I actually wake up craving overnight oats now that I use this ingredient.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Learn more.
Sometimes I think my greatest breakfast innovations are born out of improvisation. One time I was out of bananas, so instead I threw half of an avocado into a smoothie to give it some creaminess. Now that’s become part of my standard smoothie recipe—and it’s also a helpful way to use up overripe avocados.
There was one breakfast meal that never quite hit for me, though. I know people swear by overnight oats, but to me they always felt like cold mush. The so-called “hacks” I tried—like adding vanilla extract or cake-flavored protein powder—just fell short. I’d much rather just make hot oatmeal with cinnamon and brown sugar at that point.
Then one day I improvised with something I bought at Costco. Now it’s the only way I prepare overnight oats—and it’s delicious.
What is my hack for perfect overnight oats?
I’m guilty of buying certain items at Costco that languish in my pantry. The three-pack of Tazo Classic Chai Latte is one of them. The liquid is a concentrate that can be blended with any kind of milk and prepared hot or iced. It caught my eye once, and after I finished one of the cartons, I forgot that I had the other two. Which was a bummer, because I absolutely love this latte mix.
I was digging through my pantry looking for meal-prep ingredients when I stumbled upon an unopened container of the chai mix. And that’s when the idea popped into my head: I could make vanilla chai overnight oats!
Here’s How I Make My Overnight Oats
One of the best things about overnight oats is that recipes are pretty forgiving, and you can customize them any way you like. A little extra liquid or fewer oats isn’t going to ruin the dish. I use our overnight oatmeal recipe and make a few swaps:
- Use the Tazo Chai Classic Latte as the liquid.
- Mix in vanilla Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt. (Any kind of yogurt, dairy or nondairy, is fine.)
- Substitute maple syrup for the honey. (This is really up to you, but I love the warmth of maple syrup with oats.)
- Optional: Sprinkle a few dashes of cinnamon on top.
The result is a creamy, sweet and nicely spiced dish. The bonus is that you get a little boost of caffeine from the chai, which makes it ideal for breakfast. This has become such a staple in my house that I’m glad that Costco sells the Tazo Chai Latte in a three-pack. I’m never without a few cartons in my pantry. Except now I don’t forget that it’s in there!
Related:
