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Have you heard of Princess Diana’s supposed favorite breakfast? It’s a refreshing overnight oats recipe made with orange juice, apple, yogurt, and honey. A royal yet simple start to your day! It’s creamy, naturally sweet, and full of texture and flavor.
Wondering who came up with this princess Diana’s overnight oats recipe? According to her former chef Darren McGrady, who shared on his youtube channel, that this overnight oats was one of Princess Diana’s go-to breakfasts, back in the early 1990s. He says she discovered it during a stay at a Swiss health clinic, where she tried Bircher muesli, which is a kind of Swiss oat dish, and loved it so much she asked for that recipe every morning.
Recipe Overview
Recipe Tips
- Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the best flavor.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom if you want a cozy flavor twist.
- Let the oats chill long enough (overnight or at least 4–6 hours) so the oats soften well and flavors meld.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Ingredients needed and notes
Here are the ingredients I used to make these overnight oats. Full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card.
- Oats: Use rolled oats if possible instead of quick oats for a better texture.
- Fresh orange juice and orange zest: Use fresh orange juice instead of bottled orange juice.
- Sweetener: I used raw honey, but agave or maple syrup works.
- Cinnamon: you can swap with cardamom or skip.
- Vanilla extract: for added flavor. If you use vanilla-flavored yogurt, then you don’t need to use vanilla extract.
- Apple of choice: I like Honeycrisp.
- 1 lemon, juice only
- Full-fat Greek yogurt (the thick & creamy kind): You can use vanilla-flavored yogurt or any full-fat dairy-free option.
- Fresh blueberries
- Toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped: You don’t really have to toast it if you’d rather not.
How to make Princess Diana’s Overnight Oats
To a mixing bowl, add the oats, orange juice, orange zest, honey, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, cut the apple and toss it with the lemon juice. You can also just shred the apples if you like.
To a bowl, add the lemon-coated apples, soaked oats, together with the yogurt, blueberries, and walnuts.
Mix well to combine. Transfer into jars or jugs and serve. You can store the overnight oats in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Common question
Yes. You can use agave in place of honey, and swap the yogurt with a dairy-free option.
Technically, quick oats will work if it’s all you have, even though the texture will be much better with rolled oats.
I do not recommend freezing overnight oats. Once thawed, the ingredients will separate, and the texture and flavor will not be the same.
This overnight oat recipe will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
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