Saturday morning breakfasts just got a little bit sweeter and oh so cozy with these Baked Apples with Cinnamon Spice Oatmeal! Weekend breakfasts in the fall…is there anything better? I love the opportunity to cuddle up under the covers and sleep in until 8am (that’s considered sleeping in around here), get the pumpkin spice coffee brewing in my Chemex (my new go-to coffee maker), and make a comfy, stick-to-your-bones, breakfast complete with sweet carby things and plenty of savory faves.
A couple weekends ago, we invited my dad (lover of all things breakfast, biggest fan of Perkins’ Tremendous Twelve) over for a brunch extravaganza. Our spread included pumpkin spice pancakes, omelets, turkey sausage, breakfast potatoes, and an unexpected healthy surprise: these Baked Apple with Cinnamon Spice Oatmeal! My dad was heaven, more so because of the eggs and sausage, of course.
But what I loved the most about the brunch was my healthy offering of baked apples with oatmeal. If you’ve ever wanted to make a lighter version of baked apples without all the butter and sugar, this is your recipe. Similarly, if you’ve ever wanted to lighten up your oatmeal, infuse it with all your favorite cozy spices and make it extra thick and creamy, these Baked Apple with Cinnamon Spice Oatmeal will be right up your alley.
The Baked Apples
Let’s start with the apples. You’ll want to find large ones of the sweet and tart variety. My absolute favorite is the Pink Lady apple, but you can find a list of the best apples for baking right here. You’ll hollow out those apples, coat them in lemon juice, sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and bake them until tender.
The Oatmeal
For the oatmeal, almond milk (or any unsweetened variety of non dairy like coconut or cashew) is my secret weapon to yield an extremely thick and creamy texture. You’ll simmer oats in the almond milk and add in a bunch of autumn-y spices and sweeten with maple syrup, honey, or your preferred sweetener. It takes a while for the oats to thicken, but you’ll have plenty of time to make the oatmeal while the apples are baking.
The Assembly
Once the apples are baked, add heaping spoonfuls of the cinnamon spice oatmeal to your apples and go crazy with toppings. I topped mine with Greek yogurt, pecans, and more maple syrup. Here are some topping suggestions: chopped nuts, Pumpkin Spice Granola, dried fruit, yogurt, whipped cream, more maple syrup.
Baked apples + cinnamon spice oatmeal = Saturday morning bliss!
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- 4 large apples (I recommend Honey Crisp or Pink Lady)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup apple juice
- 2½ cups almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla)
- 1¼ cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- Whipped cream
- Nuts
- Additional maple syrup
- raisins or dried cranberries
- Granola
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt
- Prepare the apples: Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Slice off the tops of each apple. Using a paring knife, spoon, or ice cream scoop carefully hollow out each apple, leaving a ¼-inch thick bowl for the oatmeal. Squeeze lemon juice over the white parts of each apple. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Place the apples in a small baking dish. Pour the apple juice in the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until the apples are tender.
- Prepare the oatmeal: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the almond milk, oats, maple syrup, spices, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly as the oatmeal heats up. Then, turn the heat down to low, stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes, until the oatmeal has thickened. Stir in more almond milk at the end if desired. Taste and add in more maple syrup if needed.
- Stuff the apples: Fill each apple with an even amount of oatmeal. Add on toppings.
You may have extra oatmeal. Feel free to serve it on the side or store as leftovers.
Hi! I'm Krista, a self-proclaimed vegetable lover who likes to put a creative spin on healthy cooking. Here you'll find a variety of lightened up recipes using fresh and wholesome ingredients! 
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