Apple cinnamon steel cut oatmeal is absolutely loaded with the flavors of apple pie. The steel cut oatmeal is perfectly cooked so you get that hearty chew to make for a warm and comforting breakfast.

Steel cut oatmeal with apples, cinnamon and apple cider.

This apple steel cut oats recipe is the epitome of fall.  It has so much apple flavor and your whole house will smell like apple pie while it cooks.

It is easy to make, the leftovers are great, and it is delicious too.  Not to mention it is a filling and nutritious breakfast, it really does hit on all counts!

Plan to make a batch every weekend all fall long and it is sure to be a magnificent autumn.  It is the perfect way to start a fall day off on the right foot.

Bowl of apple pie steel cut oats topped with pecans and sliced apples.

We made a batch to share with family during a big breakfast.  People were going back for seconds… of oatmeal! And I promise you there were lots of options, so it wasn’t because they would starve otherwise.

Little Dude wanted warmed up leftovers for his snack that night and again for breakfast in the morning. So I made more to have an easy breakfast for him during the week.

How do I store leftover steel cut oats?

Luckily the leftovers store and reheat well. They will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

About 45 seconds in the microwave is all it takes to get you a warm bowl of filling oatmeal. It’s a perfect solution for a busy morning.

Steel cut oatmeal with apples, cinnamon and apple cider.

You can also freeze the cooked oatmeal. Portion individual servings into freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to heat them up, add a splash of water, apple juice or milk and microwave for about 2 minutes. Breakfast will be ready just like that!

What kind of toppings should I put on my apple cinnamon steel cut oats?

These oats are fabulous on their own. But a few toppings can take them from good to company ready.

A drizzle of honey or maple syrup will speak to your sweet tooth. Some toasted pecans would add a lovely crunch.

bowl of apple pie steel cut oats with diced apples and pecans.

Add fresh chopped apple for a brightness and more crunch. Or a dollop of vanilla ice cream is a good choice as well if you want to go whole hog.

If you happen to have a little sweetened condensed milk leftover from making buttercream, drizzle some on top. It’s indulgent for sure, but tastes like melted ice cream on your warm apple pie.

Enameled dutch oven filled with apple steel cut oats and spatula.

Tips and Tricks

So if you are in the mood to start your day with a bowl of fall, this is just the thing for you. The steel cut oats do take a little time to cook, but not much effort.

You can trim about 10 minutes off the cook time by soaking the oats in the liquid in your refrigerator overnight and then cooking them in the morning. Otherwise you could pick up some  quick cooking steel cut oats

I enjoy the process so I liked taking the time and enjoying the wonderful aroma. Plus it gives you something to look forward to as you wait for the timer to go off.

Steel cut oats with lots of apple and cinnamon next to honey jar and apples.

If you love steel cut oats, try my recipe for healthy chocolate steel cut oats.  They are sweetened with banana but have a rich chocolate taste.

You may also like maple cinnamon steel cut oats in the instant pot or pressure cooker honey pear steel cut oats. Both use the power of the pressure cooker to make the process fast and easy.

Do you have to rinse steel cut oats?

I usually don’t rinse steel cut oats if I am cooking them from dry. Some people do rinse soaked steel cut oats before cooking them.

More Great Apple Breakfast Ideas

If you like apple and oatmeal together, try my apple pie baked oatmeal. It is a completely different texture and presentation, but similar flavor profile to this recipe.

If you have a sourdough starter, make my caramel apple sourdough muffins. They are loaded with good stuff including oatmeal, apples and of course bits of caramel!

Or if you don’t have a sourdough starter, but still want muffins, try pumpkin apple muffins. They feature both of fall’s most famous flavors!

Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!

