Cranberry Apple Walnut Oatmeal

Cranberry Apple Walnut Oatmeal is a tart and sweet body-warming dish perfect for filling those bellies before a busy day.

Cranberry Apple Oatmeal

Fall brings about such cozy feelings for me. Not only cozy sweatshirts and fires but cozy, warming things in my belly. The full-body warming feeling that comes from oatmeal is such morning comfort.

Being surrounded by local apple orchards, apple picking season brings about a bowl of fresh apples on the counter for weeks on end. There really isn’t a better snack and any that get soft I can easily toss into oatmeal or other dishes.

In August the orchards in our area put out a schedule of when each variety will be ready for picking. McIntosh’s are always first followed by Honeycrisp. Honeycrisp is our favorite for snacking! So good, fresh, crispy, and sweet.

For baking, I like Golden Delicious and Johnathan’s. Having local access to orchards here in Ohio it has been fun to discover varieties we hadn’t tried before like Ambrosia and Empire. I am curious about what you find in your areas?

This breakfast is so easy, warmed, and cooked in just one pot. Dicing a few apples – I even leave the peel on, warming them with oatmeal and spices fills your house with the scents of fall.

The aroma of spicy cinnamon and apples cooking always gets me in the mood for autumn. Oatmeal is everything I love about apple pie cooked into a hearty comforting breakfast.

Apple Oatmeal with Cranberries and Walnuts

rolled oats
water
apples
chopped walnuts (pecans may be substituted)
dried cranberries
kosher salt
cinnamon
butter
light brown sugar, maple syrup or honey

Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Recipe

Combine the oats, water, apples, walnuts, cranberries, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
As soon as it boils, reduce heat to low and simmer for just a few minutes, until the oats are soft and the apples are tender. Remove from the heat.
Scoop into bowls and top with butter and the sweetener of your choice, if desired.

Pecans may be substituted for walnuts in this recipe. Alternatively, the nuts may be skipped entirely if they aren’t your thing. It’s delicious however you choose to make it.

Hearty Breakfasts

Oatmeal has been a favorite breakfast in our house for years. Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, Slow Cooker Oatmeal with Strawberries and Bananas, Peaches and Cream Oatmeal, and Berry Baked Oatmeal are just a few of the oatmeals that make repeat appearances in our home.

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal is lightly sweetened with bananas and honey. Your morning oatmeal meets up with banana bread in this fun twist on a classic breakfast.

Whether you’re making breakfast ahead of time as baked oatmeal or stirring it up in the morning, the warm, comforting smell brings my boys out of bed every time. I love that.