Apple Oatmeal
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This easy Apple Oatmeal is the 15-minute breakfast recipe that you’ll want to make all season long! Made with rolled oats, sweetened with maple syrup and topped with apples, it’s an incredibly healthy and tasty way to start the day.
Why you’ll love this oatmeal:
Tastes like fall: The combination of apples, maple syrup and cinnamon tastes like fall in a bowl!
Fiber-filled: Rolled oats and apples together have approximately 8 grams of fiber in them, making this an ideal breakfast recipe.
Vegan + gluten-free: Many oats at the grocery store are gluten free, and as long as you use dairy-free milk, this recipe is also vegan-friendly.
Recipe highlights:
- Quick, ready in just 15 minutes
- Serves 1, but can easily be doubled
- Cook method: stovetop
- Tools: saucepan and a small skillet
- Difficulty: very easy
Table of Contents
When I’m not starting the day with eggs, I’m almost always starting it with oatmeal. Whether it’s this blueberry baked oatmeal, strawberry oatmeal or my seasonal baked pumpkin oatmeal, it’s a tasty, filling and healthy way to get the day started.
On special occasions, I tend to opt for a slice of this apple coffee cake, and when I want apple oatmeal in cookie form, these apple oatmeal cookies are the way to go!
Oatmeal Ingredients
Oats – I prefer using rolled oats simply for the texture. Rolled oats create a creamier oatmeal, whereas steel cut oats have more of a bite to them.
Liquid – A mix of water and the milk of your choice is the right amount of creaminess. Only using water makes the oats too bland, but only using milk makes them a tad too hearty and thick.
Sweetener – Maple syrup pairs really well with cinnamon, but honey is another great choice. I personally wouldn’t omit sweetener altogether, but you could always reduce the amount if you prefer less sweet tasting oatmeal.
Apple – Use your favorite variety (I used Gala), and there’s no need to peel it. Instead, leave the skin on and simply dice into bite-size pieces.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Oats: As noted in the Ingredients section above, I find rolled oats to be better in oatmeal. However, if you don’t have any on hand you can certainly use steel cut oats or quick oats instead.
- Protein: If you want the oatmeal to be extra filling, stir in a scoop of vanilla or unflavored protein powder once the oats are done cooking.
- Add-ins: Add a tablespoon or two of chia seeds or flaxseeds in with the oats and allow them to cook.
- Toppings: Besides cooked apple, other tasty toppings are grain-free granola, chopped walnuts, cooked pear, raisins, a drizzle of healthy caramel sauce, a drizzle of almond butter, and/or pumpkin seeds.
How to Make Apple Oatmeal
Step 1: Bring liquid to a boil. Start by adding the water and milk to a small saucepan, then bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 2: Cook the oats. Add the oats to the saucepan, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally until the oats have softened and the liquid has absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and cinnamon, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Cook the apple. Next, heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the apple and sauté for 2 minutes or so. Then, add the water and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apple is soft. Last, sprinkle the cinnamon on top and stir until the apple is coated.
Step 4: Assemble. Pour the apples on top of the oatmeal, then add an extra sprinkle of cinnamon and/or drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- Save time by cooking the apple a day or two in advance and storing it in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave before serving.
- Feel free to play around with the sweetness level. I don’t mind my oatmeal being on the sweeter side, but if you don’t want it to be sweet, start with 1 teaspoon of maple syrup instead of 1 tablespoon and increase to taste.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
The smaller you dice the apple, the more quickly it’ll cook. Otherwise, you may need to add more water to the skillet to help it cook faster.
Apple Oatmeal FAQs
Sure is! It’s filled with fiber, and it’s an excellent way to add fruit to your breakfast. Plus, the whole recipe comes together in 15 minutes, making healthy eating easy and attainable.
If you really want to keep this breakfast low-sugar, omit the maple syrup and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. Do a quick taste test, then add a little more if you’d like.
Definitely! Follow the same steps in my microwave oatmeal recipe to make this apple oatmeal in the microwave.
More apple-filled recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Apple Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk, any kind
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste
for the apple:
- 1/2 apple, diced small
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp water, or more as needed
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the milk and water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, add the oats and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the oats are soft, then stir in the maple syrup and cinnamon and transfer to a bowl.
- Next, make the apples. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the apple and sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add the water and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft. Last, add the cinnamon and stir until the apples are coated.
- Top the oatmeal with the cinnamon apples, add an extra drizzle of maple syrup (optional) and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This is delicious! Sautéing the apples separate was worth the extra step and I added raisins. Using part milk definitely enhanced the flavor too. This is now a go to recipe.
Thanks so much Susan — I’m glad it’s become a go-to 🙂
Made this for breakfast and it was SO yum!