Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal | Apple Season Recipes

Another of the many reasons to love fall? Apple season! I’m here to interrupt your regular Sunday morning to share an oatmeal recipe that will have you ready to jump head first into the season...and maybe even the week. Oatmeal is one of those things people either love or hate. I happen to LOVE oatmeal and even find myself craving it at times. It’s so comforting and actually keeps you full for a while. Now that the weather is cooling and mornings are brisk, a piping hot bowl of oatmeal is just what we all need. When I was a kid, I loved making the apple cinnamon instant oatmeal or the maple brown sugar. This recipe is inspired by those instant oatmeal days.

Now that I’m an adult and know how easy it is to whip up oatmeal on the stove, you’ll hardly find me making oatmeal out of a packet anymore. I love buying the quick oats in both classic and steel cut. For this recipe, I used steel cut but you can use whichever you prefer. Note the preparation instructions on the oatmeal because it might change cooking time and the milk to oat ratio. One of the downsides to using the store-bought instant oatmeal packets, there are oftentimes a lot of added sugar and preservatives to make it tasty. This recipe keeps it simple with real apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. Granted, sugar isn’t the best thing to include in your breakfast, a little brown sugar never hurt anyone! If you are watching sugar, you can start light and add more as needed as well.

Everything comes together easy and quick. First, mix the diced apples with the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Keep the heat low so the apples can let out their juices without the sugar burning. This creates a wonderful caramelized flavor and allows the apples to create their own natural syrup. The apples should be softened yet still firm when done and there should be a generous syrup formed. Pour into the bowl you’ll be eating your oatmeal from and get the oatmeal going. Most packages say to bring the milk (or water) to a boil first before adding the oats. I add the oats to the milk immediately and let everything come to a boil. I find that this saves me a few minutes and the oats get extra creamy. Once they’ve reached your desired consistency, I like mine pretty thick, pour onto the apples and mix everything together. It will be a delightful breakfast that makes the entire house smell like fall.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Ingredients:
2 small Apples, peeled and diced (use only 1 if larger)
¼ tsp. Cinnamon
1 ½ tbsp. Brown Sugar
¾ cup Milk
⅓ cup Steel Cut Quick Oats

Directions:
1 - In a small saucepan, heat the apples with the cinnamon and brown sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened and the sugar has turned into a syrupy consistency. Set aside in a bowl.

2 - In the same saucepan, heat the milk and oats over medium-high heat until they reach a low boil. Lower the heat and stir the oats to keep them moving until they’ve thickened and reached your prefered oatmeal consistency.

3 - Pour the oats into the bowl with the apples. Mix together and enjoy!

NOTE: For the oats and milk, follow the instructions on the container of oats. Using regular oats instead of steel cut may change the milk to oat ratio and cooking time/method.

Yields 1 serving