Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
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For a no fuss, make-ahead breakfast, try Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats! It’s a go-to for busy mornings when you want your family to eat a nourishing breakfast.
Why This Recipe is a Favorite
This is a make ahead breakfast that’ll keep you full without weighing you down! It’s made with wholesome ingredients like rolled oats, chia seeds, apples, and almond milk, then sweetened with all-natural maple syrup.
The health benefits of oats include fiber, carbohydrates, and important vitamins and minerals like manganese, magnesium, and vitamin B1.
So you can feel good about every single delicious bite. Basically, every bite tastes like an apple crumble tart, except this is a breakfast treat!
This meal prep oatmeal is meant for busy mornings, when you’re trying to get the family dressed, fed, and off to school.
It’s easy to customize, too. You can serve it warm or cold, and you can add as many toppings as the jar will hold!
Ingredient Notes
- Use eating apples (aka snacking apples), like fuji, gala, Honeycrisp, or ambrosia apples. Baking apples have a softer flesh and tend to become too soggy after soaking in the milk.
- Use old fashioned rolled oats in overnight oats, not quick cooking oats. Quick oats have already been partially cooked and will come out mushy in this recipe!
- Make sure to buy confirmed or certified gluten free oats if you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity!
- I recommend using unsweetened almond milk so that you have complete control over the level of sweetness and can customize it to your tastes.
- Light coconut milk, cow’s milk, or oat milk are great substitutes for almond milk in this recipe, depending on your dietary preferences.
- You may omit all the spices and substitute 1 teaspoon apple pie spice if you have it handy!
- Optional ingredients: Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, or raisins per serving.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
This is a summary of the steps involved. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
- Remove the core and cut the apples into small pieces. Use a knife to dice the apple or a box grater to grate it into tiny shredded pieces.
- Divide the ingredients evenly between two pint-sized mason jars or a container with a lid.
Make it kid friendly: If your kiddo prefers softer textures, microwave the diced apples in a dish with 1 tablespoon of water for 2 minutes. Let it cool a bit before draining the water.
- Stir the ingredients together until all of the oats and other ingredients are covered in milk.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. The chia seeds and oats will absorb the liquid and soften over time.
- Give the oats a stir, then top with any of your favorite toppings and enjoy! You can eat it cold right out of the fridge or warm it in the microwave.
⚡ Want it faster? You don't have to wait overnight! If you simply heat the ingredients once assembled, they'll be ready for eating in under five minutes.
- Microwave one serving at a time, uncovered, for 2 minutes on High.
- Allow the oats to sit for another 2 minutes.
- Stir and eat right away!
If your kids like apples, chocolate covered apple slices are a nice after-school treat!
Storage
Store any leftover cinnamon apple overnight oats in a covered mason jar or other storage container with a lid. The oatmeal will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, per USDA.
Overnight Oats Recipe FAQs
Use 3/4 to 1 cup of liquid for every 1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats. The amount you use should depend on the consistency you enjoy. If you like your oats a little creamier, use more liquid.
You can definitely peel the apple if you want to, but apple skins are full of vitamins and minerals, and I personally enjoy the extra texture, so I leave them unpeeled.
I'd love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 apple (choose a snacking apple like gala, fuji, or honeycrisp)
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Video
Instructions
- Core the apple and peel if desired. Use a sharp knife to dice the apple or a box grater to grate it into small pieces.Optional: If you prefer softened apples, microwave the diced apples in a dish with 1 tablespoon water for 2 minutes, then allow them to cool and drain the water completely.
- Divide the oats, diced apples, chia seeds, spices, almond milk, and maple syrup between two pint-sized mason jars or a large bowl or container. Mix the contents well with a spoon.
- Cover and refrigerate the overnight oats for 6-8 hours. Stir the oats well before serving. You can eat them chilled directly from the fridge or warm them in the microwave.
Notes
- Make it faster: To skip the overnight wait, microwave one serving of oats at a time, uncovered, for 2 minutes on High. Allow the oats to sit for another 2 minutes. Stir and eat right away!
- Optionally, omit all the spices and substitute 1 teaspoon apple pie spice if you have it handy.
- Storing leftovers: Overnight oats should be tightly covered or in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I like apples. Thanks for the apple pie overnight oats recipe. I will definitely try.
Hi John! Thank you for the kind words. Once you try it, please come back and let us know what you think of it! 🙂 -Laura