Overnight oats continue to be my #1 pick for budget breakfasts because they literally cost pennies, they’re a blank slate for flavors, and you can eat them either hot or cold. Every summer I trade in my hot baked oatmeals for cold soaked overnight oats because they’re just as filling, but oh so refreshing in this heavy heat. The other day I saw Golden Milk Overnight Oats on a restaurant menu and, being a huge fan of golden milk, knew that I had to try them immediately! I spiced up some milk with some turmeric and other warm spices, then used the spiced milk to soak my oats overnight. The resulting flavor was deliciously earthy and aromatic, while still being cold and refreshing! Totally a winner!
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How Many Does This Serve?
The recipe below is for ONE SERVING of these oats, but I generally make about four at a time (you can adjust the ingredient amounts in the recipe below by just changing the number in the servings box). They’ll stay good in the fridge for about five days. For everything that I listed a “pinch” of, that would be roughly 1/8 tsp once the recipe is adjusted up to four servings.
Can I Use Non-Dairy Milk?
You can use any type of dairy or non-dairy milk for these Golden Milk Overnight Oats, just keep in mind that if your milk is sweetened in any way, you may want to consider reducing the honey in the recipe. Personally, I love the way that dairy milk pairs with the earthy flavor of the turmeric and the subtle sweetness of the honey (milk + honey is such a classic flavor combo!).
What Else Can I Add?
Feel free to mix in other types of seeds and nuts with the oats, similar to what I did with my Make Ahead Seeded Oats, keeping in mind that you may need extra milk if using something absorbent, like chia seeds.
How To Serve
You can eat these overnight oats hot or cold, and you can eat them plain, or top them with whatever fun things you have hiding in your pantry. Today I added dried cranberries and some unsweetened shredded coconut. Bananas, pistachios, or almonds are also great matches!
Golden Milk Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rolled oats ($0.06)
- 2/3 cup milk ($0.21)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric ($0.03)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
- 1 pinch cloves ($0.01)
- 1/8 tsp vanilla ($0.04)
- 1/2 tsp honey ($0.02)
- 1 pinch salt ($0.01)
Instructions
- Add the turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, honey, and salt to the milk and whisk to combine. The spices may still clump slightly, but that’s okay. They’ll loosen as they hydrate while soaking overnight.
- Add the oats to a jar or other air-tight container. Pour the spiced milk over the oats and stir briefly to combine.
- Place a lid on the container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to five days.
- To serve, stir the soaked oats and eat straight from your container or place them in a bowl. Feel free to top with fruit and nuts, if available.
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Nutrition
How to Make Golden Milk Overnight Oats – Step by Step Photos
Here’s what I used to make my Golden Milk Overnight Oats: 1/3 cup rolled oats, 2/3 cup milk (I used whole milk for extra richness), 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of cloves, 1/8 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp honey, and a pinch of salt (not pictured).
Make the golden milk first by adding the turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, honey, and salt to the milk, then whisking to combine. The spices may still clump a little after whisking, and that’s okay. They’ll have plenty of time to hydrate and diffuse as they soak overnight.
Place your oats in a container (something air-tight to keep refrigerator smells out), then pour the golden milk overtop.
Give the oats a brief stir, then close up your container and pop it in the fridge. This is what it looks like before soaking. It’s not even very yellow, but that changes as it soaks.
Soak the oats for at least 8 hours, or up to five days. Before eating, make sure to give them a good stir! See how yellow they are now?
As with any oats, feel free to dress them up with any fruit or nuts that you have laying around the kitchen!
Tasted great – I didn’t have cloves but that was ok. As some other comments said, the milk – to oats ratio is a little off. I use 2/3 cup oats to the milk this recipe called for and tasted great. Also added chia seeds and flax seeds.
Made this last night and enjoyed every bite this morning! I didn’t have any cloves on hand, but the recipe still tasted great. I will be adding this to my rotation of cool meals for hot summers! Thank you!
This recipe is the best, its the only oatmeal I can eat without bananas! I can’t stand overnight oats so I cooked them and it tasted just as good warm, if not better.
Toppings I would reccomend:
– frozen/fresh cherries
– cashew butter
– unsweetened almond milk
I enjoy this recipe a lot and it tastes great, but I find that it works better with 2:3 ratio of oats to milk when using Oatly oat milk. Some separation happens in the oat milk overnight and I don’t think the oats absorb it well in the jar. My oatflakes may be the culprit here either, though.
Great to know Jimmy. Thank you for sharing!
These were much better than I expected! I do think that the milk to oat ratio is a little off though. Flavors were dead on, but it was a bit too soupy for me (more like cereal than oatmeal), so I would probably mix in a dollop of yogurt and use less milk next time to thicken it up a bit. Great cheap and healthy breakfast though! Happy to not have processed sugar in my oats!
Will surely give this a try..
I always eat oat and this recipe will definitely add different taste for me.
Thank you Beth for this great recipe! I love it, as many many of your other recipes. All come out perfect!
can you substitute steel-cut oats for the oatmeal?
Steel cut oats take a lot longer to soften and may need more liquid as well. I haven’t tested using steel cut, so unfortunately I don’t have specific instructions I can provide.
I just made this for the first time and I love it! I am super picky but overnight oats are my go-to work breakfast. I absolutely love this recipe! It was hearty but not overfilling, not too sweet, just perfect!
So have now made this about 10 times. My wife and I love it!!! And as part of our massive new drive to eat MUCH healthier, I live that we are eating oats every day. And getting extra nuts and fruit as well that we add to it.
The only issue we ran into was the first time,the turmeric was just too much. Maybe cause it was a brand new bottle and hasn’t mellowed with a bit of age, but it just wasn’t good. I make 4 servings at a time and just cut the turmeric in half and it has been perfect for us.
Thank you Beth for getting us to eat oats every day! Will eventually try your other over night oat recipies, but still so in love with this.
And between the oats and you teaching me how to cook tofu, you really have been a huge influence on my wife and my new drive to eat healthy.
I have never used turmeric and there is such a small amount that is being used for this recipe. Is there a substitution that you could recommend?
No, unfortunately the turmeric is the key ingredient that makes it golden milk.
I have tried several versions of overnight oats and this is the best yet. I added fresh mango chunks and a tablespoon of whole flax seeds. I used 1/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup of kefir for the liquid. The consistency was perfect and the serving was very filling.
Great flavor. I might use slightly less milk next time to make it a little thicker.
This was amazing! Great break from my granola routine. The overnight oats don’t have the same weight as other recipes, which is really refreshing!