Name: 5-Minute Applesauce Overnight Oats / Oatmeal
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 245 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup rolled oats; 1/2 cup (plant-based) milk; 1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or apple pie or pumpkin pie spice); 2 teaspoons chia seeds (sub with flax seeds); 1 teaspoon maple syrup ((optional)); 1/3 apple (cubed); 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or apple pie or pumpkin pie spice (optional))

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Creamy and healthy applesauce overnight oats, done in 5 minutes! Level up your applesauce oatmeal with this no-cook oats recipe that is both yummy & filling!

Applesauce overnight oats with maple syrup drizzled on top of the apple cinnamon toppings.

Why You Will Love This Applesauce Overnight Oats

🍏 No cooking needed—just mix, chill, and enjoy. Super easy!
🥄 Customizable with your favorite toppings!
💪 Loaded with fiber and protein.
🌟 Kid-friendly and adult-approved—everyone in the family will love it.
It’s a great overnight oats for toddlers or even babies since they’re quite easy to eat!
❄️ Great for meal prep—make a batch for the week ahead.
🌱 Vegan and plant-based!

Overnight oats applesauce with a wooden spoon dipping into it, with apple cubes and rolled oats in the plank.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Rolled oats: A hearty and fiber-rich base that keeps you full and satisfied.
Plant-based milk: Adds creaminess and helps the oats soften overnight. Whether it’s almond milk, oat milk, or the more affordable soy milk, any type of milk works in this applesauce cinnamon overnight oats!
Unsweetened applesauce: The star ingredient!
- You can also make your own homemade applesauce simply by boiling apple cubes with just enough water to cover them for 15-20 minutes. Then puree until you get the desired consistency. I’ve also seen that you can microwave them instead but I haven’t tried that myself!
Cinnamon or apple/pumpkin pie spice: Warm cozy spices that pair great with apples, similar to my Apple Cinnamon and Raisins Baked Oats!
Chia seeds: Packed with fiber and omega-3s, they help thicken the oats.
- Feel free to sub with flax seeds.
Maple syrup (optional): Or any liquid sweetener for some extra sweetness!
- In a pinch, brown sugar will also work!

Rolled oats, maple syrup, apple, applesauce, cinnamon, chia seeds, and milk with labels.

And for our optional toppings:

Apple: Adding the real fruit for more texture!
Cinnamon or apple/pumpkin pie spice: Enhances the apple for a spiced finish and for those antioxidants of course!

Step-by-step Instructions

Mix all the ingredients (except the maple syrup and apple toppings) in a jar or bowl until well combined.
Chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Prepare the apple cinnamon topping by mixing cubed apple with cinnamon/apple pie/pumpkin pie spice mix. If desired, microwave for 45 seconds until soft.
Stir and taste the oats in the morning. Add a bit of liquid sweetener if needed.
Top with the apple toppings and enjoy your ready-to-go applesauce oatmeal!

Rolled oats, apple, applesauce, cinnamon, and chia seeds in a glass jar on a wooden plank.

Adding milk into applesauce oats to make overnight oatmeal.

Top Tips

Use Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Stick to rolled oats for the best texture. Quick oats or instant oats can get mushy, and steel-cut oats just won’t work.
Sweeten to Taste: If you’re using sweetened applesauce or prefer a less sweet breakfast, you can skip the maple syrup altogether.
Get Creative on the Toppings: Feel free to experiment add dried fruits (like raisins, dried berries, or chopped dates), nuts, or seeds. You can also use chopped pears instead of chopped apples!

Apple butter overnight oats taken at an angle to show the apple toppings.

Troubleshooting Tips

What happens if you leave overnight oats for 2 nights?

Leaving overnight oats for 2 nights is perfectly fine. In fact, I find that they stay good for up to 5 days in the fridge. Just note that they might develop a slightly creamier/mushier texture (depending on what you like) as they continue to soak.

Why aren’t my overnight oats creamy?

Your oats might not be creamy if the liquid-to-oats ratio is off (1:1 is the answer), or if you’re using a thinner milk like low-fat milk. Try using creamier milk like coconut milk. You can also add more applesauce or yogurt to make it creamier!

And no, do NOT use water to substitute the milk. It will not work.

Why do my overnight oats not work?

It could be due to too much or too little liquid, not allowing enough soaking time, or using the wrong type of oats.

A spoonful of applesauce oatmeal with apple toppings, with the overnight oats jar below it.

Serving Suggestions

To make your applesauce overnight oats even more enjoyable, try:

Layer It: Create a parfait by layering the oats with your favorite yogurt (or vegan quark) and fresh fruit in a glass or a jar.

Top with Crunch or Dried Fruits: Add some granola, chopped nuts, or seeds on top for a satisfying crunch. Feel free to also add some raisins, cranberries, chopped dates, etc for some chewiness and sweetness!

Add Nut/Seed Butter: Swirl in a spoonful of almond, peanut, or cashew butter for extra creaminess and flavor.

Add a Tinge of Vanilla Extract: For the aroma we all love!

Storage and Meal Prep Instructions

Storage: Store your applesauce overnight oatmeal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Meal Prep: Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to make a batch for the week, saving you time and ensuring a healthy breakfast is always on hand!

Freezing:

Three jars of overnight oats with applesauce on white saucers with a beige linen underneath.

Is applesauce actually healthy?

Applesauce is rich in antioxidants known as phytochemicals, which may lower the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (source: WebMD). Using the whole apple, including the skin, to make fresh applesauce maximizes the antioxidant benefits.

When using store-bought applesauce, opt for unsweetened versions. Or even better, make your own homemade applesauce!

FAQ

No, instant oats will create a much softer, almost mushy texture. However, when in a pinch, instant oats will still work. Please only let it chill for about 1 hour, or even less.

If you have quick-cooking oats, those work better and give you more bite. Similarly, only let your quick-cooking oats chill for 1-2 hour instead of overnight.

Chia seeds help thicken the oats by absorbing liquid. This adds a bit to the texture. Furthermore, they add a boost of fiber, protein, and healthy omega-3s!

You can use chia seeds, flax seeds, Greek yogurt, or simply reduce the amount of liquid/add more oats to thicken overnight oats.

Overnight oats soften and “cook” as they soak in liquid, making them ready to eat without any heat!

Overnight oats can be filling if made with the right balance of fiber, protein, and healthy fats; adding toppings like nuts, seeds, or fruit can help make them more satisfying.

And if they still don’t fill you up, probably you just need to eat a bit more!

Yes, you can add fruit to overnight oats; firmer fruits like apples or blueberries hold up well and add natural sweetness.

Applesauce overnight oatmeal on a wooden plank with apple cubes and oats scatter around.

Want More Breakfast Recipes that Taste Like Dessert?

For more overnight oats recipes, try my frozen berries overnight oats, almond butter overnight oats, oreo overnight oats, or my spiced cookie butter overnight oats for that fall flavor!

My flax seed pudding (which is similar to chia pudding), chocolate chip baked oats, and healthy baked oats (with 5 flavor variations) are also popular on the blog and YouTube!