Name: Healthy Salted Caramel Overnight Oats (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 cups plain oat milk (or nondairy milk of choice); 3 cups GF old fashioned rolled oats; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 6 medjool dates, pitted; 1/4 cup plain oat milk (or nondairy milk of choice); 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter; 2 tbsp pure maple syrup; 1/2 tsp salt

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– vegan – gluten free – oil free – refined sugar free – low fat –

The breakfast of champs! Don’t let looks deceive you. These salted caramel overnight oats are actually healthy! They’re loaded with healthy carbs, fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals and they’re low in fat and sodium. And better yet, they only require 7 ingredients and about 15 minutes of prep time, then set them in the fridge overnight and forget them! You really can’t go wrong.

Helpful tips for the very best overnight oats:

Prep ahead of time. The oats need enough time to absorb the milk. I recommend making them the night before, but at the very least, prep them at least 4 hours before you plan on eating them.
Adjust to your desired consistency. Everyone prefers the consistency of their oats differently and this is easy to change by adjusting the oat:milk ratio.
Add any nuts/topping upon serving. Mix-ins will get soggy if they are sitting in the oatmeal for too long. To keep it all fresh, I recommend adding any toppings right before eating. This will help keep the overnight oats fresher for longer. My favorite toppings for these healthy salted caramel overnight oats have been banana, peanuts, sunflower seeds, chopped medjool dates, dairy-free chocolate chips or cacao nibs.
Undermix the salted caramel. By undermixing, you’ll be left with big, delicious swirls of salted caramel (see photo below).

Are overnight oats healthy?

Although I love starting my day with a large helping of fruit, I also really love a healthy bowl of overnight oats. Here are some great reasons to add them to your breakfast line-up:

Overnight oats are satisfying and can keep you full all morning. This is in part due to the beta-glucan in oats. Beta glucan is a type of soluble fiber that is often used to prevent heart disease and high cholesterol.
Old fashioned rolled oats are also a great source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.
Overnight oats contain lots of nondairy milk. I used oat milk for this recipe, which is high in calcium, B vitamins, manganese, protein and other vitamins and minerals. You can use your favorite nondairy milk of choice, as they all contain a variety of essential nutrients.
These salted caramel overnight oats are particularly healthy due to the medjool dates. Medjool dates are a great source of B vitamins, copper, potassium and fiber.
You can make this easy vegan breakfast even healthier by loading it with fruit before serving.

Kitchen essentials for salted caramel overnight oats:

A high speed blender or food processor
A large mixing bowl with lid
Small jars with lids (optional)

Substitutions:

GF old-fashioned rolled oats: Both gluten-free and original rolled oats work well with these overnight oats. I have not tried this recipe with steel cut oats or instant/quick-cooking oats, so I cannot attest to how they will turn out. If you do try them, I would love to know how it worked in the comments :).
Plain oat milk: you can use any nondairy milk of your pleasing. I enjoy either oat, soy or cashew milk for it’s extra creaminess.
Pure maple syrup: can be substituted with other liquid sweeteners like agave nectar or date syrup.
Peanut butter: can be substituted with any nut or seed butter of your choosing, however it will change the taste slightly.

If you love these healthy salted caramel overnight oats, I have a feeling you will love some of my other favorite overnight oat recipes as well!