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These Cherry Overnight Oats are a creamy, delicious, high-fiber breakfast you can prep for the entire week in about 5 minutes. Made with whole grains, healthy fats, protein, and antioxidant-rich cherries, this is the kind of easy, nourishing breakfast that fits into real life.
Whether you’re looking for a simple way to use cherries, need quick breakfast ideas for busy mornings, or want more make-ahead options that actually keep you full, this cherry overnight oats recipe checks all the boxes.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: None
- Total Time: 5 minutes (+ overnight soak)
- Servings: 1 (easy to scale for meal prep)
- Method: No-cook
- Flavor & Texture: Creamy, lightly sweet, fresh with warm spice
I Always Look Forward to Cherries!
I truly think cherries are one of the most underrated fruits. Maybe it’s their short season, or the fact that each one needs to be pitted, but I look forward to cherry season every single summer and don’t mind the extra work at all.
Cherries are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, which makes them a great addition to breakfast. And while fresh cherries are a treat, I enjoy cherries year-round by freezing them when they’re in season or buying frozen cherries from the store.
Some of my favorite cherry recipes include my chocolate cherry smoothie, cherry blueberry smoothie, and cherry chocolate overnight oats – but this simple cherry overnight oats recipe is one I come back to again and again when I want something easy, nourishing, and delicious. I hope you love it!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
You’ll find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below. The recipe card is written for one serving, but you can easily double or triple the amounts depending on how many jars you want to prep for the week.
- Rolled oats (old-fashioned oats). This is the best oat for overnight oats. Quick oats turn mushy, and steel-cut oats won’t soften enough without cooking. Rolled oats give you that perfect creamy texture.
- Cinnamon. Adds warmth and depth and pairs beautifully with cherries without overpowering their flavor.
- Unsweetened almond milk is my milk of choice, mostly because it’s what I always have on hand for smoothies. That said, any non-dairy milk or regular dairy milk will work just fine in this cherry overnight oats recipe – just be sure to choose an unsweetened option if possible.
- Dark sweet cherries (fresh or frozen). Both fresh and frozen cherries work well. Just be sure to remove and check for pits before adding them to the jar. Frozen cherries are convenient and release their juices as they thaw, which naturally flavors the oats. So good!
- Pure vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract adds another layer of flavor and helps round everything out. If you don’t have vanilla on hand, you can leave it out – it’s nice to include but not essential for this cherry overnight oats recipe.
- Ground flaxseed and chia seeds. Ground flaxseed and chia seeds are the two superfoods I use in this recipe. Both add fiber, healthy fats, and protein, with the chia seeds helping create a creamy, pudding-like texture. I personally like using chia seeds in every overnight oats recipe because of the texture they provide. If you don’t have ground flaxseed, you can leave it out — it adds extra omega-3s and fiber, but it isn’t essential to this recipe.
- Pure maple syrup. Just enough to complement the cherries and vanilla without making the oats overly sweet.
If you’re looking for the jars, superfoods, and pantry staples I use for overnight oats, you can find all of my recommendations in my Amazon storefront.
How to Make Cherry Overnight Oats
Step 1: Prepare the cherries. If using fresh cherries, remove the pits and either chop them or leave them whole. If using frozen cherries, I still recommend giving them a quick check – even “pitted” cherries sometimes sneak one through.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. Add the rolled oats, cinnamon, ground flaxseed, and chia seeds to a 16-ounce mason jar. Stir them together first so everything is evenly distributed before adding the liquid.
Step 3: Add the liquid ingredients. Pour in the almond milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Stir well, making sure the oats are fully covered in liquid – this is key for softening properly overnight.
Step 4: Add the cherries. Place the cherries on top of the oats. As they thaw and soak, their juices will release into the oats, adding natural cherry flavor.
Step 5: Refrigerate. Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step 6: Stir and adjust in the morning. In the morning, give the oats a good stir. Add a splash of milk if needed to loosen the texture, and taste to see if you want a little extra sweetness.
If you want to learn how to create your own overnight oats variations, be sure to check out my How to Make Overnight Oats tutorial, where I walk through ratios, ingredient swaps, and customization tips.
Expert Tips & Helpful Variations
- Use any container you like. I prefer 16-ounce mason jars for portion control and portability, but any container with a lid works. You can also make a large batch and scoop out portions each morning.
- Gluten-free note. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but cross-contamination can happen. If this matters to you, choose certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- Always check cherries for pits. Even frozen “pitted” cherries can occasionally contain pits. I recommend halving the cherries or checking them before adding to the jar.
- You can eat these warm or cold. Overnight oats are typically enjoyed cold, but you can absolutely warm them on the stovetop or in the microwave. Eat them the way you enjoy them.
- Add crunch or chocolate. Chopped almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate chips, or cacao nibs are all great additions.
- Boost the protein. Stir in Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powder, or collagen. I prefer unsweetened, unflavored options so you can control sweetness without an aftertaste. If you’re unsure whether protein powder or collagen is best, check out my protein powder vs. collagen guide.
Storage Tips
For the week: Store prepared cherry overnight oats in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir and add a splash of milk before eating if needed.
For the freezer: Freeze the dry ingredients and cherries together in jars or freezer bags without the liquid. When ready, add milk and refrigerate overnight. See my how to freeze overnight oats tutorial for more tips.
Cherry Overnight Oats
These Cherry Overnight Oats are a creamy, delicious, high-fiber breakfast you can prep for the entire week in about 5 minutes. Made with whole grains, healthy fats, protein, and antioxidant-rich cherries, this is the kind of easy, nourishing breakfast that fits into real life.Whether you’re looking for a simple way to use cherries, need quick breakfast ideas for busy mornings, or want more make-ahead options that actually keep you full, this cherry overnight oats recipe checks all the boxes.
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Course: Breakfast, breakfast recipe
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cherry overnight oats, cherry overnight oats recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 1 person
Calories: 300kcal
Equipment
-
1 16-ounce mason jars
-
1 mason jar lids
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground flaxseeds
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk can substitute any milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries pits removed
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
-
Prepare the cherries. If using fresh cherries, remove the pits and either chop them or leave them whole. If using frozen cherries, I still recommend giving them a quick check – even “pitted” cherries sometimes sneak one through.
-
Mix the dry ingredients. Add the rolled oats, cinnamon, ground flaxseed, and chia seeds to a 16-ounce mason jar. Stir them together first so everything is evenly distributed before adding the liquid.
-
Add the liquid ingredients. Pour in the almond milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Stir well, making sure the oats are fully covered in liquid – this is key for softening properly overnight.
-
Add the cherries. Place the cherries on top of the oats. As they thaw and soak, their juices will release into the oats, adding natural cherry flavor.
-
Refrigerate. Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
-
Stir and adjust in the morning. In the morning, give the oats a good stir. Add a splash of milk if needed to loosen the texture, and taste to see if you want a little extra sweetness.
Notes
- Use rolled (old-fashioned) oats only. Quick oats will turn mushy, and steel-cut oats won’t soften enough without cooking.
- Check cherries for pits. Even frozen “pitted” cherries can occasionally contain pits, so it’s best to check or halve them before adding to the oats.
- Gluten-free note: Oats are naturally gluten-free, but if you’re gluten-sensitive or have celiac disease, use certified gluten-free rolled oats to avoid cross-contamination.
- Sweeten to taste in the morning. Cherries vary in sweetness, so wait until after soaking to add more maple syrup if needed.
- Storage: Store prepared overnight oats in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir in a splash of milk before eating if the oats are too thick.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 3mg
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About Tammy Overhoff
Hi, I’m Tammy Overhoff, a busy mom, wife, and entrepreneur. I am the owner, author, and recipe developer here at Organize Yourself Skinny. Since 2011 Organize Yourself Skinny has become a trusted resource for clean eating recipes to meal prep, reviews, and lifestyle hacks to help you fit healthy habits and routines into your busy schedule. Check out my online shop Reset & Flourish for all of my eBooks, Guides, and Bundles!
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