Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats

Cinnamon rolls are my kryptonite, something about that swirled brown sugar and sweet smelling cinnamon just gets me every time. You know, the smell of our youth when we walked into the mall and that perfectly sweet, cinnamony smell of Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll hits you? YUM!

Now, as much as I love the idea of those big, sweet, and warm cozy treats, Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats are definitely more my speed these days. I’ve got to feed 5 people breakfast every morning and years of practice tells me making something simple and filling, like this quick and easy oatmeal recipe is a waaaay better idea than making homemade cinnamon rolls at 5am.  Save that for a weekend baking project ;).

My kiddos love oatmeal, whether it’s apple cinnamon oatmeal, pumpkin pie overnight oats or a fruity flavor like blueberry oatmeal, but there is something about the cinnamon roll flavor that I must have passed down to them, because they LOVE this recipe!

Ingredients

• Cinnamon Swirl: Do the swirl!  Just mix the powdered sugar and a bit of the yogurt together, pop it into a zip top bag and snip the corner.  The swirl just elevates that cinnamon roll feel for you.
• Yogurt: I like to use Greek yogurt for its creamy texture, but any yogurt you like will work.
• Oats: Old fashioned oats are the way to go here
• Milk: I typically use cow's milk, but either almond milk or soy milk will also work in this recipe.

Step by Step Directions

Cinnamon bun overnight oats are so simple.  Spend just 5 minutes putting them together at night and then have breakfast ready to go when you need it the next day. 

I first lay out my jars and find the lids and bands to go with them.  It’s the worst when you’ve made all of your jars, but can’t find the last lid.  Then, I measure out the oats into each jar.

Using a measuring cup, I pour the milk into each jar (dairy and plant based milks both work well here). 

After the milk is in, I add in the yogurt and the flavorings. In this case, I would add in the cinnamon and brown sugar.  Then mix up the yogurt and powdered sugar to make the signature swirl on top.  It’s the perfect icing on the proverbial cake.

From there, all you need to do is put a lid on it and put it into the fridge. When you are ready to eat, open the jar, stir everything together and voila, breakfast is served!

Storage Tips and Helpful Tools

I don't always insist on having specific tools for my recipes, but when making overnight oats, these items come in really handy!

• Mason Jars: I like to use these 8oz wide mouth mason jars for my oats. I think they hold the right amount for a good breakfast.  The wide mouth jar allows easy access so that you can get to every last bite. Mason jars also stack well in the fridge which is great because the recipe will last in the fridge up to 5 days.
• Bulk Oats: Buy old fashioned rolled oats in larger quantities to save money. Try either the bulk bins at Whole Foods or another bulk food store, or get them from Costco.
• This 4 cup liquid measuring cup helps speed up the process and keeps me on track with how much milk I’m pouring into each jar.
• Dry goods scoop: I like this one because it connects to a container that is perfect for storing your oats in.

Topping Ideas for Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal

I love this recipe on it's own, but my family loves to customize their overnight oats. Here are some of their favorite toppings.

• Nuts (pecans or walnuts chopped finely)
• Raisins
• Chia Seeds
• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Toasted Coconut
• Chopped Apple
• Pumpkin Puree
• Vanilla Granola

Variations

I love having cinnamon roll overnight oats in my fridge at all times.  If you need to adapt this recipe for guests (or for yourself), here are some ideas to make the recipe work for you:

• Gluten Free: Make sure the rolled oats you choose are designated gluten free on the box.
• Dairy Free/Vegan: Use a plant based milk and plant based yogurt. Siggi's makes a vanilla-cinnamon option that works great. You can also make cinnamon roll oatmeal without yogurt. Just add additional milk so that that oats have enough liquid to soften.
• Extra Protein: A scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder added to the container is delish.
• Extra Decadent: Use homemade whipped cream for the swirl on top.  Whisk heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, then pipe onto the oatmeal before eating.
• Brown Sugar Overnight Oats: Leave out the cinnamon, so the brown sugar becomes the star. You'll get a sweet, molasses-y flavor. Feel free to add a dash of any other warm spice you like.
• Just the Cinnamon Overnight Oats: Leave off the creamy swirled topping and add an extra dash of cinnamon

📖 Recipe