These Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries are flavoursome and delicious. With just a few minutes of preparation time in the evening, they will be ready for you to enjoy in the morning! The vibrant flavour of cherries is simply enhanced with a pinch of salt and vanilla extract. This is a great way to enjoy cherries during their short season. Fresh and brightly flavoured, this is a perfect breakfast for Summer.
You will love these Vanilla Overnight Oats because:
- They are made from simple ingredients which are readily available.
- They require minimal preparation – just mix all the oat ingredients together and store them overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, add pitted and halved cherries and some vanilla yoghurt if you wish. Breakfast is ready for you to enjoy.
- The quantities can easily be adjusted to your needs – the written recipe serves two, but can easily be halved or doubled!
- They are ideal for meal prep. Lasting for three days in the fridge, you can make a start on your breakfast preparation for the week ahead.
- It is a nourishing breakfast that will keep you satisfied longer.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Old-fashioned rolled oats – the best oats for this recipe. They are a complex carbohydrate providing healthy dietary fibre. Although steel-cut oats and quick-cooking oats can be used in overnight oats recipes, they may require a different ratio of liquid.
Milk – I like to use almond or oat milk, but soy milk works just fine as does dairy milk – use a milk of your preference.
Chia seeds – help thicken the oats, adding texture and dietary fibre. Black or white chia seeds are fine to use in this recipe.
Maple syrup – for a hint of sweetness, I use pure maple syrup. You could also use honey, but as it does not combine with the other ingredients as readily as maple syrup, I recommend that you drizzle some over the oats in the morning.
Vanilla – use a good quality vanilla extract that is naturally produced from the vanilla bean and not synthetically flavoured.
Salt – we use a small amount of sea salt to boost the flavours of the other ingredients.
Vanilla or plain Greek yoghurt – optional, but adds an extra creaminess when used to top the oats before serving.
Fresh cherries – pitted and cut in half to add in the morning.
How to Make Vanilla Overnight Oats:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Add ingredients to a bowl:
Add the rolled oats to a medium size bowl along with the milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt.
2 – Stir well to combine:
Stir the mixture until it is well combined.
3 – Refrigerate:
Cover the bowl with clingwrap or divide the mixture into two glasses or mason jars and cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
4 – Prepare the cherries and serve:
In the morning, prepare the topping by cutting the cherries in half and removing their stones. Top the overnight oats with a dollop of yoghurt and the halved cherries.
Tips for success and FAQs:
These Vanilla Cherry Overnight Oats are so simple to prepare. The combination of cherry, maple syrup and vanilla is just delicious.
For the best taste and texture, store them covered in the fridge and enjoy them within three days.
Refrigerate your Vanilla Overnight Oats mixture for at least 6 hours. I make mine just before bed, and they are perfect in the morning!
There are different rules regarding this, depending on where you live in the world. For Australian residents, Coeliac Australia provides a great resource on this topic. Always be sure to read the labels and consult with a health professional if you are unsure.
Serving suggestions:
Enjoy the Vanilla Cherry Overnight Oats as they are, or customise the toppings to suit your taste
For this recipe, I like to use a topping of vanilla or plain Greek yogurt and pitted, halved cherries. You could use coconut yoghurt to keep the overnight oats vegan.
You could also try:
- Toasted coconut flakes.
- Flaked or chopped almonds of macadamias.
I hope you enjoy these family-friendly Vanilla Cherry Overnight Oats. This is such a simple, make-ahead breakfast that provides the perfect start to the day.
Alex xx
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Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries
Ingredients
For the Overnight Oats:
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) milk – I use almond or oat See Note 1
- 1 cup (80 g) old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds See Note 2
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Toppings:
- 1 cup (200 g) fresh cherries – pitted and cut in half See Note 3
- vanilla yoghurt – optional
Recipe Measurements:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the rolled oats, milk, vanilla extract, chia seeds, maple syrup and sea salt.
- Mix well until everything is well combined.
- Cover the bowl with clingwrap, or divide the mixture into two glasses or mason jars and cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
- Serve the oats topped with vanilla yoghurt (optional) and the cherries.
Notes
- Milk: use milk of your choice. I use almond or oat milk. Add more milk when serving if you prefer a thinner texture.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons)
- Cherries: fresh or frozen will work. If using frozen, allow them to defrost in the fridge overnight before topping the oats.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Laura
These turned out perfectly! I really enjoyed the simple, but flavorful base and the cherries on top made it taste extra special. Loved it!
Alexandra Cook
Hi Laura, thank you for your lovely comments on the Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries. I am delighted that you enjoyed them. 🙂