Berry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
These vegan berry cheesecake overnight oats is just the right ratio of liquid to oats, making it a texture that is much better than many other overnight oats recipes. It has that “cheesecake” tang from yogurt and lemon juice. Try it!
I’ve been plant-based for so long (on and off since 2007 and consistently since 2018), and yet I’ve never been on the overnight oats train. Cold oats sounded so unappealing to me. Similar to all the bad chia pudding I’d tried, I had only had mediocre overnight oats and was NOT interested. Stove-top cooked oatmeal was the life for me.
But the appeal of a make-the-night-before breakfast lingered, and out of desperation for something new to try, I decided to give them another chance.
I made some key discoveries to making overnight oats actually good.
This overnight oats recipe is so yummy. I make it for myself, and all my kids want some, so now I need to make double batches. My husband loves it, too. I REJOICE that it eliminates breakfast decision fatigue. It’s also kid-and husband-approved!
What gives these Overnight Oats “Cheesecake” Flavor?
Some plant-based yogurt and lemon juice give overnight oats an amazing cheesecake flavor! They also break down the phytic acid in oats so the nutrients are more bioavailable. Win-win!
I discovered yogurt in chia pudding makes a world of difference, so I tried an oatmeal version of that basically. If you like make-ahead breakfasts, dont’ miss my Actually Good Tropical Chia Pudding and Strawberry Cheesecake Chia Pudding recipes!
Can I just say, soy yogurt has probably been one of my favorite discoveries in my kitchen over the past couple years? I make it a couple times a month now. I buy West Life milk from Walmart and get two jars of yogurt from it, with leftover milk. It takes about 5 minutes of my time, and opens so many doors. Yogurt and granola! Yogurt and fruit! Yogurt with thawed wild blueberries and pumpkin seeds for breakfast! Yogurt in chia pudding and overnight oats for creamy and tangy deliciousness! Check out my post and try making yogurt for yourself.
Added bonus—berries, whole grains, and the chia seeds are checking off lots of boxes on your Daily Dozen chart!
If you don’t want to make your own yogurt (I know how intimidating it sounds at first!), just get some plain yogurt of your choice. If you’re plant-based, the main brands I see are Silk, So Delicious, Forager, and Kite Hill. You can also skip the yogurt if you really need to, and it’s still yummy (just not AS good).
The Secret to a Great Day is the Night Before
I love doing something the night before to have a great next morning.
When I’m on top of it, I might
- soak some beans to cook the next day
- get sourdough fermenting
- stir some chia pudding up to work it’s magic overnight
- (now!) make overnight oats together
- start some sprouts
- make some hummus for a quick lunch the next day
Is your kitchen counter like this? Things fermenting, soaking, sprouting? If so, comment on this post. We are kindred spirits.
Stir together these simple ingredients, and you’ll thank yourself the next morning!
Berry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Equipment
- medium glass container with lid
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, any kind I make my own soy yogurt and it's perfect for this!
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1.5 cups plant based milk I use soy or almond
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds or basil seeds (or combination)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- scant 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
Instructions
- At least 8 hours before you want to eat it, combine all the ingredients except berries in a glass container or bowl, preferably one that has a lid (or cover with a plate or plastic wrap). Once mixed, sprinkle the frozen berries on top.
- After at least 8 hours (preferably closer to 12 hours), spoon your portion out and enjoy! You can add more yogurt on top, extra maple syrup, fresh banana slices or other fruit.
- For a layered look, spoon some into a jar, then add some more thawed berries (or fresh), and more overnight oats on top. Add some crushed graham cracker or chopped nuts if you want to go wild.
Nutrition
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I just have to let you know that this is our favorite overnight oats recipe now!!! It’s so good! I do put just a little more oats or less soy milk than the recipe calls for since we like it a bit thicker. Thank you SO much for posting this.
We made this the night before our last hiking adventure. For our family of 8 I mixed up 9x the amount in a large bowl, divided it into a whole case of jars, and set the case in the fridge. In the morning we just unscrewed the tops, dropped in frozen mixed berries to the top, and then brought the case into the car! The kids loved having a wholesome filling breakfast to eat on their long car drive. They all begged to make these overnight oats a tradition for hiking days when the drive is long! Such a great recipe!
What a labor of love to prepare this the night before! Love this idea. Thanks so much for telling us!