If your mornings are hectic, these creamy apple cinnamon gluten-free overnight oats are a total time-saver for busy mornings. There’s no cooking required—just stir everything into a jar and let the fridge do the work while you sleep. You’ll wake up to a healthy, make-ahead breakfast that tastes like apple crisp in a jar!
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❤️ Sandi’s Summary
1. These overnight oats make an easy make-ahead breakfast with oats
2. Overnight oats can be customized to suit your taste preferences. You can add different flavors (such as vanilla extract or cinnamon), sweeteners (like honey or maple syrup), and a variety of toppings (such as fresh or dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or nut butter).
3. Take them on the go! They are great for a healthy breakfast for busy weekend events.
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If you want an easy gluten-free breakfast, you can meal prep with oats. This is the recipe for you!!! You dump gluten free oats into a mason jar or other container and add any flavors, fruits, nuts, or chia seeds. Pick a dairy or non-dairy milk to pour in. Put it into the refrigerator overnight. It is the perfect no-cook gluten-free breakfast.
I hope this will be one of the best overnight oats recipes you try. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For more recipe inspiration, check out these delicious gluten free breakfast recipes too.
Allergen Information:
I know many of my readers have multiple food sensitivities. Always check that your oats are certified gluten-free if you are Celiac or gluten-sensitive. These homemade overnight oats are:
- gluten-free
- dairy-free
- egg-free
- soy-free
- nut-free.
What are the best oats to use for overnight oats?
As a gluten free family, we must eat certified gluten free oats. It isn’t that regular oats contain gluten, but most oats have gluten due to cross-contamination. Gluten-free oats are protected from contamination by being handled under the purity protocol. Regular oats are grown near wheat and often processed in the same facility. You can read a lot more about it on Gluten-Free Watchdog.
I recommend using gluten-free rolled oats for the best texture and consistency. Not all oats behave the same way when soaked overnight—some can get too soft, while others stay too firm. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you choose the right kind:
- Rolled Oats – These are the best oats for overnight oats. They absorb liquid well and become soft and creamy without turning mushy.
- Quick Oats – These break down too much overnight and can result in a mushy texture.
- Steel Cut Oats – These oats are much harder and don’t soften enough with just overnight soaking. They’ll stay chewy or even crunchy unless cooked first.
What are the best mix-ins for overnight oats?
- Homemade Gluten-Free Granola is so easy to make with whole oats. If you prefer a grain-free granola, try this Paleo Granola.
- Peanut butter (makes them a kid-friendly overnight oats recipe!)
- Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans.
- Yogurt
- Spices like ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or ground ginger.
- Chia seeds can be used on their own to make chia pudding or in combination with overnight oats.
Best fruits:
- Fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
- Apples
- Stone fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines.
Step-By-Step Directions and Photos:
Note From The Kitchen: If your overnight oats turn out too thick or too runny, don’t worry! Just stir in a little extra milk in the morning if needed. You can also adjust the chia seed amount to get the right texture. Overnight oats are super forgiving, so feel free to experiment until you find your perfect balance.
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Step 1: Add chopped apples and gluten-free rolled oats to a mason jar or other container. You don’t have to get fancy and make pretty layers since you will be shaking these up after you add the milk.
Step 2: Add chia seeds, chopped apples, and ground cinnamon. Overnight oats are such a fun recipe to make with your kids!
Step 3: Add milk or non-dairy milk, screw on the lid, shake, and put it into the refrigerator overnight.
Step 4: The following day, open the jar and serve! Your kids are off to school and had a quick, nutritious breakfast!
How do I meal prep overnight oats for the week?
This recipe is so easy to meal prep for the family each week.
- I bought a dozen 8-ounce small mason jars.
- Once a week, I fill each with 1/3 cup oats and 1/2 TBSP of chia seeds.
- Every night before bed, you get to customize these. Add in your mix-ins, fruit, and milk or non-dairy milk.
- Put the lid on the jar, shake it, and put it in the refrigerator.
You can also change things up in this recipe quite a bit! If you have more time, try this Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal. You can even use chia seeds to make an overnight Chia Pudding that is delicious for breakfast. This Matcha Green Tea Chia Pudding is also so easy to make!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Use mason jars, screw-top glass containers, or reusable lidded cups to make overnight oats. Once you add your mix-ins and milk, close the lid and put it in the refrigerator.
No—overnight oats are meant to soften in the fridge overnight.
Most often, if your overnight oats are mushy, you used gluten free quick oats instead of gluten free whole rolled oats. Quick oats are not the oats you want to use. Also, make sure you don’t use too much liquid.
You can eat your overnight oats any way you like, but most often, people eat them cold right out of the refrigerator.
More Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes:
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Pancakes – These hearty pancakes are wonderful if you love oatmeal.
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles – I love eating pumpkin all year long!
- Egg Potato Skillet – If you are an eggs and potatoes person, you need this breakfast skillet casserole.
- Bell Pepper Frittata – This is a great recipe. Use bell peppers or any vegetables you have on hand.
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Easy Apple Crisp Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ½ cup gluten free rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup milk or non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons granola
- ⅓ cup chopped apples peeling optional
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Instructions
- Take a mason jar and add 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/3 cup chopped apples
- Pour in 3/4 cup milk or non-dairy milk and 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
- Put the lid on and screw it tight.
- Shake the mason jar until all of the ingredients are blended.
- Put into the refrigerator and allow to sit overnight.
- The next morning, remove the lid, add 3 tablespoons granola to the top.
Notes
- If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, you must use gluten-free rolled whole oats for this recipe. Gluten-free oats are grown under the purity protocol. Quick oats get very mushy, and your oatmeal will not taste as good.
- If you don’t want to use maple syrup as a sweetener, swap coconut sugar.
- Add in any other mix-ins including fruit, nuts, and yogurt.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an old September 2017 post with more details.
Do you add the granola to the jar with all the ingredients or do you just put that on in the morning when you take the jar out to eat?
Hi Robin, I sprinkle the granola on the next morning before eating…this way they won’t get soggy :-).
I love easy breakfasts! This looks yummy 🙂 I just wonder is it for one person? 60grams of oats sounds too much for me…
Hi Sibel, I serve two people with each jar in this recipe. It is styled in the mason jar to look “pretty” and I agree it would be a lot for just one person 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind reply, I love all your recipes and I’m happy to see the daily recipes from you in my inbox 🙂
That is so sweet of you to say Sibel. Thank you so much, you made my day!!