Strawberry Overnight Oats with Coconut Milk

Strawberry overnight oats with coconut milk are a time-saving breakfast that satisfies for hours. This flavor combination is fresh and deliciously creamy.

Is it overnight oats season yet? Or is it always? I love on them all year around but they’re especially crave-worthy when you get a hint of warmer weather.

In case this is a new concept to you, overnight oats are rolled oats soaked in liquid for several hours (usually overnight) and the result is a creamy, almost pudding-like porridge. You eat them cold instead of hot like traditional oatmeal, topped with fruit, nuts, nut butter, etc.

This version is unique because you use coconut milk as the liquid. The recipe is inspired by something similar I had at a Portland hotel years ago and still think about. I liked them so much I bought them for breakfast three days in a row. They were rich and creamy without feeling “heavy”.

Now, you can certainly use any milk to make these, but I am slightly obsessed with the combination of fresh strawberries and coconut. It’s a nice change from the usual.

Check out my basic banana overnight oats for a more traditional recipe.

Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make these luscious little jars of overnight oat with coconut milk:

• Old-fashioned rolled oats (the ones in the canister, not the packets)
• Canned light coconut milk. Regular full-fat coconut milk is very thick, so I wouldn’t recommend it here. I also wouldn’t recommend the boxed one in the refrigerated section.
• Chia seeds. These help transform the overnight, making them creamy and cohesive (as opposed to just oats suspended in liquid). You need them!
• Maple syrup, vanilla & salt. You’ll definitely want to use these flavor enhancers in the oats so they don’t taste flat underneath the toppings.
• Toasted coconut. If you can find the thick, toasted flakes they are the best. If not, any shredded unsweetened coconut will work.

Tips for Making Great Overnight Oats

File these under “another use for mason jars”. I recommend mixing everything in a bowl first, then separating into jars and screwing the lids on for an easy breakfast in the morning.

More best practices:

Add enough liquid

You’ll be surprised how much liquid the oats soak up. To prevent them from being dry, be sure to add at least equal parts oats/liquid. Another option is using frozen fruit to add extra moisture (from the juices as it thaws).

Don’t skip the chia seeds and stir them in well.

If you skip the chia seeds, the oats won’t be creamy. If you go lazy on stirring them in, you’ll have clusters of seeds and a more “chunky” texture.

Salt is important.

A pinch of salt makes all the difference in both traditional oats and overnight oats. It helps bring out the flavor and prevent them from tasting bland.

Add any crunchy toppings just before serving.

In this case, the coconut. If you add it to the jars before screwing the lids on, it’ll probably be soft by the time you actually eat it.

It’s really nice to have a fun and balanced breakfast waiting for you so in the morning you can just take the lids off and dig in. If you work in an office and usually take breakfast with you, these work well for grabbing on your way out the door.

Overnight Oats FAQs

Do you love overnight oats or are you a traditionalist? If you try this recipe don’t forget to leave a star rating ⭐️ and review in the comments!

More Strawberry Recipes

• Strawberry Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
• Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
• Fruit Pizza with Oat & Almond Butter Crust

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This post was originally published in July 2018. Content, recipe and photos were all updated in February 2022.