Steel cut oatmeal with apples, cinnamon and apple cider.
5 from 13 ratings

Apple Pie Steel Cut Oats

Author: Carlee
Servings: 6 Servings
Loaded with apple flavor and that hearty steel cut oatmeal chew, this apple pie oatmeal is sure to be a favorite fall breakfast.  Grab a spoon and dig in!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup steel cut oatmeal uncooked
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • cups apple juice or cider
  • cups water
  • 1 apple diced
  • teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 dash grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoon honey or to taste
  • optional: additional apple slices and/or pecans for serving

Instructions 

  • Combine the steel cut oatmeal, applesauce, apple juice, water, diced apple, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce to a simmer and cover.
    1 cup steel cut oatmeal, 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1½ cups apple juice, 1½ cups water, 1 apple, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 dash grated nutmeg
  • Simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent burning. Add a little more liquid as you go if it looks like it's needed.
  • When the oatmeal is cooked to your liking, remove the pot from the heat. Strin in the vanilla and honey. Start with just a bit of honey and add until you reach your desired sweetness.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoon honey
  • Serve topped with additional apples and pecans if desired.

Notes

*To take some time off the cook time, you can soak the oatmeal in the liquid in your refrigerator overnight. That should reduce the time it takes to cook by about ten minutes.

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 10mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 28g
“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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5 from 13 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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43 Comments

  1. You and your oatmeal 😉 This looks delicious and I can't wait to try it.

    1. Ha! I do have an affinity towards oatmeal, don't I? I hope you love it!

  2. Jas @ All that's Jas says:

    A perfect start to your day! I'm glad we didn't do apple month, because I'd need a year to try all these delicious recipes, lol! Can't wait to see the rest!

    1. I know, right?! I'm not sure how I am going to ever catch up to my must try list anyway. We've only started the week and I already want to taste everything!

  3. I love how low in sugar this actually is! My husband has Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes and it is hard to find recipes that aren't loaded in refined sugar or chemically laden sugar substitute!!! This one is a major keeper!!! I am so excited to try this one for him!

    1. Thanks, Jan! And if you aren't accustomed to eating frosting by the spoonful like I am, you could probably do away with the honey altogether and just have the natural sugars from the apples. I tasted it that way and it really was quite good!

  4. Camilla M. Mann says:

    We LOVE oatmeal. I can't wait to dig into a bowl of this.

    1. I am an oatmeal lover too! I can't get enough and this was a fun way to switch it up and cram a bunch of apple goodness into it. Thank you so much for participating, Camilla. I always love seeing the creative ideas you come up with!

  5. There really is a lot of apple goodness here. Happy Apple Week!

    1. Hehe! I kept jamming in apples until it just couldn't hold any more 😉 Thank you so much!

  6. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says:

    This reminds me of the packets of apple cinnamon instant oatmeal, which I secretly love, but yours is about 10 billion times better. Oatmeal is my breakfast almost every day so I'm always looking for a way to up my oat game. This is a total must-try!

    1. Thank you, Kelsie! I have eaten plenty of those packets in my day as well, but it will be hard to go back after this! Between baked oatmeal and now these steel cut oats I might be ruined on all other oatmeal!

  7. A Day in the Life on the Farm says:

    This recipe is the perfect start to Apple Week. Thank you so much, Carlee, for hosting this event. I know how much blood, sweat and tears it requires.

    1. Thank you, Wendy! It has been fun getting ready and even more fun tasting all of the apple treats. Thank you so much for participating!

  8. Andrea Nine says:

    Well, how perfect is this! Another wonderful Oatmal recipe incorporated with Apples for Apple week! So soothing for the soul, now the crisp mornings need to come back and a pot of this will be on my stove! Happy Monday you pretty Apple Queen!

    1. You always make me smile, Andrea! I am hoping we get the fall weather back and it stays for a while so we can enjoy our apples, pumpkin and oatmeal before old man winter comes to town!

  9. I can't wait to try this. I'm so hooked on your baked oatmeal recipes that I've gotten away from eating a regular bowl of oatmeal. This looks really good. Thanks for the recipe.

    1. I really couldn't wait. Had it for lunch today. Dad and I both really enjoyed it and I don't think he'll complain when we have what's left for breakfast tomorrow.

    2. Yay! I am so glad you guys like it! We have gotten spoiled with really good baked oatmeal lately, but sometimes it is nice to just have a bowl of oatmeal!

  10. This looks absolutely incredible! I need to improve my breakfast choices, this will be a great start 🙂

    1. It will be a delicious one, that is for sure! Thanks, Jolene!

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