These apple cinnamon overnight oats are healthy and vegan, but you’ll feel like you’re eating apple pie for breakfast!

Not too long ago I was hired to cook for musician Charlie Puth and his songwriting team, who rented a home in Montecito while they were writing his first album. I was tasked with preparing all of their meals for the entire week so that they could stay focused writing hits. At the last minute, (as in menu chosen, ingredients purchased) I was informed that one of the guests was vegan and another did not eat dairy or wheat.

Just another day in the life of a private chef!

Some of the designated meals could be easily modified, but for those that could not I needed to come up with vegan/wheat free/dairy free options that also wouldn’t hinder my already jam-packed schedule (i.e quick+easy all the way).

I love a good challenge, and I also dig creating healthy alternatives to recipes, so I set out to come up with dishes that would easily stand up to their non-vegan, dairy and wheat-filled counterparts in terms of flavor and satisfaction.

And that’s how these apple cinnamon overnight oats came about. The plan for one particular morning was apple cinnamon pancakes for the rest of the group and I instantly thought overnight oats—>apple cinnamon overnight oats! Basically a healthy breakfast version of apple pie. Yes, please!!

Why you need these Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats in your life: 

• These apple cinnamon overnight oats are healthy but you’ll feel like you’re eating apple pie for breakfast! Don’t we all want to start our day with a nice dessert once in a while?
• Overnight Oats are the perfect make-ahead breakfast. You can prepare 5 individual jars of apple cinnamon overnight oats on Sunday night and have your breakfast ready for the entire next work week.
• Due to their high fiber content,  oats are incredibly filling. One serving of these oats will keep you satisfied and free from sugar cravings until lunchtime.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats:

If you’ve never made overnight oats before, PLEASE run to the kitchen and make some right now. You’ll be thanking me in the morning.

Just take equal parts oats and non-dairy beverage of your choice, add a dash or two of flavor enhancers such as agave, maple syrup, cinnamon, cardamom, whatever- and always a pinch of salt. Maybe toss in some nuts, flax seeds or chia seeds for some texture, if you want. Then just mix, cover and chill overnight and poof – You’re in healthy, nourishing vegan breakfast heaven.

It could not have been any easier. With literally a two minute prep time for the oats, I  threw the ingredients together the previous night as I was wrapping up dinner. In the morning I reserved some of the same apple compote that I made for the pancakes (making sure to use earth balance instead of butter, but if you’re not vegan or dairy free you can for sure use butter).

I have to say, I think the folks eating pancakes were actually a little envious of those apple cinnamon overnight oats because they all asked for the recipe! And I’ve been making it on repeat at home ever since.

Tips for making overnight oats: 

• For this recipe, I used 1 cup of oats for 1 cup of milk as I was aiming for a slightly firmer texture to contrast the apple compote. Add a tiny bit more liquid if you want a creamier oatmeal but generally stick to a maximum of 2:1 ratio of liquid to oats.
• Oats love salt! In term of seasoning, that 1/4 tsp of salt is as important as the cinnamon and maple syrup, if not more important, so don’t skip it.
• Chia seeds and any dried fruit can be added at night, as they need time to absorb liquid and plump up overnight. Fresh fruit would add too much liquid to the oats and should be added in the morning.
• Give your overnight oats a good stir after taking them out of the fridge to ensure everything is well-combined.

Variations on this recipe:

• I like to eat my Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats cold, but you could also heat them up in the microwave for a few seconds. Alternatively, you can prepare the apple compote in the morning and serve it as a hot topping for your overnight oats.
• To add a crunchy element, stir a couple of tablespoons of toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts into your refrigerated overnight oats before adding the compote.
• Feel free to swap almond milk for your favorite vegan nut milk. Cashew, hazelnut and coconut milk all work great.

FAQ:

Which type of oats should I use for this overnight oats recipe? 

Old-fashioned rolled oats are generally the best choice when it comes to overnight oats as they give you that creamy, smooth texture with just the perfect amount of chew.  I’d recommend against instant oats as they end up almost dissolving in the liquid. Steel-cut oats, on the other hand, might not soften up enough and be a lot chewier and denser than rolled.

How long do these Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats keep? 

Overnight oats can usually be stored in an airtight container and will be fine to eat for up to five days when refrigerated. As the days pass they’ll continue to soften which might be a bonus if you like your oatmeal on the creamy side. You can definitely prepare a whole work week’s worth of overnight oats on Sunday and have nothing to worry about until Friday.

Thanks for reading! To keep up with my kitchen escapades, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. If you make these Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats, please share it using the hashtag #LePetitEats!

5 from 1 vote

Print

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

These apple cinnamon overnight oats are healthy and vegan, but you’ll feel like you’re eating apple pie for breakfast!

Course Breakfast, brunch, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword apple pie, breakfast, cinnamon, easy, fall, healthy, make ahead, sweet, vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

Cooling time 8 hours

Total Time 22 minutes

Servings 2

Calories 390 kcal

Author Denisse

Ingredients

For the oats:

• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the apple compote:

• 1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter substitute
• 1 large apple peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon corn starch

Instructions

For the oats:

1. Combine oats, almond milk, maple syrup, chia seeds, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt in a medium sized bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the apple compote:

1. Add butter, apples, cinnamon and maple syrup to a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until apples are very tender. 

2. Whisk water and cornstarch together in a small bowl, add to pot and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool completely.

3. To serve, spoon oats into a cup and top with apple compote.