Overnight Steel Cut Oats
Updated Oct 14, 2025
This Overnight Steel Cut Oats recipe is one of my family's favorites. Meal prep a batch for a week of easy make-ahead breakfasts!
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Make easy overnight steel cut oats!
I’ve made my fair share of overnight oats with rolled oats, but once I tried overnight steel cut oats, I was hooked. They turn out creamier and a little chewier, which makes breakfast feel more satisfying to me. It’s the same idea, soaking oats in milk overnight, but with a few small tweaks that make all the difference.
This overnight steel cut oats recipe is my base for all kinds of toppings. Some mornings I go classic with peanut butter and banana, other times it’s strawberries and Nutella or caramel apple if I’m feeling extra. It’s easy, flexible, and makes breakfast one less thing to think about.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
How to Make Overnight Steel Cut Oats
Top the Steel Cut Oats
Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- 1 ½ cups steel cut oats
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups almond milk
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Peanut Butter Banana
- 1 banana sliced
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon peanuts chopped
- Dash of cinnamon
Strawberry Nutella
- 4-5 strawberries sliced
- 2 tablespoons nutella
- 1 tablespoon hazelnuts chopped
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Caramel Apple
- 1/2 green apple sliced
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
- 1 dash cinnamon
Chocolate Almond Butter
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate bar chopped
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2 dates chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil.
- Stir in the oats and continue mixing with the liquid for 2–3 minutes to warm them up.
- Turn off the heat. Let the oats come to room temperature, then store them in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, heat the oats for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Serve with your favorite topping combinations.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Don’t skip the salt. It brings out the natural sweetness and nuttiness of the oats. They’ll taste bland if you skip it.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Freezing not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Video Tutorial
Recipe Variations
- Increase the protein. Stir in a scoop of your favorite protein powder.
- Add a crunch. Try a sprinkle of granola, chia seeds, flax seeds, or hemp seeds.
- Make savory oats. Instead of sweet toppings, try sautéed vegetables, Parmesan cheese, and a fried egg.
Recipe Tips
- Use a mixture of water and milk. It creates a creamy texture without adding too many calories or too much fat. Or, you can use all milk or all water if you prefer.
- Don’t skip the salt. It brings out the natural sweetness and nuttiness of the oats. They’ll taste bland if you skip it.
Serving Ideas
- Eggs: Sheet Pan Eggs, Scrambled Eggs with Cottage Cheese, Eggs Florentine
- Waffles: Cinnamon Waffles, Blueberry Yogurt Waffles, Protein Waffles
- Smoothies: Mixed Berry Smoothie, Mango Papaya Smoothie, Banana Date Smoothie
Comments
Can you add chia seeds to this recipe to soak in after you cook the oats? If so how much more milk would you add? Wanting to use both chia seeds and steel cut oats. Thank you!
Yes, you can absolutely add chia seeds! You could add them before storing the pot in the fridge overnight (I would probably add extra almond milk in this case) or in the morning when you reheat the oats. You will have to play around with the timing and ratio of chia seeds to extra liquid a bit but I think it will be delicious once you figure out what works best! Hope that helps!
Great recipe! I finely chopped the apple and added it and the cinnamon to the pot with the oatmeal. Perfect!
My only criticism is….I cut the recipe in half and it STILL easily made enough for four people, hefty servings! If y’all want to try it first, or just make two servings, cut the recipe down by at least half.
Yum, love the addition of finely chopped apples and cinnamon! So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Sandy!! Thanks!
I see the nutrition information but it doesn’t say how much a serving is for the oatmeal. I’m putting it in MyFitnessPal and need to know the number of servings that makes. Thanks
Hi Lisa! This recipe makes 4 servings.
Hi Yumna! Do we use regular steel cut oats or quick cook steel cut oats for this recipe? Or does it not matter? Thanks!
Hi Sabrina! I use quick cooking steel cut oats but the regular steel cut oats should work too.
I’ve made this twice per the recipe and I find it too soupy. The first time I strained it and that helped. The second time I only used two cups milk and two cups water. I know it will firm up a little more, but is it supposed to be this soupy? Thanks!
If your steel cut oats are still soupy after soaking overnight, you can stir them in the morning to help the oats absorb more of the liquid. Reheating them will also help—I would put them back on the stovetop to help cook off the extra liquid and thicken them up. Hope that helps!
I used steel cut oats (Quaker brand) and followed the original overnight oat process (half cup oats, half cup milk, quarter cup Greek yogurt) and it worked perfectly without having to heat or cook anything! I let mine set in the fridge for 12 hours. So if you want to avoid having to do anything more than put it all together just let it set a few hours longer
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve been making and eating overnight oats for years, ever since I was diagnosed with high cholesterol. I’ve wanted to use steel cut oats since they are not only great for lowering cholesterol, they also add high amounts of fiber into my diet, which my doctor also advised. This recipe is easy, yet incredibly effective and yummy! Thank you, Yumna! You’ve saved the day!
