Princess Diana Overnight Oats
on Sep 20, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Princess Diana’s former personal chef Darren McGrady shared her recipe for overnights oats, and now The People’s Princess 👸 is setting trends once again! In the early 90’s, when Princess Di was looking her best (around the time she absolutely SLAYED 🫰 the iconic black revenge dress!), she ate these oats for breakfast every day. After discovering the meal at a Swiss health clinic, Diana brought the recipe back to her chef at Kensington Palace, asking him to make it her go-to breakfast. The recipe was so good that he doubled the batch each morning – one for the princess 👸 and one for the chef 👨🍳. Not only is this recipe iconic, it’s also nutritious. And the flavor? It’s absolutely next-level – truly a meal fit for royalty ❤️.
Key Takeaways
- Princess Diana Overnight Oats feature rolled oats soaked in fresh-squeezed orange juice, Greek yogurt, and grated apples for a nutritious breakfast.
- The recipe combines flavors of cinnamon, honey, and fresh blueberries that’s fit for royalty.
- You can customize the oats using different juices or toppings like nuts and spices.
- For best results, prepare oats overnight and add toppings just before serving to maintain texture.
- This dish pairs well with fresh fruit, coffee, or savory breakfast items for a complete meal.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Princess Diana Overnight Oats
Rolled oats are steeped overnight in fresh-squeezed orange juice 🍊, then mixed with Greek yogurt to form a fresh, creamy base reminiscent of an Orange Creamsicle. Then, grated apples 🍎 are mixed in with the oats, lending a naturally sweet flavor and slight bite to the dish. A dash of cinnamon adds warmth, while a drizzle of honey 🍯 transforms the flavor with sweet, caramel notes. The dish is topped with fresh jumbo blueberries and toasted walnuts for a healthy dose of antioxidants and omega-3s, helping you stay full and focused throughout the day.
Ingredients
🌾 Oats: I recommend using rolled or old fashioned oats, but you could also use steel cut oats. Steer clear of instant oats – they’ll turn out too mushy.
🍊 Orange juice: Fresh-squeezed orange juice makes this recipe special. Use your favorite variety of citrus: naval, blood orange, clementine, or even grapefruit.
⚪️ Plain yogurt: When the creaminess of the yogurt is combined with citrusy sweet orange juice, it makes the oats taste like an orange creamsicle. Plus, it adds protein!
🍯 Honey: A drizzle of local honey adds sweet, caramel notes and doubles as immune system support.
🍋 Lemon: A squeeze of lemon keeps the whole dish light and refreshing and keeps the grated apples from browning.
🌿 Cinnamon: Cozy, warm and comforting, cinnamon balances the tartness of the citrus while also enhancing the sweetness of the honey and apple.
🍎 Apple: In addition to added fiber, grated apple gives the oats natural sweetness and a subtle bite.
🫐 Toppings: Fresh jumbo blueberries and toasted walnuts add a burst of juicy fruit and a nutritious crunch to your oats.
Nonna’s Tip 🫐
Prep your overnight oats in individual jars and add the toppings just before serving to preserve the texture of the blueberries and the crunch of the walnuts.
Variations and Substitutions for Princess Diana Overnight Oats
- Instead of soaking your oats in orange juice 🍊, feel free to soak them in your favorite citrus like fresh-squeezed clementine, blood orange, or grapefruit juice.
- Swap walnuts for pecans, almonds, or macadamia nuts. Nut-free? Top your overnight oats with pumpkin seeds for a healthy crunch.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon for warmth.
- Do you have fresh pears 🍐 on hand? They’re a yummy swap for grated apples.
- Switch plain yogurt with vanilla or coconut yogurt for extra flavor.
- Add a drizzle of honey 🍯 or chopped dates for a hint of sweetness.
Tips For Success
- Use Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: This is really key! Bottled juice can be too sweet or bitter. Fresh juice gives the oats a bright, clean flavor.
- Soak The Oats For Long Enough: Let the oats sit at least 4 hours, but overnight is best for the creamiest texture.
- Grate The Apple Fresh: Mix in the grated apple just before serving so it keeps its bite and doesn’t get mushy.
- Balance The Flavors: Taste before serving. If it’s too tart, add a touch more honey. If it’s too sweet, a squeeze of lemon will do the trick.
- Layer Just Before Serving: Most overnight oat recipes call for mixing everything together (except the toppings) and chilling overnight. For this version, it’s best to soak just the oats and orange juice, then stir in the remaining ingredients right before serving.
Best Served With
- Fresh fruit like jumbo blueberries 🫐, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries🍓.
- A warm breakfast coffee ☕️ like this Banana Milk Latte (Viral) or a Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe.
- Simple and savory breakfast favorites like a French Omelette or Oven Cooked Bacon 🥓.
- A slice of high-protein Grated Egg Avocado Toast 🥑.
Similar Recipes
Tiramisu Overnight Oats
4 hrs 10 mins
Strawberry Overnight Oats
4 hrs 5 mins
Steel Cut Overnight Oatmeal
8 hrs 5 mins
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
5 mins
Common Questions
Of course, if you’re dairy-free you can swap plain yogurt with your favorite plant based yogurt or milk.
While generally enjoyed cold, you can absolutely eat them warm! Pop them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds and enjoy a cozy breakfast.
Rolled oats need to soak for at least 4 hours, and you can expect to add on even more time for steel cut oats. It’s best to let them soak ‘overnight’ or for at least 8 hours to soften the texture and absorb all the wonderful flavors.
Overnight oats will last up to 4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.
Of course! From berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) to nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds) the options are endless. You can even add a sprinkle of cinnamon to make them extra cozy.
Princess Diana Overnight Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats, quick cooking
- 1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup plain yogurt, I used 0%
- 2 teaspoons honey, to taste
- ¼ lemon (juiced), to taste
- 1 pinch cinnamon, to taste
- 1 grated apple, small
- ½ cup blueberries, to taste
Instructions
- Add the oats to a bowl and pour in the orange juice.
- Mix well, making sure all the oats are saturated.
- Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best for the perfect texture.
- Take the oats out of the fridge, uncover, and add in the yogurt, honey, cinnamon and lemon juice.
- Stir in the grated apple and fresh blueberries.
- Make sure everything is well integrated.
- Scoop into individual cups or jars and top with fresh blueberries, walnuts and cinnamon, or any topping of your choice.
Notes
- Use fresh-squeezed citrus (orange, clementine, blood orange, grapefruit) for the best flavor
- Soak oats in juice for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight
- Grate apple fresh in the morning to keep it crisp
- Stir in yogurt, fruit, and toppings just before serving to preserve texture
- Balance flavors: add honey if too tart, lemon if too sweet
- Swap-ins: pears for apples, pecans/almonds/macadamias for walnuts, or pumpkin seeds for nut-free
- Try vanilla or coconut yogurt for extra flavor
- Garnish with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey or chopped dates for sweetness
- Prep in individual jars for easy grab-and-go breakfasts
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing! I was worried about the orange juice, but it turned out so good!