Autumn mornings demand the scent of apples and cinnamon. This apple cider oatmeal gets all the sweetness it needs from the naturally occurring sugars in the cider, apples, and raisins. Please taste it before adding any additional sugar at the table. I’m certain you’ll agree that it’s perfect as is. If you want to make this breakfast extra decadent, reach for half and half or cream instead of the usual 2%.
Lisa likes to use steel-cut oats for this recipe and cooks it overnight in her slow cooker on low. (Hers in on a surge protector as she is extra cautious about leaving things on overnight.) If she’s feeling extra fancy — or wants a more bracing cinnamon flavor — she tosses in a cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon.
If you use gluten-free oats, this recipe is gluten-free. As always, check with your doctor before consuming oats if you are on a gluten-free diet.
This recipe for apple cider oatmeal is a ratio recipe. As written, the recipe serves four, but it multiplies or divides easily depending on the number of people you are serving. The method remains the same. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of diced apples in this recipe. Dried cherries or cranberries would also be an amazing addition.
: Apple Cider Oatmeal
: Use apple cider instead of water for an amazing autumn breakfast
- 2 cups rolled oats or thick rolled oats (NOT quick oats)
- 3 cups apple cider
- 1 cup of water
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 – 2 apples, diced preferably tart like Granny Smith
- 1 tsp vanilla
- cinnamon to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy pot, combine rolled oats, apple cider, water, raisins, and diced apples.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat – medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and cook, occasionally stirring until thickened. 10 – 15 minutes
- Add vanilla and cinnamon. Serve
For extra creamy oatmeal and plump raisins, combine the cider, oats, and raisins at least an hour early. (No more than 1.5 hours) Allow the oats and raisins to soak until 15 minutes before you’d like to serve, and then proceed with the recipe as written.
Preparation time: 2 minute(s)
Cooking time: 15 minute(s)
Diet type: Vegetarian
Diet tags: Gluten-free
Number of servings (yield): 4
Culinary tradition: USA (General)
Enjoy!
@HeatherSolos American usage of “cider” always throws me – over here cider is alcoholic & *not* something you’d put on your oatmeal!
@MrsBYork we call that hard cider
I’ve made porridge/oatmeal with walnuts in it, too, and I love the texture differential. I think if I made this I’d cook the apples in the water slightly first (to soften them) and toss a handful walnuts in when I put it all on to simmer.
@mydwynter and see, I like having a bit of crunch from the apples. That’s why I tried to emphasize it’s a pretty loose recipe, more of a way to get people to think creatively about oatmeal. So many people see oatmeal and just think plain goo in a bowl.
@HeatherSolos Man, you’re right. People need to grok that the oats are pretty much just the palette to paint on. You can do the same with quinoa, and dump all manner of stuff in with it. Nuts and spices and fruits…
Also, I often put a pinch of salt in my oatmeal, because it brings out the flavours. Fr srs.
@HeatherSolos@mydwynter Dried cranberries and pecans (or walnuts) are a great combo, too.
Also? Make peanut-butter-cup oatmeal by stirring some peanut butter and a few chocolate chips into oatmeal after it’s cooked and still hot enough to melt the chips.
@Bobbie Laughman@HeatherSolos My friend Laura used to make maple pecan oatmeal for us. And cinnamon-apple-currant.
Also, PEANUT BUTTER CUP OATMEAL OMG.
@mydwynter I love walnuts in oatmeal, with or without a touch of real maple syrup. I’ll have to try some apples in my next batch.
My husband complains that oatmeal sits in in stomach like a brick, so I tried to lighten up the texture a bit by mixing half and half with instant rice, adding cinnamon, raisins, vanilla, a little butter, maple syrup as the sweetener, and coconut milk as the liquid. I thought it came out yummy but he didn’t like it. Oh well, more for me! ;o)
I’ve already tried diced mangoes and peaches in there, and he likes the taste but not the weight, so maybe crunchy apples will do it for him.. I’m curious if anyone else has a picky eater who thinks oatmeal is too heavy and found something that worked to lighten it up for them?
@KeterMagick have you considered trying other grains? Maybe oats actually just don’t agree with him. I know it’s a slightly different flavor, but maybe quinoa.
You might want to soak the oats for a few hours, or even overnight… they actually are more easily digested that way. (most grains are)
I love apples and oatmeal…it’s a true return to cooler weather when I start eating this again in the morning. Thanks for reminding me and sharing this recipe…I’m taking the oatmeal out and putting it on the counter so I remember to have some tomorrow!
This sounds so yummy!! I’m going to have to try it, if only for the smell in the kitchen! Thank you!
@heathersolos Great blog & post! You can still win by getting in line to enter at our virtual food truck http://t.co/DHDdLcHN #OatmealDay
I took out my @mabelhood holiday address return labels yesterday! It’s *almost* that time of year!
@mrsloulou oooh! and we have new designs this year! http://t.co/kpYqjPRH
A friend just recommended cooking steel cut oats overnight in the slow cooker. I’ve got some leftover reallllllly ripe raw apple cider. I think I’m going to try this recipe adapted to the steel cut in slow cooker! Thanks for a great idea!