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In Search Of Yummy-ness > Recipes > Breakfast and Brunch

Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

Updated: May 12, 2025 • Published: March 16, 2018 • Written By: Shareba Abdul • This page may contain affiliate links. • 7 Comments

4.8 from 6 votes
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This creamy apple cinnamon steel-cut oats recipe makes a healthy yet delicious breakfast - with a clever shortcut!

Cook your oats on the stove and apples in the microwave, and you'll enjoy a satisfying bowl of oatmeal in no time!

A hearty bowl of apple cinnamon steel cut oats with chunks of fresh apple.
Jump to Section:
  • 🍎 Ingredients & Substitutions
  • 🥣 How to Make the Oatmeal
  • • Recipe •

I'm a big fan of having oats for breakfast. Sometimes, I'll have a smoothie with oats; sometimes, it's an oat-based muffin, but most of the time, I'll have oatmeal.

Apple cinnamon is a classic oatmeal flavour, and I'm sure many of you are familiar with the instant apple cinnamon oatmeal packets at the grocery.

While those have a certain nostalgic appeal, I find them far too sweet for breakfast.

This homemade steel-cut oatmeal has a cozy fall flavour without being so sugary. I like the chewiness that steel-cut oats provide, and the fresh apple really makes it pop!

A bowl of warm apple cinnamon steel-cut oats with a spoon in it.

🍎 Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats: these are much more substantial than regular quick oats. Substitute with traditional steel-cut oats or rolled oats.*
  • Water: for cooking the oats.
  • Salt: adds flavour to the oatmeal.
  • Apple: try Honeycrisp or SweeTango apples, or your favourite cooking apple.
  • Ground Cinnamon: for warm fall flavour.
  • 1% Milk: feel free to use any milk or milk alternative.
  • Brown Sugar: for sweetness. Substitute with honey, maple syrup or your favourite alternative sugar. (Optional)

*I used Bob's Red Mill Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats (not sponsored!) for this recipe. These oats are cut smaller than traditional steel-cut oats, so they cook more quickly.

If you want to use traditional steel-cut oats or rolled oats, be sure to follow the recommended cooking time on the package.

An illustration of a recipe card next to a green bowl with ingredients falling into it.

See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.

A bowl of apple steel cut oats with lots of milk and chopped apples in it.

🥣 How to Make the Oatmeal

This recipe comes together very quickly!

Using quick-cooking steel cut oats reduces the time it take to make this recipe from start to finish. You'll also be able to cook your cinnamon-flavoured apples in the microwave in about a minute!

Step 1: Toast the oats in a dry pan over medium heat until they smell nutty.

Step 2: Add water, stir, and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Step 3: Microwave the chopped apples and cinnamon in a bowl for 1 minute.

Step 4: Spoon oatmeal into two bowls and top with the apple cinnamon mixture, plus more milk and sugar (if desired).

I hope this recipe helps you enjoy a comforting bowl of creamy apple cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast - even on busy weekdays!

An illustration of a red apple.

Looking for more apple recipes? Try my spiced apple cider or apple pecan crisp recipes!

• Recipe •

A red bowl filled with cooked oatmeal and chunks of cooked apple with milk and a spoon.

Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

A comforting apple cinnamon steel cut oats recipe, with a time-saving method to get breakfast on the table faster.
Created By: Shareba Abdul
4.8 from 6 votes
Prevent your screen from going to sleep.
PREP TIME: 5 minutes mins
COOK TIME: 10 minutes mins
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes mins
SERVINGS: 2 people
PRINT RATE SAVESaved!

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup quick-cooking steel cut oats, substitute with regular steel cut oats or rolled oats (see note)
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • salt, pinch
  • 1 medium apple, chopped (try Honeycrisp or SweeTango apples)
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup 1% milk, or milk alternative (oat milk, etc.)
  • ¼ teaspoon brown sugar, Substitute with honey, maple syrup or your favourite alternative sugar. (Optional)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions
 

  • Add quick-cooking steel cut oats to a dry pan over medium heat. Toast for 2-3 minutes, or until it smells a nutty. 
  • Add water and stir. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the oats are creamy. 
  • Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the apples and cinnamon. Microwave for 1 minute, stirring halfway through cooking time. 
  • Remove cooked oats from heat. Divide oatmeal into 2 serving bowls.
  • Top each bowl with the cooked apples with cinnamon. Add milk (and sugar, if using) and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

I used Bob's Red Mill Quick-Cooking Steel Cut Oats for this recipe. If you want to use traditional steel cut oats or rolled oats, be sure to follow the recommended cooking time on the package.

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: this nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of this information cannot be guaranteed.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Canadian
Calories: 228 kcal

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Comments

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  1. Shareba says

    March 06, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    I'm working on more oatmeal recipes to share on the blog soon! I hope you like the apple cinnamon oatmeal 🙂

    Reply
  2. Maria Zermeno says

    March 05, 2020 at 7:40 pm

    Hi Sara hope your day is going well. Would it be alright if I use Old fashion Oats for this recipe that is all I have today.Hope to hear from you soon. Take Care.🙏💯💓

    Reply
    • Shareba says

      March 06, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      Yes, that should be fine, you may need to adjust the cooking time though. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  3. Valerie Gillman says

    February 21, 2020 at 11:17 pm

    This looks delicious and I'm glad to find quick steel cut oats. I cook them the night before but they're not as good as fresh, to me. I want to know how the heck do you measure .5 cup of anything? Or 1.5 cups water?
    Thank you, Valerie G.

    Reply
    • Shareba says

      February 23, 2020 at 11:42 am

      Hey Valerie, so .5 of a cup is just 1/2 cup written as a decimal. Not sure why my recipe plugin is showing the number that way, but I'll see if I can fix it. 1.5 is 1 1/2 cups. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  4. Tanya Ann Wilson says

    December 30, 2018 at 8:27 am

    Toasting the oats before cooking really did deepen the flavor, and I used a Pink Lady apple - it turned out delicious! Thank you again!
    Tanya

    Reply
    • Shareba says

      December 30, 2018 at 12:09 pm

      Hi Tanya, I'm glad you found the information useful and that the recipe turned out well! Are there any recipes that you are looking for in particular? Let me know and I'll try to help!

      Reply
A photo of Shareba Abdul, founder of In Search Of Yummy-ness.

Hi, I'm Shareba!

I’m a home cook with a culinary arts certificate who shares seasonal comfort food recipes and cozy living inspiration.

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