A spoon rests in a glass jar of blueberry overnight oatmeal.

We have a lot of rich and decadent overnights oats recipes here on Wholefully, but sometimes you want something a little lighter and brighter for breakfastโ€”and these Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats fit the bill!

Plump and sweet blueberries are suspended in a creamy and tangy lemon-flavored oatmeal. This lemon-blueberry combination reminds me of warm weather and sunshine! I make these oats when Iโ€™m craving a little bit of summertime (even in the middle of winter).

Overnight oats are topped with blueberries and a twist of lemon.

What are overnight oats?

Overnight oats are a no-cook way to make oatmeal. Instead of cooking your rolled oats on the stove, you stir them together with liquid and other mix-ins, and let it all rest in the fridge overnight. It makes a great pudding-like porridge that you can eat cold, or warm up. For more on this grab-and-go breakfast favorite of mine, head on over to our Overnight Oats 101 post.

What makes overnight oats so special?

Overnight oats can be a meal prep staple in any busy household. Hereโ€™s why youโ€™ll always find a stash in our refrigerator:

  • Overnight oats are delicious! If youโ€™ve never had cold oatmeal before, it may sound off-putting, but trust me! This porridge is hearty, creamy, and tastes like pudding! (But if you really donโ€™t like the idea of eating them cold, you can heat them up, tooโ€”more on that in a sec.)
  • They can be a healthy and hearty way to start the day. You get to control everything that goes into your overnight oats, so you can make them into a super nourishing, nutritious breakfast. Add some collagen or protein powder. Mix in some super seeds, like chia, flax, or hemp. Reduce the added sweeteners, or drop them completely. You can make these oats your breakfast superfood!
  • Overnight oats are super easy to make in advance. Spend a few minutes mixing up your overnight oats in the evening or on the weekend, and breakfast will be ready to grab-and-go by morning. Overnight oats arenโ€™t just easy to meal prepโ€”they are designed for it!
  • You can customize them to fit your dietary preferences. Make your overnight oats your ownโ€”they can be super nourishing or super decadent, vegan or gluten-free. Weโ€™re covering blueberry overnight oats here, but once you get a feel for overnight oats, you can discover your own favorite flavor.
  • They can be made in bulk. Youโ€™ll see overnight oats on meal prep menu after meal prep menu, and for good reasonโ€”you can make a full weekโ€™s worth of breakfasts at once.
A spoon rests in a glass jar of blueberry overnight oats. Blueberries and a twist of lemon rest on top of the oatmeal.

Why add yogurt to overnight oats?

Yogurt gives your overnight oatmeal an extra boost of creaminessโ€”we definitely prefer the texture of overnight oats when we use a combo of milk and yogurt over just milk! Plus, if you choose the right yogurt, your overnight oats can also be a good source of probiotics.

If you’re out of yogurt or just aren’t a fan, replace the yogurt with an additional 1/3 cup of milk and double the amount of chia seeds or flax meal.

Protip: Make it dairy-free.

Need this breakfast to be dairy-free? Try using a dairy-free yogurt and your favorite plant-based milk. We recommend almond milk in the recipe below, but we’ve also loved these overnight oats with oat milk.

Do you eat overnight oats cold or heated up?

Most folks choose to keep overnight oats as a grab-and-go breakfast, and eat them cold (and thatโ€™s where the pudding-like texture comes in!). But if youโ€™d rather have them hot, just warm them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently, or heat them in a small saucepan on the stove.
A spoon holding a bite of overnight oats is topped with a whole blueberry.

What kind of blueberries should I use? Can I use frozen blueberries?

You can use either frozen or fresh blueberries interchangeably in this recipe. I like using frozen wild blueberries because they are packed with antioxidants, and the small size means you get a nice blueberry flavor in every bite, but regular frozen blueberries work as well. The frozen blueberries will defrost as the oats sit in the fridge, so you wonโ€™t need to defrost them before mixing into the oats.

