Welcome the day with my Baked Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats—a simple breakfast recipe that’s destined to become a family favorite. All you need are 10 basic ingredients (no eggs!), one pot, and about 15 minutes of prep time.
It’s tough to beat a warm bowl of oatmeal on a chilly morning, especially when said bowl tastes like dessert. To date, I’ve worked out how to make carrot cake oatmeal, zucchini bread oatmeal, and pumpkin pie baked oatmeal— all fantastic ways to start a lazy Saturday morning. But, y’all? These baked apple cinnamon steel cut oats might just be my favorite yet.
Sweet-tart apples are sautéed with butter and spices for a richer version of my cinnamon apple preserves. Then, raw steel cut oats get their turn toasting in melted butter to enhance their nutty flavor. They’re then doused in spiced apple cider and baked in the same pot—which means no stirring or extra dishwashing necessary. 🙌
As if that weren’t enough to love, a final flourish of crunchy raw sugar is sprinkled across the top, dotted with butter, and returned to the oven. The end result is a marvel—creamy oats and tender fruit imbued with cozy, spicy goodness and topped with a crispy, sparkly brûlée-style sugar crown. It’s the ideal one-pot breakfast!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Baked Apple Cinnamon Oats Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Baked Steel Cut Oats With Apples & Cinnamon
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
- Expert Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage & Reheating Instructions
- FAQs
- More Yummy Oatmeal Recipes
- Baked Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
- 💬 Reviews
Why You’ll Love This Baked Apple Cinnamon Oats Recipe
- Budget-Friendly. While the butter and cream make this recipe for cinnamon apple steel cut oats feel luxurious, they’re way cheaper than eggs and bacon. I was able to make mine for just over $0.50 a serving!
- Meal Prep Pro. With several make-ahead options, this delicious breakfast is perfect for busy mornings. Make a pot on the weekend then portion it out for grab-and-go convenience!
- Holiday Ready. Keeping extra bodies out of the kitchen by providing a filling breakfast is one of my top tips for hosting the holidays without losing your mind. Between the large batch size, minimal prep time, and single pot method, these apple crisp steel cut oats are an easy way to feed the whole family and then some.
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need basic ingredients to make these baked Irish oats:
- Fresh Apples - I used Honeycrisp and Cosmic Crisp since that’s what was on sale this week, but use whichever variety you prefer.
- Butter - If possible, reach for organic grass-fed butter. Yes, it’s more expensive than conventional butter. But considering the health benefits and environmental benefits of grass-fed dairy, I’d call it a net positive!
- Kosher Salt & Flaky Sea Salt - For cooking the apples and oats, use either Morton’s kosher salt or fine sea salt. While the flaky finishing salt is optional for a garnish, I love the contrast it provides with the sweet sugar topping.
- Steel Cut Oats - These are also sometimes called Irish oats, a nod to their centuries-old significance in Irish cuisine. They honestly look more like animal feed than the rolled oats you might be used to—they’re small, hard, cylindrical pellets. But it’s this coarse cut that makes the texture of the steel cut oats so appealing.
- Ground Cinnamon & Ground Cardamom - Cinnamon feels like a given with apples, but mysteriously spicy, piney cardamom is a well-played wild card. Feel free to swap in ground ginger or the warming spice or spice blend of your choice!
- Vanilla Extract - For adding that warm, aromatic, dessert-y vibe. You can also use an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder, or half as much dried ground vanilla bean.
- Apple Cider & Boiling Water - Cider doubles down on the sweet-tart and spicy flavor profile, while boiling water ensures your oats start cooking as soon as they hit the oven. Feel free to swap in regular apple juice or water to make it cheaper or lighter!
- Cream or Half n' Half - Making these apple steel-cut oats with cream lends an air of richness and decadence. You’re welcome to swap in milk or water.
- Chopped Pecans - Optional, but delicious. Toasty pecans add both flavor and crunch, perfect for pairing with the creamy oats, tender apples, and crisp sugar topping. You’re welcome to swap in the nuts of your choice (e.g. sliced almonds, chopped walnuts).
- Turbinado Sugar (Sugar in the Raw) - This is the literal crowning glory of our baked oats. Feel free to swap in demerara sugar for similar crunch. You can also use brown sugar, grated piloncillo, or grated jaggery for a softer but equally delicious take.
How To Make Baked Steel Cut Oats With Apples & Cinnamon
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cube 2 tablespoons of butter and keep in the fridge until later.
