Packed with fiber and protein, these overnight chia oats have the best creamy texture and can be made with chia seeds or basil seeds (for double the fiber!).

I never liked overnight oats until this recipe, but now I eat these oats every morning with berries. This recipe is a game changer. So, so good!

White bowl with chia oats, blueberries, and raspberries.

Why This Recipe is Better Than Other Overnight Oats Recipes

After trying many overnight oats recipes and feeling underwhelmed (and often grossed out), I decided to get to work perfecting my own overnight oats recipe. This one is a winner!

Here’s why I love it so much:

  • It has the perfect oats to seeds to milk ratio.
  • With minimal (or no) added sweetness, the oats can be sweetened to your liking when you serve them up to eat for breakfast.
  • The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
  • The overnight oats stay good in the refrigerator for several days, so you can prep the oats once and have breakfast ready to go all week.
  • This recipe is incredibly customizable. Scroll through the post and see the recipe notes for all the tips on how to increase the protein (and fiber) and vary the flavor.
Spoonful of overnight chia oats.

Base Recipe Ingredients

Here are the ingredients for the overnight chia oats base recipe:

  • Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: My favorite oats to use in this recipe are the sprouted rolled oats that I get from Costco, but regular, unsprouted rolled oats work great, too. Do not use quick oats or steel cut oats.
  • Chia Seeds or Basil Seeds: This recipe can be made with all chia seeds, all basil seeds, or a combination. When I first started making this recipe, I made it with half chia seeds and half basil seeds, however, now I usually use all basil seeds (they have double the fiber and protein of chia seeds with no taste, and I like the way they rehydrate in these oats). This is the brand of basil seeds I use {aff. link}.
  • Milk: I always use unsweetened almond milk, because I like the flavor and creaminess. You can sub in dairy milk or another kind of non-dairy milk.
  • Salt: The recipe calls for a pinch of salt. Don’t leave it out! It is really important for flavor.
  • Pure Maple Syrup: Just a bit of pure maple syrup sweetens the oats perfectly. One tablespoon of syrup is used for the batch (which makes three servings). You can leave the syrup out completely and sweeten to taste, if desired.
Bag of organic sprouted oats.
Bag of ZenBasil basil seeds.
Bag of organic chia seeds.
Pouring tablespoon of pure maple syrup into overnight chia oats.

Optional Add-Ins to Increase Protein and Flavor

Most often, I make the oats recipe above per the “base recipe” guidelines (except that I always add cinnamon).

However, you can easily adapt the recipe to increase protein and flavor by adding the following:

  • Protein powder. NOTE: The brand of protein powder is important here, because the flavor will really come through after the oats have chilled. Use a brand you like the taste (and after taste) of. See the notes section of the recipe for the brand of protein powder I recommend. Add anywhere from 1/2 to 2 scoops of protein powder. ➡️ I don’t always use protein powder. The oats are fantastic without it.
  • Cinnamon. Even though this ingredient is listed as optional, I always add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the base recipe. It helps add depth of flavor without overpowering the oats with cinnamon.

The exact amount of protein and fiber in this recipe will be dependent on the type of milk used, whether you use chia seeds or basil seeds, and what you serve the oats with when eating.

Glass bowl with almond milk, chia seeds, basil seeds, oats, cinnamon, maple syrup, protein powder, and salt.

How to Make Overnight Oats

Making these overnight chia oats couldn’t be easier!

  1. In a 4-cup container, combine the oats, seeds, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
  2. Add the almond milk and maple syrup (if using).
  3. Stir well, scraping the seeds off the bottom.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours.
  5. When uncovering, some of the seeds will likely have settled on top of the oats. Give the oats a good stir before serving to recombine.

The biggest question I get when it comes to this recipe is: Do you eat the oats cold or warm? I eat these overnight chia oats every morning for breakfast cold straight from the fridge. I never liked cold oats until this recipe, but they are tremendously good! If you are adamantly opposed to cold oats, you can try warming the oats lightly in the microwave before serving.

