Creamy Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

I love pumpkin. A lot. Maybe quite a bit more than most people in my family I buy canned pumpkin in bulk when I spot a GOOD sale, so I always have a lot of pumpkin puree in the pantry.

Pumpkin has many different uses, from creating cozy morning oatmeal, savory meals like casseroles and soup, to delicious indulgent desserts, and even dog treats for my four pups.

Maybe you have a few extra cans of pure pureed pumpkin in your pantry? This oatmeal recipe is an EXCELLENT way to use it up while creating something that celebrates the season.

There are SO MANY reasons to add pumpkin to your diet – it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that are good for you.

PLUS … it’s low in calories and tastes great.

Here are just a few of pumpkin’s benefits: it’s good for your vision and immune health, and it may even help reduce your risk of cancer!

Pumpkin also protects your heart, lungs, and kidneys, helps battle high blood pressure, and it’s good for your skin.

Eating pumpkin can keep us looking young thanks to beta-carotene that helps protect us from the sun’s wrinkle-causing UV rays = younger-looking skin.

REFERENCES

WebMD

Many of you know my obsession with overnight oats started almost ten years ago right as my kids were hitting the pre-teen and teenage years.

Overnight Oats saved my sanity and our morning routine!

I truly wanted to serve them something nourishing and energy-packed every morning, but dang mornings were often demoralizing with four kids – a few years later that became six kids (2 bonus/step teens).

Having something that was literally ready-to-eat when we woke up + knowing it was packed with carefully chosen ingredients made my life so much easier!

A few of my kids loved them, and a few took longer to come around – but they eventually did!

Yes, we eat these cold, but you *can* heat ’em up on a cold day if you like!

“Soaked” oats save a lot of time in the morning, but they’re also easier to digest than unsoaked oats.

As the oats soak overnight, their digestibility greatly improves, here’s how:

Overnight as they soak, the starches break down which improves digestibility, and the natural phytic acid (which all plants contain) is greatly reduced which makes them more easily absorbed by your body!

Yes. These oats are meant to be eaten cold like pudding.

Pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree often sit in cans or cartons right next to each other on the grocery store shelf.

It can be easy to grab one, thinking it is the other because the two products look very similar.

However, they are *VERY* different products!

Pumpkin Puree (that can also be made at home very easily) should list ONLY Pumpkin on the ingredients label.

Pumpkin pie filling usually has many ingredients, one of which is SUGAR.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Use ANY unsweetened/plain milk of your choice.

My personal favorite for these overnight oats is unsweetened coconut milk or cashew milk.

Any unsweetened nut milk, coconut milk, high-quality grass-fed cow’s milk, or heavy cream all work really well here.

Use what you personally like and have on hand.

The sweetness factor is such a PERSONAL preference, so please consider this when adding in raw honey, or pure maple syrup.

Depending on your taste, you may want a bit more or less.

I often add protein or collagen powder to my overnight oats. If you choose to do this, then your oats may need an extra splash of milk.

Everything You Need To Know About Oats:

What size containers or jars?
8-ounce glass canning jars or 16-ounce glass canning jars both work GREAT for overnight oats.

I often make these in 8 oz mason jars and they are filled all the way to the top.

If you make them 16 oz jars, you’ll have plenty of room to stir everything together before you enjoy.

Here are a few more favorite CFC overnight oats recipes:
Breakfast Prep Four Ways

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Overnight Oat Pie

Meal Prep Bowls

Banana Bread Oats

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree

• 2 Tbsps pure maple syrup or raw honey

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt

• 1/2 cup unsweetened milk of choice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

• 2 tsps chia seeds

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together your Greek yogurt, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, maple syrup or raw honey until well combined.

Stir in your oats, chia seeds, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into a large container with a lid (or 4 separate smaller containers) and place in the fridge (sealed tight) for 6 hours or overnight.

Glass canning jars work really well for this. Once you’re ready to eat, give your oats a good stir.

Garnish with chopped pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or any topping of your choice. Your oatmeal will stay good in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Enjoy!
Rachel

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