Step 1: Melt three Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped apples and salt, stirring to coat them in the melted butter. Sauté until the apples become golden brown and the liquid they give off mostly evaporates—about 15 minutes.
Step 2: Toast Oats. Add three more Tablespoons of butter to the pot and melt. Add the steel cut oats and stir to coat. Toast them for 3-4 minutes, until they start smelling a bit nutty.
Step 3: Bloom Spices. Add the cinnamon and cardamom to the mixture. Stir and sauté for another minute, or until fragrant.
Step 4: Bake. Add the vanilla extract, apple cider/juice, water, and cream/milk to the pot, stirring to combine. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Step 5: Top & Bake Again. Evenly sprinkle the nuts (if using) over the top of the oats, then sprinkle the sugar evenly on top of that. Dot with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter. Return to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
Step 6: Garnish & Serve. Carefully remove from the oven, spoon into bowls, and serve with a drizzle of cream/milk, an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Enjoy!
Make-Ahead Instructions
Step 1: Add Liquid & Refrigerate. If you want to prep the night before, simply cover and refrigerate the oats after adding the liquid at the beginning of step 4. They'll last well in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Optional Step 2: Freeze. Instead of baking the oats in the Dutch oven, you can also butter a large casserole dish, pour in the unbaked oat mixture with the liquid, wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. (Remember to label and date before freezing. You may also want to note the remaining instructions on the label.)
Step 3: Bake. When you're ready to bake, defrost them overnight in the fridge. Add an extra 10 minutes to the initial bake time since they'll be cold going in, and don't forget to add the crunchy goodies on top during the second bake as described in step 5 of the recipe above!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
- Light n' Lovely - If it isn't a holiday, you may want to skip the richness of cream and butter. Here are a few easy ways to lighten the caloric load:
- Swap in any percentage of dairy milk or non dairy milk alternatives like oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk for the cream. Depending on the variety of milk you choose, you might also get a nice boost of protein from it!
- Replace the first 6 Tablespoons of butter with avocado oil to get extra heart healthy fats. I do, however, recommend keeping the two Tablespoons you sprinkle on top at the end—butter really does make everything better.
- Use water instead of apple cider to cut back on sugar. Don’t worry, it’ll still taste wonderfully cinnamon apple-y!
- Dairy-Free - Swap in plant-based butter or coconut oil and use canned full-fat coconut coconut milk or vegan cream to make this apple cinnamon steel cut oatmeal vegan-friendly.
- No Fruit - The original recipe that inspired this dish was made without any apples. It is also super delicious! To make, melt all the butter you’d use to make the apples and toast the oats in the recipe above. Skip the fruit, toast the oats, and proceed with the recipe as written. Using apple cider and spices will imbue them with a flavorful undertone.
- Different Fruit - I have a feeling this steel cut oatmeal recipe will work well with a variety of fresh fruit, though you may want to change the spices and/or methodology depending on which ones you use. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Banana Slices - Use the “no fruit” variation as described above, but replace the apple cider with water. Before adding the sugar topping, layer sliced bananas on top of the par-baked oatmeal, then proceed as usual. The sugar layer will give the bananas a yummy bananas foster vibe!
- Fresh Berries - Feel free to swap in any mix of fresh or frozen berries. They play very nicely with cardamom, too! Omit the apple cider in favor of water or the juice of your choice.
- Stone-Fruit - Peaches, apricots and plums would all be delicious here. Again, swap in juice or water for the cider. You could also mix stone fruit and berries!
Expert Tips
- Buy Bulk. Many grocery stores have a bulk section where you forego traditional packaging. Bulk steel cut oats are typically MUCH cheaper than what you'll find in the cereal aisle, especially since some heritage brands like McCann's come in metal tins. Just remember to store any extras in a hard-sided airtight container to keep pests and humidity out. Smart storage is one of my favorite tips for reducing food waste at home!
- Stir It Up. You'll find the apple mixture separates during the first bake, leaving two distinct layers. I don't mind this! However, you prefer a more integrated consistency, give them a quick stir, then spread back out into an even layer before sprinkling on the crunchy sugar topping.
- Apples to Apples. Some apples break down while cooking more quickly than others. I prefer to stick to the crisp, tart or sweet-tart end of the spectrum (e.g. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or anything with “crisp” in the name) because they hold their shape better. If you prefer more of an applesauce-y consistency, lean towards sweeter varieties like Macintosh, Gala, or Fuji.)
