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Pumpkin Overnight Oats is a fast, make-ahead breakfast that you can prepare in just minutes. This version combines the flavor of a pumpkin spice latte with oatmeal, for a perfect Fall breakfast. It’s comforting and delicious!
Since I’ve been working on so many pumpkin coffee recipes lately, I thought this breakfast variation would be a fun twist. If you’re like me and watch your caffeine intake, you can use decaf coffee, or feel free to leave out the coffee all together and just use milk, for more of a pumpkin pie flavor.
I use almond milk here, but hemp milk, oat milk, or cashew milk are all good options.
Note: Oats that are soaked in water, or a homemade non-dairy milk, may help to promote better iron absorption than oats that are soaked in real milk. That’s also why I don’t add yogurt to this recipe!
Why You’ll Love Them
What are the benefits of eating overnight oats?
1. They are easier to digest. Soaking oats may help to lower their phytic acid content, which may in turn, help boost your nutrient absorption.
However, since we are not draining the soaking water in this case, I’m not 100% positive that the phytic acid is reduced in this particular scenario. Interestingly enough, phytic acid also has some beneficial antioxidant properties, so I don’t think we should worry about it either way. In fact, it may help to prevent kidney stones and lower certain risk factors for colon cancer.
2. They are higher in resistant starch. Resistant starch may help to improve digestion and keep you feeling full longer. It tends to be found in higher levels in cooled starchy foods, rather than hot ones. A 1/4 cup of uncooked oats has 4.4 grams of resistant starch, while 1 cup of cooked oats has only .5 grams of resistant starch.
Curious how other foods stack up? This article published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2008 has quite the list of foods and their respective resistant starch content.
3. You’re eating veggies for breakfast. Adding pumpkin to your morning routine adds beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. This vitamin may help to promote a healthy immune system, along with the vitamin C that pumpkin also contains.
I can’t think of a better ingredient to add to your breakfast routine!
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in overnight oats?
- Rolled oats (I use old-fashioned rolled oats, not the quick-cooking kind)
- Pumpkin puree
- Non-dairy milk or water
- Coffee (optional)
- Ground flax (to help keep you feeling full)
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Maple syrup
Overnight oats, in general, are very flexible. The only thing I don’t recommend “eye-balling” is the oats-to-liquid ratio. If you use more liquid, the oats won’t necessarily thicken up, so the texture will be more runny.
I like using a full 1/4 cup of pumpkin in each serving, so you’ll get extra vitamins and nutrients in each bite, but flavor-wise there isn’t a huge difference between using 2 tablespoons and a 1/4 cup, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
This is a great way to use up the rest of a can of pumpkin, after making a recipe like my Oat Flour Pumpkin Bread or Vegan Pumpkin Muffins.
How to Make Pumpkin Overnight Oats
1. Add the ingredients to a jar. Choose a jar that is at least 12 ounces in size, then add the oats, pumpkin puree, coffee, milk, pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup into it.
2. Chill. Stir well to mix the oats, then cover the jar with a lid and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Overnight oats can be made up to 3 days in advance, so feel free to make as many portions as you’ll eat in that time frame. I love how the whole assembly takes less than 10 minutes, and then breakfast is ready-to-go.
3. Enjoy! When you’re ready to eat, just grab a jar from the fridge and remove the lid! The oats should be ready to eat right away.
Prefer warm oatmeal? You can heat these up in the morning, if you prefer. In that case, you might want to add an extra splash of liquid, as cooked oats usually require double the amount of liquid compared to overnight oats. Check out my pumpkin oatmeal recipe, if you want to avoid the guess work!
Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal also makes a delicious breakfast on the go, if you want something that you can slice into.
Helpful Tips & FAQ
Which oats work best for overnight oats? I use old-fashioned rolled oats to make overnight oats. They become very soft when they soak overnight, but they aren’t mushy like quick oats can be.
I don’t recommend using steel-cut oats, unless you’re willing to pre-cook them a bit first. Rolled oats are steamed as they are processed, killing any potential germs and bacteria, but steel-cut oats are not.
Can I swap the sweetener? If you want a fruit-sweetened oatmeal, you can blend 2 dates with the milk and coffee before adding it to the jar. This will replace the maple syrup, while still offering a sweet flavor. If you keep date paste on hand, you can also use a tablespoon of that instead.
Alternatively, you can also use honey (if you don’t need a vegan recipe) or any other sweetener you prefer.
Do I have to soak them? No, you don’t! Recently I’ve started enjoying overnight oats without soaking them, and it’s honestly just as delicious as eating a cold breakfast cereal. The oats start to soften quickly when you add milk, so they are quite enjoyable right away.
What else can you add? This recipe is relatively low in calories for a full breakfast, so I sometimes like to add in a spoonful of almond butter or peanut butter. You can also add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts, which are a complete source of plant based protein.
Or, try serving it with extra pumpkin puree on top, or a sliced banana, for extra filling fiber.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these pumpkin overnight oats! Please leave a comment and star rating in the comments below if you give them a try.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
Here are some more flavor combinations to try!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten-free, if needed)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 1/4 cup brewed coffee
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I use almond milk)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- In a jar that is 12-ounces or larger, combine the oats, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, ground flax, coffee, milk, and maple syrup. Stir well to combine.
- Cover the jar with a lid and store in the fridge overnight. When you're ready to eat the next morning, you can grab a jar from the fridge and it's ready to eat right away! Serve with any extra toppings you like, such as chopped pecans or a spoonful of yogurt, for added creaminess. You can store overnight oats for up to 3 days in the fridge, so feel free to double or triple this recipe as needed, for an easier week!
Notes
Nutrition
Reader Feedback: Would you like to see more make-ahead breakfast ideas? Let me know if you have any requests in the comments below.
Hello, these look delicious! Can gluten free oats be used in this recipe? Thank you.
Yes, definitely.
So good, and easily makes more by doubling or tripling the recipe!
Delish! Will make again and again. I use the vanilla almond milk recipe from here and turns out excellent just using all almond milk.
So delicious and easy to make! It does taste like a pumpkin spice latte:)
Pumpkin spice everything!! I have made this with coffee and with all milk and it is delicious either way. A filling and simple breakfast.