Start your day on a delicious note with these tasty Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats. This hearty and filling breakfast tastes like apple pie and is so easy to prep! It's the perfect choice for busy mornings.
Overnight oats have transformed mornings in my household! With just five minutes of prep the night before, I can have a nutritious breakfast ready for the entire week. Some of my favorite overnight oatmeal recipes are my high-protein overnight oats, blueberry overnight oats, and overnight oats for weight loss.
Now I'm excited to share this new healthy breakfast recipe with you- my Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats. This delicious and satisfying breakfast has the perfect blend of warm spices, crisp apples, and creamy oats that are reminiscent of apple pie.
You'll love waking up to a jar of wholesome goodness that not only tastes delicious but will also fill you up and kick-start your day!
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What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats are a no-cook method of preparing oatmeal that involves soaking rolled oats in liquid (such as milk, yogurt, or water) overnight in the refrigerator. As the oats absorb the liquid, they soften, creating a creamy and delicious breakfast dish that's ready and waiting for you the next morning.
You can make overnight oats in a bowl, Tupperware or a jar like a mason jar or these overnight oats containers. Just stir all your ingredients together in the mason jar and eat it directly out of the container in the morning.
Why You'll Love This Dish
- Quick and Easy: Takes just 5 minutes to prep with basic ingredients- perfect for busy mornings
- Healthy Start: Packed with whole grains, healthy fats, fiber, and protein for a nutritious and filling breakfast
- Versatile: Customize this recipe with your favorite toppings or add-ins
- Tasty- Tastes like apple pie overnight oats with sweet apples, warm cinnamon, and maple syrup
- Meal Prep Friendly: Prepare a large batch to enjoy throughout the week; you can eat it straight from the jar
Doctor's Tips
Overnight oats are incredibly good for you! These apple cinnamon overnight oats are packed with superfoods like whole grain oats, chia seeds, and Greek yogurt.
Oats are a nutrient-dense food with many health benefits. These include helping to lower your cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and keeping things running smoothly in your intestinal tract.
Chia seeds are tiny nutritional powerhouses packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants. They not only enhance the creamy texture of these apple cinnamon overnight oats, they also help curb your appetite and keep you feeling full and satisfied. This can be beneficial if you're trying to lose weight.
Want to learn more? Discover the remarkable health benefits of overnight oats! From promoting heart health to aiding in weight management, oats are packed with nutrition to support your health!
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Oats- use old-fashioned oats, also known as rolled oats, not steel-cut oats, quick oats or instant oats; use certified gluten-free oats to keep this recipe gluten free
- Milk- I like to use almond milk but you can use any milk of your choice including dairy milk or non-dairy milk like oat milk or soy milk
- Greek yogurt- adds a creamy texture and a boost of protein; I use plain or vanilla Greek yogurt; you can substitute dairy-free yogurt like coconut milk yogurt or leave it out altogether
- Chia seeds- soak up the liquid overnight and plump up; these nutritional powerhouses are packed with nutrients and keep you feeling full and satisfied. Read my post about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds.
- Apples- use your favorite fresh apples- I love honey crisp or fuji apples; I dice my apple but you can also grate the apple if you prefer.
- Cinnamon- this warm spice is the perfect pairing with apples; you can add other spices like ginger, cardamom, or apple pie spice
- Vanilla extract- adds a boost of flavor; you can try other extracts like almond extract
- Maple syrup- I add a touch of pure maple syrup for a hint of sweetness; you can substitute any sweetener of your choice like honey or monk fruit sweetener, or leave it out altogether
How To Make Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats Step-By-Step
See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Step 1- In a mason jar, bowl, or Tupperware, whisk the almond milk, Greek yogurt, cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup together. If prepping multiple servings, mix the ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Step 2- Add the oats, chopped apples, chia seeds, and any additional add-ins (like peanut butter or protein powder) and stir to combine well.
- Step 3- Seal the jar or container and refrigerate overnight. If prepping multiple servings, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge or portion the oat mixture into individual servings before storing.
- Step 4- The next day, give it a good stir and add a splash or milk to loosen it up if desired. Top with extra apples, cinnamon, and any other desired toppings like chopped nuts and/or a drizzle of peanut butter.
