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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast/Brunch

    Creamy Lemon Poppy Seed Overnight Oats

    December 20, 2016 By Monika Last Updated January 16, 2025 11 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    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

    • Mocha Overnight Oats
    • Strawberry Overnight Oats
    • Cherry Cocoa Overnight Oats
    • Sweet Potato Overnight Oats without Yogurt

    See also these other healthy, easy breakfasts!

    Recipe

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

    Creamy Lemon Poppy Seed Overnight Oats

    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.
    No ratings yet
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    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: vegan, vegetarian
    Prep Time: 4 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 4 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 277kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Equipment

    • 2 small jars/bowls/glasses

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (85 g) old-fashioned rolled oats jumbo oats
    • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
    • ¾ cup (180 ml) milk any
    • 4 tablespoons lemon yogurt see post for alternatives
    • 3 teaspoons honey/maple syrup or to taste
    • ⅕ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

    Instructions

    • Combine ingredients: Divide the ingredients between 2 glasses/jars/bowls.
    • Chill: Stir thoroughly and refrigerate, covered, overnight.
    • Serve: Stir before serving the following day.

    Notes

    • Use old-fashioned rolled oats/jumbo oats, not instant oats.
    • Adjust the amount of sweetness to your taste.
    • See Ingredients in the post for ways of adding lemon flavour to you oats.
    • Poppy seed lemon overnight oats can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days.
    • Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 336mg | Iron: 3mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!

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    Have you made this poppy seed and lemon overnight oats recipe? I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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    1. FrugalHausfrau says

      December 27, 2016 at 7:17 am

      I love overnight oats & this one looks luscious!

      Mollie

      Reply
      • Monika says

        December 27, 2016 at 8:49 am

        Thanks! I must say I haven't tried too many overnight oats recipes but this one turned out great, the kids loved it and I'll definitely be making more soon:)

        Reply
        • FrugalHausfrau says

          December 27, 2016 at 8:51 am

          🙂

          Reply
    2. Angie | Fiesta Friday says

      December 25, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      Poppy seeds in oats? I haven't tried it but why not? Sounds delightful! I love the crunch you get from the seeds ?

      Reply
      • Monika says

        December 25, 2016 at 3:35 pm

        Thanks Angie! The crunch is still there even after being soaked in milk and yogurt overnight:)

        Reply
    3. Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com says

      December 23, 2016 at 6:21 pm

      I love the idea of overnight oats but I am still yet to make any. I am never quite that organised and my brain doesn't work properly after about 8pm! Your version sounds absolutely fabulous and I love the idea of adding poppy seeds - who knew they were so nutritious? Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x

      Reply
    4. hijackedbytwins says

      December 21, 2016 at 10:40 am

      I love the idea of adding poppy seeds, I often add chia seed but am definitely going to try this one x #CookBlogShare

      Reply
      • Monika says

        December 21, 2016 at 10:44 am

        Thanks Kirsty! I love chia too but poppy seeds have a special flavour that I really love especially around Christmas time:)

        Reply
    5. Mandy Mazliah says

      December 21, 2016 at 10:06 am

      Monika, this looks and sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        December 21, 2016 at 10:46 am

        Thanks Mandy, my eldest son has now got the overnight oats bug and has been experimenting with different flavour combinations:)

        Reply

    Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking.

    Find out more about me →

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