Serving Suggestions
I personally think this baked steel cut oats-apple crisp mashup is an absolute delight to eat straight from the pot. That said, you can always gussy it up if you like! (BTW, if you’re serving a crowd I recommend setting up a toppings bar, a la my loaded potato bar, for guests to help themselves.)
Try adding a drizzle of cream or milk or a little maple syrup for richness. You could also sweeten some plain greek yogurt with powdered sugar for a protein-packed version of whipped cream. Speaking of, a squirt of actual whipped cream would also be most welcome if you’re in a celebratory mood.
If you like more texture, try adding more chopped toasted nuts or a sprinkle of crunchy vanilla almond granola. Dried fruit like tart cranberries could be nice.
My friend Megan over at Coffee Copycat has some pretty excellent apple coffee drinks to pair with it, if you wanna go extra extra. And really, who doesn’t? Feelin’ boozy? My Christmas coffee with amaretto whipped cream would be a real treat, too.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Split It! This baked oatmeal recipe is designed to feed a crowd—perfect for when you're hosting the holidays. Have a smaller family to feed? You can either halve the recipe, OR use half for meal prep.
- After adding the liquid to the pot, divvy the oat mixture evenly between 2 buttered 2-quart casserole dishes (or 8x8 baking pans). Bake one as instructed, but wrap the other one in several layers of plastic wrap, refrigerate until cool (about 3 hours), then freeze it for up to 3 months. I recommend adding instructions when you label and date it (i.e. defrost overnight, bake at 350ºF for 50 minutes from the fridge, sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar in the raw, ¼ cup nuts, and a tablespoon of butter dotted across the top, then bake for another 15-20 minutes).
- Leftovers can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- I also like to scoop out individual portions into freezer-safe microwaveable containers for an easy breakfast on the run. It will freeze well for up to 6 months.
- To reheat, you can either bake the entire leftover baking dish in a 300ºF oven for about 10-15 minutes, or microwave individual servings until warmed through.
FAQs
Steel cut oats (sometimes called Irish oats) have a particularly chewy texture thanks to how they have been processed. When oats are harvested, they have a hard exterior shell that is removed. What remains is called an oat groat. This groat is then cut into 3 pieces to create steel cut oats. Rolled oats, on the other hand, go through a different process. The whole groat is steamed, then rolled thru metal wheels to flatten them, dried, and finally sent through a kiln to toast. Quick or instant oats go a few steps further—they’re cooked again and then dried for packaging.
The end result is that they have much more of a "bite" than regular old fashioned oats and a far cry from the thin texture of quick oats. They also have varying levels of whole grain health benefits. Steel cut oat kernels are the least processed of the bunch, so they’re the “healthiest” of the bunch in terms of nutrient density, but old-fashioned oats are no slouches either. Quick-cooking oats are the most processed, so they have the lowest nutrient score and highest glycemic index score of the bunch.
That said, all three of these oat varieties are considered whole grains and have been shown to help regulate blood sugar and ward off heart disease.
It depends on the recipe, I suppose, but generally speaking—no. So long as you are using the proper ratio of liquid to oats (and either covering or keeping uncovered per recipe instructions), you should be good to go. You do need to bring the liquid to a boil before baking if you are not soaking them, though. This will ensure they cook evenly.
Again, it will depend on the specific recipe. As a general rule, I would not recommend it unless the recipe you are using specifically lists it. Why? Steel cut oatmeal requires more liquid to fully rehydrate than regular oats, and also requires longer cook times.
In this recipe for apple and cinnamon steel cut oats, the only things that should be crunchy are the sugar topping and any nuts you add. The oats themselves are creamy and tender!
“Good for you” is a vague term that could mean a great many things to many different people.
If you make these apple steel cut oats with cream and butter as instructed below, they will be rather rich in fat and calories. (Note that the nutrition info below is for using both cream and butter.) As I mentioned earlier, using grass-fed dairy products will make them a bit healthier in terms of nutrients and fat makeup.
The addition of the turbinado sugar topping and apple cider may also be indulgent for such a carb-heavy meal, but at least these added sugars are less processed than granulated, and steel cut oats are packed with fiber. Pecans add fat, but also help with satiety and have potential health benefits.
I personally follow an “everything in moderation, including moderation” mentality, so I have zero guilt about enjoying every bite! If you’re concerned about your diet, I recommend you consult with an RDN.
