Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

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These pumpkin spice overnight oats are the perfect way to sate that Pumpkin Spice itch that appears each time this year, and enjoy an easy quick breakfast in the morning! I love that I can make these the night before and eat them quickly before my son wakes up (should I not be in the mood to share). If I do want to share, I can feel good about what he's eating too. These are very hearty and thick, so if I'm not feeling particularly hungry in the morning, I'll only eat about half. If the morning proves to be especially chilly, these can be removed from the jar and warmed up!

How to make pumpkin spice overnight oats

Overnight oats are one of my absolute favorite morning meals, because with a little measuring and stirring I can have the next 4-5 days of breakfast covered. All the ingredients are measured into mason jars, mixed thoroughly, and then refrigerated overnight. They can be eaten cold straight from the jar the next morning, or heated in the microwave or on the stove. This recipe fills a single jar. A single can of pumpkin will make about 4 jars worth of pumpkin spice overnight oats, so for a meal prep evening plan on making this 4x.

Tips and Tricks

What kind of oats?

Old fashioned oats are going to be the best option for this recipe. Quick oats and steel cut oats will not yield the same texture. If you are wanting to use a different kind of oats, I'd do a quick search for a recipe that uses those types specifically.

I hate pumpkin spice.

I know you are out there. It's okay. Like what you like. This recipe tastes great without the pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Go forth and enjoy your vanilla oats. It won't be as thick in the end.

This recipe is crazy thick.

This is not in any way, a thin sort of oatmeal. If you like your oatmeal to be soupier, I'd recommend you increase the almond milk to 1/2-3/4 cup and omit the yogurt. You may even want to increase the milk to a cup or more, depending on your preference.

I don't have any maple syrup.

Honey and agave syrup make excellent substitutes here. Maple syrup has the most "Fall" flavor and will mix well. Agave will also mix quite easily. Honey will have more trouble mixing in because of how viscous it is, but will still sweeten and taste lovely.

Can I use regular milk?

Any kind of milk should work well here! I like to use unsweetened almond milk because it has fewer calories in an already pretty dense dish. If you use a sweetened milk substitute it will obviously make the dish sweeter, but that may be more to your preference.

Do I have to use chia seeds?

If you haven't guessed already, this is a very flexible recipe. The chia seeds help the mixture gel up a bit and add a bit of crunchy texture. My husband does not like them, and when making overnight oats for him I leave them out! They add additional protein, omega-3s, and fiber to this breakfast and I love the texture they add to the pumpkin spice overnight oats. If you remove them, the oats will not be as thick but will still set just fine.

Flax seed meal is powdery.

Yes, the ground flax seeds in this recipe can make the texture a little gritty. I include them because of the great health benefits. They increase the amount of protein in this meal, include a lot of dietary fiber, and are high in Omega-3 fats. However, they are not essential to the recipe and can be left out.

This makes a huge mess!

The first few times I made overnight oats, I spilled ingredients everywhere! After some practice, I'm doing a bit better with my aim. However, if you need extra help (and I often do), a funnel is a great way to get the ingredients safely into the jar.

The Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbl maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tbl chia seeds
1/2 tbl ground flax seeds

1. Measure all ingredients into a glass mason jar.
2. Stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Refrigerate overnight.