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Home » Recipes » Oatmeal

Overnight Oats With Water

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jun 16, 2025

5 from 28 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Use this base recipe for overnight oats with water to make a delicious breakfast without milk or yogurt you can customize to your liking!

With this simple and healthy recipe, you’ll be able to make overnight oats with water without needing milk or yogurt. You’ll also find tips and toppings to make your breakfast even more delicious.

small jar of overnight oats with raspberries and sliced bananas and shredded coconut on top

Can You Use Water for Overnight Oats?

Water is a great liquid option for overnight oats since it’s readily available, simple, and dairy-free when it matters.

With the recipe below, you’ll have the perfect water-to-oats ratio for overnight oats as well as other add-ins so the end result is a tasty breakfast with that hearty texture you love.

Ingredients

Below is the rundown of what you need to make these overnight oats for tomorrow’s breakfast! The first two ingredients are essential, while the others are options to boost texture and nutritional benefits.  

  • Old fashioned oats: have a large flake and can sustain a lot of liquid for long periods without getting soggy; it’s the #1 reason we use them for overnight oats. 
  • Water: the MVP of this recipe. 
  • Chia seeds: optional, add a thick texture and increase volume, add fiber and a healthy serving of omega-6 fatty acids. 
  • Flax meal: similar to chia seeds, you’ll have more volume, heartier texture, fiber, and fatty acids. They’re also optional. 
  • Salt: enhances the flavor of oats.
  • Fruit: could be any fruit of your preference- the sky’s the limit.  

*Reference the recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient measurements. 

How to Make Overnight Oats with Water

Grab your favorite overnight oats jars, and let’s get this breakfast prepped.

  1. Measure
    Place a serving of dry oats into a lidded 8-ounce jar along with your choice of dry add-ins (seeds, flax, chia, etc.). 
  2. Hydrate the oats
    Pour the water into the oats, and stir to combine. If adding fruit, now is the time. 
  3. Mix and chill
    Use a spoon to stir the oats, water, and ingredients together. Seal the jar or container and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 
  4. It’s breakfast time! 
    In the morning, enjoy the oats cold or give them a quick warm in the microwave. Top with any other toppings before serving.

Watch this video to see how creamy this recipe for overnight oats without milk turns out!

More Ways to Make Overnight Oats Without Milk

Water isn’t the only option to make delicious overnight oats without milk. You can use anything from fruit juice to your favorite post-workout beverage! 

  • Juice: use ¼ cup of your favorite juice, such as orange, pineapple, or apple, and the rest water. This sweetens and adds flavor.
  • Unsweetened apple sauce: add ⅓ to ½ cup apple sauce in addition to ½ cup water. A sprinkle of cinnamon and chopped apple would also be great!
  • Mashed banana: will sweeten and thicken the oats’ texture. Stir half a mashed banana into the oats and water base, and use the rest as a topping. 
  • Yogurt: creates a creamy oatmeal consistency without milk! You’ll add this in addition to the water. 
  • Protein shake: mix a tablespoon of your favorite protein powder with the required amount of water and stir it into the oats.
Jar of overnight oats with raspberries

Toppings & Mix-Ins

Turn your oats + water base recipe into a different breakfast each day with one of these mix-ins and toppings. The list is endless but here are some of my favorites:

  • berries, any type
  • frozen fruit, diced
  • bananas
  • chopped apple + cinnamon
  • peanut butter
  • almond butter
  • chia seeds
  • flax meal
  • coconut flakes
  • chopped nuts
  • cocoa powder

How Long Do Overnight Oats with Water Last?

When made with water, overnight oats will last 2 days if made with berries, 3 days with most fruits, and 4 if made without (just oats and water). For ultimate longevity, I recommend preparing the base recipe and adding the fruit right before serving.

Overnight Oats with Water

small jar of overnight oats topped with coconut, raspberry and banana slices
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Chill: 4 hours hrs
Total Time: 4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Use this base recipe for overnight oats with water to make a delicious breakfast without milk or yogurt you can customize to your liking!
5 from 28 votes
Print Pin

Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

Base:

  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 3 cups water

Add-Ins per jar:

  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds, optional
  • 1 teaspoon flax meal, optional
  • 1 pinch of salt, recommended
  • ¼ cup fruit, any

Instructions

  • Measure ½ cup of old-fashioned, rolled oats inside each lidded jar. Alternatively, you can place everything in a large lidded container and measure out individual portions.
  • Add any dry “add-ins” at this time. These are optional.
  • Pour ¾ cup of water inside each jar. Or a total of 3 cups in the large container.
  • Add any fruit at this time, chopped into small pieces. If using.
  • With a spoon, mix the oat and water mixture. Place the lid on the jar or seal the container.
  • Place the jars in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
  • In the morning, enjoy cold or warm up in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stir, and serve.

Equipment

two jars of overnight oats with spoons
Overnight Oats Jars with Spoon
Wide-Mouth Mason Jars

Nutrition

Serving: 1 jar | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

More Oatmeal

  • a jar of lemon overnight oats topped with blueberries
    Lemon Blueberry Overnight Oats
  • a jar of overnight oats with chia seeds topped with banana slices
    Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds
  • mocha overnight oats in a jar topped with banana slices
    Mocha Overnight Oats
  • a jar of mango overnight oats
    Mango Overnight Oats

Comments

    5 from 28 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Anne says

    March 30, 2025 at 11:20 am

    5 stars
    Yum!!

    Reply
  2. dayna says

    March 01, 2025 at 3:40 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this overnight oats recipe.

    Reply
  3. Charity says

    February 22, 2025 at 12:53 am

    5 stars
    This was great.

    Reply
  4. Dina and Bruce says

    July 18, 2024 at 8:42 pm

    5 stars
    These turned out so good, and we love that it is dairy free.

    Reply
  5. Lauren says

    July 18, 2024 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    I’m so glad I found this recipe! I’ve been trying to limit dairy and so using water instead helped with that, plus the oats still tasted great!

    Reply
  6. Fay Khoury says

    July 18, 2024 at 7:43 pm

    5 stars
    So convenient! I love it!

    Reply
  7. Anjali says

    July 18, 2024 at 4:28 pm

    5 stars
    I didn’t know you could make overnight oats with water until I found your recipe! This turned out so well – I couldn’t believe how creamy the oats were in the morning without needing any milk!

    Reply
  8. chara says

    July 18, 2024 at 4:25 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and best for breakfast, will try this. thanks for sharing

    Reply
  9. Jackie says

    July 17, 2024 at 9:22 am

    5 stars
    I love all the mix ins you suggested to make this a flavorful overnight oats recipe with water!

    Reply
  10. TAYLER ROSS says

    April 29, 2024 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    Made these overnight oats last night and ate them this morning. They were DELICIOUS! Definitely a new go to!

    Reply
  11. Charah says

    April 29, 2024 at 1:20 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe, will make one soon! thanks for sharing

    Reply
  12. kushi says

    April 29, 2024 at 1:02 pm

    5 stars
    LOve this simple and delicious overnight oats recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. FARAH ABUMAIZAR says

    April 29, 2024 at 12:34 pm

    5 stars
    This oatmeal looks so creamy I can’t believe it doesn’t have any milk in it! And what a convenient recipe to have on hand, can’t wait to try this out!

    Reply
  14. Elisa says

    April 29, 2024 at 12:10 pm

    5 stars
    One of my favorite breakfasts, this overnight oats with water recipe is delicious, healthy and so easy to make. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply

Hi! I'm Laura.
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, mom of three, and the woman behind the world’s best pancakes—here to help you ditch the mealtime drama with recipes your family will actually eat.

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