These Cheesecake Overnight Oats with blueberry and lemon are tart, sweet, and creamy all at the same time. It's a healthy, grab-and-go breakfast you can meal prep for those mornings that you're in a rush! Even better, the flavors are totally customizable.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Weekday mornings usually start with me rolling out of bed at like 5:15, stumbling to get ready, feeding the pups and frantically running out the door. Anyone with me? I know you are (especially if you also have kids thrown in the mix).
Well, guess what? These Cheesecake Overnight Oats are the answer to your morning prayers. This recipe is:
- Wholesome & Nutritious. While this recipe for overnight oats might taste like dessert, it's made without any refined sugar and is loaded with whole grains, fruit, nuts, and seeds.
- Simultaneously Light & Filling. Lemon & blueberry has a distinctly warm weather appeal, especially when served chilled. At the same time, this delightful oatmeal parfait is loaded with fiber-filled whole grains, nutrient-dense blueberries, protein-rich chia seeds, and healthy fat from cashews, meaning it's sure to keep you satisfied till lunchtime.
- Quick & Easy. Perfect for meal prep, these luscious cheesecake-flavored oats take just 20 minutes of prep on the weekend. The morning of, just grab a jar and go! PRO TIP: Make a big batch of these Cheesecake Overnight Oats ahead of time and be set for the whole week!
- A Sunshiny Dessert For Breakfast. Citrusy lemon oats layered with blueberry chia jam and a cheesecake-flavored cashew cream? SIGN ME UP.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Don't get scared of the *slightly* longer ingredient list for this blueberry lemon overnight oatmeal. If you have 20 minutes to spare, you'll be able to set yourself up for success throughout the week.
- Lemon Overnight Oats - Aside from old-fashioned rolled oats, everything else you need is listed below.
- Blueberries - Feel free to use either fresh or frozen; they'll both be perfect for the chia jam!
- Maple Syrup - Agave nectar and date syrup are perfectly acceptable substitutes.
- Lemon - You'll want fresh citrus here since we need the zest and the juice. Be sure to wash, zest, and then juice.
- Chia Seeds - Chia seeds act as a perfect thickener for the blueberry jam, plus add a nice boost of fiber and protein.
- Raw Cashews - If nuts are off the menu, simply swap in raw sunflower seeds or sesame seeds.
- Dairy-Free Milk - Any kind will do. I typically use unsweetened almond, soy, or oat milk.
- Vanilla Extract - Vanilla gives off serious cheesecake vibes, so don't skip it. Feel free to swap in vanilla powder or paste instead.
How To Make Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Making this recipe for vegan cheesecake overnight oats is the nicest thing you can do for yourself this weekend. Future you is in for a real treat! Here's how it's done:
Step 1: Make Blueberry Jam. Add blueberries to the pan and cook for about 5-10 mins. Mash them with a fork while they are cooking to break them up. Take the blueberries off the heat and stir in maple syrup, lemon juice, and chia seeds. Let stand until cooled.
Make-Ahead Tip: Extra jam will last about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Step 2: Make Cream Cheese Topping. Add all cream cheese ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Extra topping will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
Step 3: Make Lemon Overnight Oats. NOTE: This recipe for overnight oats is scalable. If you wish to make multiple jars for meal prep, simply increase the number of servings you wish using the sliding tool on the recipe card for the lemon oats.
Step 4: Assemble. Layer half of the lemon oats, then some blueberry jam, then the rest of the lemon oats and top with some of the cream cheese topping. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours). Top with fresh blueberries when ready to eat, if desired.
Optional Variations
While I'm vibing on the bright, sunshiny flavors of these blueberry lemon-flavored vegan cheesecake overnight oats, there's LOTS of room for customization. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Raspberry Almond Cheesecake - Add a ½ teaspoon almond extract to the lemon overnight oats and swap in raspberries for the blueberry chia jam. Layer with the cheesecake cashew cream. Top with some toasted slivered almonds if you like.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake - Use a base of my peanut butter chocolate overnight oats, then layer with the cheesecake cashew cream. Feel free to add your favorite flavor of chia jam for some PB&J-meets-dessert vibes.
- Strawberry (Or ANY Berry) Cheesecake - Swap chopped strawberries (or any berry, for that matter!) for blueberries in the recipe below.
- Key Lime Cheesecake - Use coconut milk for the oats and swap in lime for lemon. If desired, you can also use raw macadamia nuts for the cheesecake cream layer. Instead of jam, use Vegan Vanilla Granola (GF) as your third layer. YUM!
Expert Tips
Making these cheesecake overnight oats is a snap, but I have a few words of wisdom for you:
- 8-oz Mason jars are the ideal vessel for portioning out and layering these overnight oatmeal parfaits. They're easy to stack in the fridge and are leak-proof for a happy commute.
