In case you haven’t noticed, I have been experimenting with a plethora of recipes that use rolled oats. I mean, have you noticed how super versatile they are? Sure, they work best with sweet recipes, but they’re a great gluten-free replacement for flour, and a healthy source of carbohydrates. That’s good enough for me.
I may have accidentally bought too many bags of rolled oats… 😁 which might explain the sporadic appearance of oat-rageous recipes on my blog like these oat-based banana chocolate chip muffins, Snicker oat bars, and peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
Thankfully, Walt has been super supportive (and by that, I mean he’s been a willing taste-tester of my oat-ventures).
Anyway, today’s recipe features apple pie overnight oats! It begins with the same basic recipe for overnight oats (rolled oats soaked in milk for at least 6 hours) and takes it one step further by making fall-flavored, cinnamon-glazed apples to go with it.
It’s like apple pie, but instead of a baked pie crust, we have rolled oats served in a cute mason jar. To make the apple pie filling, simply cook the apples in cinnamon, pure maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract until it is soft. Then, combine it with the rolled oats and a handful of crunchy walnuts. Once it has soaked overnight, we’ll have a creamy and crunchy gluten-free breakfast dessert.
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe serves 3. To make the overnight oats, you will need:
- Rolled oats – Measure 1 ½ cups of old-fashioned oats.
- Almond milk – I’ve been using unsweetened almond milk for my overnight oats, but any milk of your choice honestly works fine. Measure 1 ½ to 2 cups of milk.
- Chia seeds – Chia seeds do wonders for our body’s overall health, so it’s definitely a good idea to add them to our overnight oats. We will use 3 teaspoons of chia seeds. Optionally, replace chia seeds with toasted flax seeds, or better yet, use both of them to make this oatmeal super nutritious.
- Cinnamon powder, sea salt, and pure maple syrup – Just 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for a tiny bit of spice and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup for sweetness. A pinch of sea salt to bring it all together.
- Walnuts or pecans – Roughly chop 3 tablespoons of toasted walnuts, pecans or your favorite nuts of choice.
The ingredients for the apple pie filling:
- Apple – Peel and dice 1 large apple. I prefer the sweetness and crunchiness of Gala or Fuji apples for this recipe.
- Cinnamon powder – 2 teaspoons of cinnamon are enough to give our apple pie overnight oats that familiar, warm scent of fall.
- Coconut oil – For coating the skillet before cooking the apples, we will need 1 to 2 teaspoons of coconut oil or unsalted butter.
- Pure maple syrup – We also need 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup (the real, natural stuff without any sugar added).
- Water – We want just 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to create moisture and soften the apples. Use sparingly to prevent the apples from getting too soggy.
- Vanilla extract and sea salt – Flavor the apple pie with a pinch of sea salt and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Prepare the apple pie filling.
Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add diced Gala apples, water, cinnamon, maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla extract. Stir the ingredients constantly to coat and heat apples until the apples have turned soft and brownish. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step Two: Make the overnight oats mixture.
In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, milk, chia seeds, flax (optional), cinnamon, walnuts, maple syrup, and a dash of sea salt. Stir to combine.
Step Three: Put it together.
Add the cooked apples to the bowl and gently fold to combine. You can choose to only mix ⅔ of the apples, saving the rest for toppings.
Step Four: Divide the apple pie overnight oats into three individual mason jars or into one large container that can be sealed tightly. Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to overnight.
Step Five: After taking the overnight oats out of the fridge, give them one final stir to ensure all that chewy, crunchy, mushy goodness is well-combined and you’ve got all those great textures in each bite.
Step Six: Time to serve! Pour in a bit of milk before serving if the oats seem a bit dry. Top with reserved cooked apples and serve either hot or cold.
Toppings
What toppings can go over apple pie overnight oats? Aside from the cooked cinnamon-coated apple and the walnuts, you can add a variety of toppings to introduce more flavor and texture.
Try adding some raisins or chocolate chips to the overnight oats for extra sweetness. Or, top it off with a teaspoon of peanut butter or any nut butter and microwave it for 1 minute to melt it and heat up the overnight oatmeal at the same time.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- If you want to reduce the number of dishes to wash, I highly recommend splitting the ingredients evenly into mason jars and mixing so that they’re ready to go in the morning.
- Soak your oats for at least 6 hours for the best texture and flavor. You want to give the apple pie overnight oats enough time to absorb the liquid and soften the oats. If you don’t wait long enough, they will be tough and chewy with not much flavor.
- Enjoy your apple pie overnight oats hot or cold. Everyone has a preference, but personally, I warm mine up in the microwave for about 45 seconds to one minute before eating.
- If too much of the milk has been absorbed into the oats when you’re ready to serve, just add an extra splash or two. And hey, who can say no to a calcium boost?
Can’t get enough of overnight oats? Me too! Check out these other oatmeal breakfast recipes to switch up your breakfast menu:
- Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats
- Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Apple Pie Overnight Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large apple peeled (gala or fiji preferred)
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon divided
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- 1-2 teaspoons coconut oil or butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons walnuts or pecans chopped
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats old fashioned oats- regular or gluten free
- 1 ½ - 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 3 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Dice the apple into small bite sized pieces.
- Heat coconut oil over medium high heat in a skillet
- Add apples, water, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, a dash of sea salt and vanilla.
- Stir constantly to coat and heat apples until soft.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine oats, milk, chia seeds, flax, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, walnuts and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and a dash of sea salt.
- Stir to combine.
- Add in apples and stir. (you can add ⅔ of the apples and use the rest as individual topping as well!)
- Divide into three individual mason jars or into one large container that can be sealed shut.
- Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to overnight.
- After taking them out of the fridge give your overnight oats one final stir to ensure all that chewy, crunchy, mushy goodness is well-combined and you’ve got all those great textures in each bite.
- Add a bit more milk before serving if the oats seem a bit dry.
- Top with reserved cooked apples.
- Eat hot or cold.
