These easy vegan overnight oats get a nourishing update from turmeric, honey, cardamom, and other warming spices. A breakfast porridge worth waking up for!
Morning people are annoying. "Oh, I've been up since 5 doing crunches and curing cancer. I just can't seem to sleep in!" they trill. Usually they're saying this at noon when I've just managed to roll out of bed. My first instinct is to punch them.
And yet, I've always aspired to be a morning person.
Apparently I'm not alone; there are a zillion articles on the subject. I recently read this one, which resonates with me the most. Getting up extra early, before 7am, gives me the bragging rights to (mostly) keep doing it – none of that "setting the alarm 15 minutes earlier every morning" BS. Having a morning routine to look forward to also prevents me from lying in bed hitting snooze for an hour.
But my biggest challenge comes at night, when bedtime rolls around. The solution turned out to be a change in thinking.
For me, there's often a shame cycle that happens with staying up late. In our culture, going to bed and getting up early is generally considered "good," while staying up late and sleeping in is considered something that lazy derelicts do. At night, my inner rebel would take over, and I'd be too tired to fight it. I would tell myself, "Ok, it's time to get ready for bed. I'll close the laptop at 11." Then 11 would roll around and I'd be all,"Hehe, it's 11:01 / 12:34 / 2am and I'm still up. I'm so bad!" At that point I'd be so tired that the thought of getting ready for bed felt more daunting than just continuing to sit at the computer reading emails, taking Buzzfeed quizzes, or letting Facebook eat my soul. I'd rationalize my actions in my head by saying, "I have a second wind. I'm being good and productive." But the next morning (or afternoon), I'd feel guilty, groggy, and gross – not a nice way to start the day. In reality, I would have been more productive working in the morning when fresh and alert, and better able to stay focused.
The way I tricked myself into being more of a morning person was to turn going to bed and getting up early into a treat. Instead of pushing myself to stay up late, I've been doing the naughtiest thing of all. "Ha!" I say. "It's 9:30 at night and I'm not going to work anymore – I'm going to be a rebel and get ready for bed." It actually works, most of the time.
When I get up early (or at least, earlier) the next morning, I get to treat myself, too. I have a cup of tea (Samovar's breakfast blend with whole milk and honey) while I sit at my computer enjoying the quiet, or I go to a yoga or dance class with a group of fellow overachievers, or I just hang out with the cat, basking in the smug superiority that comes from getting up early in our culture.
But most importantly, I eat oats.
Overnight oats are magic in several ways. First of all, they sound like they would be disgusting – pasty, raw, sodden grains of doom. Au contraire. Rolled oats are not actually raw; the whole groats get steamed in order to soften the hard grains before they are rolled flat. When soaked in liquid overnight, they are a dream. Unlike cooked oatmeal which needs frequent stirring, overnight oats take on a thick, creamy texture without the viscous consistency that stirring creates. They're just sweet enough with a mild, soothing taste, perfect for mornings or an afternoon snack. They take about 1 minute to prepare the night before, and they keep for several days, so you can make a few jars to have throughout the week.
The other magical thing about overnight oats is that when you wander into the kitchen the next morning, be it 5am or high noon, it's as though some kind soul has made you breakfast while you were sleeping. Knowing there's a jar of instant breakfast in the fridge is usually enough to make me drag my tired bones from my cozy bed once the alarm sounds.
I've been making these oats plain for the last 6 months or so, inspired by the beautiful recipes in Green Kitchen Travels, which includes versions made with cocoa powder, nut butters, lucuma, and other intriguing flavors. We usually top bowls with a scoop of yogurt, fresh strawberries or whatever fruit we have on hand, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Then I discovered these golden milk oats. I've been golden milk-curious since I saw Amanda's recipe for Soothing Turmeric Milk, and Dana's way with golden milk here and here. Golden milk is kind of like masala chai without the tea: a warming tonic made with inflammation-curing turmeric, honey, and warming spices. It's delicious on its own, warmed gently and served up in mugs. And when poured into overnight oats, it gives them a brilliant color and adds a bit of pop.
A good dose of chia seeds and hemp hearts give these oats body and add protein to keep you full longer. The floral notes in the honey and nectarines play up the flavors of the spices here, and create something worth getting out of bed for, any time of day.
Any morning people out there? Let us know your secrets in the comments below!
