date-butter overnight oats.
a quick, sweet butter made with soaked medjool dates and vanilla makes the perfect addition to this easy and filling breakfast recipe.
Makes: 2 Prep time: 10 minutes Inactive Cook Time: 8 hours
I was recently assigned an overnight oats recipe over at Heath Digest, which sent me on a spiral of oatmeal-testing. The recipe on Digest is a simple, delicious maple-cinnamon, which can admittedly be hard to beat. Topped with bananas, yogurt, almonds, and chocolate? It’s a classic.
In my quest to make the perfect creamy overnight oats, I brainstormed new flavors and ideas to try. Berries.. jams.. there are endless possibilities. I was super excited to try out a persimmon jam oat (sounds good, right?) but was deflated to find persimmons were way out of season (and that the persimmon in my fridge is probably not good anymore).
Without much of a backup plan, I scanned the produce aisles for inspiration. Turns out, the stores are brimming with dried dates, which I have to assume is the result of fresh dates being just out of season. And lately, I’ve been obsessed with dried dates.
They look a lot like raisins, right? I think that’s what turned me off, but promise: they are so much better (I hate raisins). They have a sweet, kind of cinnamon-y maple-y flavor that pairs really well with bacon, nuts, vanilla, and chocolate. Evan and I ate a few and determined they were “what raisins wish they could be”.
So, no persimmon jam, but date butter was the move. It’s super easy to make, provided you have a blender. Simply soak, blend, and voila- creamy date spread. More on that below.
The toppings are up to you, but I loved this mixture of citrus, vanilla, and mint. It’s perfectly early-spring. And that vanilla creme fraiche- you have to try it. Vermont Creamery sent me a sample and I didn’t know what to expect- let me tell you, I did not expect creamy ice cream yogurt. It’s divine.
More on ingredient specifics, substitutions and pairings below. Enjoy!
date butter overnight oats ingredients
medjool dates: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fresh date, to be honest. I am hesitantly positive that they don’t make it to the midwest (to be honest, I don’t really seek them out, either). In this recipe, we are using dried medjool dates, which are common in any grocery store, especially around March when the last of the fresh dates are dried for selling. They are a little pricey, but you only need 10 for this recipe- so if you can find them by the pound, that may help cut down the costs. If you’re looking for substitutions- I wouldn’t recommend it, since this recipe is made for dates, but you can always use the base and add other flavors instead, such as maple, peanut butter, or chocolate.
oats: You want to use old fashioned, steel cut oats here- they’re the oats that come in those big cylinders. You can also find gluten-free oats in the same area of the grocery store. Usually gluten-free oats are sold in bags and labelled specifically as gluten-free.
milk: Any milk works here. I used oat milk, I love how creamy and thick it is compared to other milk alternatives. Feel free to use oat, coconut, or almond milk.
vanilla greek yogurt: You certainly don’t have to use vanilla or greek yogurt- you can use plain, or just regular yogurt, too. It’s very flexible! Vanilla greek yogurt is going to add a light sweetness and a slight tang that I really prefer with the dates. Feel free to use any flavor you love.
cinnamon: A little bit of cinnamon goes a long way here! You can also add a cinnamon stick, since we are essentially “steeping” the flavors. You can also swap in allspice, nutmeg, or cloves if you want more warm spice.
crème fraîche: Sort of like yogurt with a slightly sour taste. The vanilla version I used tastes like vanilla bean ice cream and is delicious in this oatmeal, but vanilla yogurt would have a very similar effect! I find creme fraiche to be just slightly punchier, which really stands out against the creamy oats.
citrus: I added blood orange and naval orange slices here, which both pair beautifully with dates. I also love citrus and mint! You could add melon, or swap in peaches or berries.
pecans: Pecans are a little sweet with kind of a nice caramel flavor about them. They pair well with other richly sweet flavors like dates and vanilla. You can swap in walnuts or pistachios for a similar flavor.
mint: The perfect spring garnish! It’s very light and subtle, but makes the whole dish so fresh. You could swap in coconut for a similar fresh boost if mint isn’t your thing.
date butter overnight oats pairing options
This is pretty typically served for breakfast, but I actually eat mine as a snack in the afternoon when my sweet tooth craving hits! Either way, here are some pairing options:
coffee, especially with caramel notes
fruit salad
bacon and sausage
pancakes and waffles
earl grey tea latte