Today we’re turning one of my fall favorites- caramel apples- into breakfast! A thick, sticky date and + almond butter caramel gets layered with cinnamon-spiced apple overnight oats for the perfect healthy fall breakfast situation. This easy, make-ahead breakfast is perfect for busy fall mornings!
Let’s eat caramel apples for breakfast, shall we?
First, we’re going to stir together a simple overnight oats recipe that’s loaded with shredded apple- yes, shredded. I find the apple has less chance of browning when shredded and stirred into the overnight oats, and gives you a little hint of apple flavor in every bite. Plus, there’s no need to peel your apples when you shred them, since each apple shred will only end up with a tiny fleck of skin on it. It’s a win win!
While the overnight oats soak + do their overnight oat thing (read: oats plump + soften, chia seeds absorb excess liquid, cinnamon, vanilla, and apple flavors meld together) we then prepare our caramel.
I used the almond butter caramel from this ice cream recipe to give us the most thick, creamy, not-too-sweet caramel for our breakfast. The best part: it’s made from dates. Yes, really.
Dates get soaked to soften up, then popped into a blender or food processor with almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon, and come out a minute later looking like the most beautifully thick, sticky caramel of your dreams.
Trust me: these apple overnight oats are good on their own, but are seriously next level with the caramel.
I like to load up my jars with a big spoonful of caramel on the bottom, then fill them the rest of the way with the overnight oats mixture, top with another spoonful of caramel and a handful of diced apples (if you’ve got ’em!), and go to town.
The best part: this recipe makes four servings of overnight oats, so you can make four sticky-sweet caramel apple breakfast jars all at once. In the morning, just grab a jar out of the fridge and toss a spoon into your bag, and you’ve got an easy, 2-second breakfast on the go.
If you’re a caramel apple lover, I think you’re going to FLIP over this breakfast version. It only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time, and besides being full of caramel apple flavor, also packs some serious protein, fiber, and nutrients from the oats, chia, yogurt, dates, almond butter, and apples.
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your overnight oats and share it with me on Instagram! I love seeing my recipes in your kitchen!
CARAMEL APPLE OVERNIGHT OATS
Ingredients
Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats:
1 large apple
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Almond Butter Date Caramel:
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted (about 10 large) + hot water, to soak
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Place dates in a small bowl and cover with hot water to soak while you make the overnight oats.
2. Shred the whole apple on a cheese grater, rotating once you’ve hit the core, until the entire apple is shredded. Transfer apple to a large bowl, add all remaining overnight oats ingredients, and stir well to combine.
3. Drain dates, then dump them into the bowl of your food processor (or high-powered blender) with all date caramel ingredients. Blend for about 30 seconds, until thick + smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor once or twice, if needed. If using a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, I recommend using the tamper to press everything down while it blends.
4. If portioning out into 4 servings: spoon a thick layer of the caramel (I used 1/4 cup) into the bottom of four 12-16 oz jars (or any other container with a lid). Top each with of the overnight oats mixture, then another spoonful of caramel. Alternately, the entire batch of overnight oats can be stored in the fridge in a container with a lid, and the caramel can be stored in a separate container. When ready to eat, scoop 1/4 of each into a bowl, swirl together, and enjoy!
NOTES:
Vegan/Dairy-Free Friends: the 1 cup of greek yogurt + 2 cups of water can be replaced entirely with 3 cups of your preferred plant-based milk of choice. I prefer canned coconut milk, since it has the thickest texture.