Get ready to make this dairy-free Overnight Oats with Pumpkin recipe on repeat for an easy grab-and-go, healthy breakfast! It's made with simple ingredients, requires no cooking or baking, and tastes like pumpkin pie in a bowl!
Pumpkin season is right around the corner... and you know what that means! It's time of year for pumpkin flavored everything, including pumpkin spice overnight oats! 🤩
I mean, who says 'pumpkin spice' had to be limited to lattes, pies, and pancakes? lol! This pumpkin overnight oat recipe will win over even the most traditional tastebuds.
When the cashier at Trader Joe's told me that their version of pumpkin pie overnight oats has been "flying off the shelves", I knew I had to replicate it. This is it!
It really can't be beat. Just like Chocolate Chia Pudding, this is made with the simplest ingredients that you probably already have on hand, requires no cooking or baking, and only takes 5 minutes to whip together.
And, have no fear, I have more delicious pumpkin recipes for you! In fact, my Homemade Pumpkin Waffles and Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread recipes will help you use up the leftover pumpkin puree.
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What are Overnight Oats?
'Overnight oats' typically refers to an oat and milk (or water) mixture that has to set in the refrigerator for several hours before eating it. They are considered a breakfast food, but can also serve as a filling snack or eaten for lunch. You pick!
The oat mixture does need to sit for at least a few hours in the refrigerator so the oats have time to absorb moisture (your gut will thank you). This is why it works best to mix everything together at night if you plan on eating it the next morning.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy Just mix everything together and let it set overnight. It's an excellent breakfast option for busy mornings.
- Meal Prep Overnight oats are one of the easiest make-ahead breakfasts for busy mornings. If you double or triple the recipe, you can have breakfast set for a few days.
- Dairy-Free This recipe is made without milk or yogurt, so even kids with milk allergies can enjoy it! Now that I think about it, this is actually a vegan overnight oats recipe!
- Kid-Tested, Parent-Approved Feel free to call it pumpkin pie overnight oats if you think it will help your kids take a bite. Once they taste it, they'll love it!
- Good Source of Protein and Fiber Which will help you feel full longer.
Dietitian Tip
Eating overnight oats is a great way to help you and your kids meet their fiber needs. Fiber works to improve gut health, aiding in digestion and absorption. Additionally, the fermentation of soluble fiber is our only source of short chain fatty acids, which help our immune system.
And did you know that only about 5% of the population meet the recommendations for fiber intake? Crazy, right?
Now, here's the thing. If you don't typically eat a lot of fiber but want to start eating more of it, gradually increase the amount you eat daily. Going from eating very little fiber to a lot of fiber in a short amount of time may cause some undesirable GI side effects.
And remember to drink enough fluids when increasing your fiber intake to prevent constipation.
Ingredient Notes
- Oats Use Old-Fashioned oats. Do not use quick oats or steel cut oats for this recipe. Oats are a good source of soluble fiber.
- Almond Butter Good source of protein, monounsaturated fat, and fiber.
- Pumpkin Puree Good source of vitamin A and C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, and more! Pumpkin contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. I've only used canned, but I'm sure homemade pumpkin puree will work just as well.
- Flax Meal Made from ground flax seeds. Flax seeds contain fiber and omega-3 fats. Flax meal helps to achieve the same consistency as Trader Joe's version.
- Maple syrup Used instead of date paste because it's more practical for most people 😉
- Spices Cinnamon and Nutmeg are used to help replicate the version of Pumpkin Overnight Oats sold at Trader Joe's.
Ingredient Swaps and Recipe Variations
There are so many ways to customize overnight oats. Here are just a few variations that we've tried and loved. Not all of these suggestions are dairy-free, but they will all taste great!
- Chia Seeds can be substituted for flax meal if you prefer the texture of chia.
- Seeds and Nuts Top overnight oats with pumpkin seeds or toasted walnut pieces for even more texture and flavor.
- Leave the flax meal out and not substitute it for anything. It won't be as thick and creamy, but it will still taste delicious.
- Yogurt Add two tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt and one teaspoon of vanilla. The yogurt adds a little tang (and more protein;) - it's my favorite modification to this recipe. I'm sure a tablespoon of vanilla yogurt would taste great, too!
