Get in the Fall Feeling with This Pumpkin Overnight Oats Recipe
Fall is officially “pumpkin spice everything” season. The gourd-and-spice combo has pretty much gone viral everywhere that serves or sells food, flavoring products from Spam to protein powder. So that means breakfast is no exception! Incorporate the seasonal star into this easy pumpkin overnight oats recipe. It’s as tasty as pie, but a whole lot healthier.
Whether you love it or hate it (or love to hate it), the pop appeal of pumpkin spice has become as hard to resist as an Ariana Grande tune. And while some may say this pumpkin spice overnight oats recipe is basic, we call it simple. And who doesn’t love a simple breakfast? Especially a healthy one that fuels you up for the day!
A main ingredient in this recipe is real pumpkin puree, which offers up fiber and nutrients instead of factory-made pumpkin spice flavoring. Then there’s the base of it all: the oats. If you’ve never made overnight oats before, prepare to have your world rocked. Making them involves combining all the ingredients that you want in your oatmeal, and then letting them sit in the fridge overnight. This softens the oats so you don’t have to cook them! Talk about a genius meal prep hack.
We also tossed in some reduced fat Greek yogurt to create a deliciously smooth texture, and chia seeds to make a pudding quality. These smart additions also kick up the protein factor to a satisfying 11 grams per serving, making this the yummiest breakfast treat—without any tricks
Now admittedly, part of what makes anything pumpkin spice so alluring is the wonderful smell. Along with scents of pumpkin spice and cinnamon, this recipe also has a whiff of vanilla, which will make even the grumpiest morning person happy. If that morning person is you, then consider this a PSA (pumpkin spice advocacy).
Rounding out those delightful aromas that evoke thoughts of cozy flannels, crunching leaves is a touch of real maple syrup. As sweeteners go, maple syrup actually has some redeeming qualities, like phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, making it worth the extra calories and sugar if you use it within reason—which we’ve done.
But unlike pumpkin pie, this super-easy recipe doesn’t involve preheating an oven or any baking skills. It’s just four steps, starting with measuring and putting ingredients in a bowl, adding a few more ingredients, mixing again, and then dividing the mixture evenly between two glass jars for refrigeration. Spoiler alert: Step four is essentially deciding if you want to eat it right out of the fridge or warm it up in the microwave.
This nicely portioned breakfast delivers 237 calories and 6 grams of fiber that will keep you full until lunch. But most importantly, it actually lives up to all the pumpkin spice hype.
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk can be substituted for coconut milk
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup 100% pure organic canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 4 tsp chia seeds can be substituted with flax meal
- 4 walnut halves chopped
- 1/2 cup dry rolled outs
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
-
Add the almond milk, yogurt, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and maple syrup to a medium sized bowl. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly combined.
-
Stir in the remaining 5 ingredients, and mix well.
-
Pour the mixture into 2 separate glass jars, or containers, place into refrigerator overnight, or for a minimum of 4 hours.
-
Enjoy cold, or if desired, you can warm in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
Let the oats chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Openfit Blocks:
½ Protein
2 fat
1 ½ Other Carbohydrate
About Cemile Kavountzis
Cemile has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing about everything from style icons to fancy sinks. She studied at Boston University, and has written for New York magazine, GQ, Travel + Leisure, Women’s Health, WIRED, Food + Wine, Surface, Fortune, and Entertainment Weekly.