More quick breakfasts:
- "PBJ" tahini pudding cups {vegan, paleo}
- super seeded oatmeal {gluten-free, vegan}
- chia pudding breakfast bowls {gluten-free, dairy-free}
- super seedy vegan baked oatmeal with peaches & berries
- gluten-free dutch baby with maple cranberries
- baked rolled barley with figs, berries, and cardamom
- skillet custard cornbread with berries and honey
- pumpkin granola recipe
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this golden milk overnight oats recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Golden Milk Overnight Oats {gluten-free, vegan}
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Golden milk:
- 1 tablespoon honey, more to taste (15 ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons boiling water (30 ml)
- 2 cups plant milk (I like coconut almond milk from Milkman which is essentially equal parts almond milk and coconut water with a little salt and vanilla) (475 ml)
Oats:
- 1 1/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if intolerant) (100 g)
- 2 tablespoons chia seed (20 g)
- 2 tablespoons hemp hearts (20 g)
- 1 ½ cups golden milk (above) (355 ml)
- fresh fruit and honey, for serving
Instructions
Golden Milk:
- In a medium bowl, combine the honey, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Stir to combine, then stir in the boiling water to dissolve the honey. Stir in the plant milk. Taste, adding more honey dissolved in boiling water if you want a sweeter milk.
Oats:
- Combine oats, chia, and hemp seeds in a pint canning jar, stirring or shaking to combine. Pour the golden milk into the jar and stir or shake to combine. Chill overnight or up to 3 days. To serve, top with fresh fruit and honey, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
valentina says
Omg, I've never thought about that, it's an amazing idea using golden milk as base for overnight oats!!
Btw, my bf wasn't a morning person, as you, and during weekends he still wakes up at 11am-12pm :D Me, I'm a morning person, but I often spend the whole first half of the day in front of the screen doing nothing at all >_< But as food blogger I always says "social networks are my channel of communication to promote myself". But it's just a justification! So yes, I hate real morning persons too :D
Alanna says
Thanks, Valentina! Haha, I feel you! Jay is a night owl, too - we're a dangerous combination! ;)
Jill says
Had never even heard of Golden Milk. Now I LOVE Golden Milk! I just put my golden oats in the fridge. It may inspire an early meet & greet with Monday Morning. Said the Night Person.
Thanks for this delightful read that so resonated with me, and for this recipe which I cannot wait to try!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
I've been curious about golden milk, too. But have yet to try it out. I need to change that STAT! These oats looks fabulous and I just love the sunny color. Definitely worthy of an early morning meal. And my sleep habits are absolutely shameful. I am definitely a morning person, up before 7am most days. But I'm also a night person. So basically, that means I barely sleep anymore. It's not good. I need to get into more of a routine.
Alanna says
I think you'll love golden milk, Liz! Oh man, I was like you while I was working on my book - burning the candle at both ends. Some days I was so sleep deprived, my brain just stopped working. Ugh! Get some rest, girlfriend!
Allyson says
This may be the most beautiful jar of oats I've ever seen! Dying over these and that honey drip shot!
Alanna says
Aw, thank you Allyson!
Katherine says
I discovered overnight oats a couple of years ago and love, love, love them. But somehow they dropped off my repertoire! Back in they go - these flavors sound delicious and I am far behind on my Bojon recipe making (not that I haven't been drooling over your posts).
And yes, it's 6:30 am here and I've been up since 5:15. I like to wake up with the sun - but the last few days it's been the full moon beaming in my window. In case I oversleep there are two hungry cats that trade off wake up duty (face patting and meows of starvation).
Alanna says
Cat alarms are the best alarms! Let me know if you give these oats a go. :)
Katherine says
Only if you remember to trim their claws ;-)
Alanna says
Haha, too right!
Lili @ Travelling oven says
I love overnight oats and this is such a great flavours combination, I have to make it soon! As for that morning person part, I kind of taught myself to do that since I started working from home as I've always felt really guilty to stay in bed longer while other 'adult people' go to work and do million other things along the way lol! So I started to force myself to get up earlier by setting up goals and tasks for every day and it worked, now I don't like to stay too long in bed in the mornings! :-)
Alanna says
That's a great tip, Lili! I too find it helpful to make a to-do list for the next day before bed. :)
sprittibee says
OH. yum.
Alanna says
:)
Maria Burke | Go Messy or Go Hungry says
Ugh, morning people are the worst! I've trained my fiancee not to talk to me unless I've had coffee and breakfast - always either overnight oats or homemade granola. You're right, having a (delicious) breakfast ready that requires no thought is key! Loved your post!
