The weather is starting to warm up outside, so that means it’s officially overnight oats season in my house! When the weather gets hot, I switch from big bowls of warm oatmeal to chilled jars of overnight oats in the morning. Overnight oats are fast and easy to make and the flavor possibilities are endless. This week I made these Apple Pie Overnight Oats that have no added sugar, yet somehow, magically taste just like an apple pie. Yes, please!
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What are Overnight Oats?
If you’re looking for a super simple breakfast meal prep to make mornings fast and easy, overnight oats are it. They’re basically just oats that have been softened by soaking in a liquid for hours, rather than being briefly boiled in the liquid. And when you add all sorts of fun extra ingredients, they will absorb all those flavors as they soak, too! Great, right? Well, it’s even better when they’re apple pie flavored and don’t need any extra sugar to be scrumptious. #winning
Do You Eat Overnight Oats Hot or Cold?
You can eat overnight oats hot or cold. In the summer I love overnight oats cold, but if you prefer a hot breakfast, simply microwave the oats for 60-90 seconds until heated through. They’re great either way!
What Kind of Oats Should I Use?
Old-fashioned rolled oats are my favorite for overnight oats because they soften overnight, but maintain a good deal of texture. Quick or instant oats will soften quickly as well, but they have a lot less texture and will give a more mushy result. While you can do a variation of overnight oats with steel-cut oats, they require a more liquid and a longer soaking time, so they can not simply be swapped into the recipe below.
What Kind of Containers Should I Use?
You can use any type of resealable container for overnight oats. the blue-top Ziploc containers are great if you’re on a tight budget, but mason jars or glass meal prep containers also work great. For the recipe below you’ll want a container that holds 1-1.5 cups. I used 8oz. jars.
What Kind of Dried Fruit to Add
You have a few options here, which will allow you to use the ingredient that is most affordable or accessible to you. I used dried cranberries today because that’s what I had on hand, but you can also use raisins, dried currants, or chopped dried dates.
Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats ($0.24)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves ($0.02)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts ($0.60)
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries ($0.44)
- 1 1/3 cups unsweetened applesauce ($0.62)
- 1 1/3 cups milk ($0.27)
Instructions
- Add ⅓ cup oats each to four resealable containers. Also add ⅛ tsp cinnamon, a pinch of ginger, and a pinch of cloves to each container.
- Add 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and 1 Tbsp dried cranberries to each container.
- Finally, add ⅓ cup applesauce and ⅓ cup milk to each container.
- Close the containers and refrigerate overnight or up to four days. Stir the contents of the container before eating.
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Equipment
Nutrition
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How to Make Apple Pie Overnight Oats – Step by Step Photos
Add ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats to each container. Also, add ⅛ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of ground ginger and ground cloves to each jar.
Next, add 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and 1 Tbsp dried cranberries to each jar.
Finally, add ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce and ⅓ cup milk to each jar.
You can either stir each jar before soaking, or just add the lid and soak as-is, then stir just before eating. Either way, let your oats soak overnight (8 hours) or up to four days. Give them a good stir just before eating, and enjoy.
You can add more toppings to your overnight oats, like fresh apples, after soaking, if desired.
Just had them, so good! I added golden raisins and sliced almonds. Will make again!
My next Budget Bytes recipe to try. I’m going to make my own applesauce in the slow cooker. My additions: sliced almonds and golden raisins because that’s what I have on hand. I’ll report back! I’m using quick oats which apparently is a no no but I’m going to try it!
Perfect texture – just like stovetop, but without the pot to wash afterwards. (Seriously, the only thing that’s been keeping me away from oatmeal is that any bits left over dry like cement unless washed off immediately.) And the flavor really is just like apple pie! I sometimes add a tablespoon or so of ground flaxseed to mine, and I’m looking forward to experimenting with dried apples. (I usually skip the walnuts and dried cranberries.)
I’m in HS and recently I been too busy to make breakfast so I made this for me and my 妹妹. It took 5 minutes to prepare. The next day we topped it with fresh cinnamon honey coated apple pieces(we mixed some in too lol) and it tasted pretty close to apple pie. I’m going to make this again for sure! Do you have any other recipes that you would recommend for me and my younger sister? Thank you!
Most of the moisture got sucked up overnight (maybe it’s the applesauce?), and if I’m eating it cold I can just add a little more milk – but I prefer it warm. When I add milk, when I try to warm it up the moisture is absorbed back up and it gets clumpy and dry and almost turns to paste if I’m not careful. And if I add too much milk it dilutes all the flavor of everything else that went in it. I’m not sure what is going wrong?
It sounds like you are using instant or quick oats. Is that the case? If so, they don’t work for this recipe, as they are too processed to hold up to the overnight soak. You need to use rolled oats. XOXO -Monti
No, I was using rolled oats
That is so bizarre. I wonder if the brand you are using is processed more than other rolled oats? I truly don’t know where to point you. I hate pasty oats too, so I can totally understand not liking the results. Beth doesn’t recommend steel cut, but I love making my overnight oats with steel cut. It’s a different process, though, as you bring the water to a boil (a 3 to 1 water-to-oats ratio) and then add the oats, cover the pot, and leave it out overnight. Refrigerate, and add whatever milk, etc., you want before microwaving them to warm them up. Maybe that will be more of the texture you prefer. XOXO -Monti
I liked the recipe and will cook again, but next time need to try with less of the applesauce. It was a bit too soggy.
Hi Beth,
I made the Apple Pie Overnight Oats last night and I’m eating them right now…they are delicious!
They are creamy and perfect!! Tastes exactly like an apple pie! Love having some yummy options for my overnight oats….I’m going to make the Blueberry Almond Overnight Oats next!
Thank you so much for all the great recipes….I love them.
Best Regards,
Rick
Thanks so much for checking them out!!
I brought this to work last week and my colleagues asked what I was eating. They said it smelled just like an apple pie. I said it tastes even better! Spot on. A keeper!
I can imagine a family eating this in their pajamas before bed instead of ice cream. I was never blessed with a family, and I think eating this yummy-looking dessert by myself would be like polishing off an ice cream container alone at 2 AM – just kind of pathetic.
Do you have a link to these cute little jars?
Oh, yep! Thanks for asking, I had forgotten to add it. They are linked in the bottom of the recipe card now. :)
This recipe was so good. Made it as written..Will be on the bkfst. rotation.
Absolutely delicious! I microwaved mine for a a couple minutes and served with a whole apple, walnut halves and cinnamon and topped with almond milk. Yum!
Can this be made nut-free? Tree nut and peanut and soy allergies here (severe).
Yep. It’s super flexible. :)
I made it this morning and it’s a winner! My toddler son agreed. I love the applesauce walnut combo. I needed this to help me out of my peanut butter overnight oats rut. I might try adding a teaspoon or two of chia seeds and vanilla next time because tweaking recipes is life, but honestly this is perfect as is.
This sounds DELICIOUS!
I’m a little jealous of your warmer weather; it’s still below freezing here in the High Plains (it was 7ºF yesterday morning when I went to work — and -4 with wind chill). It’s warmer today — a whole 23F. But our summers are amazing… only about a week of 90-degree days.
Yummy! Great idea to use applesauce! Dried cranberries do have loads of added sugar though.