I’m still in my phase where I’m turning everything into Sticky Toffee Pudding. If you don’t believe me, check out this pie here. I simply can’t be stopped. And if you know anything about me, you know that if something is a dessert, eventually I’m going to turn it into overnight oats. I just love making the meal that I start my day with mirror the desserts that I end my day with. I love starting the day with something that feels like a sweet treat, but is still nourishing, healthy and easy to make. Enter scene: overnight oats! The perfect solution.
Now overnight oats are my favorite texture of oats, but these oats we cook before storing them overnight. This is because Sticky Toffee Pudding traditionally uses mashed dates to infuse into a cake batter, and I mimic the same thing here with these oats. That just means we cook the oats for a bit so that the dates can infuse, and then we pop them into the fridge. If you are a meal prepper, this is an easy overnight oats recipe to add to your rotation.
Read on for more on how to make it!
Table of contents
Ingredients you will need for Sticky Toffee Pudding Overnight Oats
Now, the simpler the ingredients, the better. Especially when it comes to overnight oats! What really mimics the sticky toffee pudding flavor is the dates and the spices, so don’t skip those! Everything else is pretty standard:
- 5 large medjool dates, 115 grams / 4 ounces
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup rolled oats, 120 grams / 4.2 ounces
- 2 cups milk of choice, 450 grams / 15.8 ounces
- 1/4 cup flax meal, 45 grams / 1.5 ounces
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground clove all spice, and ginger
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, for topping
How to make these overnight oats
This recipe does require some cooking, but only a bit! There’s no waiting around over a stove here. You just bring the oats to a simmer, turn off the heat and you’re done!
To make them, pit the dates and add the to a medium pot. Add in the 1 cup of water and bring this to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
The baking soda will fizz in the dates, so use this time to take a spatula and mash the dates into a paste. The baking soda will help facilitate the mashing! That’s why it’s in the recipe.
Return the pot to medium heat. Add the cup of oats and two cups of milk into the pot. Stir to combine and add 1/4 cup of flax meal, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground clove, all spice and ginger. Stir and let this come to a simmer.
As soon as the oats have come to a simmer, turn off the heat. Taste and season with salt as preferred. Separate the oats into two storage containers. Store overnight or for up to four days.
Could I make this recipe without cooking the oats?
Of course! If you prefer a thinner overnight oats consistency, you really only need to cook the dates. Cook the dates according to the instructions above, then once they are mashed, add them with the rest of the ingredients. Whisk everything together and then pop it in the fridge!
And there you have it. This recipe as no-cook, Sticky Toffee Pudding Overnight Oats.
Looking for similar recipes?
Here are a few oatmeal favorites!
Bananas Foster Overnight Oats
Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats
And that’s it for these Sticky Toffee Pudding Overnight Oats!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
- 1 Spatula
- storage containers
Ingredients
- 5 large medjool dates, 115 grams / 4 ounces
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup rolled oats, 120 grams / 4.2 ounces
- 2 cups milk of choice , 450 grams / 15.8 ounces
- 1/4 cup flax meal, 45 grams / 1.5 ounces
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground clove, all spice, and ginger
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, for topping.
Instructions
- Pit the dates and add the to a medium pot. Add in the 1 cup of water and bring this to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
- The baking soda will fizz in the dates, so use this time to take a spatula and mash the dates into a paste. The baking soda will help facilitate the mashing.
- Return the pot to medium heat. Add the cup of oats and two cups of milk into the pot. Stir to combine and add 1/4 cup of flax meal, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground clove, all spice and ginger. Stir and let this come to a simmer.
- As soon as the oats have come to a simmer, turn off the heat. Taste and season with salt as preferred. Separate the oats into two storage containers. Store overnight or for up to four days.
- The next day (or when you are ready to eat) pour a tablespoon of maple syrup over each oatmeal portion and enjoy cold. See note.
Comments
What’s your take on toasting the oats before turning them into overnight oats / oatmeal? I really like the nutty taste the toasting imparts, but I think it seals the surface of oats so the liquid doesn’t get absorbed as well, which always makes the consistency a bit different.
Still haven’t tried this recipe, but I’m sure it’s gonna be 5* like everything from you, I love you, you have changed my life with your recipes.
Hello! I find that toasting oats without a fat like butter or oil doesn’t really give me the depth of flavor I like, so it might be more work and time than it’s worth. However, if you enjoy that and don’t mind the time, toasting the oats dry won’t impact their cooking time at all. It’s a good grain that way!
Hi Justine, I absolutely adore your Molten Date and Olive Oil Oats. They’ve been my go to breakfast for the past couple of months. So I’ve been super excited about this new oat recipe. I’ve just made it and it is so delicious, thanks a lot! I love the vibe of your videos as well, they never fail to make me feel good. So thanks again and have a nice day, Sarah
This makes me so happy, I am so glad you like the recipes and the videos 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind comment and review!
Wow so good! Added some flaky sea salt on top and loved it
So SO glad you liked it!
can’t wait to try these!! can i omit/sub the flax meal with chia seeds, more oats or something else? trying not to have to buy more before leaving for the holidays but don’t want to throw off the proportions of oat/liquid ratio
Chia seeds would be great in this! It will act the same so don’t worry 🙂
I made this as written and wound up with a lot of tough date skins in my oats. I’d recommend fully puréeing them rather than just mashing.
Hi Dena! This might have to have done with the age of your dates, the newer they are, the more easily they melt into hot water (they should be very sticky when you’re first pitting them!). And of course, pre-pitted dates are much tougher, so that might also be the issue there. However, I totally get your POV on blending them, I just always try to save people more dishes!
Hi Justine! Would I be able to keep cooking them if I wanted to eat them warm the day of? Thanks!!
Totally! Keep them on the stove for a few minutes and they’ll be perfect!
Best breakfast ever! I never comment but just had to recommend this fabulous recipe. Very minor adaptations for personal preferences: I used 3 dates (I generally like things less sweet) and half chia, half flax per your answer to a question in the comments. I also soaked the oats in the warm date mixture instead of cooking them (like overnight oats). I can’t wait to make your other oatmeal recipes. Warmest thanks for your site, videos and cookbook!
I’m so glad these changes worked well and that you loved them!! Thank you so so much for being here and for taking the time to leave a review <3
I forgot to include the rating. I’d give more than five stars if I could. Great texture and perfectly balanced flavor. 🧡
Thank you so so much!! I’m so glad you love it
I googled “sticky toffee oats” and was so glad when your recipe was the first result—I love all of your recipes that I’ve tried! Very excited to have this tomorrow morning to make up for the suffering of daylight saving time.
Using these as daylight savings pick me up is so smart. I’m so glad you’ve loved other recipes and hope you love these too! Thanks so much for your review.
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