This chai oatmeal is made using quick oats simmered in chai spices and topped with cinnamon-spiked stewed apples. Ready in 15 minutes, it's the creamy and nourishing fall breakfast recipe we all need for crisp fall mornings.
I used to be hardcore in the steel cut oats camp, but lately I've been making quick oats way more often. True to their name, they're quick for mornings before work and school (or for me, sometimes even a late night snack...), and they have a thick and creamy texture when cooked. Very little patience required (love).
This chai version is the flavor I've been gravitating to lately, and it's so perfect for cooler days. With simple chai spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves), it's packed with warmth and comfort, and the simple stewed apples on top take it to the next level.
Usually I make this in two separate pots, starting the stewed apples first (ready in 10 minutes) and the quick oats when the apples have five minutes left. That said, you could also take out the stewed apples and use the same pot after without cleaning it to get some of the residual flavor right in with the oats. Also, I made the recipe so you have some stewed apples left for the next day or later. They taste like apple pie, so spooning them over some vanilla ice cream is fair game!
Jump to:
Ingredients Overview
- Homemade chai spice blend - cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Tart apples - I usually rotate among Granny Smith, Cortland, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady apples. If it's tart or sweet-tart, it'll be especially flavorful when stewed. Side note, you can also sauté apples in maple syrup for a more caramelized vibe.
- Optional - Not pictured, but I'll usually stir in a bit of vanilla extract to the chai oats too.
Extra Stewed Apples
This recipe makes extra stewed apples! Just enough to make an apple pie yogurt bowl later in the week, or maybe top a basic protein overnight oats recipe. You could also use them as a simple dessert by topping your favorite ice cream (vanilla or something similar would be great).
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Combine apples, cinnamon, cloves, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow the apples to simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered or partially covered.
- Step 2: When the apples have five minutes left, add oats, maple syrup, spices, and water to a separate medium pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and stir as the oats cook.
- Step 3: Add the milk, slightly increasing heat if needed to get things simmering again. Stir and simmer until oats are thick and creamy. If using vanilla extract, remove the oats from heat and stir that in.
- Step 4: Transfer the steaming hot oats to a bowl, and spoon stewed apples over the top. Add more toppings if desired! I love walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and granola.
Option to Use the Same Pot
The oats and apples will be done fastest in two separate pots, but because quick oats are truly done in five minutes or less, you could also use the same pot to dirty up fewer dishes and transfer some of the stewed apple flavor to the oats.
Once the apples are fork tender, transfer them and any remaining liquid to a separate container while you start the oats in the apple pot. The key is not to wash it between uses! Any leftover spices or syrupy residue from stewing the applies will get simmered with the oats... yum.
Do You Need to Peel the Apples?
I can't be bothered to peel an apple (not even for desserts like my oat-topped apple crisp), so I just leave them on. If you prefer to peel the apples, go for it!
Sustainability Tip
For peelings and cores, I love putting them in my compost bin or using my Lomi to create pre-compost, which I then sprinkle directly into my garden or add to my composting drum outside.
Recommended
These recipes would go well with the leftover stewed apples, and the granola recipes would be great to meal prep and top your oats during the week.
📖 Recipe
Chai Oatmeal with Warm Spiced Apples
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Warm spiced apples + creamy chai oatmeal = basically everything I want to eat on a crisp fall or winter morning. And because we're using quick oats, the whole thing comes together in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
For the Stewed Apples
- 2-3 apples, cut into large chunks
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (or use 2 whole cloves)
For the Chai Oatmeal
- ½ cup quick oats
- 1 cup water
- Chai spice blend: ¼ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon ginger + small pinch cloves + ⅛ teaspoon cardamom + small pinch nutmeg
- small pinch salt
- ½ cup milk of choice (I use whole milk)
- 1 -2 teaspoons maple syrup
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Simmer apples. Combine apples, cinnamon, and cloves, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered or partially covered for 10 minutes, until apples are fork tender and fragrant.
- Make chai oatmeal. When apples have five minutes left, start the oatsmeal in a seprate pot. Add the oats, water, chai spice blend, and pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a gently simmer, stirring as it cooks. It'll cook and thicken within a minute, then add the milk and maple syrup. Continue to simmer and stir until thick and creamy. Remove from heat.
- Assemble. Transfer the oats to a bowl and spoon ½ cup of the warm stewed apples over the top (or however many you'd like!). Feel free to have fun with toppings here too! I usually add walnuts, pumpkin seeds, granola if I have it and sometimes and extra drizzle of maple syrup.
Notes
Vanilla extract. I don't always use it, but a small splash of vanilla extract is delicious here! Remove the oats from heat when step 2 is done, then stir in ¼ teaspoon or small splash. The flavor can overpower a single serving bowl of oats, so I like to start small and add if needed.
Extra stewed apples. This recipe makes extra stewed apples, which can easily be used up with more oats the next day, and double serving of oats (for two), or adding to overnight oats or yogurt bowls on a different day.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Boiling
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 273
- Sugar: 15.5 g
- Sodium: 52.8 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.6 g
- Fiber: 6.3 g
- Protein: 10.1 g
- Cholesterol: 2.5 mg
Leave a Reply