-based milk.
- Greek Yogurt - Greek Yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic Yogurt) are both perfect for adding some extra creaminess, protein and probiotics to help support gut health. You can use regular yogurt if the texture or taste of Greek Yogurt bothers you. If you want to make this recipe vegan, use plant-based yogurt like almond milk, coconut milk, or soy yogurt. I use either Siggi's or Iceland Provisions brand of Skyr. As far as flavor, I use plain yogurt for this recipe, but you can use vanilla if you want extra sweetness.
- Chia Seeds - chia seeds add to the texture of overnight oats. They are also high in healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Plus, they are good for your skin!
- Maple Syrup - I personally love using pure maple syrup to sweeten these gingerbread overnight oats. You can use your own sweetener of choice - honey, agave nectar, date syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar all work.
- Molasses - in addition to maple syrup, a drizzle of molasses adds to the flavor in this gingerbread oatmeal recipe.
- Vanilla Extract - to add a creamier vanilla flavor.
- Gingerbread Spice Blend - a mix of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to make it a little sweet & a little spicy. Feel free to add a pinch of salt to enhance the other flavors!
How to Make Gingerbread Overnight Oats
Below are the instructions for how to make these overnight oats with some visuals that I hope are helpful.
- Step 1 - In a mason jar or other container with a lid, combine the dry ingredients including the oats, chia seeds, and spices. Give it a stir.
- Step 2 - Add the milk, yogurt, maple syrup, molasses and vanilla. Stir it really well.
- Step 3 - Store in the fridge overnight (or at least 3-4 hours) in an airtight container. When ready to serve the next morning, add your favorite toppings.
Hint: Use a wide-mouth mason jar or even an empty peanut butter or almond butter jar to make your overnight oats. Don't use a container with a narrow mouth because it will be harder to mix.
Dietitian Tip
Did you know that oatmeal contains a dietary fiber called beta-glucan? Beta-glucan may help lower cholesterol levels, can help support your digestive system and gut health, and stabilize blood sugar levels. Just a half cup of oats contains around 15% of your daily fiber intake for the day and 5 grams of protein. These overnight oats are a delicious way to nourish your body with care and stay full and satisfied until your next meal.
Video of How to Make Gingerbread Overnight Oats
Here's a video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
- Sweeter - if you like things on the sweeter side, add another drizzle of maple syrup or splash of vanilla extract. You can also make these sweeter by using vanilla milk instead of plain, or vanilla yogurt instead of plain.
- Vegan - use vegan yogurt and plant-based milk to make this recipe vegan-friendly. Some dairy-free yogurt options are coconut yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond milk yogurt.
- High Protein - the yogurt, oats, and chia seeds provide protein in this recipe. If you want to add more protein, throw in a scoop of plain or vanilla protein powder. You may need to adjust the consistency by adding more milk.
- Heartier - in addition to chia seeds, add flax seeds or hemp hearts (hemp seeds) for even more thickness and hearty texture, healthy fats, dietary fiber and protein to this hearty breakfast.
- Fresh Ginger - to add even more zing, incorporate some fresh grated ginger into the mix!
Ideas for Toppings for Gingerbread Overnight Oats
If you have a little extra time, add your favorite toppings to these cold overnight oats! Here are some ideas:
- Fresh Fruit - sliced bananas, apples, or blueberries pair nicely with all the ginger-y goodness in this recipe.
- Nuts or Seeds - add pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, toasted walnuts, or chopped cashews on top add crunch and even more flavor.
- Nut butter - add a Tablespoon or a drizzle of your favorite nut or seed butter to the top! Peanut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter work great. For an allergy-friendly nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter.
- Graham Crackers - add a crushed gingerbread cookie, Biscoff cookie, or some crushed graham crackers on top! Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins is one of my favorite things to crumble on top of this easy recipe
Storage
- Refrigerator - Store overnight oats in an airtight container. I store mine in a glass jar like mason jars or other resealable containers. You can keep overnight oats in the fridge for up to 5 days. They will continue to get creamier the longer they sit. I typically make them the night before and let them soak overnight, but you could meal prep a big batch and divide it into multiple jars to have them ready for you throughout the whole week.
