Cooking is the last thing you want to do in the morning when you’re struggling to wake up and the family is clamoring for breakfast, right? Therein lies the special appeal of these overnight oats. They’re delicious, nutritious, and, perhaps best of all, fixing them is short on labor and long on kid appeal. (Think pecans, coconut, and raisins mixed with the flavor of gingerbread. Yum!)
The oats absorb liquid during the night, and there’s magic in the process. The long, slow soak breaks down starches and helps your body use the oats’ nutrients efficiently. This means overnight oatmeal is easier to digest than cooked oats.
Ingredients for overnight oatmeal won’t break the budget. These oats fill you up and keep you from getting hungry. Save time, money, and calories while indulging in delicious. Here’s how to make your own overnight oats. Thanks to Quaker Oats for the recipe that you can find here.
Gingerbread Spice Coconut Overnight Oats
- 1/2 cup of oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans
- 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (or more if desired) of gingerbread spice (recipe below)
- 1 tablespoon of raisins
- 1/8 cup of shredded coconut
- honey for drizzling (optional)
Gingerbread Spice (modified to a smaller amount of spice)
- 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon of ground allspice
- 1/2 tablespoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tablespoon of ground cloves (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Add oats to your container of choice. Alternate layers of oat mixture with layers of coconut, raisins and pecans. Pour in milk.
Sweeten by topping with a sprinkle of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon (or more if desired) of gingerbread spice before refrigerating overnight. Let steep for at least 8 hours in a refrigerator 40° F or colder. Rise, shine, and enjoy. Drizzle honey on top if desired. Best to eat within 24 hours!