Apple Pie Oats

I posted these oats on Instagram over the weekend and received a lot of requests for the recipe. It’s actually quite simple to make and is perfect for a chilly fall (or winter) breakfast. My husband came into the kitchen as I was making this bowl and exclaimed, “Wow it smells so good in here! Are you making PIE?” You will find this funny if you know that I am not a pie-maker, or a skilled baker!

The point is, the topping for these oats actually smelled and tasted like apple pie, so I consider that a big win in my book. Also, you should feel free to play around with spices here if you’d like. I prefer sticking to cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, but you could try using additional spices such as cardamom, ginger or allspice. I also tend to add a bit more cinnamon because I’m mildly obsessed with it.

These oats can come together in about 10-15 minutes depending on how speedy you are or what types of oats you use. I usually start with rolled oats, but sometimes in a hurry I will go with quick oats. I find that I vastly prefer the texture of rolled oats since quick oats come out a bit more on the mushy side. If you prefer steel-cut, those will work too. The real magic here is in the stewed apples anyway.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients (Oats):

• 1 cup water (or nut milk if you prefer for added creaminess)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp raw pumpkin seeds (optional, for topping)
• 1 tsp almond butter (optional, for topping)

Ingredients (Apple Topping):

• 1 Whole apple, sliced no more than 1 inch thick
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar OR 1 tbsp date syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1-2 tbsp chopped or whole pecans
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup of water or plant-based milk to a boil in a small sauce pan and stir in oats. Lower heat to simmer. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla.
2. While oats are cooking, heat a small sauce pan over medium-high heat with 1/4 cup of water. Once warm, add apples and coconut sugar.
3. Stir the apples frequently as the sauce thickens. If you find your sauce is getting too thick too fast, lower heat and add a bit more water and coconut sugar. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans after a couple minutes. Once the sauce has thickened and is low in the pan, and the apples have softened (after about 7-10 minutes), remove from heat and stir in the squeeze of lemon juice.
4. Add the cooked oats to a bowl and top with the caramelized apples and pecans. Add additional toppings, such as almond butter and pumpkin seeds, if desired.