Name: Cherry Overnight Oats
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 365 min
Ingredients: ½ cup rolled oats; ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk (can substitute any milk); ½ cup fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries (pits removed); ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons ground flaxseeds; 1 teaspoon chia seeds; 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup; 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

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This Cherry Overnight Oats is a delicious plant-based recipe that’s creamy, wholesome, and delicious! Make a few jars ahead of time for an easy portion-control meal prep breakfast recipe to enjoy all week.

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I feel that cherries are the most underrated fruit! Probably, because of their short season and being on the high maintenance side, considering we need to remove a pit with each one. But I look forward to cherry season every summer and don’t mind the extra work involved with these juicy nuggets.

I might be one of the few that enjoys cherries year-round, either by freezing cherries that I pick fresh or purchasing frozen cherries from the store. This chocolate cherry smoothie, cherry blueberry smoothie, cherry chocolate overnight oats are my favorite cherry recipes to make.

Well, now we can add cherry overnight oats to that list!

Reasons you’ll love this recipe

A great way to use cherries – Just throw a handful into a jar to enjoy the delicious sweet taste of this summer fruit.
Easy to prepare – You can assemble this uncomplicated breakfast recipe in less than 5 minutes.
Portion-controlled – Each jar is one serving making overnight oats an excellent option for staying on track with weight loss goals.
Gluten-free and vegan – Made with non-dairy milk and naturally gluten-free ingredients.
Meal prep – Make 3-4 jars on Sunday to enjoy all week.

Ingredients

Rolled oats – this variety of oats is also called old-fashioned oats – you can find them in the cereal aisle. Don’t use quick oats because the oatmeal will be mush. Steel-cut oats won’t process fast enough and will turn out too crunchy. Rolled oats provide the perfect consistency.

Oats are naturally gluten-free, but there can be cross-contamination, so make sure the package states certified gluten-free is that’s important to you.

Unsweetened coconut milk – any milk will work in overnight oats recipes, but I like to keep it dairy-free, so I use unsweetened coconut or almond milk.

Dark sweet cherries – fresh cherries or frozen taste delicious in cherry overnight oats. Don’t forget to remove or check for pits before adding the cherries to the jar.

Vanilla extract – this adds another layer of flavor.

Ground flaxseed and chia seeds – are the two superfoods of choice in this cherry oatmeal recipe.

Pure maple syrup – adds a touch of sweetness to complement the cherries and vanilla.

Cinnamon – adds a warm flavor to the oatmeal.

One of my favorite places to purchase overnight oat ingredients is online at Thrive Market. They have the best prices on organic rolled oats, superfoods, vanilla extract, and other oatmeal ingredients. See my Thrive Market Review for more information and a coupon.

Cooking Tips

You can warm up the oatmeal. Overnight oats are enjoyed cold, but if you prefer a hot bowl of oatmeal, warm up the prepared oats on the stovetop or microwave. The way you eat overnight oats is your choice!

Stir in nuts or chocolate chips – this cherry overnight oats recipe is delicious with chopped almonds and sprinkles of dark chocolate chips. You can also use cacao nibs as a healthier option.

For extra protein, add some nut butter – Almond or peanut butter is delicious with cherries – it’s like peanut butter and jelly in a jar.

Use any jar or container – Mason jars are my container of choice when making overnight oats recipes. 16-ounce jars are the perfect size for portion control and transport. However, any jar or container will work. You can also make a large bowl of overnight oats and scoop out a portion every morning.

Supplies

16-ounce mason jars
Mason jar lids

How to Make Cherry Overnight Oats

cherry overnight oat ingredients after sitting in the refrigerator overnight.

Start with the cherries. Remove the pits, if needed. Then chop the cherries or leave them whole. I’ve done both with this recipe with success. Set the cherries aside for a moment.
Into the mason jar, add the oats, cinnamon, ground flaxseeds, and chia seeds. Give the ingredients a couple of stirs to mix.
Then stir in the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and pure maple syrup. The liquid needs to be covering the oats.
To the top of the oats, place the cherries.
Cover with the lid and put into the fridge overnight, at least 6 hours.
In the morning, give the overnight oats a couple of stirs and, if necessary, add a splash of coconut milk to loosen the oatmeal. Give it a taste and if you need extra sweetness, stir in a teaspoon of pure maple syrup. The picture above is what the ingredients look like after sitting in the refrigerator overnight. I used frozen cherries and as they thaw the juices release into the oats – it’s so good!

The formula I use when making single-serving jars of overnight oats is ½ cup oats to ½ cup liquid. Then I add the other ingredients into the mason jar. I put together a guide to answer all your questions on how to make overnight oats.

Storage Tips

For the week

Assemble the ingredients for cherry overnight oats in a mason jar and then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To freeze

You can also assemble the dry ingredients and cherries into packets or jars without the liquid and freeze them. When you’re ready to make the recipe, put the ingredients into a jar, add the milk, and then cover and refrigerate. See my how-to freeze overnight oats tutorial for more tips.