Melissa@Julia's Bookbag says
I recently found your blog and I'm in heaven. Love the recipes, love your writing voice! This looks amazing and I'll try it asap. Also, as a non-morning person my whole life.....I FEELZ YA.
Alanna says
Aw, thank you!!
Kate-Sara Davis says
Incidentally, I had already made golden milk porridge for breakfast today using Purely Elizabeth ancient grain oats so when I saw this post I couldn't wait to tuck into breakfast! Yum.
Alanna says
Aw, we're on the same breakfast wavelength!
Lily says
Can these be warmed before eating? Or are you supposed to eat them chilled? I'd prefer them warm. Okay to microwave or heat up on the stove?
Alanna says
I usually eat them cold, but warm would probably be good, too. Microwave is probably a safe bet!
Julia @ HappyFoods says
Looove the pictures! What is the texture like of it in the morning? Is it quite thick? Thicker than a yogurt? Never tried this! I actually consider myself being a morning person but truth be told lately I go to bed around 1 am (because there is soo many things to do) and so it's pretty hard to get up at 7am :).
amanda paa says
Alanna, I loved reading your perspective on getting up in the morning so much! I am, and always have been an early riser, looking forward to the calm and quiet is what fuels me. But on the opposite side of things, I used to make myself go to the gym before the crack of dawn, and it became so much more of a chore than a reward. So I stopped that, kind of cold turkey. And it opened my eyes to peacefullness within and the meaning of a good breakfast. I'm quite partial to overnight oats as well, and lately I've been on a coconut-sorghum-cacao obsession. But I can't wait to try this golden milk version. Thanks so much for mentioning my Turmeric Milk, which I also love.
Your pictures slay me.
xo
Alanna says
Can I be you when I grow up? Also, that coconut sorghum cacao combo sounds out of this world. Recipe?!
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life says
Alanna, these oats are everything I have been craving recently! I'll be making a big batch over the weekend and storing them up for breakfast next week :) I love what a gorgeous bright morning hue they are too!
Secondly, I am, disgustingly, a morning person. But I've had to change my ways since my fiance doesn't like me getting up at 5am because apparently it makes me irritable at night...whatever...
Anyway, I'm now a solid 6am riser and my trick: have a dog. She's the best reason to get up and out into the day because that little tail wags so hard when she goes for her walk that she clearly thinks I'm a god for waking up and taking her out of the apartment :)
Alanna says
Aw, thank you, Amy! I'll be glad to hear how you like them. And dog = genius. If we didn't feed our cat right before bed, maybe he'd wake us up earlier in the morning, too. Hmmm...
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says
I will forever be a lazy derelict! Except I'm going to buy everything for these oats tomorrow in case this baby decides 7am is the new noon. Masala chai-flavored oats paired with my matcha latte is definitely enough to get me out of bed.
Alanna says
Haha! Don't you mean chai tea latte? ;) Thanks lady!
Matt says
The perfect way to start off any day, love this!
Alanna says
Thanks, Matt :)
naomi says
These overnight oats look ah-mazing!
Alanna says
Thanks, lovely!
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
I love the thought of waking up to these warm flavors. Gorgeous!
Alanna says
Thanks, girl!
Brandon says
Made a batch of this last night for this morning. Super tasty! Packs a big punch of spice.
Alanna says
For real?! That makes my day! :D
gerry @ foodness gracious says
Serious yummz! I love cardamom so I know this is my kind of grub!
Megan {Country Cleaver} says
These colors!! I'm a morning person, who would KILL to be a night owl, or at least learn to sleep past 7:30 on the weekends! I'm up at 4 am, trust me - there is nothing inspiring about it. It sucks.
Ellie | from scratch mostly says
Hehehhehee I couldn't stop grinning throughout the post. It's just too relatable in every direction! You're exactly like my husband and while he's about to crash right after dinner, he suddenly becomes obnoxiously peppy come 9-10pm. By that time, I'm cranky and ready to burn the house down. Okay, it's not THAT bad....He says he needs to stay up long because that's when productivity and creativity kick in. ;)) I do sleep quite late at times too, but I definitely lean towards being a morning person much to husband's annoyance during breakfast. I have to say though...I think many times night owls tend to be the more naturally creative types and always manage to churn out amazingly artistic things! Like you! So there.
I also MUST try this golden milk. I don't remember where I saw it a few months ago but I've been intrigued since. What a great (and anti-inflammatory for this pregnant lady) drink this must be.
