Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats (Print Version)

Creamy oats combined with fresh strawberries and vanilla for a layered, nourishing breakfast.

# Ingredient List:

→ Oats Base

01 - 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup milk, dairy or unsweetened non-dairy
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
04 - 1 tablespoon chia seeds
05 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Strawberry Layer

08 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
09 - 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

→ Topping

11 - 2 tablespoons crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafer cookies
12 - 2 tablespoons whipped cream

# Steps:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, milk, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine diced strawberries with sugar or honey and fresh lemon juice. Allow to rest for 5 minutes to release juices and develop flavor.
03 - Distribute oat mixture evenly between two glass jars or containers. Top each with macerated strawberries and their liquid, then repeat layering if desired for visual appeal.
04 - Cover containers securely with lids and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight, allowing oats to absorb liquid and achieve creamy consistency.
05 - Remove from refrigeration and gently stir oats to loosen texture. Top each serving with crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafer cookies and a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • No morning cooking means you can sleep five extra minutes and still eat something that feels indulgent.
  • It actually tastes better the next day, which is the opposite of how most breakfast foods work.
  • The texture is pure comfort—creamy oats with sweet bursts of strawberry that remind you of dessert for breakfast.
02 -
  • Don't skip the five-minute maceration step with strawberries—that sugar and lemon juice draws out their flavor and creates a syrup that makes everything better, not just the fruit.
  • Add toppings right before eating, not the night before, or they'll go soft and sad—the texture contrast is what makes this special, so protect it.
03 -
  • Use really good vanilla extract because it's one of only a few flavors in this recipe and it matters; imitation vanilla tastes thin and chemical when it's sitting cold for hours.
  • Don't skip the lemon juice in the strawberry layer—it's barely noticeable as lemon, but without it the strawberries taste flat and one-dimensional.
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