Apple cinnamon overnight oats
Rolled oats, milk, diced apple, and cinnamon turn into a ready-to-eat breakfast after a night in the refrigerator.
Original Helping Plate recipe · Independently written for this site. Cover image is an illustrative serving suggestion.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Makes
- 4 small breakfast servings
- Budget note
- Often under $5
Directions
- 1
Prepare the apple
Wash the apple. Grate one half into a medium bowl and cut the other half into small pieces. The peel can stay on.
- 2
Mix
Add the oats, milk, optional yogurt and sweetener, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until the oats are evenly moistened.
- 3
Portion
Divide the mixture among four small covered containers. Spoon any liquid left in the bowl evenly over the portions.
- 4
Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Keep the oats refrigerated rather than leaving them on the counter.
- 5
Serve
Stir before eating. Add a splash of milk for a looser texture. Enjoy cold, or warm in a microwave-safe bowl until steaming.
Make it work with what you have
Use dairy or unsweetened non-dairy milk. A mashed banana, applesauce, or canned pears can replace the fresh apple; reduce the added sweetener after tasting.
Simple and filling
The oats soften without cooking while grated apple sweetens every spoonful. Dividing the mixture before chilling makes breakfast easy to grab for several days.
Storage
Keep covered and refrigerated at 40°F or below. For best quality, eat within 3 days; discard portions that were left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Stretch this meal further
These are Helping Plate’s practical additions for shopping carefully and cooking with food-distribution staples.
- Grate half the apple into the oats for sweetness and dice the other half for texture.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats; quick oats become softer and steel-cut oats stay much firmer.
- Add a small splash of milk in the morning if the oats have thickened more than you prefer.
Equipment
Medium mixing bowl · Box grater or knife · Four small covered containers · Measuring cups and spoons
Cuisine
American
Dietary notes
Vegetarian · Egg-free · Gluten-free when certified gluten-free oats are used
Check for allergens
Milk when dairy milk or yogurt is used · Check non-dairy milk labels for soy or tree nuts