- Invest in a high-speed blender ~or~ be prepared to soak your cashews longer. A heavy-duty blender like a Vitamix will make short work of the cashew cheesecake cream in a way less powerful blenders just can't. Don't worry, you can still achieve silky-smooth consistency. Just be sure to soak your cashews for a minimum of 4 hours for the best results.
- If you have leftover jam, it tastes great on toast, breakfast polenta, or on any other sweet breakfasts.
FAQs
Nope! These vegan cheesecake overnight oats rely on a cheesecake flavored cashew cream that I layer between lemony oats and blueberry chia jam. NOM.
Honestly, the only kind I suggest using are old-fashioned (a.k.a. rolled) oats. If you are gluten-free, I also suggest you get a certified gluten-free brand, as many companies process their oats in facilities that also process wheat.
More Sweet Treats For Breakfast
If you make this recipe and LOVE IT, please give it 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
📖 Recipe
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 Serving Lemon Overnight Oats See notes
Blueberry Jam (makes about ¾ of a cup)
- 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
- ½ Tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
Cream Cheese Topping (makes about ¾ of a cup)
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked for a few hours
- ¼ cup dairy-free milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
To Make Blueberry Jam
- Add blueberries to pan and cook for about 5-10 mins. Mash them with a fork while they are cooking to break them up.
- Take the blueberries off the heat and stir in maple syrup, lemon juice, and chia seeds.
- Let stand until cooled. Extra jam will last about 2 weeks in the fridge.
To Make Cream Cheese Topping
- Add all cream cheese ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Extra topping will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
To assemble Overnight Oats
- Make Lemon Overnight Oats.
- Layer half of the oats, then some blueberry jam, then the rest of the lemon oats and top with some of the cream cheese topping.
- Refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).
- Top with fresh blueberries when ready to eat if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional information data is computer generated and only an estimate so it should be used only as a guide.
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Like my Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Overnight Oats recipe? It would be so wonderful if you could give it some love by sharing!
Mary Ellen Valverde MS, CNS, LDN is a Licensed Nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist who empowers vegans to feel clear and confident about what is uniquely nourishing to them. Mary Ellen's recipes and nutrition information have been featured on Yahoo News, Parade, VegNews, LIVESTRONG, Dr. Axe, Greatist, LIVEKINDLY, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more.
MissM says
Could you use cream cheese as a topping instead of the nuts?
Mary Ellen Valverde | VNutrition says
Hi, I don't think I'd use cream cheese as it might be a little stiff and not as flavorful as the cashew cream. You could try mixing some cream cheese with a little non-dairy milk and a tiny bit of sweetener maybe. Or you could use some dairy-free vanilla yogurt which is a difference texture but still would probably be creamy enough.
Crystle says
Can I replace the cashew with something else to make this low fodmap?
Mary Ellen says
Hi Crystle! Macadamia nuts are very creamy and low fodmap so those might be a good replacement. I haven't tried it myself so I can't say exactly how it would be but if you try it, let me know what you think!
Deborah Smikle-Davis says
Hi Mary Ellen,
Your blueberry lemon cheesecake overnight oats is one of the most creative, delectable, mouthwatering breakfast creations I have seen. I can't wait to make this and sink my spoon into a mason jar full of deliciousness!
Vicki says
This looks amazing!!
Kimmythevegan says
OMG... these are the fanciest overnight oats ever. I can't wait to try this! I make overnight oats every single Tuesday nights as my Wednesdays are nuts - this will definitely help with that. That cream cheese topping though! Damn girl.
frieddandelions says
Yes, overnight oats are a lifesaver for early mornings with kids! I make strawberries and cream overnight oats and David calls it "strawberry pudding." Hooray!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I love how this builds upon another recipe. Such a great flavor combination!
kateringforveggies says
Once again, it looks amazing! My overnight oats always look like a big mixture of mud. haha
I will try this one over the weekend and see if I can make it look half as nice as yours. 🙂
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
Yum, this sounds like a perfect weekend breakfast for me or dessert. Thanks!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Ohhh I have a deep running love affair with cheesecake... and you just made it vegan AND a healthy breakfast??!! Genius!
Dianne says
I love having breakfast waiting for me in the morning – especially when it's cheesecake!
Strength and Sunshine says
Loving the cashew cream topping! I haven't made overnight oats in a long time!
Jenn says
What a beautiful breakfast! Perfect for spring/summer and all those fresh berries.
Mary Ellen says
Thanks Jenn! I'm finally getting into the spring feel so I thought this would be appropriate!
shaheen says
Cheesecake with lemon and blueberries for breakfast, even better. I want to take this into work tomorrow, I start at 7am, be happy to eat this at my desk.
Mary Ellen says
Thanks so much Shaheen! I brought this into work last week and it was a fun way to start the day. 🙂
Becky Striepe says
Cheesecake for breakfast? Don't mind if I do! This looks super delicious.
Mary Ellen says
Haha, I know, it sounds so naughty - kind of what I like about it! Thanks Becky!