Wake up to a mason jar full of these easy-to-make Maple Brown Sugar Overnight Oats—the perfect meal prep breakfast recipe! Simply combine old-fashioned rolled oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, and milk, and refrigerate overnight. This is the best oatmeal recipe for on-the-go busy weekday mornings!
Maple Brown Sugar Overnight Oats Recipe
Life can get a little hectic at times.
Instead of grabbing whatever you can find on those busy weekday mornings when “hangry” hits, why not prepare some of these Overnight Oats and have them ready to go for the morning rush?!
You can prepare them the night before, pull them out of the refrigerator in the morning, and off you go with a happy morning in sight.
No more grumbling tummies while you are trying to find any glimmer of a nutrition bar in your purse.
If you’re loving the convenience of prepping breakfast ahead, try these other Overnight Oats Recipe for busy mornings.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Oats. Old-fashioned oats are key. Quick oats will get soggy, while steel cut oats won’t soften. Be sure to grab gluten-free if needed.
- Milk. Just about any type of milk will work—either regular or plant-based, like almond milk, coconut milk, or even oat milk. The higher the fat content the richer the oatmeal will be.
- Sweetener. Dark brown sugar or light brown sugar along with pure maple syrup are used to add flavor to this oatmeal. You can easily sub for another type, like coconut sugar or honey.
- Pecans. Toasted pecans add the perfect crunch and texture to this breakfast dish.
How to Make Maple Brown Sugar Overnight Oats
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
1. Combine Oats and Milk
The best thing to use when making overnight oats is an 8-ounce mason jar. These are the perfect size and conveniently have a top. But any airtight container will work.
Start by adding equal amounts of oats, milk, and vanilla extract in each jar. This should come out to about ½-cup oats, ½-cup milk, and ¼-teaspoon vanilla.
Give everything a stir to combine.
2. Top with Sweetener
In a small or medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Pour equal amounts over the milk and oats in each jar. Seal with a lid.
Place the prepared jars in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but they’re best after chilling overnight.
3. Toast Pecans and Serve
Just before you’re ready to enjoy the oatmeal, toast the pecans in a single layer at 325℉ for 5 to 7 minutes.
Sprinkle some pecans in each jar and serve with extra cinnamon and maple syrup if you’d like! Pair with fresh berries or banana slices for the perfect breakfast.
Are overnight oats healthy?
Yes! Overnight oats are a super healthy way to start your day. Oatmeal has many health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. As part of a healthy lifestyle, this filling breakfast can potentially aid in weight loss.
Plus, making your own flavor combinations instead of using the packets gives you more control over the amount of sweetener you include.
Depending on the flavor you like, some excellent sweeteners include pure maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
The most important things to avoid in overnight oats are steel-cut or instant oats. Additionally, nuts and granola will loose their crispiness overnight, and some types of fresh fruit don’t do well.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
Once you’ve had hot or cold overnight oats, you’ll be scouring the internet for more varieties. Thankfully, I have a ton of other versions that will quickly become your favorite breakfast.
Pumpkin Overnight Oats and Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats have the best fall flavors.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats are the cure to any sweet tooth.
Blueberry Overnight Oats, Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats, and Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats are fresh and a great way to start your morning.
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Maple Brown Sugar Overnight Oats
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Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats gluten-free
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups milk regular or plant-based
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
- ¾ tsp. cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup pecans coarsely chopped, toasted
Instructions
- Combine Oats and Milk. In four 8-oz. mason jars place equal amounts of the oats, milk and vanilla in each. (½ cup oats, ½ cup milk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla in each.) Stir to mix well.2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 cups milk
- Top with Sweetener. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup. Pour a quarter of this mixture in each of the jars over the oats. Refrigerate the oats for at least 2 hours or overnight.3 Tbsp. brown sugar, 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, ¾ tsp. cinnamon
- Toast Pecans and Serve. Just before serving, toast pecans at 325 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Divide pecans and sprinkle in each jar. Serve with additional cinnamon and maple syrup, if desired, and enjoy!¼ cup pecans
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Video
Notes
- Get rolling. Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick or steel-cut oats for the best results.
- Make it work. While maple syrup and brown sugar add to the classic flavor, you can easily change it up with different sweeteners.
- Wait for it. Don’t add the toasted pecans until you’re about to dig into this brown sugar oatmeal recipe.
- Add some fuel. An easy way to feel full longer is to include some optional add-ins, like protein powder, flax seeds, or chia seeds.
- Go big. Whip up a double batch of this oatmeal and have breakfast taken care of all week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How long will they last in the fridge
While these will last for a couple of days in the fridge, it’s best to mix the milk in the night before and enjoy the following day. After 24 hours, this might get soggy.
So is it 2 cups per jar? or 1/4 oats if making 4 jars
Thanks for your question! You will start with 2 cups of oats, along with the other ingredients. Then, divide the mixture among 4 jars.
I love this recipe! I was doing a cacao and pb combo for the longest time but wanted to change it up. This recipe reminds me of the maple brown sugar oatmeal packets that I don’t buy because of the laundry list of ingredients in them. I sub coconut sugar for the brown sugar, use unsweetened oat or almond milk and add ground flax seed and collagen peptides. So so good! I divide the recipe between 2 jars but I eat 2 servings at a time since I’m trying to gain weight back that I’ve lost due to multiple recent surgeries.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Beth! It’s wonderful you have found a tasty and healthy meal that works for your diet plan. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Does this heat well?
You can heat them up. However, I would encourage you to let them sit at room temperature for a little bit so you do not have to heat them up too much in the microwave! This will ensure that the oats do not dry out too much. Feel free to add additional milk as needed to get the consistency you want. Hope this helps!
Your guide is so simple; I tried and succeeded the first time.
I will find more recipes on your website and cook them soon.
Thanks for your sharing.
Yay, Kristine! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
What size Mason jar for 1 serving ? 4oz or8oz?Thanks!
One serving should fit pretty easily within an 8 oz mason jar (perfect size for breakfast!). But you can put it in even smaller 4 oz jars for a snack if you’d like!
Could you omit the brown sugar and just have the maple syrup and cinnamon? I put cooked apple on top in the morning so that adds sweetness.
Absolutely! The sweeteners don’t affect the texture, just the flavor – so adjust as you please!
Do you not warm the oatmeal before serving?
Hi Kimberly! You don’t have to heat it up, but you definitely can if you’d like. The texture will change quite a bit, though. You can also set them out at room temperature before eating. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Out of Curiosity instead of Almond Milk can regular Whole Milk be used.
Absolutely! Any type of milk will work great in this recipe. Hope you enjoy! 🙂