Can I use quick oats for overnight oats?

You can, but the texture suffers considerably. Quick oats are rolled thinner and pre-steamed, so they absorb liquid fast and break down into a pasty consistency overnight. Old-fashioned rolled oats hydrate while keeping their structure, which is what gives overnight oats their chew.

How long do pumpkin overnight oats last?

Four days in a sealed jar in the fridge, and they're arguably best on the second day once the oats and chia have fully hydrated. They keep thickening as they sit, so stir in a splash of milk before eating if they've become too dense.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of purée?

It's better not to. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, often heavily, so using it makes the finished oats cloying and throws off the maple and spice quantities in the recipe. Plain pumpkin purée is a single ingredient and lets you control the rest.

How do I add more protein?

A scoop of vanilla or unflavoured protein powder whisked into the wet ingredients takes this from 26g to roughly 35g per serving. Add an extra two to three tablespoons of milk to compensate, since protein powder absorbs liquid and will otherwise make the oats stiff.

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Pumpkin overnight oats

By Ami · September 15, 2026 · ★★★★★ 4.8 from 204 reviews · Jump to Recipe · Print

Pumpkin overnight oats take five minutes at night and give you a genuinely good breakfast in the morning — real pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt for protein, warm spice and a little maple. 26g of protein, and you can line up five jars on a Sunday.

Pumpkin overnight oats in a glass jar layered with creamy spiced pumpkin oats, Greek yogurt, pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup, 26g protein quick breakfast

Five minutes tonight, 26g of protein tomorrow.

Greek yogurt is what makes it a real breakfast. Oats and milk alone give you about 10g of protein. Adding Greek yogurt more than doubles it and makes the texture thick and pudding-like rather than loose.
Real pumpkin purée, not spice alone. Half a cup of actual purée brings fiber, vitamin A and moisture. Pumpkin pie spice with no pumpkin is just a scented oat jar.
Five jars on a Sunday and breakfast is solved. They hold four days and get creamier. Same logic as high protein overnight oats, with the seasonal upgrade.

Here's what you'll need.

Rolled oats only — quick oats turn to paste overnight and steel-cut never soften at all. Buy pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-sweetened and heavily spiced. Chia seeds are doing structural work here, thickening the mixture so it sets rather than staying soupy, so don't skip them.

Overhead flat-lay of ingredients for pumpkin overnight oats in small white bowls — rolled oats, pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and pecans

Here's how it all comes together.

Step 1 — Whisk the wet ingredients

In a bowl or straight in a jar, whisk the pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup and vanilla until completely smooth. Getting the purée fully incorporated now means no orange streaks in the morning.

Close-up process photo of pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt and milk being whisked smooth in a glass bowl, cream linen

Step 2 — Add the spices and salt

Stir in the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. The salt is the unglamorous ingredient that makes the maple and spice actually taste of something rather than reading as vaguely sweet.

Close-up process photo of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon being stirred into a smooth pumpkin yogurt mixture

Step 3 — Stir in oats and chia

Add the rolled oats and chia seeds and stir until every oat is coated. Stir thoroughly — dry pockets stay dry overnight and you'll find them in the morning.

Close-up process photo of rolled oats and chia seeds being stirred into a spiced pumpkin yogurt base in a bowl

Step 4 — Divide into jars

Spoon the mixture into jars, filling them about three-quarters full, and tap each one on the counter to settle it. Leaving headroom means you can add toppings without it overflowing.

Close-up process photo of spiced pumpkin oat mixture being spooned into glass jars on a cream linen surface

Step 5 — Rest overnight

Seal the jars and refrigerate at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. The oats and chia need that time to hydrate fully — four hours gives you something noticeably grainy.

Close-up process photo of sealed glass jars of pumpkin overnight oats lined up on a cream linen surface

Step 6 — Top and serve

In the morning, stir once, then add toasted pecans, a spoonful of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple. Adding the nuts fresh keeps them crunchy instead of soft.

