Easy Overnight Oats with Water Recipe (No Milk!)

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I really hope you enjoy this Overnight Oats with Water recipe. If you do, please let me know in the comments below. I LOVE reading your comments ❤.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

I don’t think I have the words to explain how incredible this overnight oats with water recipe is.

I know I know, overnight oats with water sounds a little strange but trust me when I say this, I’ve tested this recipe so many times to make it so deliciously creamy and flavorful, you won’t miss the milk one bit.

These overnight oats are super easy and filled with so much goodness. This recipe is for when you don’t have or don’t want to use any type of milk, be it regular milk, oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk or any other plant-based milk or non-dairy milk. It’s also for when you don’t have or don’t want to use Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt.

The ingredients I’ve added to make this overnight oats recipe with water make it the most delicious breakfast ever. You’ll be tasting creamy chewy oats, rich peanut butter and delightful bits of chocolate chips in every bite.

I’m not much of a morning person but oh my goodness these overnight oats brighten up my mornings so much ⭐.

So yep, these overnight oats use water and that’s awesome if you’ve run out of milk or don’t want to use it but hey, here are a few more reasons why you’ll absolutely love this delicious breakfast dish-

• These overnight oats make such an easy breakfast. There’s no cooking involved and we get a meal the next morning that’s just so filling! It’s filled with dietary fiber and lots of health benefits too! This delicious breakfast needs no effort (only 2 minutes the previous night), pop it in the fridge and enjoy the next day!
• This easy breakfast is so customizable as well! Add some delicious toppings when making this overnight oat recipe to make it even more filling (add in your favorite toppings such as fresh fruit, nut butters, nuts!). Or add any add-ins too (such as protein powder, cocoa powder, fruit jelly! Lots of flavor options)! A variety of toppings and add-ins work well here.
• We use really simple ingredients (the base recipe is literally only 2 ingredients- water and old-fashioned oats! We need to add more stuff to make things yummier though). And ah, we get the most delicious overnight oats with a thick creamy consistency.
• These overnight oats without yogurt and milk are awesome for meal prep and make the perfect make-ahead breakfast. It’s difficult to make a perfect healthy breakfast every single morning so making this the night before is just the easiest! You can make larger batches too!
• Vegan, Dairy-free (overnight oatmeal without yogurt and milk!) and Gluten-free. What’s not to love ❤?

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS FOR THIS OVERNIGHT OATS WITH WATER RECIPE

For exact ingredient measurements of these best overnight oats, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.

To make this overnight oatmeal without milk recipe, we need:

• Old-fashioned rolled oats– Rolled or old-fashioned oats work here. They’re the best in my opinion because they soften up without getting mushy. Oats are one of my most favorite whole grains ever and I love how I can get the most delish no cook breakfast thanks to them! If you’re following a gluten-free diet, make sure you use certified gluten-free oats. I wouldn’t suggest steel-cut oats, instant oats or quick-cooking oats here. You can try using quick-cooking oats along with old-fashioned oats so you get a little more creaminess but don’t use only quick-cooking oats on their own. Using only instant oats or quick oats will turn your overnight oats mushy and using steel-cut oats may keep your oats firm even after soaking them which we don’t want.
• Water– We don’t use any kind of milk here and water is our milk substitute. We’ll need to add other ingredients in to add to that creamy texture though. I wanted to stick to simple ingredients that you probably will have at home and wouldn’t need to make a trip to the grocery store for. Of course, you can always use regular milk, almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk or any other non-dairy milk or plant-based milk. Use any type of milk you like. You can add in some Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt too.
• Peanut butter– I’ve worked to make this recipe creamy and well, peanut butter is a great way to add creaminess to our overnight oat recipe. Since our basic overnight oats recipe is only water and old-fashioned rolled oats, we need extra ingredients to add to the flavor and creamy texture and peanut butter does just that. It’s sweet and salty with that amazing peanut flavor and super creamy too, yum! You can use almond butter or even cashew butter if you like!
• Vanilla extract– Vanilla extract is another easy way to add to the flavor of our overnight oats with water. That delicate vanilla flavor works really well with the flavors of peanut butter and chocolate chips.
• Maple syrup– Using maple syrup is the easiest way to add some maple-y flavor and delicate sweetness without using refined sugar. You can add more or less, as much as you like. You can also use honey, agave syrup, brown sugar or a sweetener of your choice here.
• Chia seeds– Ooh I love chia seeds. They help make our overnight oats with water thicker and so lush the next morning. This is really helpful since we aren’t using any type of milk here to add to the thickness and creaminess. You can add in some ground flax seeds too if you like.
• Chocolate chips– Everyone knows how well peanut butter and chocolate work together ❤. Just adds to all that flavor making these overnight oats with chocolate irresistible on those busy mornings. You can use chocolate chunks too.
• Salt– A pinch of salt works amazingly well as a flavor enhancer. It helps bring all those flavors out well.

