• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
It's Not Complicated Recipes
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • About
  • Kitchen Tips
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Get in touch
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Get in touch
×
Home » Recipe Index » Breakfast and Brunch

Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries

Published: Dec 15, 2022 · Updated: Feb 17, 2023 Author: Alexandra Cook

For the full recipe including quantities and method, click the "jump to recipe" button, or scroll through and read our helpful tips along the way.

229 shares
Leave Review

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.

Glass jar of vanilla overnight oats, topped with halved cherries, sitting on a small white saucer with a teaspoon on the edge.
Jump to:
  • Why you’ll love this recipe:
  • Ingredients in this recipe:
  • How to Make Vanilla Overnight Oats:
  • Tips for success and FAQs:
  • Variations and substitutions:
  • Serving suggestions:
  • More delicious recipes for you to try:
  • Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries
Star

Why you’ll love this recipe:

These Vanilla Cherry Overnight Oats are a great way to start the day. They are perfect for the person who wants a healthy breakfast but has limited time.

With preparation completed the night before, all you need to do in the morning is stir, add your favourite toppings, and enjoy.

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.

Ingredients in this recipe on a pink background.

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.

Steps 1-2 of preparing this recipe - the ingredients in a large white bowl and the mixture combined.

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.

Steps 3-4 of preparing this recipe - the mixture in jar ready for the fridge and topped with cherries ready to serve.

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.

Glass jar of vanilla overnight oats, topped with halved cherries, sitting on a small white saucer with a teaspoon on the edge.

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.

How long will the Vanilla Cherry Overnight Oats last?

For the best taste and texture, store them covered in the fridge and enjoy them within three days.

How long do the oats have to be in the fridge before consumption?

Refrigerate your Vanilla Overnight Oats mixture for at least 6 hours. I make mine just before bed, and they are perfect in the morning!

Are Old Fashioned Rolled Oats Gluten-Free?

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.

Star

Variations and substitutions:

Milk – you can use any milk of your choice; soy, oat or dairy are all suitable. 
 
Citrus – a little lemon or orange zest would add a bright citrus flavour.
 
Cherries – we have used fresh cherries, but you could certainly use frozen. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

Spoon dipping in to glass jar of overnight oats.

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

More delicious recipes for you to try:

  • Glass jar of overnight oats topped with mashed raspberries, sitting on a white saucer.
    Raspberry Overnight Oats
  • Glass of cinnamon overnight oats, topped with some chunks of fresh pear.
    Cinnamon Pear Overnight Oats
  • Glass jar of overnight oats topped with yoghurt and blueberries, sitting on a small round white plate.
    Blueberry Overnight Oats
  • Glass jar of strawberry overnight oats, topped with yoghurt and a strawberry, sitting on a white saucer with a spoon on edge.
    Strawberry Overnight Oats

Stay in touch!
Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram and subscribe to my newsletter.

Glass jar of vanilla overnight oats, topped with halved cherries, sitting on a small white saucer with a teaspoon on the edge.

Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries

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.
5 from 55 votes
Print Pin Review
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: International
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 6 hours hours
Total Time: 6 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 273kcal
Author: Alexandra Cook – It’s Not Complicated Recipes

Please note:

For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.

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

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

  1. Milk: use milk of your choice. I use almond or oat milk. Add more milk when serving if you prefer a thinner texture.
  2. Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons)
  3. Cherries: fresh or frozen will work. If using frozen, allow them to defrost in the fridge overnight before topping the oats.
Made this recipe? We’d be so grateful if you could leave a comment and rating at the bottom of the page!

Nutrition Estimate:

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 14g | Calcium: 263mg | Iron: 2mg
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.

« White Christmas Slice
Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura

    March 11, 2023 at 10:13 am

    5 stars
    These turned out perfectly! I really enjoyed the simple, but flavorful base and the cherries on top made it taste extra special. Loved it!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Cook

      March 15, 2023 at 3:27 pm

      Hi Laura, thank you for your lovely comments on the Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries. I am delighted that you enjoyed them. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Alex.

Welcome to It’s Not Complicated Recipes!

My blog reflects my approach to cooking. I like it to be simple, easily prepared and delicious. 

Learn more

Popular Recipes

  • Round dish of cooked patties sitting on some baking paper, garnished with parsley.
    Chickpea Patties (Vegan and Gluten Free)
  • Overhead shot of Lemon Curd Cake, with a slice missing, sitting on a round white dish.
    Lemon Curd Cake (Gluten-Free Option)
  • up close bowl of soup on a grey cloth, another bowl in the background to the right, some sliced bread to the left and two silver spoons on the side.
    Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
  • Gluten-Free Almond Cookies

Comfort Food

  • Skillet with a tomato sauce and the ricotta gnocchi sitting on top, with a wooden spoon about to combine them.
    Gnocchi di Ricotta (Ricotta Gnocchi)
  • Eggplant Involtini – Italian comfort food
  • Overhead shot of cooked casserole, sitting on a brown cloth, with some parsley, feta and olives around the edge.
    Mediterranean Chicken Casserole
  • Bowl of mac and cheese.
    Bacon Mac and Cheese

Recent Recipes

  • Bowl of Mediterranean Chicken Noodle Soup, topped with some grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.
    Mediterranean Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Date and Lemon Buttermilk Scones on a baking paper lined baking tray.
    Date and Lemon Scones
  • Photo collage of four dip recipes - green goddess, cannellini bean, tuna and whipped ricotta.
    The Best Dip Recipes
  • Open glass jar of Nectarine Chutney, sitting on a small white plate, with a spoon scooping up some chutney.
    Nectarine Chutney

Footer

About

  • Our Story
  • Recipes
  • Blog

Disclaimers

  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy (GDPR)
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Terms Of Use

Contact

  • Contact
  • Subscribe

↑ back to top

COPYRIGHT © 2025 · IT'S NOT COMPLICATED RECIPES® | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

229 shares