Overnight Oats are a perfect recipe to make ahead. They packs protein, probiotics, vitamin C, fiber, and healthy fats—and all you need to do to make this recipe is stir the ingredients together and let it hang out in the fridge while you sleep!
Easy Overnight Oats
I love making a batch of overnight oats—which are simply raw oats softened in liquid (often milk or yogurt)—for similar nutrition to oatmeal but without the cooking. They are an easy make-ahead breakfasts to have on hand during the week. And this method for how to make overnight oats with yogurt, applesauce, and seeds is a super nutritious and easy baby option.
There’s nothing too complicated about this recipe for how to make overnight oats, but it’s made with babies and toddlers in mind. There’s a balanced mix of protein, fat, and produce to help your kids get the nutrients they need without needing to add other foods to their meal (unless you want to!). It also has a smoother texture than many other recipes, making it a great choice for babies and toddlers still learning to like complicated textures.
TIP: You can make them ahead and pull them out on busy mornings—and easily double the batch so you can enjoy a bowl too!
Ingredients in Healthy Overnight Oats
For this recipe, you need plain yogurt, applesauce, hemp seeds (or chia or flaxseeds), and rolled oats.
How to Make Overnight Oats Step-by-Step
MakingEasy Overnight Oats with Applesauce is so super simple with this method. Here’s a look at the process.
- Gather your ingredients.
- Grind the oats into a finer texture. (You can also use instant or quick oats to save a step.)
- Stir the ingredients together.
- Portion into small airtight containers and let sit overnight in the fridge to soften. Serve for breakfast!
TIP: Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information.
Tell me more about the texture of these overnight oats!
The big difference between this overnight oats recipe and others is that I grind the oats first, or use instant or quick oats, so that the texture is smoother. When you stir regular rolled oats into overnight oats, they soften, but they are still fairly chewy due to their size—so this method of using oats with a finer texture is often more accepted by toddlers. This recipe also uses applesauce for natural sweetness and nutrients, so it’s really good tasting!
TIP: This is also a great food transition food for babies and toddlers who are learning to like textures beyond purees.
How should I serve these overnight oats?
If your toddler is good (or learning!) to use a spoon, go ahead and let her self-feed that way. You can do preloaded spoons for babies or feed them. And since the oats are a fine texture, we love serving these overnight oats in a reusable pouch like the one from Squeasy Gear that’s virtually impossible to spill!
Healthy Overnight Oats Recipe with Yogurt
Yogurt is a nutritious ingredient in overnight oats for babies and toddlers since it has protein, probiotics, and fat they need for their developing brains. To ensure you pick one the best yogurt for kids, look for whole milk plain yogurt. I still like plain versions since they have lower amounts of added sugars, if any—and the applesauce in this recipe adds plenty of sweetness!
TIP: You can also use a favorite nondairy yogurt as needed for kids with a dairy intolerance.
Can I use other fruit in this recipe?
You can use a flavored applesauce if you prefer or other pureed fruit, such as any other fruit or baby purees. I’ve used peach puree with great success!
What seeds can I use in this recipe?
I call for hemp seeds, which are a wonderful source of healthy fats, fiber, and protein, and they don’t cause liquids to gel the same way that some other seeds can. Since the amount of seeds added here is small, you can use ground flaxseeds, or chia seeds if you have those on hand and the results will be similar.
What’s the difference between ground rolled oats, quick oats, and instant oats?
Not much! I usually buy rolled oats for oatmeal, so it’s easy for me to grind up a cup or two at a time to keep on hand for overnight oats (and for other recipes like these Peanut Butter Balls with Oatmeal). But if you want to skip that step or you have instant or quick oats on hand, use them. They’re basically the same thing!
How long to do overnight oats need to chill?
If you mix up this recipe for Easy Overnight Oats with Applesauce in the evening and store it overnight, it will be perfect in the morning. I often send this easy overnight oats recipe for my toddler’s lunch, topped with granola or plain, so 4 hours is a good amount of time for it to sit too. Once stored in airtight containers or jars, they can stay in the fridge for at least 3 days.
Tips for Making the Best Healthy Overnight Oats
- Use unsweetened applesauce to avoid added sugars.
- Grind up rolled oats in the blender or food processor, or use instant or quick oats.
- Make this recipe the night before you plan to serve it and store it in the fridge.
- Serve these overnight oats chilled.
- Swap in any other fruit or baby puree for the applesauce if desired.
- Know that you can use chia seeds in place of the hemp seeds, but the consistency will be thicker.
I’d love to hear what your family thinks of this recipe, so please comment below to share!
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You can easily double (or triple!) the recipe to make more servings. It uses a 1 to 1 ratio of yogurt to applesauce so you can easily scale it up. This amount made two servings for my toddler when she was under 20 months and one there after. Mix these up the night before you plan to serve them.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (plain or cinnamon flavored)
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats, ground finely in a food processor or blender, or quick or instant oats
- 1 teaspoon hemp seeds, chia seeds, or ground flaxseeds
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Instructions
1. Stir all ingredients together in a small airtight container overnight (or at least 6 hours). Serve chilled for breakfast, a snack, or as a lunch component.
Notes
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Use unsweetened applesauce to avoid added sugars.
Grind up rolled oats in the blender or food processor, or use instant or quick oats.
Make this recipe the night before you plan to serve it and store it in the fridge.
Serve these overnight oats chilled.
Swap in any other fruit or baby puree for the applesauce if desired.
Know that you can use chia seeds or flaxseed in place of the hemp seeds, but the consistency will be thicker.
If you use almond milk instead of yogurt, should you still use 1/4 of a cup? Thank you Amy for your recipes and all the useful information you provide!
Yes, you’d use the same amount. And you’re so welcome!
My son has a dairy allergy, do you think almond milk or coconut milk yogurt will work with this?
I think that should work just fine!
Might be a silly question but do you leave the mixture overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter top?
In the fridge!
Hi! If I use milk instead of yogurt, can I reheat the oats in the morning as my toddler likes to eat them warm?
I haven’t tried that but I think it would work!
Can I use chia seeds in place of hemp seeds?
Yes, absolutely!
Yum! I’m going to try this for my 10 month old. I’m in a rut of yogurt or eggs for breakfast and think the whole family will enjoy this!
I hope everyone likes this!