Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

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Creamy, hearty, and topped with fresh fruit, this easy apple cinnamon oatmeal is a wonderful breakfast any morning. Make it for the family, or use the recipe to prep breakfast ahead for the week!

While some might reach for the box of cereal in the morning, I love a warm breakfast. Granted, I can’t always whip up some pancakes.

Oatmeal is one of those breakfast options that always makes me feel like I am ready to face the day, and apple cinnamon oatmeal might be my favorite way to eat it.

Even though the instant packets sure are convenient, stovetop oatmeal doesn’t take long to prepare. And when you top it with warm cinnamon apples? Talk about a comforting way to ease into the day!

If you love apples and cinnamon, I think you’re going to enjoy this easy recipe. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s easy. Oatmeal only takes minutes to cook, so it’s a great option even on busy mornings.
• Family friendly. Who can resist the flavors of sweet-tart apples, fragrant cinnamon, and brown sugar?
• Reheats well. I like to make a batch of oatmeal on Sundays to enjoy the rest of the week. 

Ingredients for apple cinnamon oatmeal

Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

Rolled oats – Make sure to use rolled oats (also labeled as old fashioned oats), not quick oats. Quick oats are chopped into smaller pieces and cook much faster.

Do not use steel cut oats either, which require more liquid and more time for cooking.

Apples – Use your favorite apple for this recipe. I like to use sweet-tart apples like Gala, which keep their shape in cooking. Other good options are Cosmic Crisp or Honeycrisp.

Butter – To sauté the apples.

Brown sugar – I add brown sugar in both the apple mixture and the oats. 

Ground cinnamon – Add the cinnamon to both the apples and the oats.

Ground ginger – For a bit of extra flavor, I love adding ginger to recipes that use cinnamon. Ground ginger has much less bite than fresh, so don’t be afraid to add it.

Salt – Fine sea salt is a great choice here.

Milk and water – I use a combination of milk and water for creamy oats. Nearly any plain milk will work. I usually use 2% milk, but for the oats in the photos I used lactose-free milk.

If you use a nondairy milk, make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored.

Pecans – As an optional topping, try chopped pecans. Walnuts and almonds are also great!

How to make this recipe

Chop or slice the apples. You don’t need to peel them, but you can if you want. I don’t bother!

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the apples, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of salt. 

Stir to evenly coat the apples, then reduce the heat to medium-low to continue to soften the apples to your liking. 

I keep mine just a little crisp, but you can cook until completely soft if you like.

While the apples are cooking, combine the milk and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then add the oats, and remaining brown sugar and spices.

Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the oats are softened and the mixture is thickened to your liking. 

This will take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick you like your oatmeal and the efficiency of your stove. I’ve also found that some brands of oats take longer than others, so just keep an eye on it!

Portion the oatmeal between bowls and add cooked apples and pecans. Enjoy while hot!

Recipe suggestions

Try this recipe with pears instead of apples, or peaches in the summertime. Don’t want to cook the fruit? No problem! Raw sliced fruit is just as tasty and provides an excellent texture contrast.

Add extra spices to pump up the flavor. Some of my favorites are nutmeg, cardamom, and just a tiny pinch of pepper. Or swap in apple pie spice!

Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness.

Toast the pecans in a dry pan to bring out their flavor.

You can make just the apples in advance for quicker prep of the oatmeal in the morning.

Storage tips

This apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe stores and reheats well! You can either store the oats and apples together in the same container, or keep them separate so you can add the apples as you like to each bowl.

Pour the oatmeal into an airtight container, seal, and let cool before transferring to the refrigerator.

To make meal prep easier, portion the oatmeal and apples into serving-size containers rather than large ones.

Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, add a small amount of milk or water, and heat in the microwave until warmed through.

Cooked oatmeal can also be frozen. Freeze in individual portions and thaw as needed. Thaw overnight, then heat as above.

More oat breakfast ideas

Looking for other ways to enjoy oats for breakfast?

Try your hand at homemade granola with dried apricots, or make nutty peanut butter granola.

Bake up some fig breakfast cookies, or try a pan of blueberry baked oatmeal. Both are great meal prep options too!

Oats add hearty flavor to my banana oat muffins and favorite honey oatmeal bread.

Or, for a different creamy breakfast option, try blueberry cheesecake overnight oats, high protein overnight oats, or amaranth porridge!

Make apple cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast this week!