Wake up to these scrumptious Apple Overnight Oats! This delicious overnight oatmeal recipe takes minutes to make, and it's loaded with amazing fall flavors that you're sure to love!
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It's apple season, and personally, I officially cannot get enough.
While apple picking opportunities are a little sparse here in Dallas, that doesn't mean I can't make all my favorite apple recipes. Crisps, cobblers, cakes ... I'm on it!
These yummy Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats are a new fave! This recipe is loaded with tender apples and tons of warm flavors. Best of all, it's quick and easy to make.
Ready to try this tasty breakfast recipe for yourself? Then keep reading for all the delicious details!
Ingredients
This recipe is simple to make and uses basic ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- Apples - I recommend using a crisp, tart-sweet apple variety for this recipe, although almost any kind will work. Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady are all good options, as are Honey Crisp apples (which is what I used).
- Brown Sugar - Rich brown sugar adds a wonderful caramel flavor to the apple topping.
- Oats - For best results, make sure to use Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats for this recipe. Instant and steel cut oats absorb milk differently, so they won't work as well.
- Milk - Choose your favorite milk. For the creamiest oats, use 2% or whole. Plant based milks also work great, such as almond, oat, or soy (which is what I used).
- Maple Syrup - You'll use maple syrup to naturally sweeten the oats.
- Cinnamon - A dash a cinnamon adds a wonderful warm flavor that pairs perfectly with the fresh apples.
- Vanilla - A little vanilla extract adds another layer of cozy fall flavor.
- Nuts - Nuts adds a wonderful texture to the finished recipe. I used walnuts, but other types will also work.
- Salt - Just a pinch of salt is all that's needed to bring together and enhance all the flavors.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian and gluten free, although if you have an allergy, make sure to use specifically-labeled GF oats to avoid cross-contamination. To make the oats dairy free / vegan as well, use your favorite plant based milk. I prefer soy milk, which is thick, creamy, and has a neutral taste, but almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc. will also work great.
You'll Also Need
To make these refrigerator oats, you'll also need a jar or small bowl with a lid to prepare and store the oats. Mason jars are my favorite, because they have a reusable lid (less waste) and are easy to transport. A used a small jam jar for these photos, but a 12-ounce mason jar or a 16-ounce mason jar (pint jar) will work best for this recipe.
How to Make Apple Overnight Oats
Okay, let's get started! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Prepare the apples. Cut half an apple into a small dice, then combine the chopped fruit with one packed teaspoon of brown sugar (maple syrup would also work). Mix well, then microwave the mixture until tender. Tip: Cooking the apples gives them a slightly softer texture and a more full-bodied flavor. They actually taste a bit like apple pie, which is super delicious! You also won't have to worry about them turning brown in the refrigerator, since they're already cooked.
- Add ingredients to jar. Once the fruit is ready, grab a mason jar. Add your oats, milk, maple syrup, walnuts, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract to the jar, along with half of the apple mixture.
- Stir. Mix all these ingredients together really well, then top them with the remaining apples and more walnuts. You could also add these toppings in the morning if you prefer.
- Refrigerate. Cover your mason jar and refrigerate the oats overnight, or for at least four hours. Tip: The longer you refrigerate the oatmeal, the creamier it will be.
And that's all there is to it ... when you wake up tomorrow, your Apple Overnight Oats will be ready to eat! Don't they look delish?
I usually eat overnight oatmeal cold. However you can warm these oats up in your microwave for a minute or two, if you'd prefer.
Tip: One apple is enough for two servings of oats. So you can make two jars at once, or eat the other half as a snack.
Variations
Now that you've mastered the basic Apple Oats recipe, have fun experimenting. Here are some easy ideas:
- Yogurt - Adding yogurt will make your oats extra creamy. To do so, add ⅓ cup yogurt, and increase the milk to ⅓ cup, as well. If you use Greek yogurt, add an extra tablespoon or two of milk to thin it a bit.
- Chia - If you like chia seeds in your oatmeal, feel free to stir in a tablespoon. These healthy seeds tend to soak up lots of liquid, so you'll also want to increase the milk to ⅔ cup.
- Other Seeds - For extra nutrition, you can also add hemp hearts or flax seeds, too.
- Vegan - To make this recipe vegan, use any non-dairy milk, such as almond milk. I used soy milk for this recipe, and it turned out great. Make sure your sugar is vegan, too.
- Apple Sauce - Don't have fresh apples on hand? Replace them with ½ cup chunky applesauce.
- Apple Juice / Apple Cider - If you want to really amp up the apple flavor, you can replace some or all of the milk with apple juice or cider. Just keep in mind that this is going to make your oats extra sweet, too. I'd recommend cutting out the other sugar in the recipe, or adding it to taste.
- Granola - Want to give your oats some Apple Crisp crunch? Top them with a tablespoon or two of granola ... try this easy Homemade Granola recipe!
Storing the Oats
Overnight Oats are a great make ahead breakfast that's ideal for meal prep. However, apples tend to release lots of liquid as they sit. Because of that, these oats are best eaten within a day or two.
I'd recommend preparing no more than two jars of oats at a time, which is conveniently the amount that one apple makes. If you want to make more, prepare four jars, but leave the apple out of two jars. When the third day rolls around, just make more of the apple topping, then divide it between the two remaining jars.
Related Recipes
If you loved this yummy refrigerator oatmeal, try one of these easy recipes next:
- How to Make Overnight Oats - this master recipe has lots of helpful tips, recipe variations, and topping ideas!
- Yogurt Overnight Oats
- Banana Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Overnight Oats
- Cranberry Orange Overnight Oats
- Raspberry Overnight Oats
- Almond Joy Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Overnight Oats
- Peach Overnight Oats
- Mango Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Overnight Oats
Craving a hot breakfast instead? Then, you'll love this Apple Baked Oatmeal, too!
Apple Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ½ large apple, diced
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, divided
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine apple and brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Microwave apples for one minute, then stir. Cook for another 30 seconds, or until apples are softened and tender. (Mine took 1 ½ minutes total.)
- Add half the apples, along with the oats, milk, half the walnuts, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt, to a mason jar. Mix well.
- Top oats with remaining apples and walnuts. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours, before eating. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
