Apple cinnamon overnight oats make for a deliciously easy breakfast! Basic overnight oats get an upgrade from a cinnamon apple topping that makes these taste like apple pie in a jar.
Table of Contents
This recipe is…
We are wrapping up our last week of Cook Once meal plans with the ultimate easy meal prep breakfast – overnight oats! If you haven’t tried overnight oats yet, what are you waiting for? These are so easy to throw together on Sunday, portion into individual jars, and eat all week long. You all loved our maple pecan overnight oats last year, so over the next few weeks, we will be bringing you four more flavors to up your overnight oat game!
First up in the series are these apple cinnamon overnight oats. I grew up eating (and loving) apple cinnamon oatmeal, and now that fall is here we couldn’t resist making this classic flavor. What really sets these overnight oats apart is the quick apple compote that goes on the bottom – it’s a quickly-cooked mixture of diced apples, maple syrup, and cinnamon that makes this breakfast taste just like apple pie.
Are Overnight Oats Healthy?
Here at Fed and Fit, we are big advocates of eating a diet filled with the foods that work best for you. That being said, if you find that you can tolerate oats well, we think they make a great easy breakfast option. Oats are whole grains that are packed with fiber and low on the glycemic index. They have great benefits for digestion and have been shown to have a positive impact on metabolism and blood sugar as well. Oats have gotten a bad rap in the past partially because so many commercial oatmeals are loaded with excess sugar. In this recipe, we are keeping it simple with the only added sugar coming from the apple compote.
While oats do pack a conservative amount of protein in each serving, if you’re looking for a more protein-heavy breakfast you can either pair your overnight oats with eggs or sausage or add a scoop of protein powder when assembling your jars.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious overnight oats:
- An apple – For 4 servings of these oats, you’ll need one large diced apple. You can either peel the apple or leave it whole – it’s your preference!
- Pure maple syrup – If you’d like, you can sweeten these oats up a bit with 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla – These spices help infuse the oats with classic apple pie flavor.
- Oats – we like to use rolled oats for our overnight oats. These oats from Bob’s Red Mill are a great certified gluten-free option, and these sprouted oats from One Degree Organics are another good option, especially if you feel like you have a bit of trouble digesting whole grains!
- Milk – for this recipe, you can use whatever milk you like best! We’ve tested successfully with whole milk and almond milk. Cashew milk or boxed coconut milk (not the full-fat kind in cans) will also work well here.
- Chia Seeds – the chia seeds help thicken up the oats just a bit and give them that delicious, creamy consistency.
How to Make
You can make these apple overnight oats in just a few minutes with these steps:
- Cook the apples. First, you’ll dice up the apples, then place them in a pot over medium heat along with a bit of water, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, until the apples are soft.
- Set out 4 mason jars. While the apples are cooking, set up your overnight oats assembly line! You’ll need 4 8-ounce mason jars.
- Divide the apple mixture. Spoon the apple mixture into the bottom of the 4 jars, reserving a little extra for topping, if desired.
- Add in the oats, milk, and chia seeds. Next, add 1/2 cup of oats, 1 teaspoon of chia seeds, and 1/2 cup of milk to each mason jar.
- Shake them up! Give the jars a good shake to distribute the milk, then place the lids on them.
- Refrigerate overnight. Finally, place the jars in the refrigerator – by morning they’ll be ready to eat!
More Favorite Oat Recipes
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 large apple peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup optional
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch sea salt
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk whole milk, or other milk of choice
- 4 teaspoons chia seeds
Instructions
- Place the apple, maple syrup, water, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves to a small pot over medium heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened, then set aside.
- Line up 4, 8-ounce mason jars, then spoon the apple mixture into the bottom of the jars.
- Pour 1/2 cup oats, 1 teaspoon chia seeds, and 1/2 cup milk into each jar. Place the lids on the jars, then shake them up to distribute the chia seeds.
- Refrigerate overnight, then enjoy! Oats will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
If I wanted to blend because I don’t like the texture of the oats without blending, would I blend everything the next morning or just the oats part
Hmmm, that’s a good question, Monica. I’m not totally sure. My gut says blend afterward, but I haven’t tried, so I’m not positive!
If i don’t have mason jars, can I make this is one container? Then scoop out portions in a bowl
Absolutely!!
Do you cook the oats before putting them in the jar or put them in raw?
No, they go in raw!
Thanks so much! My daughter and I loved this recipe. This is going in the regular rotation.
Super minor question, but where does the pinch of salt go!
In with the apples!
Been making this regularly for a few weeks now. Delicious and so convenient for quick breakfasts on my way to work. I’ve also started adding a scoop of collagen for extra protein.
Why not canned coconut milk? Is it just too thick to absorb properly?
Why does the ingredients say maple syrup but instructions coconut sugar? Which is best?
That’s corrected now! You can use whichever you have on hand, but we prefer maple slightly.
Do they keep in the fridge for a few days?
Yes, they’ll keep for about 5 days!
Do you reheat these in the Mason jars?
Yes, you can either eat them cold or heat them in the jars for about 1 minute!