Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats
This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This super nutritious make-ahead Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats takes just minutes to put together and tastes surprisingly like the dessert. A perfect breakfast recipe to have on hand when strawberries are in season but works well with frozen fruit too!
Benefits of Overnight Oats
- Super Tasty: This version of overnight oats surprisingly tastes like the dessert in a jar.
- Make-Ahead: Similar to our 7 Smoothie Freezer Packs, you can whip up several of these on the weekend and have breakfast ready to go for the week. They just take minutes to put together.
- No Cooking Involved: The oats soften in the liquid as it sits in the refrigerator, which means no cooking is needed. Powerball Cookies are another popular no-cook recipe on our site.
- Super Healthy: Breakfast doesn’t get much healthier than this! Just check out all the benefits of oats alone, according to Harvard School of Public Health. The combo of fresh or frozen fruit, whole grains, and other nutritious add-ins provides fiber, protein, antioxidants, and valuable minerals.
- Eat On the Go: Whether you have just a few minutes before you leave for the day or need to eat breakfast in the car or at your desk, this breakfast-in-a-jar fits the bill! Eat these overnight oats cold or warm. (Read on for tips for serving.) Check out more Healthy On-the-Go Snacks.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this particular version of overnight oatmeal:
Ingredient Notes:
- Oats – Rolled oats (or old-fashioned) work best for this recipe. However, if you only have quick oats, you can use them. They won’t take as long in the fridge and they will be a mushier texture than rolled. You can also use steel-cut oats, but they will take longer to soften and you may need to add more liquid.
- Almonds – We like the variety of texture and added protein of the sliced almonds, but you can replace them with any chopped nut like pecans, almonds, pistachios, or walnuts.
- Milk – Feel free to use any plain milk you want for this recipe. I’ve tested with 2% milk and almond milk and both work well.
- Strawberries – If you have leftover strawberries, use them to make our Strawberry Shortcake Trifle!
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats
In just 4 simple steps, you can throw together your overnight oats and be ready for the week. Here’s the basic method:
1 – Build the Base: In a 12- to 16-ounce Mason jar, pour in your favorite (unsweetened) milk. Add old-fashioned or rolled oats and your all-natural sweetener of choice (pure maple syrup or honey).
2 – Add Fruit: Strawberries are the starring fruit in this version, which adds more sweetness, flavor, and nutrition.
3 – Add Toppings: Pour in the remaining add-ins. For this recipe, it’s sliced almonds, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
4 – Shake and Refrigerate: Seal and shake. Set in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Do I Eat Overnight Oats Warm or Cold?
We hear this question a lot. The best way to serve overnight oats is…whatever you like best! Eating them cold or warm works.
Serve Overnight Oats Cold: Shake the jar. Stir in a little extra milk if it’s too thick and more sweetener if you’d like. Grab a spoon and eat your oats cold. This is the perfect solution for those mornings when you’re on the run!
Serve Overnight Oats Warm: This is our preferred way to serve overnight oats. Shake the jar and then remove the lid. Warm the oats in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir. Add more milk or sweetener as needed. Warm up even more, if desired.
More FAQs
The best containers for overnight oats have a wide enough opening to eat out of, are microwave-safe (preferably glass not plastic), and have a leak-proof lid. My two favorite containers are either 12- to 16-ounce Mason jars with lids or 2-cup glass Pyrex bowls with lids. There are also dedicated overnight oats glass jars with spoons now! I haven’t tried them, but it’s a fun idea.
While rolled oats are the most commonly used oats for overnight oats because they soften more quickly, you can use steel cut oats. However, you’ll need to increase the soaking time and may want to use more liquid to ensure they soften adequately.
Yes, but the texture will be much mushier, almost porridge-like.
You certainly can, but just know that the texture after thawing will be very mushy oats and fruit.
A better bet might be to try one of our Baked Oatmeal recipes instead:
– Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
– Peanut Butter and Banana Baked Oatmeal
– Baked Oatmeal with Fruit
– Brownie Baked Oatmeal
You can use various liquids like plain cow’s milk, almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk, depending on your dietary preferences and taste.
If using rolled oats, they ideally need to sit at least 4 hours but are even softer and better after 6-8 hours in the fridge.
It’s best to eat overnight oats within about 3-5 days, especially if you added in fresh or frozen fruit. After that, the texture and quality of the oatmeal deteriorate.
Yes, you can leave out the yogurt but do add in a splash of vanilla extract if you do. If you just want to avoid dairy, try using a dairy-free yogurt instead.
Sure! Adding protein powder will increase the protein and calories. If using a sweetened protein powder, be sure to cut back on the sweetener in the overnight oats recipe. You may also need to add more liquid.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
We are obsessed with overnight oats! Prep a few of these overnight oats ahead of time and enjoy healthy, hearty breakfasts throughout the week.
7 Overnight Oats Cheat Sheet
We’ll send you all 7 of our popular overnight oats recipes, so you can have them in one place. Download and print it for free!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats
Make-ahead Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats takes just minutes to put together and provides a super nutritious and quick breakfast that kids and adults will love.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk (your choice), plus more for serving
- 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats*
- 1/2 –1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh chopped strawberries (chopped is easier to eat than sliced)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1–2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- In a 12- to 16-ounce Mason jar, pour in the milk.
- Add old-fashioned rolled oats and your all-natural sweetener of choice (pure maple syrup or honey).
- Pour in the remaining add-ins, which are fresh or frozen chopped strawberries, vanilla Greek yogurt, sliced almonds, and vanilla for this version.
- Screw on the lid tightly and shake. Set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 3-5 days.
- You can eat it cold or warm.
-
- Serve Cold: Shake the jar. Stir in a little extra milk if it’s too thick and more sweetener if you’d like. Grab a spoon and eat your oats cold. This is the perfect solution for those mornings when you’re on the run!
- Serve Warm: This is our preferred way to serve overnight oats. Shake the jar and then remove the lid. Warm the oats in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir. Add more milk or sweetener as needed. Warm up even more, if desired.
Notes/Tips
- Check out our other 6 overnight oats flavors!
- If using rolled oats, they ideally need to sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours but are even softer and better after 6-8 hours in the fridge.
- It’s best to eat overnight oats within about 3-5 days, especially if you added in fresh or frozen fruit. After that, the texture and quality of the oatmeal deteriorate.
- You can use steel-cut oats in place of the rolled oats, but they will require longer in the fridge to get soft and may need more liquid.
- Feel free to add in some protein powder to your overnight oats to increase protein and calories. If using a sweetened protein powder, be sure to cut back on the sweetener in the overnight oats recipe. You may also need to add more liquid.
- Gluten-Free Note: If you have a gluten allergy, be sure to buy certified gluten-free oats. While oats are a naturally gluten-free food, they are often processed in a factory where gluten is present.
My 4yo who always asks for oatmeal but never eats finished the whole serving and asked for more!
Love winning over the young’uns! Thanks for leaving a review Brandi!
How much is a serving size??
Hi Doraine. The recipe is written for one serving.
Prepped these last night after dinner for my kids’ breakfasts this morning. They were SO excited to eat them (eating out of a jar is a bit of a novelty), and my 6-year-old declared this “better than cookie cereal, maybe even better than cookies!” My goal is to help my kids prep these themselves since it’s a simple “scoop and dump” recipe. WIN
Maybe even better than cookies!??!??! Not sure we could get a better review if we paid for it! 🙂 I love that you are going to teach them to prep these for themselves.
Can you use quick oats for this?
I haven’t tested quick oats. I think they might work, but they may get mushier more quickly. But it’s worth a shot!