Once again, for exact ingredient measurements of these overnight oats with water no yogurt, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.

HOW TO MAKE OVERNIGHT OATS WITH WATER [Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos]

Please keep in mind that I go into lots of detail in all my recipes so you get to know all the super important tips and tricks when it comes to making a particular recipe. I always want you to make the BEST of whatever you’re cooking ❤.

Once again, for exact ingredient measurements, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.

Also, if you have any questions about this recipe, make sure to check out our FAQs section below to maybe find your answer there, or leave a comment and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible, I promise 😊.

CAN YOU REALLY MAKE OVERNIGHT OATS WITH WATER?

Yes, you really can make overnight oats with water! Water is a great milk alternative here.

I wanted to make this recipe without any type of milk.

So yes, we don’t use any kind of milk here… regular milk, coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, almond milk or any other plant-based milk or non-dairy milk. I didn’t want to use Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt either. I still needed a sort of liquid though, of course. So I used water, a really good option that almost everyone has at home. I worked with my very own basic overnight oats recipe and used water instead of milk and Greek yogurt.

My work wasn’t done yet though. Overnight oats with water will not be as creamy and flavorful as overnight oats made with milk and/or yogurt. So I worked with ingredients to add a creamy texture and delicious flavor. Peanut butter and chia seeds helped heaps! These two ingredients add to the thickness and richness of our overnight oats with water making everything thick and delish.

So yep, you can make overnight oats with water but they won’t taste amazing on their own. You need to add extra ingredients to add to the flavor and creamy texture. I’ve added peanut butter and chia seeds for that creamy consistency. I’ve also added maple syrup, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and chocolate chips for the flavor.

And oh my goodness, these extra ingredients turn this into the most delicious breakfast on the planet. You won’t be able to believe these overnight oats have been made with water. That’s just how good they taste with the flavors of peanut butter and chocolate!

With only 2 minutes of prep time and super simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store, you’ll want to make this easy breakfast every single day. It’s also super easy because you can just meal prep it the night before or even on a Sunday night for the whole week.

I’m always in awe of overnight oats. I cant believe I don’t have to spend too much time on busy mornings making breakfast! I’m not much of a morning person and they make my mornings easy and so much fun too 💃🏻.

Go ahead and add your favorite toppings and add-ins to this amazing make-ahead breakfast. Make it all yours.

FUN SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Whether you’re a morning person or not, this oatmeal recipe without milk will brighten up your day! It’s a great way to have some delicious breakfast ready on those busy mornings.

The best part? You can add so much to it! The easiest way to know what delicious toppings you prefer is by trying this overnight oats with water and chia seeds recipe. After making overnight oats, you’ll know what you’ll want to add the next time.