Glass bowl with basil seeds, oats, cinnamon, and salt.
Glass bowl with almond milk, chia seeds, basil seeds, oats, cinnamon, maple syrup and salt.
Glass bowl with basil seeds, oats, and almond milk.
Glass bowl with spoon stirring up basil seeds, oats, and almond milk.

What to Serve With Overnight Oats

When the oats are ready, scoop out a serving into a bowl and top with any of the following:

  • A scoop of plain or sweetened Greek yogurt. This helps boost the protein for a hearty breakfast.
  • Fresh berries, like raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or strawberries. Fresh or frozen berries can be used.
  • Chopped nuts, like almonds, walnuts or pecans.
  • Additional milk for flavor and/or to adjust the consistency.

I talked about these oats in this anti-inflammatory post and posted an Instagram reel here. Already the rave reviews are coming in! I recently made a triple batch of these oats for a mini family reunion, and it was the most requested breakfast item by far.

This recipe made with all basil seeds + a scoop of protein powder and served with 60 grams each of blueberries and raspberries + 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, yields 24 grams of protein and 16.5 grams of fiber per serving.

If you’re looking for a delicious, make-ahead breakfast high in fiber and protein-adjustable, these overnight oats are for you.

White bowl with chia oats, blueberries, Greek yogurt, and raspberries.
White bowl with chia oats, blueberries, and raspberries.

The Best Overnight Chia Oats

Yield: 3 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes
5 stars (6 ratings)
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Ingredients

Base Recipe:

  • 1 cup (105 g) old-fashioned rolled oats or sprouted rolled oats
  • ¼ cup (45 g) chia seeds, basil seeds or a combination
  • Pinch salt (a bit less than 1/8 teaspoon)
  • 2 to 2 ¼ cups (500 to 525 g) unsweetened milk (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon (22 g) pure maple syrup

Optional Add-Ins:

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, more or less, to taste
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (see note)

Optional Ingredients For Serving:

  • Greek yogurt
  • Fresh berries, like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.
  • Chopped nuts, like almonds, pecans or walnuts

Instructions 

  • In a container with a lid, toss together the oats, chia/basil seeds, and salt. Add additional add-ins, if using, like cinnamon and/or protein powder.
  • Add the milk and maple syrup. Mix well, scraping up seeds from the bottom.
  • Cover the container and refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours.
  • Scoop out desired portion. Serve with Greek yogurt, fresh or frozen berries, chopped nuts, and additional milk, if desired.

Notes

Oats: I use and love the sprouted rolled oats from Costco (One Degree brand). Regular old-fashioned rolled oats work great, as well.
Chia Seeds/Basil Seeds: I originally made this recipe with half chia seeds and half basil seeds, however, more often than not, I use all basil seeds (they have double the fiber and protein of chia seeds and don’t have a taste).
Milk: I always use unsweetened almond milk, because I like the flavor and creaminess. Many different types of dairy or non-dairy milk could be used here. If using all chia seeds, reduce the amount of milk to 2 cups. Basil seeds tend to absorb more liquid overall than chia seeds. 
The exact consistency of the oats will depend largely on what type of milk and what variety of seeds (chia vs basil) are used.  
Protein Powder: The brand of protein powder is important here, because the flavor will really come through after the oats have chilled. Use a brand you like the taste (and after taste) of. I have made this recipe with Clean Simple Eats and Orgain brands and didn’t love the result (strong, artificial after tastes and a bit of grittiness – although we love these brands in other things like smoothies). My favorite protein powder to use in these overnight oats is Ballerina Farms – it has the best creamy texture and flavor of all the ones I’ve tried. I don’t always use protein powder. The oats are fantastic without it.
Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts calculated on this recipe only includes chia seeds (basil seeds aren’t in the database for the app I use). The fiber and protein will be nearly doubled using basil seeds. It also doesn’t include protein powder or any add-ins.
Author: Mel Gunnell
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Method: No-Bake
Serving: 1 serving (1/3 of recipe), Calories: 216kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 345mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 4g

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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe