Have you ever had horchata? The first time I had it was while visiting my brother in Berkeley, California and I fell in love. The horchata overnight oats inspired by this drink may not be exactly like the real deal, but the flavors are on point!
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What is Horchata?
Horchata is a milky, sweet Mexican beverage, served hot or cold, made with rice, evaporated milk, regular milk, cinnamon, sugar and almonds. I have a can of evaporated milk in my pantry right now dedicated to making this drink when I crave it! The only catch is that you have to remember to soak the rice, cinnamon and almonds overnight.
Luckily, for this recipe for horchata (and the overnight oats!), there’s not a lot of prep. Just throw these ingredients in a meal prep container, stick it in the fridge and enjoy it for breakfast the next day.
Horchata Overnight Oats Recipe Overview
This breakfast calls for vanilla yogurt (non-dairy yogurt works!), cinnamon, old-fashioned oats (GF oats are ok), honey, milk, and almonds.
Ready to try it?
Overnight Oats 101
If you’ve never made overnight oats before, here’s how it works. You mix oats and liquid (usually milk of your choice) and let it sit in the fridge overnight to allow the oats to “cook.” What’s really happening is that the oats absorb the liquid, just as they do when you cook them over the stove. When they absorb the liquid, they naturally soften. You end up with a delicious breakfast with absolutely no cooking and no mess!
How to Customize Horchata Overnight Oats
If you’re allergic to nuts, simply omit the almonds and use chia seeds instead!
If you want to add fruit, I recommend adding berries or bananas.
You can use vanilla Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt or a non-dairy yogurt of your choice for this recipe.
Alternatively, you can try plain yogurt with a dash (1/4 tsp for each serving) of vanilla extract.
How overnight oats work
You don’t have to cook overnight oats! Simply let them soak in liquid overnight and they’ll be “cooked” that way. I know, it seems like magic right?
Don’t use steel-cut oats for this recipe! Instant and rolled oats are the way to go.
Do you eat Overnight Oats Hot or Cold?
Did you know you can reheat overnight oats in the microwave? I know many folks can’t wrap their heads around eating cold oatmeal, and I’m here to share that you absolutely don’t have to.
While I love eating overnight oats straight from the fridge on a hot day, normally I heat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. You can also reheat overnight oats on the stove!
Note that with the microwave method, you may experience more liquid in your container. If that happens, you can just drain it a bit or let it sit for a few minutes so the oats absorb more liquid.
Overnight oats also taste great at room temperature! They’re ok out of the fridge for up to 4 hours.
How Long Do Overnight Oats Last?
This recipe can last for up to three days in the fridge. Overnight oats are not freezer-friendly and they’re meant to be eaten warmed up, cold or at room temp. Because it has yogurt in it, I don’t recommend reheating it.
Happy prepping!
Not into Overnight Oats? Check Out These Other Delicious Breakfast Recipes:
- Easy Shakshuka With Feta
- Easy Banana Bread Muffins
- Spinach Feta Breakfast Wrap (Starbucks Copycat)
- Vanilla Almond Granola
- Budget-Friendly Spinach Egg Cups
Or Try Out One of These Different Overnight Oat Recipes!
- Our Master Overnight Oats Recipe
- Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Berry Chia Overnight Oats
- Banana Bread Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Lemon Poppy Seed Overnight Oats
Horchata Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats divided
- 1 cup milk of your choice divided
- 1 tsp cinnamon divided
- 1/2 tsp allspice divided, sub ground cloves or nutmeg
- 2 single serving vanilla yogurt (1/2 cup of yogurt per serving)
- 2 TBSP agave, maple syrup or honey divided
- 1/3 cup almonds chopped, divided
Instructions
- Divide the oats, milk, cinnamon and allspice between 2 small meal prep containers. Mix well.
- Distribute the yogurt, sweetener, and chopped almonds between the two containers. You can leave it that way or stir it all together, it's up to you! Cover and place in the fridge until ready to eat.