24 Oats Overnight Flavors, Ranked

Everyone's heard of overnight oats by now, and what once seemed to be an ingenious invention is somewhat old news today. That's not to say overnight oats are out; rather, they've become a breakfast staple, and many companies are cashing in on their established reputation as a healthy, filling, easy breakfast option. For example, MUSH has a selection of ready-to-eat overnight oats that I generally enjoy. I noticed another company getting a lot of buzz on socials and figured it couldn't hurt to add a second overnight oats taste test to my repertoire: Oats Overnight. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't test all of the flavors in Oats Overnight's lineup — the company has over 30 different oats options to choose from, which seems great on the surface but made me a little skeptical as to their quality. Well (spoiler alert), all were really, really good, making this one of the most difficult rankings I've done to date. Even the flavors at the bottom of this list are impossible to call bad. I ended up basing my ranking on personal flavor preferences as well as how true the oats were to their names. You can learn more about how I selected the flavors to try as well as other ranking criteria at the end of this piece. 

You know a brand is good when I can't bash on my bottom contender, and Oats Overnight's Blueberry Cobbler is the perfect example of that. This packet features blueberries, chia seeds, and protein, and blueberry superfans will probably enjoy it. It wasn't my favorite among the selections for a few reasons — though the blueberry flavor came through clearly, I felt it wasn't very well-balanced, and it had an overall tartness that I didn't enjoy. It would be balanced out by some lemon and a tad bit of agave. Still, it's really not bad. 

I enjoyed Strawberries & Cream marginally more than Blueberry Cobbler, but it still wasn't among my top-ranked Oats Overnight flavors. You'll start to notice a common theme — most berry packets got lower rankings, and even now I can't totally identify why. This one gave off a heavy strawberry Pop-Tart character that was both nostalgic and slightly unwelcome. I didn't love being reminded of a less-than-healthy, cheap childhood breakfast when indulging in something supposedly more upscale. But maybe that's just me; if you want an oatmeal-ified version of the toaster pastry, this will fit the bill. 

Another blueberry flavor is sitting at the bottom of this ranking, and I'm guessing that I just didn't have an affinity for the dried blueberries the company uses. This had the opposite problem of the aforementioned blueberry flavor in that it was too sweet for my liking (undoubtedly due to the glazed component). I'll take that over a tart offering, though, and at least it didn't give the unwelcome nostalgia of the previous pick. This one kind of tasted like a protein bar in oatmeal form, and it genuinely wasn't bad, but I'd have preferred it as a protein bar. 

Mixed Berries & Cream rounds out my bottoming berry picks in this lineup, and again, something about the berry flavor here just wasn't doing it for me. Maybe I just don't like dried berries in general? However, I liked the warmth that the sweet cream brought into the equation, and the berry flavors were definitely there. Because I have mixed berries in my morning oatmeal every day, it may be that this just didn't match the taste of what I am used to. Still, I liked it more than the previous berry picks and felt it had a better sweet-tart balance. 

The only reason Cookie Butter didn't rank higher is because it was a little too sweet for my liking. If you want a sweet overnight oats option, this will probably fit the bill, and I'll add that it was only sweet comparatively speaking — had I tried this flavor in isolation, I probably wouldn't have found it to be very sweet at all. The browned butter flavor comes through pretty strongly and adds some nice warmth to the oats. From here on out, the list was extremely difficult to order, and my distinctions were mostly based on minutiae; this was just a bit sweeter than I prefer. 

Peach Upside Down Cake is the first flavor I'll mention where being true to its name played a significant role in its ranking. As a huge fan of anything peach, I really wanted to love this one; sadly, despite containing chunks of peaches, it just didn't deliver the punchiness I hoped for. What I tasted was delicious but too subtle to merit a higher spot, especially given that some of the fruit-forward flavors higher up on this list really wowed me. I was only disappointed in this one for that reason, but it was still a tasty oats option that I couldn't bear to rank any lower. 

Another Oats Overnight flavor that doesn't entirely deliver is Cookies & Cream. Don't get me wrong; I finished the whole cup, but I wouldn't have identified it as being cookies-and-cream-flavored if the company hadn't told me that was what it was going for. Still, it was very chocolatey and slightly warming by hints of vanilla, but it didn't remind me of Oreos (the flavor I expected) in the slightest. Because the smallest details ended up making a huge difference in this piece, I couldn't rank this higher than 18th spot, though I still thought it was quite good. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, on the other hand, absolutely lived up to its name. I'd have easily identified this as such even in a blind taste test. Mini chocolate chips make a few appearances in Oats Overnight flavors, and I always appreciate the slight crunch they give; this was no exception. The result is a rich, indulgent cup that oat fans with a sweet tooth will adore. I, however, found this cup to be a little too sweet for my liking, even though I still found it good and very true to what it claimed to offer. 

