Baked Apple Overnight Oats (vegan, no banana, fruit sweetened)

Let’s turn classic baked apples into an easy healthy breakfast.  This Baked Apple Overnight Oats recipe is bursting with delicious apple flavor!  You can use leftover baked apples you have on hand or I’ll show you a quick way to “bake” your apples in the air fryer without needing any butter, oil or sugar–scandalous I know.  To top it all off, this vegan breakfast meal prep staple gets a creamy makeover without any banana needed.  Loaded with fiber and higher-in-protein than traditional overnight oats, this recipe is sure to be a new family favorite.

What makes these Baked Apple Overnight Oats special?

• no sugar
• vegan
• no banana recipe
• fruit-sweetened
• use leftover baked apples or my easy air fryer version
• loaded with apple flavor
• 349 calories for a filling 1-1/2 cup serving
• 11 grams protein
• 35% of your fiber for the day

Whether you’re nutritarian or just looking for a truly healthy fruit-sweetened breakfast, I think you’re going to love this recipe.  So, let’s go…

This recipe is brought to you by Hot Autumn (a.k.a. Hotumn) 

“Hotumn” is a slang term I’ve recently heard on social media (and now I’m inserting it into every conversation possible).  It perfectly encapsulates that transition time when it’s supposed to be fall weather but it’s still hot as heck!

It’s no surprise then, that this Baked Apple Overnight Oats recipe is the perfect way to celebrate Hotumn.

With five over-ninety-degree days over the last week, it’s safe to say that we are firmly in the Hotumn season over here in Northern California.

So, I developed this healthy breakfast recipe that delivers all those delicious autumnal fall flavors without needing it to be served hot.  But don’t worry because you can bake these up in your oven or air fryer when Autumn finally arrives.

I have two high schoolers who are on the Cross Country team who have enthusiastically endorsed this Baked Apple Overnight Oats recipe.  You can see the mega-portion jars I prepped for them with these cute gingham lids in the top pic above.  For us non-athletes I recommend the more reasonably portioned jars in the bottom pic above.

What ingredients do you need for this Baked Apple Overnight Oats recipe?

1. leftover baked apples or four fresh apples (I’ll show you how to bake them below)
2. unsweetened apple sauce or apple juice
3. Medjool dates
4. silken tofu
5. unsweetened vanilla plant milk
6. dried apples
7. golden raisins
8. cinnamon
9. nutmeg
10. rolled oats
11. chia seeds

Recipe Notes:

I worked apples into every level of this recipe.  You’ll use fresh apples, dried apples and apple sauce or juice.

Here’s how apple features in the two parts of the recipe:

1. Baked Apple Jam: This is a chunky, compote-like topping (and bottoming) for the overnight oat jars.  I’m a fruit on the bottom kind of girl so I like having this as a separate component.  You can make this jam with applesauce or apple juice.
2. Plant-Protein-Rich Apple Milk: Traditional overnight oats use a mixture of mashed bananas and milk to soften the oats.  Instead, we’re using tofu, dried apples and raisins to bring in those traditional flavors found in baked apples while sweetening the milk without the need for bananas.  And who doesn’t appreciate some extra protein to boot!

Ingredient Notes for Apple Jam:

If you’re using leftover baked apples: Use your favorite recipe, this is a great way to use leftover baked apples!  You’ll need 2 cups diced baked apples in total. If you’re following the nutritarian plan you will want to only use a baked apple recipe that has no oil, butter or sugar.

If you’re using fresh apples: I’ll show you a quick way to bake apples in your air fryer below.  You’ll need one teaspoon of lemon juice and a sprinkle of cinnamon if you’re going this route.  If you don’t have an air fryer you can use the same technique and ingredients and bake them in your oven.

Unsweetened Applesauce: This works as a natural thickener and sweetener for the Baked Apple Jam.  Using applesauce to coat the baked apples helps preserve freshness in the fridge.   Make sure your applesauce has no added sugar or flavorings.

If you don’t have apple sauce you can use Apple Juice: I learned this as a happy accident when developing the recipe and I had forgotten the apple sauce at the grocery store!  Luckily we had some apple juice in the fridge and I was able to make a few tweaks to make it work as a substitution if need be.  I recommend using an unfiltered, not from concentrate apple juice as this has the boldest apple flavor.  It should be 100% apple juice with no added sugar.  You’ll need to add an extra 1 Tbsp. chia seeds to your Baked Apple Jam to help thicken the mixture (see recipe notes for more).

Medjool dates: These help to further sweeten the Baked Apple Jam.  The natural caramel notes in the dates work perfectly with the tart sweetness of the apples.  You can use other date varieties if you don’t have Medjool on hand.  You’ll use 1/2 cup dates in the recipe.

Ingredient Notes for Apple Milk:

Silken tofu: I use Mori-Nu brand, 10.8 ounces.  Feel free to use any texture of silken tofu you like (firm or soft).  I personally used soft silken tofu when developing the recipe.

Unsweetened Vanilla Plant Milk: I like to use almond milk personally.  I also prefer a brand with lower calorie count (30 calories per cup).  If you don’t have vanilla flavored milk on hand you can add 1/4 tsp. to the Apple Milk ingredients.

Dried Apples: These work to add another layer of apple flavor while naturally sweetening the milk.  They also help to thicken the milk as a shelf-stable substitution for the banana that’s typically used in overnight oats.

Golden Raisins: My favorite baked apple recipe growing up had yellow raisins.  This is a great way to further sweeten the milk while nodding to that baked apple nostalgia.  If you’re not a fan of raisins or you just don’t have any on hand you can use all dried apples instead.