Chef's Tips
- For individual servings, use jars for easy prep and storage. I love these mason jars or these adorable overnight oats containers.
- If you're prepping multiple servings for the week, you can make the oats in a large bowl or Tupperware and store it in the fridge in that container. Then spoon it into bowls when you're ready to eat.
- In the morning, give the oats a nice stir, and then add some milk as needed to loosen it up before adding your toppings.
- I like the crunch of raw, diced apple in these oats but if you prefer, you can grate the apple instead. You can also cook the apples by sautéing them in a pan or steaming them in the microwave.
- You can easily make these overnight oats vegan by using plant-based milk and yogurt
- For an extra boost of protein, stir a scoop of protein powder into your apple cinnamon oats. Or try my high protein overnight oats recipe. See "Recipe Variations" section below for more tipping and add-in ideas.
- These oats will keep well in the fridge for 5 days. Want to store your overnight oats for longer? Read my post on how to freeze overnight oats.
Featured Product
I love these colorful overnight oats containers that come with long spoons and are perfect to take on the go!
Recipe Variations
One of the best things about this apple cinnamon overnight oats recipe is that it's endlessly customizable! You can stir additional ingredients into the basic overnight oats recipe or sprinkle on your favorite toppings in the morning. My favorite combo is topping my oats with diced apple, cinnamon, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of peanut butter.
Here are some ideas for add-ins and toppings:
- Nut butter- stir a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter into the oats or drizzle it on top; it adds a boost of flavor and protein
- Protein powder- stir a scoop of protein powder into the oats for even more protein. Use a protein powder that you like the taste of.
- Chopped nuts or seeds- top your oats with nuts chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds for a delightful crunch
- Seeds- sprinkle on some pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseed or granola.
- Fruit- top your oats with diced apple or other fresh fruit like blueberries or sliced banana
- Spices- sprinkle on some extra cinnamon or try other spices like ginger, cardamom or apple pie spice
Recipe FAQs
Overnight oats will stay good in your fridge for up to 5 days. So you can make a batch on Sunday that will last the whole work week. Give the oats a good stir in the morning before eating to mix it all up. Also, don't add the toppings until you're ready to eat- that way, they stay fresh.
Yes, apples can turn brown in overnight oats. When apples are cut, their surface is exposed to oxygen, which causes a chemical reaction called oxidation and turns the flesh brownish. No worries, it's still good to eat! To help slow down the browning process, you can sprinkle some lemon juice on the apple pieces.
Yes, overnight oats can be frozen for 3 months. Read my post on how to freeze overnight oats for more details.
More Tasty Oats Recipes
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Recipe
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk, any type (I use almond milk)
- ¼ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt (can use plant-based yogurt to keep this recipe vegan)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ cup old fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats to keep recipe gluten free)
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- ½ apple, diced
Optional toppings:
- diced apple, cinnamon, chopped pecans or walnuts, peanut butter or almond butter
Instructions
- Stir the milk, yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup together in a small container like a mason jar or Tupperware.
- Add the oats, chia seeds, and diced apple. Stir until well combined.
- Cover container with a lid and place in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 4 hours).
- Before eating, stir the mixture. If needed, add a splash of milk to loosen it up. Then, top with desired toppings like diced apple, cinnamon, nuts, and peanut or almond butter. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- For individual servings, use mason jars for easy prep and storage. I love these mason jars or these adorable overnight oats containers.
- If you're prepping multiple servings for the week, you can make the oats in a large bowl or Tupperware and store it in the fridge in that container. Then spoon it into bowls when you're ready to eat.
- In the morning, give the oats a nice stir, and then add some milk as needed to loosen it up before adding your toppings.
- I like the crunch of raw, diced apple in these oats but if you prefer, you can grate the apple instead. You can also cook the apples by sautéing them in a pan or steaming them in the microwave.
- You can easily make these overnight oats vegan by using plant-based milk and yogurt.
- For an extra boost of protein, stir a scoop of protein powder into your apple cinnamon oats. Or try my high protein overnight oats recipe.
MK says
I love the base recipe for these overnight oats. I like it dense, so the only thing I changed was adding 2 Tbsp of the chia seeds. Delicious! Thank you for sharing this!
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
That’s great! So happy to hear you enjoyed the dish. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