CHEF GRINGO · EVERYDAY FOOD
Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats
A make-ahead breakfast with rolled oats, plain yogurt, crisp apple and cinnamon. A small amount of lemon keeps the fruit tasting bright.
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Recipe status: Complete written recipe concept; not kitchen-tested by Chef Gringo. Times and yields are estimates. No laboratory nutrition analysis or clinical benefit is claimed.
Make it
Yield: 2 breakfast servings
Timing: 10 minutes prep · at least 6 hours chilling · no cooking
Ingredients
- 1 cup (80 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup (180 ml) pasteurized milk, plus a little more to loosen
- ½ cup (120 g) plain yogurt made with pasteurized milk
- 1 medium apple, washed, cored and diced small, skin on
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract, optional
- 1–2 tsp maple syrup, optional, to taste
- Optional topping: ¼ cup raspberries per serving; 1 tbsp chopped walnuts per serving
Method
- Stir the oats, milk, yogurt, cinnamon and optional vanilla together in a bowl. Toss the diced apple with the lemon juice, then fold it into the oats.
- Divide into two clean covered jars or containers. Refrigerate immediately at 40°F or below for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. The oats should be soft with no dry center.
- Stir before serving. Add a splash of milk if too thick. Taste before adding optional maple syrup. Add raspberries or walnuts just before eating, if using. Serve cold.
Chef’s notes
Rolled oats hold their texture better than instant oats here. For a softer apple texture, grate it instead of dicing. For a dairy-free version use an unsweetened fortified alternative and a suitable plain cultured alternative; nutrition and consistency will differ.
Allergens: Milk in the base recipe. Optional walnuts are tree nuts. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed, and check alternative milks and toppings for allergens. Chop or adapt toppings for children’s chewing ability.
Storage & serving
Keep covered at 40°F or below and use within 3 days; follow any shorter use-by instruction on the dairy. Stir and add toppings at serving. Never soak oats with dairy at room temperature overnight.
Keep perishable food out for no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Discard food left out longer. USDA handling guidance supports these storage rules, not recipe testing.