Wonderful to hear, so happy you enjoy this recipe!
What’s the diff of this and overnight oats?
Hi Yunma! I started cooking my steel-cut oats as normal when I came across this recipe. Would it still work if I had the oats cooking at low heat for about 15 min before letting cool to room temp & putting in the fridge? Thanks!
I don’t see why not. Did you end up trying it?
I fell in love with an overnight oats recipe more than a year ago, and I haven’t wanted to eat anything else for breakfast ever since… which means, my stash of steel-cut oats that I had on-hand (because I used to eat regular steel-cut oatmeal every day) was just sitting there (I had 4-5 big bags of Bob’s Red Mill SC oats). My mom told me how she was eating steel-cut overnight oats, so I was intrigued, because I thought it might be a way to use up my steel-cut oat stash, but still have the breakfast I adore. SO, I found a couple recipes… yours being one of them, and I decided to try yours first. I use 4 cups almond milk and 2 cups water. I really enjoyed the flavor and texture of using steel-cut oats for overnight oats! I divide the mixture into 6 parts, and add 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp chia seeds, and 1 Tbsp maple syrup to each part. In the morning, I top it with fresh fruit (blueberries, raspberries, and mango) and 2 Tbsp of nuts. Thanks for helping me discover a delicious way to use SC oats, so they don’t go to waste!
So glad you liked this version! Steel cut oats does add a nice chewy element for a change of pace.
Very easy and good. I double it and eat it throughout the week
So glad you liked it, Vivian!
Thank you so much for the recipe! Can’t wait to try. I am wondering if I can use 1/2 dairy milk + 1/2 almond milk? Or would that not work because of boiling in the beginning?
Hi Janet, I have not tried this recipe with 1/2 dairy and 1/2 almond milk, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Let me know what you think when you make it!
Hi,
Your method in this recipe is great! Quick, easy and gives a better texture. Thanks so much for sharing.
You’re so welcome!!
Hello! I’ve used your recipe many times and shared it with friends. I haven’t used in a couple of months and now I’m puzzled – did your recipe previously state keep out overnight? I see it now states to cool and refrigerate. I understand the concerns noted by other reviewers about refrigerating but I never had any problems.
Hi Heather – Yes, I did change it due to an influx of comments in regard to food safety. You can still leave it out overnight if you’re okay with it (I still will.)
Are steel cut oats more nutritious than regular rolled oats?
Hi Cece, according to my research steel cut oats do tend to have more fiber than rolled oats and are more “meaty”, texture-wise. But, overall, the two are pretty equal in the nutrition department from what I’ve read. I use rolled oats 9/10 times in pretty much all my recipes.
Delicious! Easy to make a batch that provides breakfast for a week!
Thank you, Edward! I am so glad you like the overnight oats! Which would you say is your favorite variation? Strawberry Nutella? 😉
Hahahaha. Well, to be honest, I’ve just made the base recipe, and then in the morning I’ve been trying different add-ins when I reheat: dried fruit (raisins, cranberries) and a little bit of brown sugar. Delicious, healthy and so easy.
That does sound good!
I loved this! It come out sooo lovely!! It stayed on the stove overnight and in the morning was sooo yummy. I just added whatever toppings I could find, some honey, and some fruit and nuts
Thank you so much! That sounds perfect. It’s so versatile in that way!
Did you use traditional or quick oats?
This is a great recipe, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving it out overnight if you live in a warmer climate. I made this in September in Texas and it was rancid by morning. If you live in a warm climate, I would place it in the fridge overnight instead.
Thank you! If you live in a warmer climate, definitely leave it in the fridge overnight. Or in any case, leave it in the fridge overnight to be on the safer side.
I suggest people be risk-aware. Be very careful to cook cleanly and avoid cross-contamination. I made overnight oatmeal like this for months, leaving it out overnight, and was fine until I had a bad batch and was sick for a week with food poisoning. I never did it again and couldn’t stomach oatmeal for nearly a year. All it takes is one bad batch.
This should definitely be noted!
Since food poisoning lasts 24 hours I’m guessing something else was making you sick…..
“Symptoms of food poisoning can appear anywhere between four hours and one week after ingesting a contaminated food item, and can persist for as short a time as 24 hours or as long as a week. This variability in both onset and duration of symptoms is another reason food poisoning so often goes unidentified.” -usda.gov, https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/08/28/are-you-sure-it-wasnt-food-poisoning#:~:text=Symptoms%20of%20food%20poisoning%20can,poisoning%20so%20often%20goes%20unidentified.