I expected to absolutely love Iced Lemon Loaf, because lemony desserts are my favorite — I think that made me pickier toward this selection than the average consumer might be. It fully delivered on flavor, with punchy lemon and a sweet (but not too sweet) icing appeal coming through, but it also tasted slightly bitter, like lemon rind. Had this bitterness been muted this would have probably made my top 10; as it stands, it's sitting at a solid number 16. 

S'mores got so, so incredibly close to delivering the full package. It smelled like s'mores upon opening, and this nostalgic appeal (unlike the aforementioned strawberry Pop-Tarts one) really excited me. Tasting it wasn't a disappointing experience; actually, it was quite good, and marshmallows and chocolate came through clearly. But my favorite part of the s'more was wholly missing. Where was the graham cracker? I couldn't identify any essence of graham cracker here, and even though I finished the whole thing, I wished it had gone just a step further to give the whole campfire experience. 

I was very skeptical of Carrot Cake oats, mostly because the packet contained chunks of carrots. The result was, well, less than visually appealing (though it smelled great) — wet orange carrot pieces don't lend the best look to a dish, and they did play a role in why it didn't get higher ranking. Once I got past its looks, it was quite good, and the carrot cake flavor came through clearly. I didn't like stumbling upon a carrot chunk because it distracted from the whole experience; had they been omitted, this may have made my top five. 

Yes, I'd wholeheartedly eat Salted Toffee again, but at the end of the day I don't know if I could identify it as being a toffee flavor. It didn't taste very buttery, and if I were tasting it blind, I'd probably have guessed it was salted maple. Alas, that's the only reason it gets the 13th spot here; it was still quite good, and I particularly loved the hints of Himalayan pink salt. If some of the buttery appeal of the Cookie Butter flavor had been injected into this cup, it would have wholly delivered. 

And now we really get into the weeds — I wholly adored the rest of the selection on this list, and my rankings from here on out really just depend on how much each flavor impressed me. Unfortunately, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip seems like a relatively easy flavor to pull off, which isn't a bad thing but did cement this as a 12th place pick. Again, I loved the crunch from the mini chocolate chips here, and peanut butter clearly came through as well. For being an easy flavor to pull off, though, I could have used more peanut flavor. 

There are a couple caffeinated selections in Oats Overnight's repertoire, and the first we'll talk about is Caramel Cold Brew. Now, were my ranking based solely on personal preferences, this would probably be a bit higher on the list; unfortunately, I couldn't justify giving this a top 10 spot because I didn't really get any caramel appeal from the oats. For me, an unsweetened black coffee lover, I preferred it this way, but if you buy it expecting something sweet, you may be disappointed. Don't let that be a reason to keep it out of your cart, though. 

I was really excited to try Green Apple Cinnamon; as an ardent fan of everything autumnal, I naturally gravitate toward apple cinnamon in any iteration, and this was no exception. It certainly delivered — both apple and cinnamon notes were present in equal measure, and it did have that delightful fall appeal I had hoped for. Alas, it was slightly too sweet, which I didn't think was necessary here. I can understand why the company made this variety one of its sweeter selections, and I don't necessarily disagree, but I'd have preferred some of the tartness of green apples to come through, or just to use a sweeter apple in general. 

I feel compelled to warn consumers that if you're nutmeg-averse, this may not be your flavor — it's very heavy on the spice. As someone who adores nutmeg, I loved it. Cinnamon was also a star, and the combo of the two did give a distinct French toast flavor, though I don't know if I'd have identified it as such without the package. I also don't know what the company could have done to improve on it (find a way to make it more eggy, perhaps?). Overall, this was an impressive packet that delivered on flavor and was yummy to boot, easily earning it a spot in the top 10. Had the nutmeg been slightly subtler, I may have ranked it a few spots higher. 

In terms of being impressive, this was maybe one of the most shockingly accurate flavor descriptions of anything on this list, and I don't know how Oats Overnight pulled it off. I'd have easily and immediately identified this as tasting like Froot Loops in a blind taste test. It had exactly the same mixed fruit flavor that Froot Loops gives off, and it had those toasty cereal qualities as well. Hats off to Oats Overnight on this flavor; it wasn't my favorite, but it was definitely good, and a very impressive feat. 

