Overnight Crock Pot Apple Pie Oatmeal is a delicious, healthy breakfast that tastes like dessert and feels like a warm hug for your tummy!
Awaken to the aroma of cinnamon apples in a beautiful bowl of breakfast goodness! Our yummy, filling, and “Easy as Pie!” Overnight Crock Pot Apple Pie Oatmeal recipe features steel-cut oats, milk, and apples (seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg & brown sugar) for a tasty treat to get your chilly mornings off to a toasty start!
Slow-Cooker Oats are Nutritious and Delicious!
Crock Pot Oats might be the perfect breakfast for a busy morning! First of all, they’re SUPER easy. Toss everything into the crockpot before bedtime and let it slow cook while you sleep! Second, this oatmeal is SO MUCH healthier for you than those little instant packets (which are loaded with sodium and sugar, and use highly processed oats).
Like our Slow Cooker Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal, our Apple Pie Oatmeal recipe cooks overnight, allowing us to use steel-cut oats instead of instant! They are a complex whole grain, naturally gluten-free, rich in fiber, full of antioxidants, and have a low glycemic index – meaning no sugar spikes or crashes for you or the kids! YAY!
Some Grab & Go Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes
- Apple Pie Oatmeal Bars – the same great flavors in a grab-and-go bar!
- Nutella Overnight Oats 4-ingredient, no-cook, “instant” breakfast option!
Ingredients
Oatmeal: We’re using steel-cut oats for the most nutritious, high-quality oatmeal, combined with 2% milk (or the milk or milk alternative of your choice).
Apples: You’ll need two or three of your favorite apples, peeled & cubed. (I used honeycrisp).
Pie Flavorings: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar bring all the flavors of apple pie to this overnight oatmeal!
How to Make Crock Pot Apple Pie Oatmeal
STEP ONE: Peel and chop the apples and toss them into the crockpot. Add in the milk, steel-cut oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar and stir everything together.
STEP TWO: Cover the crockpot and turn it to LOW for 3 hours. Stir every hour or if desired. Turn the crock pot to the WARM setting for the remainder of the night. Now get a good night’s sleep.
STEP THREE: Wake up to the mouthwatering aroma. Stir the oatmeal. Serve. Eat. Have a happy day!
Tips for Success
- Spray a quick non-stick coating in the crockpot to prevent the oatmeal from sticking.
- Nutritional add-ins include flaxseed, wheat germ (not gluten-free), protein powder, yogurt, and nuts.
- You can substitute a dairy-free milk alternative, such as coconut, oat, or almond, for the regular milk.
- Make sure to use steel-cut oats for the best result!
- Make sure NOT to use instant oatmeal, as it will turn to mush.
- A touch of salt and a splash of vanilla extract heighten the flavors.
How Do I Store Leftover Crock Pot Oats?
Keep the leftovers in a sealed storage container. They’ll be good for about 5 days. When you’re ready to reheat, transfer the food to a microwave-safe bowl, add a small amount of liquid (such as water, milk, or apple juice), stir, and then microwave. You can also transfer the contents to a saucepan and reheat on the stovetop, adding a bit of liquid as needed. They’ll be great either way!
Is Instant Oatmeal Bad for You?
This is a loaded question, and the answer is yes and no. Instant oatmeal is obviously a better option than toaster pastries, white bread, doughnuts, and the like. But, despite their marketing, they aren’t exactly a health food. They are incredibly high in sugar and salt. Some brands contain additives and thickeners. Unless they specifically say “gluten-free”, they aren’t. And perhaps the biggest downfall is that instant oatmeal uses processed oats, which are pre-cooked, dried, cut, steamed, and flattened – this drastically reduces the fiber content and raises blood sugar levels.
Other Amazing Apple Pie Recipes
- Apple Pie Dip
- Deconstructed Apple Pie ala Mode
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Bake
- Apple Pie Scones
- Warm Apple Pie Cocktail
- Apple Pie Stuffed Monkey Bread
*This post originally posted on 09/30/2014.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 honeycrisp apples cored, peeled, and cubed
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 3 cups 2% milk
Instructions
- Add the chopped apples, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and milk to a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours. (If desired, you can stir it every hour.)
- Turn the slow cooker to the WARM setting and continue to cook the oatmeal overnight, about 7-8 hours.
- Uncover and give the oatmeal a stir.
- Portion into bowls. Sprinkle brown sugar and a little cinnamon on top if desired. Serve warm.
Janelle says
My crockpot must be hotter than yours. I made this exactly as written and I woke up to dark brown crispy burned oatmeal. =( Maybe I’ll try again and just keep it on warm the whole time without putting it on low first. It looked so yummy!
Rebekah says
How many hours did you leave it?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
We leave it on warm for about 8 hours.
Angela says
How many does this serve??
Pamela Graham says
I buy Smart Ones two containers in a box frozen oatmeal to eat two per week since they are so expensive. I can hardly wait to try this and freeze it. I will let you know!!
Aubrey says
I can’t wait to hear how it goes Pamela!
Ebony says
Can you do this with Old Fashioned oats?
Aubrey Cota says
I wouldn’t. They are less dense and could really burn.
Mj Dillon says
I made this last night and kept it on low as my crock pot didn’t have a warm setting. It was fine. I also used Almond milk and added walnuts. Being one of the coldest nights of the year last night, it was nice to wake up to this delicious dish for breakfast. As my mother would say, ” it will stick to your ribs on a cold day like this!” Mom are always right!
Aubrey says
I’m so glad Mj! Stay warm this winter. 🙂
Mike says
I’ve never been a huge fan of oatmeal, being that I only ever ate instant oats as a child. I decided to make this for family coming over Thanksgiving morning. I wanted a slightly more healthy breakfast, given that we would be gording ourselves later in the day. This recipe was suprisingly really delicious and simple. It gave me a new found love for the steel cut oats. It also makes a substantial portion, given the price of the ingredients. I made a double batch and it was enough to feed the family on Thanksgiving day and keep us eating through the rest of the holiday weekend. We liked it so much, we will be making it during the week for breakfasts and probably try a few other adaptations. Thanks for the great recipe!!
The Better Baker says
I would sooooo love this! Love anything oatmeal, and apples are always a PLUS. Looks fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing at Weekend Potluck. We’d love it if you’d link back to the party in your post (it makes you eligible to be featured=). Please come back soon.
Stacey says
Thank you The Better Baker!!! We really loved it. You might want to try using steel cut oats!
Lauren says
This looks so warm and yummy!! I might have to give this a go for the tailgating party this weekend at Arrowhead! Of course I’m pinning! 🙂
I’m swinging by from the Strut Your Stuff Saturday link party {#473}. I’m over at http://fromgatetoplate.com if you’d like to come visit! Hope to see you there.
Lauren — @ From Gate to Plate
Stacey says
Thank you Lauren! I didn’t have any issues with oats, but you might want to try using steel cut oats to avoid overcooking them. Thanks for coming over and we will definitely come visit you too!
Cindy @Hun... What's for Dinner? says
This looks super awesome! Almost like apple crumble….. Thanks for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
Stacey says
Thank you Cindy! It is super easy to make and really yummy!
Gea says
Goodmorning real housemom,
thank you for this recipe. At the moment I’m on a diet, but after I will try this one for sure.
I live in Holland, it’s not common here to use a crockpot. But probably I will get one this week by an american collegue of mine 😉
I will come back to your site for more crockpot recepies.
Ciao ciao Gea