This apple cider oatmeal tastes like dessert for breakfast. Loaded with apples sautéed in apple cider, this is the perfect hearty breakfast bowl.

There is nothing quite like a warming bowl of oats in the morning especially when it starts to cool off a lot outside. I fell in love with this bowl because it fills the void in my heart that is left with the passing summer. Luckily, this bowl is so good and comforting, that it temporarily makes me forget that we are heading to winter. But honestly, could probably have this bowl year round if I wanted to. Creamy, delicious and quick to put together.

Table of Contents

Why you’ll love this apple cider oatmeal

Because of the apple cider, you get a little more concentrated apple flavor throughout the oatmeal.
It’s hearty and can be a means for getting a little more protein in your first meal.
Easy to make and ready within 15 minutes. Double the recipe if you want to meal prep it for the next day too.

Key Ingredients

Apples: you can use just about any
Apple Cider: different from apple juice, more concentrated and sweet with a tang (DO NOT CONFUSE FOR APPLE CIDER VINEGAR)
Oats: rolled oats will make this quick, if you’d rather use steel cut oats, soak overnight to make cooking them a lot faster
Apple Pie Spice or Cinnamon: gives those lovely fall flavors, but feel free to opt for cinnamon if you don’t have access to apple pie spice
Ground Flaxseed: a great source of omega 3s, but also a good way to slightly thicken oats faster
Salt: salt makes such a different with sweeter dishes as it balances out the sweet, but also enhances the overall flavor of these oats

How to make apple cider oatmeal

In a sauce pan add diced apples and sauté for about 2 minutes.
Add cider, spice, maple syrup and pinch of salt and sauté until softened. Reserve some apples here to top your bowl.
Add in remaining oatmeal ingredients and stir then bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly until oats are cooked.

Tips for making apple cider oatmeal

Make sure that your apples are caramelizing in the first step of this recipe. You can tell they are caramelizing by their color. You should see your apples develop a darker amber glaze as they are cooking with the maple syrup.
If your apples are sticking to your pan, add a neutral oil or vegan butter as the apples are cooking. You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan.
If you do not have apple cider, feel free to use apple juice. To help get more of that concentrated flavor, cook it down a little bit or add a little more sugar and cinnamon to enhance the flavor.
For more protein, I would opt for unsweetened soy milk in this recipe. If you have a soy allergy, brands like Ripple also provide great protein levels as well without soy or nuts.
If you double this portion, you can meal prep one container in the fridge. Just note, the longer your oats store, you will notice them thicken significantly. You can add some extra plant based milk or water to rehydrate and heat.

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