Delish Cherry Almond Overnight Oats
Okay, so picture this: it’s 6 AM, the alarm’s blaring, and the only thing I’m feeling enthusiastic about is hitting snooze. My kitchen? A disaster zone from last night’s “experimental” dinner. This is precisely why Delish Cherry Almond Overnight Oats are my absolute morning superhero. It’s basically breakfast that makes itself while you’re dreaming of not having to adult. Seriously, you just toss a few things into a jar, give it a shake, and boom – tomorrow’s delicious, kinda-healthy, tastes-like-dessert breakfast is handled. If you’re tired of cereal crumbs and burnt toast (speaking from experience here), you need this in your life. It’s special because it tastes fancy but requires zero actual effort, which is my kind of cooking.
My husband, bless his heart, initially thought I was trying to poison him with “cold mush.” He’s a strictly-eggs-and-bacon kind of guy, or at least anything that requires a pan. The first time I made Delish Cherry Almond Overnight Oats, he stared at it suspiciously, poked it with a spoon, and then declared it “yogurt’s weird cousin.” The kids, however, went full barbarian on it. My youngest thought the cherries were magical berries and proceeded to eat three servings, leaving a sticky, purple trail of evidence all over the kitchen table, the couch, and somehow, the dog. Now, I often find my husband “secretly” scooping some out of the fridge late at night, claiming he’s just “testing for quality control.” Pretty sure that means he finally admitted it’s good. My chaotic life finds peace in these overnight oats.
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Why You’ll Love This Delish Cherry Almond Overnight Oats
* Effortless Mornings: Because adulting is hard enough without having to cook breakfast before your coffee even kicks in. This literally makes itself while you sleep.
* Tastes Like Dessert (But Isn’t): Seriously, with the sweet cherries and nutty almond, it feels like a treat, not some boring health food. Your tastebuds will thank you.
* Minimal Dish Duty: You make it in the jar you eat it from. That’s it. One jar. My sink is usually a monument to dishes, so this is a genuine miracle.
* Customizable Chaos: Ran out of cherries? Grab some blueberries. Don’t like almonds? Try pecans. It’s a forgiving recipe, perfect for my “wing it” style of cooking.
Time-Saving Hacks
– Shortcut that keeps you sane: Use pre-pitted frozen cherries. Seriously, wrestling with cherry pits before coffee is a battle you don’t need to fight.
– Hack that saves dishes but still looks like effort: Make it directly in cute mason jars. They double as storage and serving dishes, making you look like an organized genius.
– The sneaky “cheat” you always pull when you’re in a rush: A tiny splash of almond extract delivers that deep almond flavor without having to chop or toast actual almonds. Don’t tell anyone, it’s our secret.
Kitchen Confessions
– The disaster story: One time, in a rush, I grabbed the *instant* oats instead of rolled oats. Woke up to a sad, soupy, clumpy mess. It was less “overnight oats” and more “overnight despair.” Learn from my mistakes, people.
– A silly mistake you or your family made with this recipe: My son, bless his heart, decided to “help” by adding an entire extra spoonful of honey. It was so sweet it could’ve powered a small nation. We salvaged it by adding extra plain yogurt, but man, my teeth hurt just thinking about it.
– Honest admission: the messy part you secretly skip: Honestly, sometimes I don’t even properly stir it to combine everything perfectly. I just give it a good shake and assume the fridge magic will sort it out. Mostly, it does. Mostly.
What to Serve It With
Your favorite giant mug of coffee, obviously. Maybe a side of existential dread for your morning commute, just kidding! (Mostly.) If you’re feeling fancy, a few extra fresh cherries on top, or a sprinkle of shredded coconut.
Tips & Mistakes
Don’t skimp on the soak time: Seriously, overnight means overnight. Give those oats at least 8 hours to get tender and creamy. Anything less, and you’ll have crunchy oats, which is not what we’re going for.
Milk matters: Any milk works, but almond milk really enhances that cherry-almond vibe. Dairy milk will be thicker, plant-based milks might be a bit thinner, so adjust your liquid if needed.
Sweetener to taste: Start with less, you can always add more in the morning. Nobody wants an oat sugar bomb.
Texture tweak: If it’s too thick, add a splash more milk in the morning. Too thin? Add a spoonful of chia seeds when you mix it up; they’re like tiny little sponges.
Storage Tips
Keep it in the fridge… assuming there’s anything left. Midnight cold bites? Honestly better than fresh.
Variations and Substitutions
Swap whatever—honey ↔ sugar, tamari ↔ soy sauce—or skip a step and call it rustic. Still edible. For these oats, you can swap frozen cherries for any frozen berry. Almond butter can replace the whole almonds if you want it extra creamy. Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey or other sweeteners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Delish Cherry Almond Overnight Oats
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.25 cups rolled oats Use gluten-free oats if needed
- 2 cups milk (or almond milk) Adjust for creaminess
- 1 cup pitted cherries Fresh or frozen
- 0.25 cup sliced almonds For topping
- 2 tbsp honey Optional for sweetness
- 1 tsp vanilla extract Enhances flavor
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, milk, honey, and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the pitted cherries until evenly mixed.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, give the oats a good stir and top with sliced almonds.
Notes
Nutrition
Featured Comments
“Super easy and will make again! My family asked for seconds. Saving this one.”
“Made this last night and it was family favorite. Loved how the weeknight winner came together.”
