Overnight Steel Cut Oats

Overnight steel cut oats are the chewy cousin to rolled oats and spectacularly delicious as a hearty, wholesome and easy breakfast. They’re prepped the night before and ready and waiting for you in the morning.

Overnight oats had a moment about 10 or so years ago when I started this blog. They were all the rage with the healthy living bloggers I religiously followed at the time. Not a post went by where someone wasn’t showcasing their overnight oat concoction for breakfast in the 15 or so blogs I followed back then.

The thing is, I never really understood the hype. Traditional rolled oats end up pretty mushy in an overnight preparation and while I tried tirelessly to love them like everyone else, I just couldn’t get behind the mushy cold texture.

After creating this blackberry orange steel cut oat recipe (which is served hot) though, the idea to make overnight oats with steel cut oats popped into my head. You’d think it would’ve been obvious to try this chewier version of oats in an overnight preparation, but for some reason I just didn’t think they’d soften enough without being cooked on the stove. I was wrong thankfully, and now this overnight steel cut oat recipe is probably one of my favorite easy breakfasts, especially when I need to prep ahead for an early morning.

Steel Cut Oats vs. Rolled Oats

I have a whole article on all the different types of oats that breaks this down, but essentially oats start from an oat groat. From there, there are multiple layers of processing that result in all the different types of oats you know: steel cut, Irish, rolled, quick-cooking and instant.

Steel cut oats are the least processed of all the varieties. A steel blade cuts the hulled oat groat into two or three pieces. Rolled oats or sometimes called old-fashioned oats are the next level of processing. Instead of cutting the groat with blades, it’s steamed to soften it and then flattened into flakes by a roller.

From a taste and texture perspective, steel cut oats are much heartier, chewier and nutty tasting and than rolled oats.

Why You’ll Love Overnight Steel Cut Oats

This recipe will appeal to two kinds of people: the overnight oats haters because of texture and the overnight lovers for something new. Beyond that though, there are a bunch of other reasons you’ll like it too:

• Simple ingredient list — Oats can be as simple or as complicated as you make them. I like to keep this base recipe short and sweet and then let you go ham with the add-ins and toppings you want.
• Orange flavor — My secret to the above though is one specific ingredient that brings loads of flavor without a million ingredients: an orange. Using both orange zest and orange juice livens these steel cut overnight oats up in a bright and delicious way.
• Enjoy it warm or cold — I think something that’s often overlooked is that overnight oats can be eaten cold or you can warm them in a microwave or on the stove top. If the idea of cold oats doesn’t appeal to you, try warming them up!
• Endless add-in opportunities — I list a bunch of optional topping ideas in the recipe card below to bulk up the oats and add additional protein. You can make this recipe as simple or involved as you want.
• Simple tip to temper the chewiness — If you think steel cut oats’ texture is way too tough to be enjoyed in an overnight preparation, I have a simple tip that tempers it – read on!

What You Need

Steel cut oats — Obviously. Make sure to pick an organic and gluten-free (if needed) brand. Oats are one of the most highly sprayed crops with glyphosate.

Milk — This can be any milk of your choice whether dairy or plant-based. You can also use part milk and part water as the liquid.

Orange juice and zest — I consider this the star ingredient of this overnight steel cut oat recipe, don’t skip it! Fresh orange juice and zest bring lots of flavor and brightness to this breakfast.

Chia seeds — When I make oatmeal, I always add a tablespoon or so of chia or flax seeds to help bind the oats together. I find this even more impactful in overnight oat recipes.

Maple syrup — Adds a touch of sweetness to the oats. Feel free to use honey instead.

Vanilla extract — Another way to add flavor in a simple manner. A splash of extract or vanilla bean paste is a must.

Spices — Just some salt and cinnamon make the oats incredibly flavorful. You can add other warming spices if desired too like cloves, ginger, cardamom or nutmeg.

How To Prepare The Oats

The full recipe card is below with exact measurements and directions, but here’s a quick rundown to show you how simple this recipe is.

Start by whisking together the milk, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla and maple syrup in a large bowl.

Once combined, stir in the cinnamon, salt, steel cut oats and chia seeds. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, give the bowl a stir and portion into serving bowls. Serve the overnight steel cut oats cold or choose to warm them up in the microwave.

Top as desired and enjoy!

Topping Fun!

I promise the base recipe is incredibly flavorful as is and you don’t need any toppings, but there are plenty to play around with for added texture and taste if you want.

• Protein powder is probably the most common one I use. I always add protein to my oatmeal whether that’s through egg whites (yes, that’s a thing – I show you how in this strawberry oatmeal recipe) or protein powder for extra staying power. I aim for at least 30g of protein at every meal and while oats do have some protein in them, you won’t be hitting 30g per serving without some protein powder. If you choose to add this, do so in step #2 in the directions below.
• Seeds like hemp or flax can be added in place of the chia or in addition to for extra healthy fats and fiber.
• Dried fruit is great to add while preparing the overnight oats as the liquid helps reconstitute it and it will plump up nicely. Apricots, raisins, cherries and cranberries are all great options.
• Fresh fruit, however, should be added in the morning and fresh berries are always a good choice that go well with the underlying orange flavor of the base recipe.
• Chopped nuts add nice crunch and texture that some people enjoy to contrast with the overnight oats. Alternatively, drizzle some nut butter on top of the oats before serving.
• Chocolate chips take this breakfast on the indulgent side and again, pair well with the orange flavor. Chocolate and orange is always a great combo.

Storage

Because steel cut oats have so much texture to them, they keep well in the fridge for longer than rolled oats. You can easily store extra servings for up to the full week in the fridge in an air-tight container. This is one of the reasons steel cut overnight oats is such a great meal prep recipe. After the initial prep, you can portion the recipe out into individual mason jars or containers and enjoy one each day of the week for breakfast.

The oats will soften the longer they sit so by day 4 or 5, they will have a slightly different texture than days 1-3, but they’re still quite chewy, even if soaked the oats ahead of time.

More Oatmeal Recipes To Try

For more overnight oatmeal recipes, try these almond joy oats or this overnight buckwheat “oats”.

For another steel cut oatmeal recipe, I love these warm Instant Pot steel cut oats. They’re so cozy and comforting. If you prefer the slow cooker, these chocolate cherry steel cut oats are reminiscent of a black forest cake vibe.

If you like baked oatmeal, this chocolate baked oats recipe is like eating cake for breakfast and hard to beat while this turmeric baked oatmeal will satisfy all the health-focused eaters.

And for the traditionalists who love a good hot bowl of regular oatmeal, spiced pear oatmeal, cinnamon apple oatmeal and my kid-famous green oatmeal are all great options.