Jennifer Farley says
These overnight oats are stunning!
Smruti says
Does anyone know how this would work with steel cut oats? I have the quick cook style that takes 5 minutes to boil. Would the overnight soak in the golden milk take away the need to boil them?
Alanna says
Hm, I've never heard of these kinds of oats, but if they take 5 minutes to cook, it might work. I would test out a small amount first in plain plant milk to make sure you like the consistency before trying a big batch with those pricy spices. :)
Christina says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I am enjoying mine right now - was excited to hop out of bed and see how it turned out. I added a bit of vanilla extract and unsweetened coconut last night, and some pecans and raspberries after warming it up. Delicious!
Alanna says
Yum! That all sounds delicious. Thanks so much for the note! :)
Yolanda Harper says
I'm going to try this it sounds and looks yummy is there a recipe book I could purchase. I'm trying to lose weight badly and I'd love to find something I could.eat anytime that's has a great taste and keeps me feeling full and satisfied.
Alanna says
Hi Yolanda! I have a gluten-free baking cookbook out this September - though it's all about dessert, so perhaps not much help!
Celeste | The Whole Serving says
This is beautiful food. I've been drinking lemon-turmeric tea evary morning to help get me going. I'm one of those people who stays up lat to get blog work done and when morning comes I feelso guilty when I can't just roll out of bed. I lie in bed thinking of all the things I could or should be doing, but wait a minute, I did it all the night before, or I should say earlier that morning. Now I don't feel so bad. I'm going to give this a try very soon.
Thanks for this beautiful healthy recipe.
Kirtida shah says
I have been eating oats as my breaky.... Have always added lots of dry fruits and specially cocoa powder... But making it gden is also gud idea.... But as per the doctors advise, oats has to be cooked for 5 minutes for sure or else it is hard to digest and gives stomach problems... I have experienced itt self, so have stopped since last year
Alanna says
Interesting! We've never had trouble digesting them, but I'm guessing this has to do with the magic soaking process. But every body is different!
Jessica says
This post is an absolute delight in every way possible. I'm so excited to try this -- my daily chia-yogurt combo has gotten sooo boring.
Alanna says
Yay! I hope you love them! <3
Jenny says
I just made this but the milk part is a little bitter... Is that the ginger or the turmeric??
Alanna says
Probably the turmeric - it does have an acquired taste! I think older turmeric can tend to be more bitter.
Katherine says
Just finished my first bowl of deliciousness. I actually used all of the golden milk (I think I added too many oats - I call 'jet lag'), topped with blueberries and used 100% almond milk.
Katherine says
Of course you are still sleeping while I've been 'doing crunches and curing cancer' aka feeding cats and watering plants :) Same thing.
Alanna says
Totally the same thing. ;)
Alanna says
Woohoo! Glad you liked it. :)
anna says
These overnight oats look good. Will it be safe to eat it everyday because it has turmeric?
Jeff says
Is there a reason why you "melt" the honey in boiling water? Why can't you just add the pure honey to the whole lot after the milk has been added and warmed? Thanks.
Alanna says
I don't warm the milk when I make the oats, so the boiling water dissolves the honey.
erick says
I made this today... It was delicious. The flavors were quite unique. I have a serious question here... How in the world do you come up with adding turmeric to oats? I've cooked Indian food being careful not to overdo it with turmeric because it can lend terrible flavor and chalky texture, but the right amount is very good. Seriously though, it's just one of those things that I can't imagine, and was wondering if it was something you experienced before or just a whim...
I have made a few of your recipes, including some of your drinks. I will add your book to my collection as soon as it is available in mid-September... Thanks.
Alanna says
Hi Erick! I'm SO glad you liked the oats and I'm thrilled that you're planning to order my book - yay! Thanks for the lovely note. To answer your question, I've been seeing such lovely recipes around the internet for sweets made with turmeric that I wanted to give it a try in my favorite breakfast. I made a persimmon smoothie a few years ago with turmeric and ginger; that was probably my first foray into turmeric outside of Indian cuisine. It's good stuff!
Jill Voorhis says
Not particularly a morning person but pretty much Type A. Training for an Ironman Triathlon will get you out of bed like it or not! Eight weeks till race day and I'm going to try oatmeal to warm my Vata disposition, and give me some much needed extra carbs. Will let you know how it goes.
