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The spoon leaves a slow track through the jar, and the oats look more like a creamy breakfast than a bowl of plain cereal. That’s the point where I know these banana pudding overnight oats are ready: the banana has settled into the base, and the oats have softened without disappearing. A ripe banana and vanilla pudding mix bring the familiar flavor, while Greek yogurt makes each bite feel pleasantly substantial.

I stir everything together before it goes into the fridge, rather than preparing pudding separately or cooking the oats. That gives the chia seeds and oats time to thicken the same mixture together. The crushed vanilla wafers go on at the end, so they keep their crisp edges against the cool, creamy oats. It’s a simple breakfast to portion ahead, with a little cookie crunch waiting on top.

Why These Oats Should Still Have a Little Chew

Banana pudding brings to mind a smooth, spoonable dessert, but this breakfast has a different kind of texture. The oats are meant to stay recognizable after chilling. They soften and plump, yet they don’t turn into a completely smooth custard. That gentle chew is what makes a bowl of overnight oats feel like breakfast rather than a cup of pudding.

It helps to think of the pudding flavor as part of the oat mixture, not a reason to blend it into a dessert-like puree. Stir the ingredients together and let the cold rest do its work. The banana makes the base creamy, while the oats keep the finished texture grounded. If you expect a perfectly smooth result, the visible oats might look under-mixed; they’re not. Evenly combined is the goal, not uniform like a blender would make it.

This balance is also why the crunchy topping has a purpose beyond decoration. It gives each spoonful a clear contrast with the soft oats, instead of asking the base itself to imitate traditional pudding. The finished bowl should feel creamy, cool, and distinctly oat-based.

What Gives Banana Pudding Oats Their Creamy, Vanilla-Forward Base

• Old-fashioned rolled oats — These hold their shape as they soften, giving the mixture its familiar hearty texture. Choose a fresh package; the least expensive plain rolled oats work well here. Quick oats soften more and make a less distinct, softer base.
• Milk — Milk loosens the mixture so the oats can hydrate. Whole milk gives a richer result, while lower-fat milk works too. Unsweetened plant milk can replace the dairy milk, though the recipe still contains Greek yogurt.
• Plain Greek yogurt — Its thick consistency gives the oats a fuller, tangier base than milk alone. Plain is useful here because it lets the banana and vanilla come through without adding another flavor. Regular plain yogurt is thinner and will make the mixture looser.
• Ripe banana — A ripe banana mashes smoothly and brings a more rounded sweetness than a firm one. Use a banana that gives easily when pressed; an underripe banana is harder to mash and tastes less sweet in the finished oats.
• Instant vanilla pudding mix — This is the shortcut that gives the mixture its recognizable vanilla-pudding character without cooking a separate pudding. Use instant mix rather than cook-and-serve; the latter is designed to be heated and won’t behave the same in a chilled, no-cook base.
• Chia seeds — They absorb moisture as the mixture rests and help it thicken. Fresh seeds are fine; there’s no need to grind them for this preparation.
• Vanilla extract — It rounds out the vanilla aroma already in the pudding mix. A standard pure or imitation vanilla extract is fine; the other ingredients provide plenty of character.
• Vanilla wafers — Fresh, crisp cookies give the topping its cookie-like crunch. A store brand works just as well as a name brand; choose wafers that still snap cleanly when broken.

Mixing and Chilling the Oats So They Set Evenly

Stir the wet and dry ingredients into one base

In a medium bowl, stir together the rolled oats, milk, Greek yogurt, mashed banana, instant pudding mix, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and salt. Keep stirring until the mixture looks even, with no pockets of dry pudding mix or yogurt. Scrape around the bottom and sides of the bowl as you mix, where powder can hide. The base will look loose at this point; it thickens as it chills.

Portion before the long chill

Divide the mixture between two jars or airtight containers, then cover them. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight so the oats and chia seeds have time to absorb moisture. Don’t judge the consistency immediately after mixing; it hasn’t had its resting time yet. The covered containers also make it easy to keep the portions ready for breakfast.

Stir and finish each serving

When you’re ready to eat, stir the oats through so the thicker mixture at the bottom is evenly distributed. Divide them between two bowls if you’d rather serve them that way, or eat from the jars. Crush the vanilla wafers and add them on top just before serving. You’ll get the best texture when the cookie pieces haven’t had time to soften in the oats.

Two Ways to Change the Texture or Make These Oats Gluten-Free

Questions That Come Up When Making Banana Pudding Overnight Oats

Banana Pudding Overnight Oats

Banana pudding overnight oats combine rolled oats, Greek yogurt, mashed banana, and vanilla pudding mix for a creamy, spoonable breakfast. Chill the mixture for at least 6 hours, then add crushed vanilla wafers just before serving for a crisp topping.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

chilling 6 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 400

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the oats

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1.25 cup milk
• 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 banana ripe, mashed
• 2 tbsp instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

For serving

• 4 vanilla wafers crushed

Equipment

• 2 jars or airtight containers

Method

 

Mix the oats

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, milk, Greek yogurt, mashed banana, pudding mix, chia seeds, vanilla extract and salt until evenly combined.

Chill the oats

1. Divide the mixture between two jars or airtight containers.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Serve

1. Stir the oats.
2. Divide between two bowls if desired.
3. Top with the crushed vanilla wafers just before serving.

Notes

For the crispest topping, keep the vanilla wafers separate until serving. Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because it can change the oats' texture. For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free milk and yogurt and check that the pudding mix is dairy-free.