- Here are some options for containers to use for overnight oats: Overnight Oats Containers with Lids and Spoon or Wide Mouth Mason Jars, 16 oz works perfectly.
Expert Tips
- Use Rolled Oats (also called Old-Fashioned Oats) for best texture when soaked.
- For thicker oatmeal, add a bit less milk to the oat mixture.
- If you like your overnight oats a bit thinner, add a little extra milk!
FAQ
While healthy eating means something different to everyone, overnight oats are a nourishing option that can help you meet your daily dietary needs! Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber for a healthy gut and extra filling with the addition of the chia seeds and Greek yogurt in this recipe. It is also high in several nutrients including magnesium, iron, and zinc. Chia seeds add heart-healthy fatty acids that also support hormone health and brain health, protein, and more fiber. This recipe is gluten-free if using certified GF oats, and vegetarian.
If you aren't familiar with overnight oatmeal, it's a way of soaking oats in milk and other ingredients overnight. So instead of eating warm oatmeal, you eat it cold. Soaking oats overnight makes them super decadent!
The best oats for overnight oats are rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats. Quick oats are smaller pieces and cook faster so they tend to get too mushy for overnight oats. Steel-cut oats are not steamed or rolled as rolled oats are. Because of that, they take much longer to cook or soften and don't work so great for overnight oats.
As it is with all things that have to do with nutrition, the answer is not so simple. But I would say that oatmeal can certainly help with weight loss. The soluble fiber found in oats can help you stay full for longer making it less likely that you will overeat at your next meal or snack. A recent study in the Physiological Research Journal showed that fiber, starch, and other phytochemicals in oatmeal can have an anti-obesity effect and can also help to promote healthy gut bacteria.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Gingerbread Overnight Oats:
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some of my educational posts you may enjoy:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Creamy Gingerbread Overnight Oats, Dietitian Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats (also called "traditional" or "old-fashioned" oats)
- ½ tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or vanilla)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch ground nutmeg (just a small amount goes a long way)
Instructions
- In a mason jar or other container with a lid, combine the dry ingredients including the oats, chia seeds, and spices. Give it a stir.
- Add the milk, yogurt, maple syrup, molasses and vanilla. Stir it really well.
- Store in the fridge overnight (or at least 3-4 hours) in an airtight container. When ready to serve the next morning, add your favorite toppings.
- Hint: Use a wide-mouth mason jar or even an empty peanut butter or almond butter jar to make your overnight oats. Don't use a container with a narrow mouth because it will be harder to mix.
Video
Notes
- Use Rolled Oats (also called Old-Fashioned Oats) for best texture when soaked.
- For thicker oatmeal, add a bit less milk to the oat mixture.
- If you like your overnight oats a bit thinner, add a little extra milk!
- Refrigerator - Store overnight oats in an airtight container. I store mine in mason jars or other individual containers. You can keep overnight oats in the fridge for up to 5 days. They will continue to get creamier the longer they sit. I typically make them the night before and let them soak overnight, but you could meal prep multiple jars to have them ready for you throughout the whole week.
whitney
what is the calories in this ? thank you
Mallory
Hi whitney!! I just went ahead and added the nutrition info to the recipe card for you! 😊 Hope that helps!! -Mallory
Jen
This is one of my new favorites now. I absolutely LOVE it and make it quite often for breakfast. It's like I'm cheating it tastes so good but without all the guilt because it's healthy. I add a scoop of vanilla protein powder for some extra protein. Thank you for this recipe! ❤️
Mallory
Hi Jen!! Thank you SO much for taking time to leave a rating and review! ❤️ I'm SO happy to hear that you love the recipe and adding a scoop of protein powder is such a great idea too!! I hope you have a wonderful day and that 2026 is off to great start for you! -Mallory