There’s nothing more convenient than a quick grab-and-go breakfast on busy mornings, and blended cherry overnight oats deliver all the flavor and convenience you crave.
What are Overnight Oats?
Hearty oatmeal and other mix-ins soak in a liquid of your choice overnight to make perfectly thick and creamy oatmeal ready to enjoy when you wake up! Craving more? Don’t miss these delicious overnight oat recipes!
Key Ingredients
- Cherries: Blend fresh or frozen cherries into the rolled oats to make the easy cherry overnight oats recipe.
- Oatmeal: Just call me Goldilocks. Steel-cut oats are too chewy, while quick oats tend to get mushy, old-fashioned rolled oats are just right!
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds add a silky texture and extra protein to the oats. Out of chia seeds? Find a quick substitute for chia seeds, or leave them out.
- Milk: Use water or your favorite milk to prepare the oats. Unsweetened almond milk is my go-to for this recipe—it pairs perfectly with the flavor of the sweet and tart cherries. Try regular milk, oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk, as I do for overnight oats with coconut milk, to find what you like.
- Sweetener: Sweeten the overnight oats with honey and a splash of vanilla extract.
- Toppings: Consider topping the oats with more cherries, toasted almonds, and a drizzle of honey.
Additions and Substitutions
- Swap the sweetener. Replace the honey with pure maple syrup, agave syrup, or a sugar-free option like monk fruit.
- Increase the protein.Incorporate nut butter (like a deconstructed PB&J), Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese for extra protein.
- Experiment with mix-ins. Make cherry chip overnight oats by stirring in chocolate chips or cocoa nibs before refrigerating the oats.
How to Make Cherry Overnight Oats
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Pit the cherries and transfer them to a small blender, blender, or food processor.
Step 2: Add the oats, chia seeds, milk, honey, and vanilla extract to the blender and process until smooth.
Step 3: Pour the mixture into an airtight container or glass jar. Cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 2 hours).
Step 4: Remove the oats from the fridge and give it a quick stir. Garnish with honey, toasted almonds, and chopped cherries, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Give the oats extra room. Use a glass jar or container with room to spare—the oatmeal (and any mix-ins you add, like fruit, yogurt, or nuts) will expand as they soak up the liquid. I typically use a 1:1 ratio of old-fashioned oats to liquid. However, I adjust the liquid if I am adding chia seeds and other mix-ins that may soak up more liquid.
- Do you have to soak the oats overnight? Although called overnight oats, they only need to soak for 2-3 hours before they’re ready to eat—the longer the oats soak, the softer they become.
- Stir before you serve. Give the mixture a good stir before adding toppings and digging in. If the oats seem dry after sitting in the fridge, add another splash of milk.
If you enjoy cherry overnight oats, try more breakfast recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Overnight oats are typically consumed cold, but if you prefer a warm bowl of oatmeal, you can heat the prepared oats in the microwave.
The best thing about cherry overnight oats is flexibility. All you need is oats, cherries, almond milk, and toppings or mix-ins. Here are a few suggestions we love.
- Chocolate Chips, Cocoa Nibs, Cocoa Powder
- Chocolate or Vanilla Protein Powder
- Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds
- Agave, Maple Syrup, Monk Fruit, Fig Jam
- Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese
- Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter, Peanut Butter, Nutella, Cookie Butter
How Long do Overnight Oats Last?
- Refrigerate: Most overnight oat recipes keep for three days in the refrigerator. If the cherry overnight oats seem dry after sitting in the fridge, add another splash of almond milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you use frozen or fresh fruit for overnight oats?
The answer to that question is both. Fresh fruit is always delicious, but if your favorite fruit is out of season, frozen fruit is a great option! Cherry season in North Carolina runs from late spring to summer, so you and your family can enjoy this tasty breakfast treat all summer.
When should I add fruit to my overnight oats?
I love including fresh or frozen cherries in my overnight oats before they have had time to set so they incorporate into the oatmeal. However, if you prefer them solely as a topping, you can add them when you’re ready to eat!
What fruit is best for overnight oats?
When preparing overnight oats, you’ve got plenty of fruit options to choose from! It depends on what floats your boat. I’m a big fan of berries, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
If creamy is more your vibe, slice up some bananas. Other mix-ins I love are mangoes and peaches, and don’t forget the cherries!
More Overnight Oats Recipes:
Cherry Overnight Oats
- Airtight Container or Mason Jar
- ⅓ cup fresh or frozen cherries, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon honey, plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons sliced almonds, for garnish
- Pit the cherries and transfer them to a small blender, blender, or food processor.
- Add the oats, chia seeds, milk, honey, and vanilla extract to the blender and process until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into an airtight container or glass jar. Cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 2 hours).
- Remove the oats from the fridge and give it a quick stir. Garnish with honey, toasted almonds, and chopped cherries, and enjoy!
- Give the oats extra room. Use a glass jar or container with room to spare—the oatmeal (and any mix-ins you add, like fruit, yogurt, or nuts) will expand as they soak up the liquid. I typically use a 1:1 ratio of old-fashioned oats to liquid. However, I adjust the liquid if I am adding chia seeds and other mix-ins that may soak up more liquid.
- Do you have to soak the oats overnight? Although called overnight oats, they only need to soak for 2-3 hours before they’re ready to eat—the longer the oats soak, the softer they become.
- Stir before you serve. Give the mixture a good stir before adding toppings and digging in. If the oats seem dry after sitting in the fridge, add another splash of milk.