Hearty, delicious, and filling apple cinnamon oatmeal is a quick, easy breakfast you can make on busy weekday mornings. It’s packed with sweet apples and warm spices, plus, it can be made ahead and refrigerated for meal-prep! This recipe can also be customized with any add-ins you like.
apples, nuts, seeds, or cinnamon for garnish(optional)
Instructions
Add milk, water, and salt to a small pot. Stir everything together.
Place the uncovered pot over medium-high heat until it starts to boil (it will take roughly 3 minutes to boil).
Once the mixture starts to boil, immediately turn the heat down to low, add the oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using) to the pot, and stir.
Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. When there are 2 minutes left, add the apples and stir. Continue cooking until the remaining time has passed. Remove the pot from the heat.
Pour the oatmeal into a bowl, and add the maple syrup and any extra add-ins if using. Extra milk can be added to help cool it and make it creamier. Garnish with toppings of your choice.
Notes
Please read all of the information and FAQ info above, as well as the notes below before making this recipe.
This recipe makes enough for 1 serving. If you need more, the recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed.
Any type of milk can be used to make this recipe, I use unsweetened, unflavoured almond milk or oat milk. I recommend using one that is unsweetened and unflavoured to control the sweetness and flavour of the oatmeal.
Adding the apples in when there are 2 minutes left of cooking time will keep them semi-firm, but if you prefer softer apples, add them in with the oats so they can cook for the full 5 minutes.
Maple syrup is my recommended sweetener, but use any sweetener you like. Adjust the amount to suit your taste, you may not need a lot, or any, if your apples are very sweet and you prefer oatmeal that has just a touch of sweetness.
If you don't have cinnamon, you can use apple pie spice in its place and leave the optional nutmeg out.
The oatmeal will thicken up slightly as it cools off. You can add a little more milk for a looser, creamier texture. Milk can also be used to help cool it down quicker.
To make a batch for later, make the recipe, let it fully cool, and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 5 days. When you are ready to serve, reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave and add more milk or water until it thins out enough for you. After that, pour the oatmeal into your bowl and add any of the optional toppings or add-ins, if using. The recipe can be doubled or tripled to make more than one serving for later.
Nutrition info is for 1 serving of the recipe prepared as written using unsweetened, unflavoured almond milk, 2 teaspoons of maple syrup, and no extra garnishes or extra added milk. The data below is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is determined on this website.