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These apple cinnamon overnight oats are made with applesauce for the best sweet apple flavor and layered with my caramelized apples for extra texture. They taste like apple pie in a jar!
When I first tried overnight oats, I didn’t really get the hype… but that’s because I was eating plain, cold oats with no flavor. Now that I’ve started flavoring them like my favorite desserts, I can’t get enough. And if you’re into dessert-inspired overnight oats as much as I am, you’ve got to try my Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats, Peach Crisp Oats, and Birthday Cake Overnight Oats next!
Why You’ll Love These Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Autumn is the perfect time to make the most of in-season apples, and I’ve shared plenty of apple-forward recipes over the years (like my Apple Oat Breakfast Cake and Baked Hasselback Apples). These easy apple cinnamon overnight oats are another cozy favorite to add to the list! Here are a few more reasons we love this recipe and you will too:
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- Flavor: Lightly spiced with warm cinnamon and sweet, fruity apples
- Texture: Thick and creamy with tender apple pieces in every bite
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Time: Under 30 minutes, including making the stovetop apples
Why Use Applesauce in Overnight Oats
Applesauce is a simple way to level up your overnight oats. It adds natural sweetness so you can use less added sugar, infuses the oats with fresh apple flavor, and helps create a thick, creamy texture without dairy or thickeners. In this recipe, it also ties in perfectly with the caramelized apples for a true apple pie flavor.
Ingredients
Ingredient Highlights & Some Swaps
Apples
I used Honeycrisp apples to make a batch of my cozy stovetop apples. You can also use Cosmic Crisp or your favorite variety. Be sure to peel and dice them small.
The smaller they are diced, the faster they will cook! Real apples really make these oats taste like a fresh from-the-oven apple pie or crisp.
Applesauce
Like mentioned above, a bit of unsweetened applesauce helps add apple flavor throughout the oats and makes them thick. This can be subbed for a Greek-style dairy-free yogurt. Or another high protein vegan yogurt.
If you only have sweetened applesauce, I recommend omitting the maple syrup.
Old Fashioned Oats
Regular old fashioned rolled oats work great here. But you can also use instant oats if that’s what you have on hand.
Chia Seeds
Just a spoonful of chia seeds really helps thicken the oats and makes the texture 10x better.
Dairy-Free Milk
I love using soy milk in overnight oats to give them a little extra protein boost which helps keep me full longer.
How to Make Apple Overnight Oats
Exact ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below!
Mix the oats, cinnamon and chia seeds in a medium sized bowl.
Add the dairy-free milk, applesauce, vanilla and maple syrup.
Mix to combine, cover and let the overnight oats with applesauce thicken in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
While the oats thicken, you can make the stovetop apples. Add apples, spices, water and brown sugar (or coconut sugar) to a saucepan.
Simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes until tender.
Once the oats have thickened, spoon into jars with the stovetop apples.
Serving & Storage
I love serving these apple cinnamon overnight oats chilled straight from the fridge or at room temperature. For extra creaminess, you can add a dollop of vegan yogurt on top.
If you want to enjoy them as a cozy fall dessert or late-night snack, try adding a spoonful of dairy-free whipped cream. Here are some recipes that you can pair them with:
Make Ahead Tips
These apple overnight oats are great for prepping ahead since the flavor gets even better as it sits. The apples also stay tender in the fridge. Make a few jars at once and keep them in the fridge so you have breakfast (or a quick snack) ready to go all week.
The jars will keep in the fridge for 5-6 days.
Tips for Overnight Oats with Applesauce
Old-fashioned rolled oats give you the best creamy-yet-chewy texture. Quick oats tend to get softer but can still be used, and steel-cut oats won’t fully soften without extra prep.
Yes! You can warm them in the microwave or on the stovetop. If they seem too thick after heating, stir in a splash of soy milk.
These oats stay fresh if stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Unsweetened applesauce works best so you can control the sweetness. If you use sweetened applesauce, omit the maple syrup or other sweeteners in the recipe. Cinnamon-flavored applesauce also works well for an extra layer of spice.
More Oatmeal Recipes to Try
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats, 100g
- 1 tbsp chia seeds, 10g
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon, or apple pie spice
- 1 cup dairy-free milk, like unsweetened soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk
- 1 tbsp maple syrup, optional
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, or dairy-free Greek yogurt
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 recipe homemade stovetop apples, for layering
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon.1 cup old fashioned oats, 1 tbsp chia seeds, ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Add the dairy free milk, applesauce or yogurt, maple syrup (if using) and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine. Cover and place in the fridge to thicken for 3-4 hours, or overnight.1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 cup dairy-free milk, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Make the caramelized apples according to this recipe.1 recipe homemade stovetop apples
- Spoon 1-2 tbsp of oats into the bottom of a jar. Spoon 2-3 tbsp of the cooked apples on the oats, then add another 1-2 tbsp of oats. Repeat until the jar is full. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.Optional: Spoon a dollop of vanilla dairy free yogurt on top when ready to serve.
Recipe notes
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