Want to start your day off with a healthy meal that won’t leave you hungry again before lunch? Well, try our overnight oat groats. Overnight you say? But it’s breakfast, right? That’s the beauty of this recipe. You start it before you go to bed, and in the morning you just heat, eat, and go. Try it with fresh berries, yogurt, honey, or whatever your taste buds tell you sounds good.
Overnight Oat Groats
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Want to start your day off with a healthy meal that won't leave you hungry again before lunch? Well, try our overnight oat groats!
Author: Gluten-Free Prairie
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cups Gluten-Free Prairie Oat Groats
- 1 peeled apple (like gala)
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter (optional)
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- The night before, bring water to a boil on the stovetop in a medium saucepan.
- Add oat groats, cover, and return to a boil for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover with lid, and go to sleep.
- In the morning, heat the overnight oat groats over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until heated through and no water remains.
- Add your peeled apple and cook over low heat until apple softens.
- Add butter (if using), brown sugar, and cinnamon to the groats and stir to combine.
- Microwave Method:
- In the morning, transfer the overnight oat groats to a microwave safe bowl.
- Add your peeled apple, stir, and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
- Add butter (if using), brown sugar, and cinnamon to the groats and stir to combine.

I don’t have a microwave. How long should I cook it on the stove?
Thank you
Hi Susan,
Sorry for the delay. Do you have a rice cooker? That works great. Otherwise – bring to a boil on the stove, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 min. For overnight, simply bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover overnight.
Thanks for the inquiry.
Deb
This is differen instruction than above. When you mean using the rice cooker, should we use it as we would with rice? Leaving it the entire time?
Hi,
Yes we cook the Groats in the rice cooker just like rice. They are so low in starch that leaving them in the rice cooker is fine. They shouldn’t get gooey or sticky like rice. Hope that helps.
Deb
This looks so yummy..Awesome recipe !! Thank you! Very easy to follow instructions!
Overnight Oat Groats , my new favorite! Used your recipe (except did all the cooking in the microwave) & it was delicious! Now am “playing around” changing spices, fruit and liquids. FABULOUS!
Can you just soak Oat groats overnight and eat it the next morning? Or do you have to cook it first?
Hi,
The best way to do that is just to bring them to a boil first, then cover them overnight. They will be soft, a bit crunchy and delicious in the morning. Check out our recipe for “Crazy Breakfast”. It’s our favorite. Thanks,
Deb
Is it possible to make a granola from oat groats by boiling them first and then bake in over after stirring in maple syrup, honey, nuts and seeds etc? Will it be crunchy enough if baked at about 140-150°C for about 30 minutes?
Hi Purvi,
Absolutely. I could them in a rice cooker too. So simple. Then simply add your syrup etc. I think that would work better than baking – as they need a little moisture to soften.
Thanks for your inquiry.
Deb
What is the difference between oat Groats and steel cut oats?
The oat groat is the whole seed of the oat plant. Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been cut. Our unique variety of oat groat is very small and looks and cooks just like rice. It is also raw and sproutable too.
Hope that helps.
Thanks,
Deb
We have been eating overnight oats every morning for 3 years.
We buy our oats in 50 pound bags delivered to the door by Amazon and drag the bag to the pantry.
We use a rice cooker and cook for one hour and just keep them in the pot.
Next morning they are cooked and cooled down. We break up the cooked groats .
We add cut up apples or bananas or whatever and add lime juice from one lime.
Now the good parts.
I am a male over 70.
I lost 40 pounds, groats fill you up .
Hi Tom,
Sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing. And this is how we prepare our groats too. But I’ve never added lime. I’ll try that. Do you buy our Groats?
Deb
I like to soak the Oats overnight. The next morning I blend them in a vitamin with water. Can be eaten raw with cinnamon dates and coconut milk.
Sounds delicious!
I tried the Rice cooker on overnight. The Groats were fine buy the Rice Cooker was a mess! I will cook them for an hour from now on!
Hi Ruth,
How much water did you use? I have never had a boil over with the groats. Please let me know. I use 2 cups water to 1 cup groats and they’re perfect every time.
Also, have you checked out the groat recipes on our website? There are some yummy choices for sure.
I normally use milk to make porridge from quick (rolled) oats. Is it possible to use milk with groats too?
Best,
Mattho
Hi Mattho,
You am sure you can use milk instead of water. However, I would not boil the milk – as we do with water in the Overnight Oat Groats recipe. A slow simmer would be better – as you don’t want to milk to burn. Then turn it off for overnight. Another idea might be to cook the groats in water following the recipe. The next morning the liquid will be completely absorbed and you can add your milk then.
I hope you’ll let me know what you decide and how it turns out.
Thanks,
Deb
Founder Gluten-Free Prairie
I have just had My typical bowl of groats: boiled water ( using your 2-1 ratio) added groats boiled until all absorbed, 15 minutes; added same amount of milk, high simmered for 15 minutes; all absorbed. Added honey and yoghurt. Will be full for 8 hours.
Yum! And Yes, I agree – full for 8 hours! I usually add yogurt, I’ll have to try a little milk and honey.
Thanks for sharing.
Have you tried any of my savory recipes using the Groats? Check out some of the Groat-Sottos on the recipe page. So many ways to use this amazing little seed.
Deb
Fantastic – thank you Deb! I’d bought some oat groats as I know they’re so good for you, but was unsure about how to cook them; I’d tried a slow cooker recipe, but they overcooked and stuck to the basin! Anyway, I’ve just used your recipe for the first time, adding apple and honey. Delicious, and I loved the texture! I’ll be sure to check out some of your savoury recipes too. Many thanks again!
Hi Jen,
Great to hear. I hope you will try some of the savory recipes on the site. But honestly, the groats perform well in any recipe calling for wild or brown rice.
Thanks for sharing,
Deb