Apple cinnamon overnight oats are thick, creamy, and packed with wonderful spiced Fall flavor!
The best apple cinnamon overnight oats recipe
- Great for meal prep. Whip up a big batch on Sunday, and you never have to think about what to make in the morning during the week. Simply wake up to enjoy an almost instant healthy breakfast each day.
- They taste like homemade apple pie in a jar! Sweet apples, spicy cinnamon, and warm vanilla give the recipe all the familiar flavors of classic apple pie.
- Just eight ingredients. You may already have everything you need in your kitchen.
- Easy to customize. Add peanut butter, walnuts, raisins, chia seeds, or your favorite protein powder. Plus, unlike store bought overnight oat containers, you get to control how much sugar to include.
- Filling and satisfying. With chewy, high fiber oats and high protein yogurt, this delicious recipe will keep you full for hours.
The number one secret to the absolute sweetest, most buttery apple overnight oats you’ve ever tasted is to use homemade sautéed cinnamon apples instead of raw apples. It’s one simple extra step that makes all the difference.
You’ll also love these wholesome Applesauce Muffins
Step by step recipe video
Ingredients for apple cinnamon overnight oats
Apples – Choose a sweet and slightly tart, crisp apple variety. And try to avoid mushy apples from the grocery store, orchard, or farmer’s market. I love Pink Lady, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala, or Honeycrisp apples here.
Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon gives the recipe a cozy autumn sweet-spicy taste.
Oats – Old fashioned rolled oats work best for overnight oat recipes, because they soften in liquids while still maintaining a chewy texture.
For gluten free apple cinnamon overnight oats, buy certified gluten free rolled oats. You can use quick oats or instant oats, although the consistency will be slightly more soft and mushy.
Yogurt – Use any thick, smooth vanilla yogurt. As a vegan, I like dairy free coconut yogurt. It also works to swap up to a fourth cup of the Greek yogurt with applesauce, pumpkin puree, or mashed banana.
Milk – Any milk is fine. Coconut milk or oat milk add extra creaminess. Or go with almond milk for a low calorie version.
Chia Seeds – These tiny seeds absorb liquid as the jars sit in the refrigerator, ensuring the finished recipe is extra creamy. They are also nutrition superfoods, with fiber, iron, healthy fats, and calcium.
Maple Syrup – Unrefined pure maple syrup compliments the cinnamon, apples, and vanilla. You can use brown sugar or a sugar free alternative if you prefer.
Almond Butter – Add an optional tablespoon of almond butter (or cashew butter) per serving if you want a richer, creamier result.
Other Ingredients – The recipe also calls for a pinch of salt, optional coconut oil or butter for sautéing, and optional protein powder.
Apple cinnamon overnight oat health benefits
- Very high in fiber
- Over 30g protein
- Good source of calcium, iron, and potassium
- No sugar added option
- Contains healthy probiotics and prebiotics
- High in vitamin C
How to make apple cinnamon overnight oats
Step 1: Combine the ingredients. Stir the rolled oats, protein powder, chia seeds, half teaspoon ground cinnamon, and fourth teaspoon salt in a large measuring cup. Then whisk in the milk, two tablespoons sweetener, and three fourths cup of the yogurt until smooth.
Step 2: Refrigerate overnight. Cover the oats and chill in the refrigerator overnight (or at least six hours). The chia seeds and oats will absorb excess liquid as the mixture sits, leaving you with magically thick, fluffy oatmeal the next day.
Step 3: Cook the apples. Peel the raw apple if desired, or leave the peel on for more fiber. Then dice the fruit into small cubes. Stir chopped apples with the remaining maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and coconut oil or butter (or water) in a frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. Add more water or oil if needed to prevent sticking, and stir frequently until soft.
Step 4: Layer the oats. Divide the thickened cinnamon overnight oats evenly into two mason jars or bowls. Spread the remaining yogurt over the oats. Then layer the sautéed apples on top. You can also stir some of the apples into the oats.
Step 5: Eat with a spoon. Enjoy your very own Fall cinnamon apple oatmeal breakfast parfait either hot or cold. Or serve for dessert, topped with Coconut Ice Cream. Hey, why not?!
Step 6: Refrigerate leftovers. Store any leftover oatmeal in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze the recipe, although the texture will not be as smooth and creamy.
Meal prep apple oatmeal
Feeding a large family or meal prepping for the week?
Feel free to double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe to yield a larger serving.
Simply increase all ingredients based on the amount of servings you need. Be sure to use a large pan to cook the apples, so they will caramelize instead of steam.
Why sauté the apples?
Cooking the chopped apples with cinnamon caramelizes the fruit, bringing out its natural sweetness.
The sautéing process breaks down the starch and releases pectin, which gives sautéed apples a soft, tender texture just like baked apple pie filling.
Layer the hot apples over the creamy oats, and it tastes like eating dessert for breakfast.
Feel free to cook the apples a day or two in advance to save time. Let cool, then store them tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Honestly, these cinnamon apples are so good that you might want to make extras to spoon over pancakes, ice cream, Vegan French Toast, or Protein Waffles.
My favorite variations on the recipe
I make this overnight apple oatmeal often in the Fall and winter for my husband and myself. To keep from getting bored, I like to change up the mix-ins and create new custom flavors from the base. Directly below are our four favorites.
Caramel Apple: Drizzle date caramel or my Vegan Caramel Sauce over the apples just before serving. Or mix a tablespoon directly into the yogurt. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Maple Pecan: Stir an eighth teaspoon of maple extract and a handful of diced pecans into the overnight oatmeal before refrigerating. Garnish with roasted whole pecans.
Apple Crumble: Instead of sautéed apples, top the thickened oats with a generous scoop of homemade Healthy Apple Crumble.
Apple Cheesecake: Stir two tablespoons cream cheese or plant based cream cheese into the yogurt before layering it on top of the oats. To with crushed graham crackers.
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1. Stir oats, chia seeds, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, and optional protein powder in a large measuring cup. Then whisk in milk, sweetener, and 3/4 cup of the yogurt.
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2. Cover and refrigerate overnight, during which time the mixture will thicken considerably.
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3. Meanwhile, dice the apples. Stir with the oil or water and remaining cinnamon, maple syrup, and salt in a saucepan or frying pan over medium heat.
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4. Stir the sautéed apples frequently until soft, and add more water or oil if needed to prevent sticking.
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5. When ready to serve, layer the apple cinnamon overnight oats, remaining yogurt, and cooked apples in mason jars or bowls. Enjoy hot or cold.
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6. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
More overnight oats recipes
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Chocolate Overnight Oats
Overnight Breakfast Cookie
Protein Overnight Oats
Blueberry Overnight Oats