June says
I'm with you on the golden milk vibe...been dying to try it already..and will check into the links you left...in the meantime, I'm lucky if I'm lights out by one...unfortunately, I don't like sleeping in late...so I end up exhausted if I go any later and then it messes with the day..totally get the "shame" of staying up late and getting up late...attempting to get back to the early morning yoga though...before I met my husband I'd be at the park by seven...geez!
DEBORAH THELEN says
Why does the Golden Milk recipe call for 2 cups milk but the actual oatmeal recipe only calls for a cup and a half milk? Thanks.
Alanna says
Hi Deborah, I like to splash a little extra over the oats in the morning, or just warm up the extra milk to drink. Feel free to tweak the recipe if you prefer to just make the 1 1/2 cups called for! :)
DEBORAH THELEN says
THANK YOU.
Josh Hummels @ Gym says
Hi Alanna,
its quite interesting that for your breakfast meal Golden Milk you include spicy flavors. I mean for breakfast to eat something spicy, I am not sure if I could ever even try it, as it just seems too unnatural for me to eat something spicy early in the mornings, it just seems too strong for me, but thanks anyway Alanna for the recipe.
Nehal says
I've just tried this recipe! It's undoubtably one of the best! So so nutritious and the benefits of turmeric are incredible. Tastes really nice I added coconut nectar instead of honey and some dry fruits for the crunch! Thankyou! :)
Alanna says
Yay! So glad you liked it. :)
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
Really simple and really good - I have 100% faith in your recipes now ^^
Annie! says
Awesome.. Just made this with my sick daughter and loved it....
Thanks
Alanna says
Aw, I hope she feels better soon!
Craig says
Hi Alanna,
The recipe calls for mixing everything into a pint jar. But if I was going to do single serve versions, how much oats to milk ratio would you recommend? Half?
Alanna says
Yep, you can just divide everything in half and put it in 2 cup sized jars. :)
Aron says
This is just me being silly but, is it OK just switching to regular whole milk for this recipe?
Alanna says
Oh absolutely - go for it!
LGrace says
What an inventive recipe! Came to your site via The Kitchn, who linked this post. Wondering if fresh turmeric and/or ginger might be substituted for powdered...and if so, what would you recommend re: measurements?
PS, your photographs are gorgeous!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you made it over here - thanks for the kind words! As for fresh spices, my only concern is that sometimes the acidity of fresh ginger can curdle milky things. You might want to try a mini-batch to make sure it works - flavor-wise I bet it'll be delicious! Usually they say 2 to 3 times the amount of fresh spice to dry, but you can just add it in to taste; the flavors will likely get stronger as the milk and oats sit, so err on the side of less flavor. Let me know how it goes!
Liz says
To increase the bioavailability of the turmeric, you might want to consider adding a bit of ground, black pepper.
Alanna says
That's a good call - I found out about the black pepper thing after I made this post. :)
Gabrielle says
I made this recipe with my homemade kefir and wow, what an incredibly delicious breakfast. I love how warm the spices make you feel even though the breakfast is cold. I also placed a blackberry, raspberry, blueberry mix in the bottom of each pint jar. This weekend I'll make it again but I'll put it in cup jars as a pint of this recipe makes for a whopping 564 calories!...and it is rather filling and fulfilling. So lovely a recipe, thank you so much for your creativity and wonderful photos.
Alanna says
I've never tried putting berries in the bottom of the jars - brilliant! Homemade kefir sounds like a lovely twist too. 500 calories seems like a good amount for a full meal, but of course make this to your own appetite! :)
Koro says
Hi Alanna and others! Be aware that kefir/milk with overnight oats, while delicious, does not allow your body to take advantage of the calcium in the dairy due to the phytates in the oats. Sad but true.
Sonja says
Koro - sad but *partly* true. Phytates in oats will reduce, but not completely block calcium absorption from dairy. Exactly how much varies from study to study. Some studies have shown little or no reduction. The Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium present in kefir will mitigate the effect.
See this for details. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/mineral-absorption
Alanna says
That's so interesting - thank you for sharing Sonja!
iftikhr khn says
Omg, I’ve never thought about that, it’s an amazing idea using golden milk as base for overnight oats!!
Nicole says
So yummy! I made this last night, except I used 4 tbsp of ground flax instead of chia and hemp (which I didn't have). I did have to add a bit more milk (I used organic coconut milk in the carton) before eating since the flax thickened it a bit. I admit that I would prefer more oomph flavor-wise, so I'll probably double the spices next time and add 1/8 tsp black pepper. This is a very adjustable recipe to one's preferences. Thanks!