Close-up process photo of pumpkin overnight oats topped with toasted pecans, Greek yogurt and a maple drizzle in a glass jar

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

Rolled oats, never quick oats. Quick oats disintegrate into wallpaper paste overnight. Rolled oats hydrate and stay distinct, which is the texture you want.
Pumpkin purée, not pie filling. Pie filling comes pre-sweetened and spiced, so using it throws the whole balance off and makes the result cloying.
Add the nuts in the morning. Anything crunchy stirred in the night before goes soft. Keep toppings separate and add them at the last second.
A pinch of salt is not optional. Without it the spices taste muted and flat. An eighth of a teaspoon per batch makes everything else legible.

Meal prep it, and adjust it.

Four days, and day two is best. They keep getting creamier as the oats fully hydrate. Past four days the texture starts getting heavy and pasty.
Make five jars at once. The recipe scales linearly. One bowl, five jars, twelve minutes on a Sunday evening and weekday breakfasts are done.
Push the protein higher. A scoop of vanilla protein powder with an extra splash of milk takes this past 35g. Check your target on the protein calculator.

Here's what I'd serve with this.

Toasted pecans or walnuts, which is the topping that matters most.
A spoonful of Greek yogurt on top and a little more maple.
Greek yogurt bagels if you want something warm alongside.
Cottage cheese egg bites for a savoury counterpart in the same prep session.
Greek yogurt banana bread sliced and toasted with butter.

Just in case you have leftovers.

Storing: keep sealed jars in the fridge for up to 4 days. They thicken as they sit, so a splash of milk stirred in before eating loosens them back to the texture they had on the first morning.

Reheating: they're designed to be eaten cold, but they warm well — microwave at 70% power for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring halfway. Warm pumpkin oats with pecans on top is a genuinely different and very good breakfast.

More quick breakfast recipes...

High protein overnight oats — 5 minutes and 32g protein

High protein banana baked oatmeal — caramelized banana and walnuts

Cottage cheese protein pancakes — fluffy with 28g protein

Greek yogurt banana bread — moist, high protein, no oil

Pumpkin overnight oats

★★★★★ 4.8 from 204 reviews — pumpkin overnight oats with real pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, chia and warm spice. Five minutes at night, 26g protein, meal preps five jars.

Prep 5 min · Cook 0 min · Total 365 min · Serves 2 · Category: Quick Breakfasts · Cuisine: American

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
3/4 cup thick Greek yogurt
3/4 cup milk of choice
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Instructions

Whisk. Whisk the pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup and vanilla until completely smooth.
Spice. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt.
Oats. Add the rolled oats and chia seeds and stir until every oat is coated.
Jar. Divide between jars, filling about three-quarters full, and tap to settle.
Chill. Seal and refrigerate at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Top. Stir once, then add toasted pecans, a spoonful of yogurt and a drizzle of maple.

Notes: Rolled oats only — quick oats go to paste and steel-cut won't soften. Use pumpkin purée, not pre-sweetened pie filling. Chia seeds thicken the mixture so it sets; don't skip them. The pinch of salt is what makes the spices taste of anything. Add nuts in the morning so they stay crunchy. Keeps 4 days, thickening as it sits — loosen with a splash of milk.

Nutrition (per serving, estimated): 420 calories · 26g protein · 54g carbs · 13g fat · 11g fiber

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FAQ

Can I use quick oats for overnight oats?: You can, but the texture suffers considerably. Quick oats are rolled thinner and pre-steamed, so they absorb liquid fast and break down into a pasty consistency overnight. Old-fashioned rolled oats hydrate while keeping their structure, which is what gives overnight oats their chew.
How long do pumpkin overnight oats last?: Four days in a sealed jar in the fridge, and they're arguably best on the second day once the oats and chia have fully hydrated. They keep thickening as they sit, so stir in a splash of milk before eating if they've become too dense.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of purée?: It's better not to. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, often heavily, so using it makes the finished oats cloying and throws off the maple and spice quantities in the recipe. Plain pumpkin purée is a single ingredient and lets you control the rest.
How do I add more protein?: A scoop of vanilla or unflavoured protein powder whisked into the wet ingredients takes this from 26g to roughly 35g per serving. Add an extra two to three tablespoons of milk to compensate, since protein powder absorbs liquid and will otherwise make the oats stiff.