Cinnamon: Remember the star flavor here is apple, not cinnamon.  I know it’s tempting to add more but in this recipe I think it’s just enough to compliment the apple flavor.

Nutmeg: It’s s lovely note to add to creamy flavors.  It gives some depth without being distracting.

How to make Baked Apples in your air fryer:

Wash or soak your apples overnight to remove wax.

Use a corer (I love this one) or cut your apples into fourths and remove the core with a knife.

Place the apples skin side down into your airfryer basket and sprinkle the apples with 1 tsp. lemon juice and a small sprinkling of cinnamon.

Cook the apples on your “Air Fry” setting at 385°F for 20 minutes.  Depending on the moisture content of the apple variety you’re using there may be some juices that are released and that’s fine.  Some apples may be baked down softer than others and that’s okay too.

Allow the apples to cool down for at least 5 minutes before handling.

Dice them into bite sized chunks and measure out 2 cups to use in the recipe.

Which apples are best for this Baked Apple Overnight Oat recipe?

Pink Cripps: Pink Cripps are a moisture-rich, crisp apple variety with a thin skin.  They release more juices when air frying.

Fuji: I also tested the recipe with this variety as they are my kids’ preferred snacking apples.  I found these to be a bit dryer when air frying but they still worked well and tasted delicious!

Making the Apple Jam:

Add the applesauce, water and pitted Medjool dates to your  high-speed blender bowl.

Blend on high for 30 to 40 seconds or until the dates are fully blended into the applesauce and there is a thick liquid.  Add the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and add in the reserved  2 cups diced baked apples.  Mix everything well and allow the mixture to set in the fridge as you make the oats.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO CLEAN OUT YOUR BLENDER–I love this part!  That’s right, we want to keep all that apple-y goodness in there even when we’re making the next component of the recipe.

How to make overnight oats in your blender (no banana required)!

Again, there’s no need to rinse out your blender bowl after making the Apple Jam sauce.

Add the tofu, plant milk, dried apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth and creamy.

Next add the oats and chia seeds and give the mixture a good stir using a long spoon or blender spatula (I love this one). 

Finally, use your blender’s “pulse” mode only two times or blend on low for 2 seconds—we just want to further incorporate the ingredients and break down a bit of the oats slightly.  This helps thicken everything up.

How to store and portion out the Baked Apple Overnight Oats: 

Use 2-cup glass Mason jars (I love these) or glass food storage containers with snaplock lids (I love the medium size in this set).

You can layer the jam and oats or mix them together.

I like to use a canning funnel and add 1/4 cup of the Baked Apple Jam to the bottom of each jar, then pour in 1 cup of the overnight oats mixture and top with another 1/4 cup of the jam.

What is the taste and texture like?

Apple is most certainly the hero flavor!

There’s a nice contrast between the creamy, custard-like oats and the tangy sweet apple jam.  There’s just enough spice to keep things interesting while keeping the apple flavor front and center.

The texture is soft, creamy and chewy pleasantly studded with baked apples that have a bit more bite to them.

My husband insists that these Baked Apple Overnight Oats are just as delicious for dessert as breakfast–he’s their biggest fan!

How long do the Baked Apple Overnight Oats last in the refrigerator?

Up to 7 days!

These get a bit longer shelf life than my Simple Overnight Oats because we’re not using the fresh banana in this recipe.  Because we’ve sweetened the oats with shelf-stable dried fruits they hold up better and keep their texture and consistency longer during the week.

I highly recommend this recipe if you’re interested in weekly meal prepping.

Can you heat overnight oats?

Yes!

If you’re planning on serving these heated I highly recommend you use oven-safe food storage containers like these.

There are three ways to heat up overnight oats:

1. Oven in an oven-safe container:  Preheat your oven to 385°F.  Place the container in the center of the middle rack and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  The edges will just begin to brown and the topping will bubble.  Allow to cool before eating.
2. Microwave in a microwave-safe container:  Heat the overnight oats in intervals of 30 seconds and stir in-between.  I have heated them in Ball Mason jars without issue.
3. Air fryer:  Use an oven-safe dish or food storage container. Use the bake setting at 375°F for 20 minutes.  The top will get a bit crispy and it will be warmed through.

You can bake or air fry your overnight oats right after making or after they’ve set overnight.  When heating in the microwave it’s best to let them set overnight first.

How much can you have on the nutritarian plan?  

If you’re following the Aggressive Weight Loss Plan: I recommend splitting the 1-1/2 cup serving.  Have 1 cup with 1/2 cup of fresh raspberries for breakfast.  Then have the remaining 1/2 cup after lunch or dinner for “dessert”.  

You get a total of 1 cup whole grains daily. A 1-1/2-cup serving of this recipe has .35 cups oats per portion.  But now we need to factor the “raw” to cooked rolled oats ratio.  Dr. Furhman’s grain guidelines are for cooked grains.  Since 1 cup of cooked rolled oats comes from 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats, each serving equals 70% of your whole grain allotment for the day.  That means you can have about 1/4-cup +1 Tbsp. whole grains for the rest of your day.

You get a total of 28 grams of nuts/seeds daily. Each 1-1/2-cup serving has 4 grams of seeds.  You will have 24 grams of nuts/seeds remaining for the day.

If you’ve reached your ideal BMI (under 23): Feel free to increase to a 2-cup portion, especially if you’re very physically active.  I personally find the 1-1/2 cup portion very filling and satisfying especially with some fresh berries on the side.

Your comments and recipe ratings motivate me so much to keep creating memorable and delicious recipes while helping the website get critical rankings in those all-important search engines.