Overnight Oats With Water

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.

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.

How to Make Overnight Oats with Water

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

1. Combine the oats with your choice of dry add-ins (seeds, flax, chia, etc.) in a lidded jar. Pour the water and stir to combine. If adding fruit, now is the time. 
2. Mix and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 
3. Enjoy the oats cold or give them a quick warm in the microwave. Top with any other toppings before serving.

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.

Toppings & Mix-Ins

Turn your overnight oats with water 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
• flaxmeal
• 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 (Hearty & Tasty!)

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 29 votes

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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 into 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

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