Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal - Easy & Wholesome!

This Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal is the kind of breakfast that makes getting out of bed worthwhile. Creamy cinnamon oats are topped with warm apples cooked with brown sugar and cinnamon. It takes just 10 minutes to make and you can easily adjust it to be lighter, creamier or vegan. Perfect for a cosy winter breakfast!

About This Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Love a warming bowl of oatmeal but looking to flavour it up? This apple cinnamon oatmeal is so easy to make, comforting and absolutely delicious. Best of all it is quick to make and keeps you feeling full for longer. Made with freshly cooked apples glazed with cinnamon and a cinnamon flavoured oatmeal it is a great start to the day and one for your apple recipes folder (psst I love the apple cinnamon pop tarts!)

Why This Recipe Works and Why You'll Love It

• Oatmeal is a great breakfast food as oats contain beta glucan that keep you feeling full for longer.

• For the past few years Mr NQN eats oatmeal every single morning (ever since he was told that he had to watch his cholesterol). He usually makes it on weekdays but this is his favourite oatmeal that I make on weekends.

• I'll show you how to make his favourite apple and cinnamon oatmeal in 10 minutes, which makes it a handy easy recipe for busy mornings, much like overnight oats.

• This recipe has options depending on how creamy you want your porridge.

• I'll go through different types of milks you can use as well as different types of sweeteners.

• Want to make your oatmeal vegan? I've got you covered!

• I've got suggestions on other flavour combos you can use for your oats.

• This recipe also explains where the best cinnamon comes from and how to find it.

• I'll also show you the traditional Scottish tool to make porridge!

Video How To Make Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Ingredients For Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Oats - Whole rolled oats. Quick or instant oats can also be used. These are just rolled oats that have been steamed for a bit longer and then crushed thinner and cut so that they cook a bit quicker. I prefer the texture using whole rolled oats but it depends on how much time you have and quick oats are handy for weekday breakfasts.

Apple - A medium sized apple is around 110g/4oz. One apple is enough for one hearty size or two smaller serves.

Sugar - I prefer using brown sugar for the extra caramel flavour but you can use your favourite sweetener. Other alternatives are maple syrup, honey or date syrup.

Ground cinnamon - A perfect pair for apples! Did you know the best cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka? It's called Ceylon cinnamon and it smells incredible. Unfortunately most cinnamon sold is not actually cinnamon, it's actually cassia bark. Go to a specialist spice store for Ceylon cinnamon - it will be pricier but the smell is gorgeous with citrus and floral aromas.

Milk - I use whole full cream milk but if you want to make your oatmeal vegan, use oat milk or soy milk as they are good dairy free alternatives that give a good mouthfeel. Almond milk will give a thinner oatmeal and is closer to using water.

Salt - Essential to bring out the flavour of oats! Just a pinch is needed.

Tips For Making Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Add a pinch of salt to bring out oatmeal's flavour. Some people don't sweeten oatmeal at all and just add salt!

I love using my spurtle, a wooden tool designed to cook oats. I bought it when I was in Scotland and it works really well! Otherwise a wooden spoon or spatula will also totally work.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Recipe

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 2 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes concurrently

Serves: 1 (for a hearty serve) or 2 (for light serves)

Ingredients Needed

For Apples

• 110g/4oz apples, diced and peeled (peeling optional)
• 25ml/1oz hot water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For Oatmeal

• 1 cup/90g/3oz rolled oats
• 1/2 cup/125ml/4floz hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup/185ml/6.5floz milk
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 APPLES - First start the apples. Place the apple pieces (110g/4oz apples) in a small saucepan on low medium heat along with the water (25ml/1oz hot water). Place the lid on and bring to a simmer and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sugar (2 tablespoons brown sugar) and cinnamon (1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon) and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has melted and you have a glossy sauce.

Step 2 OATMEAL - While the apples are cooking, start the oatmeal. Add the hot water (1/2 cup/125ml/4floz hot water) to a medium saucepan on medium heat and add the rolled oats (1 cup/90g/3oz rolled oats), cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon) and salt (pinch of salt) and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk (3/4 cup/185ml/6.5floz milk) and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Add sugar (1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional) if using and taste for sweetness as everyone's taste is different. If I have oatmeal with apples I usually don't really add sugar in my oatmeal. If I have oatmeal by itself, I add sugar.

Step 3 SERVE - Spoon oatmeal into a bowl and then add apples on top.

Personal Note

Speaking of oatmeal lovers, Milo gets some cooked oatmeal as a treat. He is a dog that loves jumping up and down. We realised how high he could jump when he once jumped up on the kitchen island to steal a stick of butter (cue vet visit). Recently he went to the vet for his vaccinations and the vet told us that was jumping too much and that if he continued this way, he would have problems with his knees.

That meant no more playing fetch which is devastating becauyse Milo loves this above all else. It also means no jumping on our bed. It's not a low bed and although we have stairs that Mochi and Teddy used, Milo gives them a high berth and instead jumps up and down from the floor to the bed. But that has to end now.

Now, to the horror of anyone that cares about aesthetics, we have our bed surrounded by every large piece of luggage that we own. It's like a moat that discourages Milo from jumping up and down from the bed. We've been trying to train him with snacks and hopefully he will get the hang of the stairs soon but I spend a bit of time every day training him! And no the oatmeal won't work as a training treat, the task requires something else!

So tell me Dear Reader, how often do you make oatmeal and what do you add to it?