There's a reason Oats Overnight called this one Pumpkin Pie instead of pumpkin spice. While all your classic pumpkin spice flavors come through, it's also clear that the company used real pumpkin in this creation — this flavor is immediately apparent and well-balanced by the spice blend. I loved this, which is saying something, as I (shockingly) tend not to be a fan of pumpkin pie. Apparently, an overnight oat-ified version of the dessert hits differently with me. Was it my favorite? No. Would I indulge again? Absolutely. 

I was on the fence about Coconut Cream Pie (before I tried it, that is) — it seemed like it could be very hit-or-miss, and I knew the company would have to pull out all the stops to impress me with this one. Pull out the stops it did, because I was floored that there were no actual coconut flakes in this oatmeal. I could have sworn I felt the texture. Moreover, the coconut flavor only comes from coconut oil powder, but it still manages to dominate the cup in the best way. I loved the warmth of this flavor, and it wholly impressed me with its tropical appeal, though it still couldn't beat the following few offerings. 

Perhaps I found Maple Pancakes to be particularly endearing because it's also a breakfast food — so, in a way, this Oats Overnight offering felt kind of like a two-in-one treat. If you've ever wanted pancakes without the work (and with a whopping 20 grams of protein), this is your ideal breakfast, and it was impressive enough to make the top five picks here. I liked the richness molasses lent to the flavor, and it wasn't overly sweet. Moreover, this is very amenable to mix-ins, and I'd recommend adding whatever you'd normally top your pancakes with — chocolate chips, sliced bananas, and even some pistachio cream would all be good options. 

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt was sitting in number three for a second; then, I realized the following was a slightly more impressive feat, so I knocked this down a peg. Still, I wholeheartedly recommend it, especially to chocolate fans. Chocolate chips added more fun crunch to this decadent cup, but what really sold me on it was its salted element — it added a gentle savory appeal that benefited this rich, dark oatmeal. The only consumer who wouldn't like this would be the one averse to dark chocolate. If you don't fall in that camp, give this a go.

Unfortunately for the aforementioned Peach Upside Down Cake, Mango Custard blew it out of the water as the other fruit-centric flavor in Oats Overnight's lineup. I was surprised it only got number three, actually, but the next two offerings were well-deserving of their spots. This had an intense, bright mango flavor, made complete with small and tangy mango chunks that were delightful to happen upon. Adding vanilla was wise, as it brought some warmth to an already impressive oatmeal. The flavor balance was great here and, as a general fan of mangoes, I was wholly satisfied. 

Okay, okay, maybe I'm breaking my own rules here — sure, Cinnamon Roll probably isn't the most impressive feat in this lineup, but it was so darn good that I couldn't possibly give it lower than second place. It fully tastes like a cinnamon roll, complete with a sweet, rich icing. Most surprising to me, it managed not to be saccharine in the slightest. I could eat cups of this without blinking an eye, as I'm sure any cinnamon roll fan could. Actually, maybe keep this out of your next Oats Overnight box if you want to stick to the one-a-day meal idea. 

Lastly, my undisputed favorite of Oats Overnight's flavors was Mocha Dream, and not just because it was as dreamy as its name indicates. This also won me over with its whopping 100 milligrams of caffeine, an always-welcome morning perk in my mind. Moreover, it was absolutely delicious — the coffee flavor was strong and apparent, and the chocolate was present in equal measure to balance it out well. Plus, it's not too sweet in the slightest. I couldn't really get over these oats, and though all of the flavors I tried from Oats Overnight were undoubtedly good, this won my heart with ease. 

In terms of choosing the flavors, those familiar with the company's flavors may notice a particular omission: I didn't get any of the myriad banana oats options available. If you've read any of my taste test articles before you'll know I have a particular lifelong disdain for bananas, so including any here would ultimately have led to an unfair ranking. Of the oats I picked, I ended up ranking them on personal flavor preference as well as how true each was to its name. I didn't take texture into account because each spent different amount of time in the fridge, though I did make sure each sat for at least five hours.

Having said all of the above, I still feel the need to reiterate that overall, I was very impressed by Oats Overnight's range of flavors. I didn't love a few toward the bottom, but I'd easily eat all of them again, and the company may find me as a regular customer sometime soon (though for now I'm pretty partial to my own morning oatmeal recipe). If you've been on the fence about trying the brand, give it a try — it's very unlikely that you'd be disappointed.