I can’t be 100% sure it was the oatmeal, but this was the only food I ate at the time that didn’t follow food handing requirements, 41-135 degrees (I’m ServSafe Manager Certified and have this stuff drilled in). I just want people to be aware. I did this just fine for months, and then one bad batch made me sick.
I have to ask…. is this not a food safety hazard? There is a “danger zone” for food temp, and it seems that leaving this mix out of the refrigerator for several hours would pose a risk for bacterial growth.
Dont get me wrong, the idea of just boiling the milk/water, cooking for 3 mins and then just leaving it alone until morning sounds awesome, but it makes me wonder…..
As long as your kitchen temperature is not too hot, it should be safe to leave the oats soaking overnight at room temperature, especially since they are covered in a pot with a lid. However, to be safer, you can keep it in the fridge overnight too.
Unfortunately, oatmeal left out overnight can absolutely give you food poisoning. Rice can, too. It’s caused by a common foodborne pathogen called bacillus cereus. Google it if you’d like more information. And refrigerate your oatmeal.
Made half a recipe. Added 1 Tbsp. Of currents to the boiling water and milk to “sweeten the pot.” Current bushes grow wild all over northern Europe. Raisins, as we know them today, were not available until the 1870’s when Mr Thompson, a Scottish immigrant, developed the first seedless grapes. Before that raisins were “crunchy” due to the seeds. Currents are seedless, low glycemic and natural secret sweetening ingredient for diabetics.
That is such a good idea with the currents – yum!!
I havent tried it yet, but I love the idea. I would probably use a microwave rather than stove for a smaller quantity. I was wondering if I could add some of the “toppings” to the mix before setting it out for the evening, namely the sweetener, vanilla, and say canned apricots and pine nuts? Of course fresh fruits are usually best to add later.
You can definitely do that with the toppings!
Thank you so much for this recipe! Though it is very simple I was at ease to find someone who had already done it. I used a can of coconut milk and 4+ cups of water (to make up the rest of the liquid) and it was the perfect consistency in the morning. We added chopped dried mango and just ate it as is (the kids added honey to theirs).
You’re so welcome! That sounds perfect. Love mango with this!
Wondering if you leave it on the same burner you cooked it on or move it to another cooled burner?
Either way works, as you turn off the heat completely when you leave it overnight.
Delicious recipe. I’m curious why you cook the oats first. Many overnight oats recipes use uncooked overnight in the fridge.
Thank you! I cook the oats because this recipe calls for steel cut oats and not rolled oats.
Can you leave it overnight in the fridge? I’m a bit uncomfortable leaving milk overnight in room temperature
Yes, you can!
I tried your recipe for the first time today, and I am enjoying it now! Thank you for this very simple method of preparing a delicious oatmeal. One point that may be helpful to others. Because I have recently been diagnosed with prediabetes, I carefully track my food intake and nutrients. Weighing my portions has worked best for me, so I weighed the oatmeal this morning after it had soaked overnight. One serving of 1/4 of the recipe weighs about 330 grams, and the carb count is acceptable for my diet.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re loving this recipe. That’s great to note.
Finally, a steel cut oatmeal recipe I like, and it’s ready to eat in the morning! I am smitten with the creamy texture. I added a T of chia seeds to soak overnight with the oats and it did not impact the creaminess. It may have also addressed some of the extra liquid others commented upon. I will be making this again (and again and again)!
That’s perfect! So glad you are enjoying this recipe!!
My favorite steel cut oats recipe! I reduce the liquid by half a cup to make it less runny, and I use half water and half unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Divine! My toddler adores it, and one batch takes care of breakfast for a week. Thank you!
That makes me so happy to hear! Glad you both enjoy this recipe!
Made these in Ramadan for sahoor and despite the oats increasing almost three times in size and scaring my dad a tad bit, they were so loved by everyone! They were so creamy and delicious. Everyone added their own toppings of choice and my sister even eat it cold with berries on it!
I’m glad you still enjoyed it! The versatility definitely comes with the toppings.
These are amazingly delicious ideas. I have never done steel cut oatmeal before; I must say that you’ve made me a super fan. I ate every bowl down to the last bite!!
That’s incredible! Thank you so much!
Great way to have steel cut oats ready in morning! I followed your recipe but made 1/2 cups steel cut oat, 1/2 cup oat milk and 1 1/2 water. It was so creamy and delicious the next morning. I just warmed it on stove for few minutes. Thanks!
Another excellent healthy and convenient recipe as per usual. Five stars 👍
Hi Yumna! Just wanted to let you know that the prep and cook time in the recipe should be fixed. You have them in hours instead of in minutes 🙂