Did anyone else catch a case of the late August blues? After spending four relaxing days with my family in Kansas City, I’m struggling to say goodbye to the lazy days of summer. My single source of the fresh, pencil-sharpening, back-to-school energy I knew in elementary school: Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats.
As an elementary school student, I looked forward to the end of summer, because it meant the beginning of a new school year. Anything was possible. I had a brand-new Lisa Frank trapper keeper to prove it.
As an adult, the transition between seasons is less defined, but still present. Although I no longer have a first day of school to signal summer’s end, I can sense the arrival of fall. Summer is permissive. In summer, I can eat chips and dip for lunch, ignore my to-do list in favor of watching the sunset, and leave my bed unmade. Fall feels less accepting of these things.
Although I’m not quite ready to embrace the productivity I feel fall demands, fall flavors are already tempting me.
This week, after a long, lazy weekend in Kansas City with my family celebrating my little niece’s first birthday (her reaction to the cake was priceless), I needed these Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats to transition me back into real-life mode. As it turns out, waking up just one quick mason-jar shake away from a breakfast as satisfying and delicious as overnight oatmeal is a very powerful thing.
About These Delicious Overnight Oats
If you’ve never tried overnight oats, I am begging you to give this apple cinnamon overnight oatmeal recipe a try. Overnight oats are incredibly filling, packed with super foods, and taste so rich and decadent, you’ll think you are eating an old-fashioned pudding, instead of a wholesome meal.
Here’s the rundown of overnight oatmeal ingredients: uncooked rolled oats (I like rolled for the best, most decadent texture, though quick oats will work too), Greek yogurt (extra protein and maximum richness), flaxseeds (omega-3 power), and Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk. I’m once again teaming up with Almond Breeze to share this recipe, because its Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk is my go-to for smoothies, cereals, and my overnight oats too. I love its light, nutty flavor and creamy texture—both are perfect for overnight oats!
To make overnight oats, simply layer the ingredients, then let them sit in the refrigerator while you sleep. That’s it. Overnight, the oatmeal softens and thickens into a filling breakfast pudding that will have you leaping out of your bed to enjoy it. I like to put my overnight oats in a mason jar, because the jar is easy to store and makes me feel hipster and cool, but any airtight container (or even a bowl with plastic wrap over the top) will do.
Because overnight oats can last up to five days in the refrigerator, I usually make a few jars at once. For less than 10 minutes of prep work, I can have breakfast covered for the week.
You can customize overnight oats to any flavors you love. Today’s recipe is inspired by apple pie. I added warm fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, pure maple syrup, a diced honeycrisp apple, and a handful of toasted walnuts and dried cranberries.
I love the way the creamy oats and yogurt contrast with the crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and chewy, sweet cranberries. It truly is like apple pie, in healthy overnight oatmeal form!
Since overnight oats can be made ahead, this recipe is ideal for quick back to school breakfasts. Overnight oats are also portable, so you can easily grab a container on your way out the door. You’ll be the envy of the office when you open the lid and dig in!
More Make Ahead Breakfast Recipes
- Coconut Chia Pudding
- Freezer Breakfast Quesadilla
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Slow Cooker Banana Bread Overnight Steel Cut Oats
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
- Mason jars
- I didn’t peel my apples, but if you prefer to, this peeler is a good one.
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Ingredients
For Each Jar:
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats gluten free if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Tiny pinch ground ginger
- Tiny pinch ground cloves
- Tiny pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 medium apple cored and diced (peeling optional), any kind you enjoy eating (I used honeycrisp)
- 1/2 cup Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal or substitute chia seeds
- Optional toppings: Toasted almonds or walnuts; dried fruit, such as raisins, cranberries, or apricots, additional maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a 16-ounce mason jar or other individual storage container in the order listed above: oats, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, diced apples, almondmilk, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, and flaxseed. Do not shake. Seal jar and refrigerate overnight (or up to 5 days). You can also layer the ingredients in a bowl, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- When ready to eat, shake the jar to combine the ingredients or empty the contents of the container into a serving bowl and stir to combine. Add a little more Greek yogurt or almondmilk if a thicker/thinner consistency is desired. Add any desired toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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RegisterI am sharing the recipe in partnership with Almond Breeze. Thanks for supporting the brands and companies that make it possible for me to continue creating quality content for you!
