Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal, AKA the perfect hearty, comforting breakfast that you can prep ahead for a cold winter morning.
I’ve got to share a secret with you.
My diet as a kid consisted of mostly highly processed, packaged foods.
Count Chocula. Fruit Loops. Fruity Pebbles. Reeses Puffs. Cookie Dough Poptarts. Dunkaroos. Oatmeal Raisin Pie Little Debbies. Cosmic Brownies.
….I mean, SHALL I go on??
I don’t want this to paint the picture that my parents didn’t care about my health — because they did! No doubt they were doing the best they could to feed their picky (and very active) little child in the midst of the early 90s low fat craze. Not to mention all the crazy advertising targeted towards kids for all these high sugar options like cereals and snack bars and dessert cakes.
And don’t get me wrong, I definitely ate “healthier” foods….ham and strawberries were my JAM.
Another “healthier” food I enjoyed and would actually eat?
Cinnamon apple instant oatmeal. Juuust like this one.
I remember my mom would make me a bowl in the morning before elementary school, especially in the winter (I imagine…my memory is foggy), complete with an ice cube stirred in to cool it down for my delicate palate. Not spoiled, at all.
When I made this batch of Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal recently, I was instantly transported to those mornings sitting at the bar, eating my bowl of cinnamon apple instant oatmeal before heading off to second grade. Such simpler times.
Needless to say, this version of cinnamon apple oatmeal is likely a sliiightly more satisfying option thanks to the addition of fiber and healthy fat from ingredients like walnuts, chia seeds, and coconut oil. And, no need to worry about burning your mouth on these…you can enjoy them cold if you please!
Seriously, this Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal recipe is the *perfect* breakfast option for those mornings you just cannot be bothered with cooking something. Whip up a big batch at the start of the week (in under an hour), and have breakfast prepped and ready for you each morning. You know what that means?
More time for you to stay cozy under the comforter.
Or more time for you to do another set at the gym.
Or even time to finally devote to reading some in your Bible before a busy day at work.
All sound like good ways to spend that extra time to me 😉
Now, you’ll see the recipe yields varying serving sizes, because that’s dependent on how big you want your slices, and/or if you want to pair them with something! I like to have a slice with some yogurt or a side of scrambled eggs to add some variety, but a bigger chunk with a drizzle of PB also does the trick. I’d say you could easily get anywhere from 8-12 servings.
Not into the cinnamon apple vibe? I’ve also got a classic Baked Oatmeal recipe, and a Cranberry, Orange, and Walnut Baked Oatmeal version.
Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 cups instant oats I used GF, organic
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp apple pie spice
- Pinch sea salt
- 2 small apples, chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and coat a large rectangular baking dish (I used an 11x7”) with coconut oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla extract).
- Add in dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in chopped apple and walnuts. Evenly pour mixture into the baking dish. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Top with peanut butter, serve with your fav yogurt, or pair with some eggs for some added protein.