- Spices If you aren't a fan of nutmeg, just add a pinch. It doesn't take much to balance out the cinnamon. And if you don't like a strong cinnamon taste, reduce the amount to three-quarters of a teaspoon. Another option is to use pumpkin pie spice instead of the nutmeg and, or cinnamon.
- Milk Use regular milk or, to keep this dairy free, use a non-dairy milk like cashew milk, soy milk, oat milk, or unsweetened almond milk in place of water.
How to Make Creamy Overnight Oats with Pumpkin
It really doesn't get much easier than this. I'll give you a brief rundown here and for a complete list of ingredients and tips, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Add almond butter and maple syrup to the bottom of an airtight container or glass jar (a mason jar works well). Stir well so the almond butter thins out.
- Add all other ingredients to the almond butter mixture and mix well. Place a tight-fitting lid on the airtight container. Place it in the refrigerator for several hours, or overnight.
Believe it or not, I actually have a video of me making this recipe with the one and only Chris Dorner on her YouTube Channel, CDorner Fitness. Check it out!
Helpful Tips
- Thinning out the almond butter in the first step will help avoid chunks in the mixture.
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Do not use chunky almond butter unless you don't mind having chunks of almond in your oats.
- Let the oat mixture set at least for a few hours for optimal texture and to help prevent undesirable GI side effects.
- You can easily modify this recipe by using milk or yogurt instead of water, adding chia seeds, or topping it with your favorite toppings like granola, pepitas, walnuts, pecans, or mini chocolate chips.
Questions You May Have
Absolutely. I prefer to eat overnight oats cold, but my daughter prefers them warm. They can be enjoyed either way. Overnight oats can be warmed in the microwave.
Nope! There is no cooking and no baking when making overnight oats.
Yes, but it will affect the taste. If you like the taste of protein powder and are trying to increase your protein intake, you can try mixing some in to see how you like it.
Personally, I'd rather mix Greek yogurt in for more protein but that's just me 🙂
No, I do not recommend using quick oats to make overnight oats. Using quick oats changes the consistency to "mushy" (in my nephew's words).
Excellent question. You can either make multiple batches of this recipe (think meal prep), so you have breakfast set for days. Or you can use the leftover pumpkin puree to make all kinds of things like pumpkin waffles, pancakes, muffins, sauces, or pumpkin bread.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
Did you love this Pumpkin Overnight Oats recipe and love it? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below to let me know! A 5-star review is the best compliment!
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📖 Recipe
Easy Overnight Oats with Pumpkin
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Rolled Oats Use Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- ½ cup Pumpkin Puree Use pure pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- 1 tablespoon Flax meal Use flax meal. Do not use whole flax seeds.
- 2 tablespoon Water
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup Use pure maple syrup
- 1½ tbsp Almond Butter At room temperature.
- ¾ tsp Cinnamon If you really like cinnamon (like me:), use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon instead of ¾ tsp.
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 pinch salt
Instructions
- Add pumpkin puree, almond butter, and maple syrup to the bottom of a glass jar or other airtight container. Mix well.½ cup Pumpkin Puree, 1½ tablespoon Almond Butter, 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
- Add the remainder of the ingredients to the pumpkin and almond butter mixture. Mix well.¼ cup Rolled Oats, 1 tablespoon Flax meal, 2 tablespoon Water, ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 pinch salt
- Place the lid on the jar to seal it and store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (typically this would be overnight).
- Enjoy it cold or warmed up the next morning. Optional: add your favorite toppings right before eating it.
Notes
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Use Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats. Do not use instant or steel cut oats.
- Overnight oats store well in the refrigerator for several days.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of cinnamon and/or nutmeg depending on your flavor preferences.
- Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy cold or slightly warmed. Topping ideas include chia seeds, chopped walnuts, pecans, mini chocolate chips, a spoonful of whipped cream, granola, or dried fruit.
- If you don't need a dairy-free recipe, you can use milk or plain yogurt instead of water.
- For meal prep purposes, you can double or triple batch this recipe. Then, divide it into jars and store refrigerated for up to five days (unless the ingredients you use expire before then).
- Recipe variation ideas: leave out the flax meal, use chia seeds instead of flax meal, add 2 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the mixture (this one is my favorite version).
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