I usually eat a single serving yogurt and fruit for breakfast while commuting, but wanted to try something new. I ate a jar at 6:30am and actually stayed full until lunch time at noon! Usually I need a snack around 9 or 10, but this meal has filling power! I hope jar number five is still good a few days from now, since the consistency was so good after just an overnight sit.
YAY! Thank you for taking the time to leave this kind review, Emily! I’m so happy this recipe was a success!
Made these yesterday they are wonderful!
I’m so happy that the recipe was a hit, Mary! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I have made this recipe several times so good, just got your cookbook can’t wait to use.
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Mary! Thank you for sharing this kind review and for ordering my book!
I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy this for breakfast! It is easy to put together the night before and a joy to have ready for me in the morning. My husband and I are both type 2 diabetics and this gives us a wonderfully crunchy, flavorful, filling option for a healthy breakfast. The only alteration I make is I use Choc Zero Sugar Free Maple Syrup (made from Monk Fruit) and it makes this recipe nearly sugar free! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes, they’re appreciated more than you could ever realize!
I’m SO happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Jeanne! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
My 4 yr old and I made a 4x serving of this last night and it went down well all round! We didnt have any yogurt in and used chia seeds instead of flax and it came out creamy just the same. I agree it tastes way better from a pretty jar but was perfectly acceptable dished out from a mixing bowl!
Do you ever heat up your overnight oats? I was thinking this might be yummy warm in deep winter?
So happy to hear it, thank you! And I haven’t done that personally, though I believe a few other readers have. If you play around with it, I’d love to hear what you think (I love warm oatmeal in winter too).
I know you make money off of ads, and I respect that, and am usually tolerant of the amount of scrolling required to get to a recipe. But this was beyond the pale. I had to do 25 swipes on my mouse to get to the recipe, and in the middle of reading the recipe, I keep getting jumped back up the page and have to swipe 10 more times to get back to the recipe. I finally gave up and am off to find another recipe. Just letting you know so you can fix this.
Hi! I’m sorry for any inconvenience that the ads may have caused you. If you click the “Jump To Recipe” button at the top of the page, it will take you directly there. I hope this helps!
Easy and delicious! Meal prepping for the week was a breeze!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Meredith! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly. The next morning I stirred it up, added a couple of drops of stevia, sprinkled walnuts on top and stirred it up. So, so good and filling! Thanks, Erin, for another winner!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Geni! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can I substitute quick cooking rolled oats in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Mender! Yes, that should work fine. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
The flavors of this were spot on delicious and tasted like a warm hug. They were just a touch too liquid for my preferences though – would you suggest lowering the amount of milk or stirring a little bit before sitting overnight?
Hi Julianne! I recommend the recipe as written. If you decided to lower the amount of milk you would have to experiment with it. Glad you enjoyed the flavor!
I am obsessed!! These are the creamiest overnight oats I have ever made. I substituted almond milk for oat milk since that’s what I had & it was perfect!
Hi Kelly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hi what’s the reason for not stirring it? Does the milk get to the oats enough to get absorbed fully overnight? I’ve never tried this recipe but I make another type and I stir it all together first before it goes in the fridge.
Hi Sonya! You want to make sure you don’t stir so the milk absorbs correctly! Hope this helps!
I found that I don’t really like cold breakfast, can you heat this up before adding the toppings?
Hi Nancy! I haven’t done that personally, though I believe a few other readers have. If you play around with it, I’d love to hear what you think (I love warm oatmeal in winter).
I’ve made this recipe for weeks now and I’m in love! Love the crunch from the apples and the flavor is delicious. Thank you!
Hi Kelsie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!