How to Make Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

These simple to prepare Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats are a delicious, aromatic, gently flavoured combination. Creamy oats, warming autumn spices, filling and nutritious, overnight oats make a brilliant breakfast. This flavour combination is particularly delicious. Creamy overnight oats help keep hunger pangs at bay until lunchtime. They’re easy to prepare a few days in advance which makes them perfect for busy lives Want to know how?

Read on…

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats always remind me of late summer and early autumn with all those sweet, appley smells. If you’ve never tried Overnight Oats before, you really should, especially if you like creamy style breakfasts or desserts. (Psst! This could easily be eaten as a pudding.)

This recipe is refined sugar-free, gluten-free and suitable for plant-based, vegan diets. The combination of oats, fruit, seeds and milk (dairy or non-dairy) means it is nutritious too.

What are Overnight Oats?

Overnight Oats are basically oats mixed with other ingredients in a liquid, usually a type of milk, and left to soak overnight in the fridge. This turns them gorgeously creamy and when mixed with spices, sometimes sweeteners and fruit you get a breakfast that’s worth getting up for.

They are usually served chilled straight from the fridge which doesn’t suit everyone so if you’d prefer your oats a little warmer there are two things you can do. The first is you can leave them out on the countertop and let them lose some of the chill from the fridge, whilst you go and do other things. The second is to warm them briefly in the microwave before adding any soft fruits or nuts. If you overdo this bit then you’ll be creating a type of porridge that may not be what you were hoping for.

I’m fond of Overnight Oats they can be prepared ahead of time and with everyone coming and going at different times of the day, they’re a life-saver. Stress levels drop when you don’t have to go into overdrive to get breakfast ready – it’s waiting in the fridge. Times are good!

Ingredients in this Overnight Oats recipe

• apple – use your favourite variety of eating apple.
• oats – these add fibre and vitamins, minerals, some protein and help keep us feeling full for while.
• cinnamon – a warm spice that adds a great deal of character to food. If you’re not so fond of cinnamon try Apple Pie spice instead. This works really well too.
• milk – use your preferred kind of milk; dairy or non-dairy. If you use plant-based milks then it helps to choose types that have added vitamins and minerals. I like almond milk in this.
• chia seeds – these are full of good things and contain Omega-3 fatty acids. They help to make the overnights oats thick and creamy.
• maple syrup – this is an optional extra as if the apple is really sweet you may not need anymore sweetness. Reduce, eliminate or increase the amount according to your personal taste.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

This is a very easy recipe to assemble. Gather up your ingredients and a suitably sized container. Glass is brilliant if you want to show off all the colours and textures in your overnight oats but really a bowl will do the job just as well.

Measure the oats, chia seeds, cinnamon of Apple Pie Spice and preferred type of milk into your container and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate. It will wait patiently for you until morning when you can add further toppings should you wish to.

The following morning….

Prepare your apple. I’m hoping that you’ve got your favourite kind of apple in your hand, washed and ready to go. Dice about a quarter of your apple. It is much nicer if they’re quite small. Alternatively, grate it, being careful with your fingers. I leave the skin on as that’s where a lot of the goodness is concentrated and the colour adds to the pretty look of the dish.

Take your soaked oats out of the fridge and stir in the Greek yoghurt. Alternatively, just layer it on top of the oats. Add the diced or grated apple on the top. If you wish you can sprinkle over a little more spice or drizzle a little maple syrup, the choice is completely yours.

By the way, these oats can be ready in about an hour but they are always better if left to soak overnight.

How to meal-prep Overnight Oats

One of the pluses of Overnight Oats is that they are generally pretty easy to prepare in advance. This recipe is no exception to that.

I think that four days worth of portions is the maximum amount that will stay comfortably in the fridge and stay amazing. If you’re making them for a family then I’ll leave you to decide if your fridge has enough space.

Life can be a bit distracting so I generally make a list of all the things that are to go into my overnight oats… so I don’t forget something or don’t get the amounts right. This is mostly true if I’m making for two or three days ahead. I make a list and tick things off. Maybe that would help you?

Otherwise, gather up your ingredients, and decide whether to make it all in one large bowl and divide it out into other portion-sized containers or make it in the actual containers. You decide what suits you the best.

If you wish to add further toppings to the oats then consider if you can prepare them now or whether you’re best doing it when you’re ready to serve the oats. Adding chopped nuts, for example, if you add them at the preparation stage they may go soft in the oaty mix but if you have them chopped up ready, you can add them pretty swiftly when needed. Plus, they’ll still have that crunch. Bananas are best added as required and apples will last in a small container if you add a little lemon juice to stop them from browning.

Please remember to check the use-by dates on any fresh ingredients you use, as you want everything to be within those expiry dates by the time you come to eat them.

It won’t take you very long to make up the oats and might just make your mornings run more smoothly.

How long do Overnight Oats last in the fridge?

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats will last happily up to 4 days in the fridge.

It is also wise to ensure that any milk, yoghurt or other ingredients used, need to be within their use-by dates at the time you want to eat them. Yes, sorry – I know I’ve already said that.

Make this recipe gluten-free

This recipe is gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free but often they are processed in the same places that mill other grains such as wheat, meaning there is a danger of cross-contamination. So, check your oats.

Please also check the labels of any yoghurt you may buy as sometimes they have additives that may not be gluten-free. Labels are your friend so check them out.

Is this recipe suitable for Vegans?

Healthy Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats are suitable for vegans and those eating a plant-based diet providing you choose plant-based milk and yoghurt. We use mostly oat milk at home and dairy-free greek-style yoghurts.

Modifications and Variations

I don’t tend to make any variations to this basic recipe although I do sometimes add a small pinch of ground ginger or a small amount of grated ginger root. I like the little bit of heat it provides.

You could substitute the grated apple for 4 tablespoons of unsweetened apple puree.

Substitute the spices listed in the recipe for 1 teaspoon of Apple Pie Spice.

How to serve your overnight oats

In the morning stir the jar or bowl that your overnight oats have been soaking in. If it seems too thick then add a little more milk or greek yoghurt to thin it to a consistency that you like.

It is very easy to go to town on extra toppings. A few chopped up walnuts are lovely as is a small sprinkle of granola or extra cinnamon, maybe a drizzle of maple syrup or caramelly date nectar.

An extra spoonful of yoghurt is always welcome and sometimes a drizzle of hazelnut butter or any nut butter actually, is quite delicious.

What’s your favourite Overnight Oats recipe and do you ever make a few days worth at a time?

If you like this … you may like…

• Double Chocolate Chip overnight Oats
• Simple Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats
• Simple Berry and Chia Overnight Oats
• Nutella and Banana Overnight Oats
• Strawberry Overnight Oats

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