This Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats Recipe tastes like eating the filling of apple pie and it's a great way to get in tons of nutrition. With a couple of minutes of prep, you can make a delicious breakfast for the entire week. Perfect for busy mornings. 😊
As a registered dietitian, I love starting my day with a nutritious breakfast for a healthy start to my day and I'm a big fan of overnight oats. Sometimes I have them as a snack! This version is a creamy combination of juicy sweet apples, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and rolled oats.
So when apple season rolls around and you want an easy breakfast or snack to meal prep, you gotta try these apple cinnamon overnight oats! I hope you love it as much as I do. 😊
For more protein, pair it with Kale and Mushroom Egg Bites or a Cottage Cheese Egg Bake.
More Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Banana Bread Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Overnight Oats
- Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats
- Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
- Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats
- Gingerbread Overnight Oats
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
These Apple Cinnamon Oats are made with basic ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for measurements.
- Apples - fresh apples add so much flavor and natural sweetness. They also provide vitamin C, antioxidants, and dietary fiber for gut health! I suggest using a crisp apple like Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp because they hold up well to cooking. You could also use a Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious.
- Rolled Oats - I recommend using rolled oats, also known as old fashioned oats, because they give the best texture to overnight oats. They absorb the milk and become super creamy. I don't recommend using quick oats (instant oats) because they will get mushy. I don't recommend using steel cut oats because they will not become as soft. To make it gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats.
- Plant-Based Milk - I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk for overnight oats, but you could use any milk you like. Coconut milk or cashew milk will make it even creamier. Other non-dairy milk like oat milk or soy milk work, too. Feel free to use dairy milk (regular milk) if you prefer it over non-dairy milk.
- Vanilla Yogurt - Greek Yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic Yogurt) are both perfect for giving these oats a fantastic flavor and creamy texture. It also provides some protein and probiotics to help support gut health. If you want to make this recipe vegan, use plant-based yogurt. I do recommend using vanilla yogurt for this recipe, but you can use plain Greek yogurt if you prefer less sugar.
- Chia Seeds - chia seeds add to the texture of overnight oats. They are also high in healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Plus, they are good for your skin!
- Sweetener - I personally love using pure maple syrup to sweeten these overnight oats. You can use your own sweetener of choice - honey, agave nectar, date syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar all work.
- Vanilla Extract - to add a creamier vanilla flavor.
- Cinnamon - a little cinnamon because you really can't beat the apple & cinnamon flavor duo. Cinnamon is a good source of antioxidants so it can help with immune health.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Below are the instructions for how to make these overnight oats with some visuals that I hope are helpful.
- Step 1 - In a mason jar or other container with a lid, combine oats, chia seeds, yogurt, milk, ½ tablespoon of the maple syrup, ½ teaspoon of the vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Give it a good mix to combine.
- Step 2 - Dice your apple. In a large bowl, combine the apple and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla, remaining ½ tablespoon maple syrup, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Mix to coat the apples. Heat a nonstick skillet or saucepan on medium heat. Add the apple mixture and heat, stirring, for about 3-5 minutes or until the apples fully soften.
- Step 3 - Add half of the cooked apples to the oat base and give it a good stir to combine. Top with the remaining apples.
- Step 4 - Store in the fridge overnight (or at least 3-4 hours) in an airtight container. When ready to serve the next morning, add your favorite toppings.
Hint: Use rolled oats for overnight oats! Quick cooking oats will get mushy and steel gut oats won't soften enough.
Dietitian Tip
Did you know that oatmeal contains a dietary fiber called beta-glucan? Beta-glucan may help lower cholesterol levels, can help support your digestive system and gut health, and stabilize blood sugar levels. Just a half cup of oats contains around 15% of your daily fiber intake for the day and 5 grams of protein. These overnight oats are a delicious way to nourish your body with care and stay full and satisfied until your next meal.
Variations
The beauty of overnight oats is the freedom to adjust a recipe to your taste. There are so many ways to customize these creamy Apple Pie Overnight Oats so feel free get creative with your toppings and add-ins.
- Sweeter - if you like things on the sweeter side, add another drizzle of maple syrup or splash of vanilla extract. You can also make these sweeter by using vanilla milk instead of plain, or a fruit-flavored yogurt instead of vanilla. Or add some brown sugar!
- Vegan - use vegan yogurt and plant-based milk to make this recipe vegan-friendly. Some dairy-free yogurt options are coconut yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond milk yogurt.