More Yummy Oatmeal Recipes
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Baked Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed oven-ready pot
Ingredients
- 1.75 - 2 pounds Apples, diced approximately 6 medium apples; I used honeycrisp and cosmic crisp, but use whichever you prefer.
- 8 tablespoon Butter 1 stick, divided
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt or fine sea salt; can reduce if you prefer
- 2 C Steel Cut Oats
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon plus extra for serving
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom or ground ginger, or the warming spice of your choice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or paste or powder
- 2 C Apple Cider or apple juice, or water
- 4.5 C Boiling Water
- ½ C Cream or half n' half, or milk; plus more for serving
- ½ C Chopped Pecans optional, or nuts of choice
- ½ C Turbinado Sugar (Sugar in the Raw) or demerara sugar, or brown sugar
- Flaky Sea Salt optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cube 2 tablespoons of butter and keep in the fridge until later.
- Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped apples and salt, stirring to mix. Sauté until the apples become golden brown and the liquid they give off mostly evaporates—about 15 minutes.
- Add 3 more Tablespoons of butter to the pot and melt. Add the steel cut oats and stir to coat. Toast them for 3-4 minutes, until they start smelling a bit nutty.
- Add the cinnamon and cardamom to the mixture. Stir and sauté for another minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the vanilla extract, apple cider/juice, water, and cream/milk to the pot, stirring to combine. ***MAKE AHEAD NOTE: If you want, you can stop here. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in the morning, adding about 10 minutes of bake time to the initial bake.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Evenly sprinkle the nuts (if using) over the top of the oats, then sprinkle the sugar evenly on top of that. Dot with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Carefully remove from the oven, spoon into bowls, and serve with a drizzle of cream/milk, an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Enjoy!
Notes
- Split It! This baked oatmeal recipe is designed to feed a crowd—perfect for when you're hosting the holidays. Have a smaller family to feed? You can either halve the recipe, OR use half for meal prep.
- After adding the liquid to the pot, divvy the oat mixture evenly between 2 buttered 2-quart casserole dishes (or 8x8 baking pans). Bake one as instructed, but wrap the other one in several layers of plastic wrap, refrigerate until cool (about 3 hours), then freeze it for up to 3 months. I recommend adding instructions when you label and date it (i.e. defrost overnight, bake at 350ºF for 50 minutes from the fridge, sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar in the raw, ¼ cup nuts, and a tablespoon of butter dotted across the top, then bake for another 15-20 minutes).
- Leftovers can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- I also like to scoop out individual portions into freezer-safe microwaveable containers for an easy breakfast on the run. It will freeze well for up to 6 months.
- To reheat, you can either bake the entire leftover baking dish in a 300ºF oven for about 10-15 minutes, or microwave individual servings until warmed through.
- Light n' Lovely - Here are a few easy ways to lighten the caloric load:
- Swap in any percentage of dairy milk or non dairy milk alternatives like oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk for the cream. Depending on the variety of milk you choose, you might also get a nice boost of protein from it!
- Replace the first 6 Tablespoons of butter with avocado oil to get extra heart healthy fats. I do, however, recommend keeping the two Tablespoons you sprinkle on top at the end—butter really does make everything better.
- Use water instead of apple cider to cut back on sugar. Don’t worry, it’ll still taste wonderfully cinnamon apple-y!
- Dairy-Free - Swap in plant-based butter or coconut oil and use canned full-fat coconut coconut milk or vegan cream to make this apple cinnamon steel cut oatmeal vegan-friendly.
- No Fruit - The original recipe that inspired this dish was made without any apples. It is also super delicious! To make, melt all the butter you’d use to make the apples and toast the oats in the recipe above. Skip the fruit, toast the oats, and proceed with the recipe as written. Using apple cider and spices will imbue them with a flavorful undertone.
- Different Fruit - I have a feeling this steel cut oatmeal recipe will work well with a variety of fresh fruit, though you may want to change the spices and/or methodology depending on which ones you use. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Banana Slices - Use the “no fruit” variation as described above, but replace the apple cider with water. Before adding the sugar topping, layer sliced bananas on top of the par-baked oatmeal, then proceed as usual. The sugar layer will give the bananas a yummy bananas foster vibe!
- Fresh Berries - Feel free to swap in any mix of fresh or frozen berries. They play very nicely with cardamom, too! Omit the apple cider in favor of water or the juice of your choice.
- Stone-Fruit - Peaches, apricots and plums would all be delicious here. Again, swap in juice or water for the cider. You could also mix stone fruit and berries!
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