Easy Apple Oatmeal
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Healthy Apple Oatmeal is a cozy, delicious breakfast. Perfect for a busy morning, it’s gluten free and easily made in under 15 minutes.
This post was originally shared in 2018 but has since been updated.
If you’re looking for a breakfast that is filling, comforting, and easy to make, you need to try this Apple Oatmeal for a great family friendly breakfast option!
Healthy Oatmeal Recipes are one of our favorite things to make for breakfast, especially when they’re made with tons of apples (We love this Baked Apple Oatmeal and Apple Overnight Oats too!)
You can easily customize this oatmeal to your liking. Feel free to add in more or fewer mix-ins. Except for a little maple syrup, this breakfast gets its sweetness right from fruit!
Made on the stovetop in under 30 minutes, this apple oatmeal is hearty and delicious – truly the perfect fall breakfast! If you’ve recently gone apple picking, this recipe is for you. It’s a great way to use up an abundance of apples and enjoy fall flavor!
Liz’s Tips for the best apple oatmeal:
- Use Whole Milk: Any milk will technically work in this recipe, but we like whole milk the best. It makes the oats super creamy!
- Add extra protein: You can stir in nonfat greek yogurt or a little bit of vanilla protein powder to amp up the protein in this recipe!
- Add vanilla extract of vanilla bean paste: To take the flavor of this oatmeal over the top, add a little bit of vanilla bean paste to it! I get mine at Trader Joe’s – it’s so flavorful!
Ingredients
SUBSTITUTIONS
Apples: Any apple will work in this recipe. We like honeycrisp apple or granny smith but gala, pink lady, even macintosh all work well!
Coconut Oil: Olive oil or butter would also work; the oil is used for sautéing the apples.
Oats: I have only tried this apple cinnamon oatmeal with old fashioned rolled oats. Steel cut oats would work, but would need much longer to cook and would need more liquid. You can follow the instructions on the back of the package and add in the cinnamon, ginger, maple syrup and pecans/apples. You could also try our baked steel cut oatmeal or protein oatmeal for a high protein option.
I think quick oats would also work, but they would likely cook much faster and may not need as much liquid!
If you are gluten-free make sure to look for gluten free certified oats.
Milk: You can use any type of milk that you like in this recipe, regular or dairy-free both work. I prefer whole milk, but almond milk also is delicious.
Sweetener: I love maple syrup in this recipe, but you could use honey or agave nectar if you prefer! I haven’t tried other sweetener options in this recipe, but I think anything you like would work. Brown sugar would be good, but it isn’t a natural sweetener.
Spices: You can substitute 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice for the ginger/ cinnamon to get the same flavor. A shake of nutmeg is also delicious.
Nuts: I buy pre chopped pecans, but you could use halved ones too! Omit the pecans to make this nut free. You could also use sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts or almonds.
Toppings: Feel free to add additional nuts or seeds as toppings. Other fresh fruit like blueberries would be delicious, or even some raisins, dried cranberries, chia seeds, almond butter, or peanut butter!
Bake Oatmeal: This recipe is meant to be made on the stovetop – check out this Baked Apple Oatmeal if you want to use your oven.
How to make Apple Oatmeal:
- Melt coconut oil in a sauté pan or saucepan. Add apples and sauté over low heat for 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in oats, milk, cinnamon, ginger and maple syrup and cook uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the last minute, add pecans.
Can you make apple oatmeal in the microwave?
I don’t recommend making this in the microwave because it’s best when cooked low and slow, but it can be done! To make this apple oatmeal in the microwave:
- Add your apples, coconut oil, cinnamon, and maple syrup to a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave on high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until apples are slightly tender.
- Add milk, oatmeal, spices, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Stir + microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring every minute, until liquid is almost entirely absorbed
- Topped with chopped pecans + enjoy!
Storage
You can make this apple oatmeal ahead of time, keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and reheat it when ready to eat. It reheats very well and should last 3-4 days in the fridge. It’s great for meal prep!
Freezing: I haven’t tried freezing this oatmeal but I wouldn’t recommend it. I think it would get mushy. Oatmeal is best eaten fresh!
Reheating: You can reheat this in the microwave or in a pan on the stove. You may want to add a splash of milk when reheating.
Apple Oatmeal
Ingredients
For the apples:
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup apples chopped in tiny cubes approximately 1 medium apple
For the oatmeal:
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons pecans chopped
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil in a small sauce pot. Add apples to melted coconut oil. Sauté over low heat for 5-6 minutes until apples start to soften.
- After 5 minutes add oats, milk, cinnamon, ginger and maple syrup.
- Stir together and cook uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the last minute, add pecans.
Video
Notes
- Oats: I have only tried this with old fashioned oats. Steel cut oats would work, but would need much longer to cook and would need more liquid.
- Milk: You can use any type of milk that you like in this recipe, regular or dairy free both work.
- Sweetener: I love maple syrup, but you could use honey or agave nectar if you prefer!
- Spices: You can substitute 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice for the ginger/ cinnamon.
- Nuts: Omit the pecans to make this nut free. You could also use sunflower seeds.
Looks so good! I am going to make it today for the week. I was wondering what to use instead of coconut oil. Could I use olive oil for almond oil or would that make it taste funny? Thanks!
All of our blog posts have a green substitutions box where we list out all of the substitutions! Pasting what we wrote here: Coconut Oil: Olive oil or butter would also work; the oil is used for sautéing the apples.
Love this oatmeal!! Way better than making your oats in the microwave haha. And the apples are a great addition! Even delicious leftover.
So happy you enjoyed it! It only takes a few extra minutes to make on the stove and it’s sooo much better than microwave, I agree!
Can you use instant oatmeal? and if so, how does that change the instructions?
I haven’t tried this with instant oatmeal, I would think you’d need to reduce the cook time. I’d really recommend following the recipe as is with old fashioned oatmeal 🙂
So very good! Perfect fall breakfast!
Hello I was just wondering if this is made best in a deep pan like with a lid , a saucepan or like a frying skillet?
We use a small sauce pot. See above for photos!
I make this all the time. I add raisens and walnuts when I have them.The apple is so tasty and the maple syrup is the secret to Wow!
Leftovers make a healthy, filling snack.
So glad you enjoyed it, Cheri!! Love those additions 🙂
So good!!! Make this at LEAST once a month.
So happy to hear this! Thanks, Allie!
This recipe was perfect! What a delicious breakfast. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Thank you so much, Tracy!
This recipe was so delicious! I used regular old fashioned oats and it tasted great! The magic is really in the apple topping and if you can have nuts, I highly recommend adding pecans! 🙂
Yay!! So happy you liked it, Elizabeth!
Great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Questa! Thank you!
I cannot say enough how thankful I am I found this gem it’s is delicious!!! So stinking amazing. Thank you for sharing!!!
Thanks, Alicia! I’m so glad you like it!
Unfortunately my husband and I cannot have chia seeds since we are both on blood thinners for high blood pressure. Can you suggest a substitute for the hearty grains mix used in this recipe? Thank you
Any old fashioned oats will work in this recipe.
Pretty good! I used old fashion rolled oats, walnuts and adjusted the recipe for one person. Next time I will add the nuts to the apples when I add the cinnamon and maple syrup so they can get coated in that yumminess too.
Glad you liked it, Lynn! Thank you!
This is SO delicious! Found on pinterest. I didn’t have ginger but it was still good without it!
Thank you Sam!!