- High Protein - the yogurt, oats, and chia seeds provide protein in this recipe. If you want to add more protein, throw in a scoop of plain or vanilla protein powder. You may need to adjust the consistency by adding more milk.
- Heartier - in addition to chia seeds, add flax seeds or hemp hearts (hemp seeds) for even more thickness and hearty texture, healthy fats, dietary fiber and protein.
Ideas for Toppings for Overnight Oats
If you have a little extra time, add your favorite toppings for the perfect breakfast! Below are some ideas.
- Fresh Fruit - sliced bananas, pumpkin puree, or blueberries pair nicely with all the apple goodness in this recipe!
- Nuts or Seeds - add pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, toasted walnuts, or chopped cashews on top add crunch and even more flavor.
- Nut butter - add a Tablespoon or a drizzle of your favorite nut or seed butter to the top! Peanut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter work great. For an allergy-friendly nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter.
- Graham Crackers - add some crushed graham crackers on top.
Storage for Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
*You can keep overnight oats in the fridge for up to 5 days. They will continue to get creamier the longer they sit. I typically make them the night before and let them soak overnight, but you could meal prep multiple jars to have them ready for you throughout the whole week.
- Refrigerator - Store overnight oats in an airtight container. I store mine in mason jars or other individual containers.
- Here are some options for containers to use for overnight oats: Overnight Oats Containers with Lids and Spoon, or Wide Mouth Mason Jars, 16 oz works perfectly
Expert Tips
- Use Rolled Oats (also called Old-Fashioned Oats) for best texture when soaked.
- Be sure to mix it really well so the chia seeds don't set at the bottom.
- For thicker oatmeal, add a bit less milk to the oat mixture.
- If you like your overnight oats a bit thinner, add a little extra milk!
FAQ
While healthy eating means something different to everyone, overnight oats are a nutrient-rich option that can help you meet your daily dietary needs! Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber for a healthy gut and extra filling with the addition of the chia seeds and Greek yogurt in this recipe. It is also high in several nutrients including magnesium, iron, and zinc. Chia seeds add heart-healthy fatty acids that also support hormone health and brain health, protein, and more fiber. Apples add antioxidants, vitamins C & A, and both soluble and insoluble fiber. This recipe is gluten-free if using certified GF oats, and vegetarian.
If you aren't familiar with overnight oatmeal, it's a way of soaking oats in milk and other ingredients overnight. So instead of eating warm oatmeal, you eat it cold. Soaking oats overnight makes them super decadent!
The best oats for overnight oats are rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats. Quick oats are smaller pieces and cook faster so they tend to get too mushy for overnight oats. Steel-cut oats are not steamed or rolled as rolled oats are. Because of that, they take much longer to cook or soften and don't work so great for overnight oats.
As it is with all things that have to do with nutrition, the answer is not so simple. But I would say that oatmeal can certainly help with weight loss. The soluble fiber found in oats can help you stay full for longer making it less likely that you will overeat at your next meal or snack. A recent study in the Physiological Research Journal showed that fiber, starch, and other phytochemicals in oatmeal can have an anti-obesity effect and can also help to promote healthy gut bacteria.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Apple Pie Overnight Oats:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats, Yogurt + Chia Seeds
Equipment
- 1 mason jar or other airtight container
Ingredients
- ½ cup diced apple (about ¼ of a large apple)
- ½ cup rolled oats (look for certified gluten-free if you are GF)
- ½ tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- ¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt (or plain)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a mason jar or other container with a lid, combine oats, chia seeds, yogurt, milk, ½ tablespoon of the maple syrup, ½ teaspoon of the vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Give it a good mix to combine.
- Dice your apple. In a large bowl, combine the apple and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla, remaining ½ tablespoon maple syrup, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Mix to coat the apples. Heat a nonstick skillet or saucepan on medium heat. Add the apple mixture and heat, stirring, for about 3-5 minutes or until the apples fully soften.
- Add half of the cooked apples to the oat mixture and give it a good stir to combine. Top with the remaining apples.
- Store in the fridge overnight (or at least 3-4 hours) in an airtight container. When ready to serve the next morning, add your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Use Rolled Oats (also called Old-Fashioned Oats) for best texture when soaked.
- For thicker oatmeal, add a bit less milk to the oat mixture.
- If you like your overnight oats a bit thinner, add a little extra milk.
Nutrition
Sources: Physiologic Research Journal
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