If you go the frozen route, you will want to back off on the added milk just a touchโ€”by about a tablespoonโ€”since the fruit will release some liquid as it defrosts. They will also give the oats a lovely purple color! And if youโ€™d prefer, you can always use fresh blueberries instead, as well.

Blueberries sit in a teal bowl.

Can you make substitutions to these overnight oats?

One of the best things about overnight oats is how easy they are to customize! Whether you need them to be vegan, gluten-free, or lower in sugar, the swaps are simple and require no extra effort. Our in-depth overnight oats post has a full range of suggestions, but here are some specific substitutions you can make for these blueberry overnight oats:

  • Make it vegan: Use plant-based yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt, and use maple syrup instead of honey.
  • Make it sugar-free: Drop the sweetener, make sure to use unsweetened milk, and add 1/2 mashed ripe banana. Or use stevia or monk fruit sweetener in place of the maple syrup or honey, if you prefer.
  • Make it gluten-free: Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
A mixing bowl filled with blueberries, oats, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and other ingredients sits next to a halved lemon.

Where can you find more overnight oats recipes?

Weโ€™ve got you covered when it comes to simple and easy overnight oatmeal recipes! Here are some of the most well-loved recipes on Wholefully.

 
A spoon rests in a glass jar of blueberry overnight oatmeal.

Blueberry Overnight Oats Recipe

Yield: 1 large serving, or 2 small
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

These Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats are a nourishing and fresh breakfast! Make them ahead of time for an easy grab-and-go morning meal.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Whisk together all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Spoon into a pint or half liter jar with a tight-fitting lid.
  2. Close and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, before eating.

Notes

If you go the frozen route, you will want to back off on the added milk just a touchโ€”by about a tablespoonโ€”since the fruit will release some liquid as it defrosts.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 half batch
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 214Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 86mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 4gSugar: 28gProtein: 7g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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13 Comments

    1. We’re sorry this didn’t turn out the way you expected, Alan. The good news is, these recipes are easily customized to suit your tastes. A little less lemon, less liquid to accommodate your less thirsty oats, and you’ll be well on your way to something that works for you!

    1. Hi Sandy! Yes! Any kind of milk will work in this recipe. I use whole milk whenever I make overnight oats! When making this recipe specifically, I try to remember to mix the lemon juice into the yogurt first before adding everything else as an extra precaution against curdling the milk. But as long as you’re mixing everything together really well, it shouldn’t make that much of a difference!

  1. Hi. I have made this recipe lots of times with oats and love it!! But I have a bag of steel oats I need to use up. Can I substitute it for the rolled oats? Do I need to add more liquid?

    1. Hi, Danielle! Steel cut oats can be used in any of our overnight oats recipes without making any other adjustments. The texture of the finished oats will definitely be chewier, and they’ll be a bit less creamyโ€”but it should still taste just as delicious! Let us know how you like it =)

  2. This is the best recipe for overnight oats. I have tried other recipes, but this one has the best ratio of oats, milk, and yogurt. I make it just as written, except I don’t have chia seeds, so instead I put in a scoop of my Forest Leaf collagen peptides powder. Yum Yum.

    1. Thanks so much, Tammy! We’re so glad you like it, and we really appreciate you taking the time to come back and tell us about it =)

  3. Honestly the best overnight oats recipe I have found! I use half a (very ripe) mashed banana instead of the sweetener, and it is soo good. Thank you so much!

    1. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell us what you think, Rachel! We really appreciate it. We’re so glad you enjoyed them!

  4. I absolutely love this recipe… it is so simple to make and so delicious! I found it incredibly filling as well. Thank you for sharing!

  5. Hi Cassie, today I tried your recipe( blueberry overnight oats). It is delicious ๐Ÿ˜€ and easy to make. Only change i made to recipe was choice of yogurt. I didn’t have Greek yogurt on hand so i used plain yogurt but came out delicious. Thanks for sharing wonderful recipes, i have tried quite a few recipies and liked them, just didn’t have time to respond back. Keep up the good work!