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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast recipes

    5-minute apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe

    Published: Jan 10, 2020 · Modified: Feb 21, 2023 by Trish Bozeman · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    5-minute apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe! Skip the instant oatmeal package and make your own microwave apple oatmeal in minutes.

    Apple cinnamon oatmeal

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    Hi, Rhubarbarians! Today we are sharing the perfect cold weather breakfast recipe for mega busy mornings: instant apple cinnamon oatmeal!

    We made this recipe every single morning all during fall and now that the holidays are over, we are looking at it again. It's so quick, filling, healthy, and best of all, the toddler just gobbles it up.

    A super quick and easy breakfast

    Breakfast can be so cozy and fantastic, but we just don't always have time for special breakfast baked apples with oatmeal or orange buttermilk pancakes.

    How does breakfast in 5 minutes sound? Seriously. Just 5 minutes from start to finish. That INCLUDES chopping the apple up.

    There are only 6 ingredients in this oatmeal, including salt and water. Super simple, super quick.

    Apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe

    Skip the instant oatmeal packets!

    The inspiration for this hit when we fed Ellis a packet of store bought instant oatmeal and he LOVED IT. But we realized that the ingredients in the packet were ones we could easily put together at home.

    It was the microwave that was making it so quick. And why feed him preservatives and freeze dried fruit when we have fresh apples on the counter?

    So... we tried it out. And it worked! It took a few tests to get it right, but this one has become easily the most requested breakfast in our house to date.

    More super fast oatmeal recipes:

    • Instant pumpkin spice oatmeal
    • Simple creamy banana oatmeal
    • Chocolate peanut butter oatmeal

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    Apple cinnamon oatmeal

    Choose the right apple

    Realistically, any apple will work! But there are a few apples that will give you slightly different flavors and textures.

    • Granny smith apples: these are often used for apple pie because they are super tart and firm and hold up to the sugar and heat very well. If you want your oatmeal on the less sweet side, go for granny smith!
    • Honeycrisp apples: these are sweet and very crisp apples. But they are HUGE! If you want big chunks of apple that is still slightly firm, go for honeycrisp!
    • Fuji apples: these are our favorite apples for this recipe. They are sweet and firm and we love the texture and flavor after microwaving them with the oats.
    • Golden delicious apples: these are a bit less sweet than honeycrisp or fuji and are quite softer. If you want apples that will become very soft in the oatmeal, go with golden delicious!
    Homemade instant oatmeal

    Apple cinnamon oatmeal in the microwave

    Soooooo easy. Just put all of the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. That's it.

    The apples and the oats cook together in the water and spices, so the oats and the apples become soft and full of maple cinnamon flavor. Mmmm....

    Prefer the stove top?

    You can make it that way too! It will take a bit longer, about 15 minutes if you use old fashioned oats. But it's a great option!

    Just combine all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the oats and the apples are soft. You may need to adjust the amount of water if your stove top is hot, as the water will evaporate more quickly.

    Easy apple oatmeal
    Instant apple cinnamon oatmeal

    5-minute apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe

    Recipe

    5-minute apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe

    Trish Bozeman
    5-minute apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe! Skip the instant oatmeal package and make your own microwave apple oatmeal in minutes.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 bowl
    Calories 242 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
    • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
    • ¾ cup water
    • ½ medium apple, cored and diced

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
    • Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes. Stir and microwave another 30 seconds if necessary.
    • Top with pecans or walnuts and milk of your choice. (optional)

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowlCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 6gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 305mgPotassium: 244mgFiber: 7gSugar: 18gVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword kid-friendly, vegan, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you make this recipe, please let us know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians

    Thank you so much for reading and supporting Rhubarbarians and the brands that we recommend. If you’re looking for a group of people cooking vegetarian recipes through the seasons, join us on Facebook in our vegetarian and vegan recipes group!

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    More Breakfast recipes

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Betty

      August 14, 2020 at 7:25 am

      5 stars
      I cooked mine for 3 minutes total, continually adding 30 seconds after 1 and a half minutes as said. My oatmeal box says cook 2-3 min, so with different microwave powers, that’s expected. Tasty! Will make again.

      Reply
    2. Jenni LeBaron

      February 10, 2020 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      I love how easy and simple this recipe is! This is exactly what I'm looking for in the morning, because who has time to spend a bunch of time on breakfast on a weekday?! This apple cinnamon oatmeal is quick and absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    3. debra

      February 10, 2020 at 5:41 am

      5 stars
      Homemade for the win. So much less expensive and I love to be able to control the ingredients (no sugar, yay!!). A great hack and it doesn't even add to the time. Awesome.

      Reply
    4. Gloria

      February 07, 2020 at 5:19 am

      5 stars
      I love easy and delicious breakfast options. This is perfect. In fact, I would eat this for dinner....especailly on a day I don't feel like cooking. I know my grandkids would love this too.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Trish, a vegetarian mom with a passion for cooking meatless meals with seasonal produce. I'll help you create vegetarian recipes that your whole family will love. Welcome!

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