What Sort of Oats Do You Use for Overnight Oats?

December 8, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Whole Grains Council, oats are among the healthiest grains on earth, and using the right variety can make or break your breakfast. When it comes to deciding what sort of oats do you use for overnight oats, the ideal choice is rolled oats, which deliver the perfect balance of creamy texture and chewy bite.

Quick Summary

Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats, are the ideal choice for overnight oats due to their ability to soften perfectly without becoming mushy. Other types like steel-cut or quick oats result in a chewier or too-soft texture, respectively. Soaking allows the oats to absorb the liquid and flavors, yielding a creamy, satisfying meal.

Key Points

Rolled Oats are Best: Old-fashioned rolled oats are the ideal choice for overnight oats, providing a creamy texture with a pleasant chew without becoming mushy.
Avoid Instant Oats: Quick or instant oats break down too much when soaked overnight, resulting in an unappetizingly mushy and soft consistency.
Steel-Cut Oats are Chewy: Steel-cut oats remain much chewier and denser after soaking, which some prefer, but they produce a very different and less creamy texture than rolled oats.
Soaking Improves Digestion: Regardless of the type, soaking oats overnight improves their digestibility and enhances nutrient absorption by reducing phytic acid.
Texture Depends on Your Choice: Your preferred texture—creamy, chewy, or soft—should guide your decision, with rolled oats offering the most balanced and classic experience.
Customization is Key: All oat types can serve as a base for various toppings and flavors, but rolled oats provide the most versatile and reliable canvas.

The Optimal Choice: Rolled Oats

For most overnight oats recipes, old-fashioned rolled oats are the consensus favorite. These oats are made by steaming and rolling the whole oat groat into flat flakes. This minimal processing allows them to absorb liquid overnight, becoming tender and creamy while retaining a pleasant, slightly chewy bite. They provide the perfect balance, ensuring your breakfast is satisfying without turning into an unappetizing paste. This is why most core recipes specify this type of oat.

How Rolled Oats Create the Best Texture

Even Absorption: Rolled oats have a larger surface area than quick oats, which allows them to absorb liquid slowly and evenly. This prevents them from dissolving into a gummy, pasty texture.
Perfect Chewyness: Unlike the hardier steel-cut oats, rolled oats soften just enough to be pleasant to eat without cooking, retaining some of their structural integrity.
Versatile Base: Their neutral, creamy texture makes them a perfect canvas for a wide array of flavors and mix-ins, from fresh fruit to nuts and spices.

Other Oat Types and Their Results

While rolled oats are the gold standard, you can technically use other types with varying outcomes. Understanding the differences is key to managing your textural expectations.

Quick Oats: Quick or instant oats are pre-cooked, dried, and cut into smaller pieces. While they absorb liquid very quickly, this often leads to a mushy, porridge-like consistency when soaked overnight. They are best used if you prefer an ultra-soft texture or have less time to soak, but they are generally not recommended for the classic overnight oats experience.
Steel-Cut Oats: These are the least processed oats, consisting of the whole oat groat chopped into two or three pieces with a steel blade. They are much denser and chewier than rolled oats. If used for traditional overnight oats, they will remain quite firm and crunchy. Some people enjoy this hearty, nutty texture, but it's a very different experience. Using steel-cut oats often requires a longer soaking time or a method involving a quick boil before chilling.
Instant Oatmeal Packets: These are heavily processed and often contain added sugars and flavorings. They are a poor choice for overnight oats as they will dissolve completely into a soupy, bland mixture.

Comparison Table: Oats for Overnight Oats


Oat Type	Best For	Texture After Soaking	Required Soaking Time	Pros	Cons
Rolled Oats	Classic Overnight Oats	Creamy with a slight chew	6-8+ hours (overnight)	Versatile, ideal texture, widely available	Can be mushy if over-soaked with too much liquid
Steel-Cut Oats	Hearty, Chewy Oats	Chewy and dense, very firm	8-12+ hours or par-boiled	High fiber, nutty flavor, lower glycemic index	Can be too firm, requires longer prep or a hybrid method
Quick Oats	Pudding-like Consistency	Soft, smooth, and very creamy	4-6 hours	Faster prep time, easy to digest for some	Prone to becoming mushy, less satisfying texture

How to Choose the Right Oats for Your Overnight Oats

Your choice of oats ultimately depends on your texture preference. If you are a beginner or looking for the standard, best-in-class overnight oats experience, stick with rolled oats. They offer the perfect balance of creamy and chewy. If you like a denser, heartier, and more substantial bite, and don't mind the longer soak or extra prep step, steel-cut oats are a great option with a slight nutritional edge. If you want a quick, super-soft, almost pudding-like result, quick oats will get you there fastest, but be careful not to over-soak them.

Regardless of your choice, overnight oats provide a host of health benefits, including enhanced nutrient absorption and improved gut health. Soaking helps break down starches and reduces phytic acid, allowing your body to more easily absorb the vitamins and minerals. For more detailed information on oat types and their nutritional value, the Whole Grains Council is an excellent resource.

Conclusion: The Final Verdict

Ultimately, the kind of oats you use for overnight oats dictates the final texture of your breakfast. For the most consistently delicious, creamy, yet satisfyingly chewy result, rolled oats are the undisputed champion. They absorb flavors wonderfully and provide a stable base for your favorite toppings. Experimentation is encouraged, but for a foolproof, classic overnight oats, rolled oats are the way to go. Your perfect, grab-and-go breakfast starts with this simple but crucial decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

While you can technically use instant oats, they are not recommended for overnight oats. They tend to become very mushy and lose their texture when soaked overnight, leading to a less pleasant, pasty result.

There is no difference. Rolled oats and old-fashioned oats are the same thing. They are whole oat groats that have been steamed and rolled into flat flakes.

No, you don't need to cook them beforehand, but steel-cut oats will remain very firm and chewy even after an overnight soak. For a softer result, some recipes suggest a brief boil and then chilling.

For rolled oats, a minimum of 6-8 hours is recommended for the best creamy texture. For steel-cut oats, it may take 8-12 hours or more to soften sufficiently.

Overnight oats offer unique benefits, including enhanced nutrient absorption and increased resistant starch, which is beneficial for gut health. However, the overall nutritional value is comparable, depending on preparation.

You can use any liquid you prefer, including dairy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. The type of liquid can impact the final creaminess and flavor, but all will work with rolled oats.

Yes, although they are traditionally served cold, you can heat up overnight oats. Simply transfer them to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes, or warm them on the stovetop.