Lemon poppy seed overnight oats are creamy, low in fat and sugar, refreshing and delicious! Nutritious and packed with protein, they make a fantastic breakfast or snack. The post includes a vegan option.

Side view of lemon poppy seed overnight oats in 2 glasses with spoon.

These lemon poppy seed overnight oats make a delicious and healthy breakfast that's high in fibre and protein, but low in sugar. Poppy seeds are a nutritious ingredient (high in magnesium and other minerals and vitamins), easy to use and perfect to incorporate into your overnight oat breakfast.

You can enjoy it vegetarian or vegan, and there are various ways of infusing the poppy seed oats with lemon flavour (see Ingredients and Substitutions below for details).

Lemon poppy seed overnight oats ingredients and substitutions

Top down view of lemon and poppy seed overnight oats ingredients in individual dishes. — Poppy seed and lemon overnight oats ingredients.

Oats: use old-fashioned rolled oats/jumbo oats, not instant oats.
Poppy seeds.
Milk: either regular or plant-based milk (such as almond, soy or oat) are fine to use.
Lemon zest: use an unwaxed lemon (wash and wipe it dry before using).
Yogurt: If you use lemon yogurt add zest of ½ lemon. If using natural yogurt add zest of 1 lemon and a teaspoon of lemon juice. You can also use vegan coconut yogurt instead.
Honey: or maple syrup/agave syrup. Alternatively use lemon curd and omit the lemon zest.
Vanilla: use natural vanilla extract.

Do poppy seeds soften in overnight oats

Yes, they do, but not nearly as much as chia seeds, which soften quite quickly and triple in size when combined with liquids. The poppy seeds in your overnight oats will soak up some of the moisture and become softer but will remain a little grainy (which I quite like).

See my tips for making creamy overnight oats below.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1. Combine ingredients: Divide the ingredients between 2 glasses/jars/bowls.

Side view of poppy seed overnight oats with lemon zest in 2 glasses.

2. Chill: Stir thoroughly and refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Side view of oats and poppy seeds with milk in 2 glasses with spoon.

3. Serve: Stir before serving the following day.

Close-up view of overnight oats with poppy seeds in 2 glasses topped with blueberries.

Serving suggestions

Poppy seed lemon overnight oats are delicious served chilled straight from the fridge. You can enjoy them as they are or top with berries (especially blueberries), roasted nuts and seeds. Try also serving them with warm fruit compote!

How to make sure your overnight oats are creamy

Overnight oats do not become creamy in the same way as oatmeal does (after only a few minutes of cooking). However, your lemon poppy seed overnight oats will still be deliciously rich and creamy if you do the following:

Do not add too much milk, which can make your oat mixture runny. You can always add a little more before serving, if needed.
Use naturally creamy ingredients, such as yogurt (or even a spoonful of cream cheese or ricotta).
Allow the oats sufficient time to absorb the moisture by refrigerating for 8-10 hours. Your overnight oats will become even creamier after 2 days.
As an option you can soak the poppy seeds for 8 hours then drain and crush in a pestle and mortar or puree before combining with the oats (see more tips for using poppy seeds in Polish poppy seed cake as well as wheat berry pudding).

Top tips

Use old-fashioned rolled oats/jumbo oats, not instant oats.
Adjust the amount of sweetness to your preference.
Overnight oats with poppy seeds and lemon can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days.
Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

More overnight oats recipes

See also these other healthy, easy breakfasts!

Recipe