These Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats taste like eating the filling of apple pie and are a great way to get in tons of nutrition! With a few minutes of prep, you can make a delicious breakfast that's perfect for busy mornings. 😊
Quick Look: Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
- 🧁 Serves: 1
- ⭐ Features: Easy ✓ Healthy ✓ Fiber-Rich ✓
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍪 Chill Time: 4 hours
- 👩🍳 Skill Level: Beginner
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? These are so easy and loaded with nutrition from the addition of chia seeds and Greek yogurt!
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I love starting my day with a nutritious breakfast, and am a big fan of overnight oats! They're so easy to meal prep, and the oats get such a creamy consistency when soaked overnight. This version is an easy breakfast for apple season with a combination of juicy sweet apples, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and rolled oats.
If you prefer your oats warm, try this stovetop apple cinnamon oatmeal for a cozy breakfast.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Recipe Variations
- How to Make Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
- Mallory's Dietitian Tip
- Ideas for Toppings for Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
- Expert Tips
- Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats FAQs
- More Overnight Oats Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
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 or traditional 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.
- Milk - I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk for overnight oats because I like how creamy it is. Regular milk or another plant-based milk like coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk will work.
- Greek Yogurt - either vanilla Greek Yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic yogurt) will add protein and make the oats extra creamy. I 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. If you love the combination of yogurt and chia seeds, try my apple chia pudding with yogurt for another easy make-ahead breakfast.
- Sweetener - I use pure maple syrup to sweeten these overnight oats. You can use your own sweetener of choice like honey, agave nectar, date syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon
Recipe Variations
- 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.
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 half the cinnamon. Give it a good mix to combine.
- Step 2 - Dice your apple. In a large bowl, combine the apple with remaining cinnamon, remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla, and remaining ½ tablespoon maple syrup. 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 cut oats won't soften enough.
Mallory's 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 4g of fiber and 5 grams of protein.
Ideas for Toppings for Apple Cinnamon 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. Looking for another flavor combination? My banana cinnamon overnight oats are another easy meal-prep option made with Greek yogurt and chia seeds.
- Nuts or Seeds - add pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, toasted walnuts, or chopped cashews on top add crunch and even more flavor. For a crunchy oats & seeds option, make my homemade apple pie granola.
- 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.
If you want to try another flavor combination, my pumpkin spice overnight oats are a cozy fall option.
Expert Tips
- Use rolled oats for best texture when soaked.
- Be sure to mix everything 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.
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats FAQs
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!
Refrigerator - Store overnight oats in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
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 with 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 milk
- ¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt (or plain)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ 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 half 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 remaining 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.
Video
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.
- You can store overnight oats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Bianca
THESE WERE SO GOOD