I wish I were a morning person. I want to wake up when the sun does, go to yoga, brew a cup of coffee, and throw together a gorgeous, healthy breakfast before diving into my work for the day. In reality, I roll out of bed and boil water for tea. While it’s steeping, I make some toast or a quick veggie burger and smear it with avocado. And then I curl up in a blanket on the couch and check my email.
This routine of mine is not glamorous. But, it’s about all I have energy for in the mornings, especially as the weather turns chilly. At the same time, these cool fall days have me craving something a bit more seasonal for breakfast. Given my demonstrated level of effort preparing a morning meal for myself, I won’t be making pumpkin spice waffles or anything similar. Something I can handle, though, is opening a jar of overnight oats and digging in with a spoon.
For me, nothing screams fall more than apples. To take advantage of the most beautiful produce autumn has to offer, I whipped up a batch of Apple Crisp Overnight Oats. Guess what? I instantly fell in love. This recipe has become my lifeline for a nutritious breakfast, and it’s going to be on heavy rotation this season.
These Apple Crisp Overnight Oats pack all the flavor of my favorite fall dessert into a realistic portion I don’t feel guilty eating before 9am. Feel-good ingredients like rolled oats, almond butter, granola (and apples, of course) will stick to your ribs and keep you satisfied straight through to lunch. The crumble topping (aka granola) part of this recipe makes enough for more than a dozen servings of overnight oats. Make it once and keep it in a mason jar to sprinkle on your breakfast for up to two weeks.
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PinDescription
These Apple Crisp Overnight Oats pack all the flavor of your favorite fall dessert into a realistic portion you won’t feel guilty eating before 9am.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup rolled oats
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 apple, small diced
- 2 Tbsp. almond butter
- 1 1/3 cups non-dairy milk
- 2 tsp. sweetener (maple, agave, or coconut syrup)
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Divide all of the ingredients between two mason jars. Give the contents a good stir and twist on the lids. Refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the crumble topping (recipe follows) into each jar of overnight oats and enjoy.
PinDescription
This crumble topping (aka granola) makes enough for more than a dozen servings of overnight oats. Make it once and keep it in a mason jar to sprinkle on your breakfast for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- ¼ cup flax seed
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. sweetener (maple, agave, or coconut syrup)
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300F degrees. Add the rolled oats, pecans, flax seed, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the vanilla extract, sweetener, and coconut oil. Use a rubber spatula to mix and coat all of the dry ingredients. Adjust spices or sweetener to taste.
- Spread the crumble topping in an even layer on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- Once the crumble topping has cooled, transfer it to a mason jar or another airtight container and store at room temperature.
I haven’t had a chance yet to make the crunchy granola, but the overnight oats turned out really good . Thanks for the recipe!
Could I use quinoa instead?
Hi Lisa! Yes, you could absolutely use quinoa. I haven’t tried it yet myself, but I do think you would need to cook the quinoa and let it cool before adding to the jar with the rest of the ingredients. I’ll update the recipe once I give it a shot 🙂