Here are a few awesome ways to serve your oats the next morning:

• A great way (and my favorite way!) to serve this overnight oatmeal with water is with some delicious drippy peanut butter, chopped peanuts and chocolate chips on top the next morning. I love those flavors of peanut butter and chocolate chips and adding more here is everything ❤.
• You can drizzle your favorite nut butter on top (almond butter, cashew butter, pistachio butter…) too!
• You can make a dairy-free breakfast as well. Go ahead and make our Easy Pancakes Recipe without Milk for some fluffy no milk pancakes, Copycat Starbucks Matcha Latte Recipe for a green tea creaminess at the table, Easy Waffles Recipe without Milk for some crispy soft waffles and Oat Milk Coffee for some early morning earthy coffee. Yum!
• Add your favorite toppings in or any toppings you feel will go well here. You can add any fresh fruit you like such as mango, pineapple, apple, banana, fresh berries… The list is endless!
• Another good option is to top everything up with some delicious nuts. Chopped walnuts, peanuts, almonds… They all go well here and add a nice crunch. You can add in seeds too such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (pumpkin seeds, my fav!) or even sesame seeds.
• You can drizzle some maple syrup or agave syrup on top of your overnight oats with water and chia seeds for an added touch of sweetness. Mmm.. this is one of the best oatmeal recipes ever ❤.
• Or sprinkle some spices on top such as ground cinnamon, cardamom, clove or even pumpkin pie spice for a warm touch and flavor.
• There’s not just one right way to have overnight oats. There are a bajillion different flavor options and a variety of toppings you can work with! Take this as a base recipe and make a combination using any of the ideas above like a banana bread overnight oats recipe by adding in banana, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Or maybe even apples, walnuts and cinnamon.
• You can make things pretty and layer everything up too. I love layering thick globs of peanut butter in my overnight oatmeal. You can layer jelly, fresh fruit, fruit compote and literally whatever you prefer to make this delicious meal look super pretty.

TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST OVERNIGHT OATS WITH WATER EVERY SINGLE TIME

Ah, I love this overnight oats recipe. It’s delicious and makes me look forward to busy mornings (and I’m not even a morning person). I literally have an incredibly filling breakfast ready in the morning (love the no cook method so much!). I can’t believe it involves only 2 minutes of prep time the previous night too.

It’s amazing how you can work with this recipe. Switch it up if you’re searching for healthy recipes or add more ingredients for an indulgent treat!

This overnight oat recipe is so easy and the absolute best but hey, here are a few tips to remember to get the best overnight oats, always:

• We need a sort of liquid here and water works perfectly as our milk alternative. Water doesn’t add much flavor and texture though so don’t skip out on any other ingredients! Peanut butter, chocolate chips, vanilla extract, salt and maple syrup add flavor. Chia seeds and peanut butter add to the creaminess!
• Add more water or less water depending on how thick or thin you prefer the texture of your overnight oats to be. The overnight oats with water ratio I prefer is 1:1.
• Water is our milk substitute here but you can always use regular milk, almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk or any other non-dairy or plant-based milk instead of water here. You can also add half almond milk or whatever you prefer and half water. You can add in some Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt too.
• To make sure these overnight oats no milk are gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats.
• I wouldn’t suggest using steel cut oats, instant oats or quick cooking oats. You can try using quick cooking oats with old-fashioned oats to get a little more creaminess. Using only instant oats or quick cooking oats will turn your overnight oats mushy and using steel cut oats may keep your oats firm the next morning even after soaking them overnight.
• I usually use a 10 oz jar here which gives me a little space on top to add a few toppings. You can use 12 oz weck jars or 12 oz mason jars as well, especially if you’re adding more toppings. Adding loads of toppings? A 16 oz jar will work really well.
• Please wait overnight if you can when making these overnight oats for best results.
• It’s best to add fresh fruit as toppings the next day so they stay fresh and crunchy.
• Work with the recipe as you like to create either a perfect healthy breakfast or a rich indulgent treat! You can check our Variations Section for more ideas (such as adding protein powder to make some overnight oats with water and protein powder, or even cocoa powder to your oats!) or even our Serving Suggestions for fun toppings to add.
• I love some cold oats but if you enjoy a warm bowl of oatmeal, go ahead and heat it just a little in the microwave!
• This recipe is great for meal prep. It’s an awesome make-ahead breakfast. The easiest way to do this is by making a big batch on Sunday night, keeping it in the refrigerator and enjoying it the rest of the week. It’ll stay good for about 5 days. Larger batches are awesome and make things easy.

❤❤❤