We are going back to the basics with this simple, yet incredibly delicious, apple pie oatmeal!
Apples are cooked in a salty maple caramel sauce, and served on top of warm and creamy cinnamon oatmeal! A healthy and warming Fall breakfast!
HOW TO MAKE CARAMELIZED APPLES
First, you want to choose the right type of apples, preferably a variety that will soften and get tender after cooking.
I recommend using Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, or even Cortland. Do not go with Pink Lady or Granny Smith unless you want a crispy texture.
Start by cooking diced apples in vegan butter until tender and golden brown. Next, for the caramel, add coconut sugar, maple syrup, and a good pinch of salt.
Let the coconut sugar melt and coat the apples. Finally, deglaze the pan with water to make a syrup, and stir in vanilla extract for extra flavor.
OATMEAL
Now let’s talk about the base: the oats.
Here, we are using rolled oats for a chewy texture, almond milk, cinnamon, and apple sauce to add a natural sweetness as well as an extra apple flavor!
Simmer the oats for 5-8 minutes, or until tender.
Depending on how you like your oatmeal, feel free to adjust the cooking time. Personally I don’t like the oats too soupy so I cook them for about 8 minutes.
The juicy, and a bit salty, caramelized apples make this oatmeal the most comforting breakfast to have during Fall or Winter!
Looking for more healthy breakfast recipes? Check out this Mexican Chocolate Buckwheat Porridge, Instant Pot Matcha Oatmeal, or this Brownie Oatmeal with Banana Ice Cream!
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Salted Caramel Apple Pie Oatmeal
Ingredients
Caramelized Apples
- 2 apples (Golden delicious, Honeycrisp, or Cortland)
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Oatmeal
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- optional: toasted slivered almonds for topping
Instructions
Caramelized Apples
- Peel the apples, remove the core and dice into thick cubes.
- Heat the butter in a non-stick pan over medium-heat. Once melted, add the diced apples and sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until apples are tender and slightly golden brown. In the meantime, prepare the oatmeal.
- Next, add the coconut sugar, maple syrup, and salt, and stir to coat the apples with the sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the coconut sugar has melted and the maple syrup has slightly reduced.
- Deglaze the skillet with the 3 tbsp of water and stir in the vanilla extract. Cook for another 15-30 seconds, or until the syrup has thickened a little bit. If apples have absorbed all of the syrup, add an extra 2 tablespoons of water.
- Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Oatmeal
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rolled oats, apple sauce, almond milk, cinnamon and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and let simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes. Stir regularly to make sure oats don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Divide between 3 serving bowls and top with the warm caramelized apples! Feel free to add a pinch of extra cinnamon and toasted slivered almonds as well.
- This oatmeal is best served immediately but will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. It can be enjoyed as a cold breakfast, or reheated on the stove (you may have to add a little bit more almond milk).
This was so good!! perfect for a rainy fall day here in the mountains. Had everything in hand too which was nice. 🙂
Thanks for your feedback Grace! Glad you liked it 😉
And I’m sure it’s even more enjoyable on a rainy day, especially in the mountains!