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Let’s get one thing straight:
Apples are my son’s favorite fruit … and I don’t like apples.
Not raw apples, not apple pie, not apple crisp. The most un-American thing about me, I know. But here’s the twist: I absolutely love these Apple Pie Overnight Oats — and so does he. A living conundrum, reporting for duty.

I originally threw this recipe together because I needed a fast, no-cook breakfast that wouldn’t lead to the morning chaos we all know too well: backpacks half-zipped, shoes mysteriously missing, someone crying about a sock seam, someone else asking for a snack even though breakfast is literally happening right now. You know the drill.

These oats ended up becoming more than a breakfast.
They’re a snack, a dessert, a budget lifesaver, and the kind of recipe you can build with your kids without needing a grocery run. Everything comes straight from the pantry, straight from the fridge, and straight into a jar. Bliss.

A Quick Mom Review: Why These Overnight Oats Actually Work

Here’s my honest “mom review,” because if there’s one thing parents don’t have time for, it’s recipes that pretend to be easy but are secretly 45 steps and require a food processor from the year 2040.

✔ Breakfast That Makes Mornings Easier

You prep it at night. You open the fridge in the morning. You hand your kid a jar. Done. No mess, no pots, no “just two more minutes!”

✔ Kid Flavor Approved

It tastes like apple pie filling. Sweet, cinnamon-y, cozy. My son inhaled it.

✔ Sneaky Nutrition Win

Oats, applesauce, chia, cinnamon, plant milk — nothing fancy. Just wholesome ingredients that fill them up and keep them going.

✔ Pantry-Friendly & Cheap

Everything is shelf-stable or already in your fridge. Truly a $5 recipe that lasts all week.

✔ A Great Activity for Kids

Stirring. Pouring. Scooping. Smelling cinnamon. Watching oats thicken into pudding by morning.
It’s science plus snack — always a win.

Let’s Talk About the Apple Theme … Because Kids LOVE Themes

Even though I don’t like apples (yes, I know… shocking), I can fully admit that apples bring an unreasonable amount of joy to children.

Think about it:

• Applesauce is basically a childhood food group.
• Apple picking is … basically a child’s Disneyland in September.
• Tractor rides, hay bales, apple cider, bees buzzing around like they own the orchard.
• The photos? Adorable.
• The sticky hands? Expected.
• The fun? Guaranteed.

I didn’t grow up apple picking — I just grew up eating donuts and drinking apple cider, which honestly felt like the better end of the deal. But I take my son now, and he loves it. Last time, we brought our own vegan donuts, enjoyed their cider, picked apples, and took the farm tractor ride like pros. Zero regrets.

But if apple picking just isn’t happening this year (time, money, weather, life — I get it), you can still create little apple-themed learning moments:

Apple Activity Ideas for Kids

• Buy a bag of apples and make your own applesauce together.
• Do the classic apple-stamping craft with paint.
• Read a fun apple-themed book. (We LOVE “Ten Apples Up On Top!” — my son has it memorized.)
• Let them taste-test different apples and rank them.
• Make these overnight oats together using your homemade applesauce.

And yes, I do like applesauce but not apples, which somehow makes me even more ridiculous. But I accept that.

Kid-Friendly Reasons This Recipe Works

1. It’s Hands-On

Kids can:

• scoop oats
• pour milk
• sprinkle cinnamon
• stir everything together
• shake jars like maracas

Easy, safe, and no stove required.

2. They Love Eating What They Make

My son eats more balanced meals when he sees me eating the same thing — so this recipe is perfect for us both. No “make two separate meals” energy required.

3. The Texture Is Kid Gold

Soft. Sweet. Thick.
Like eating apple pie filling but allowed at breakfast.

4. They Can Customize Their Jar

• raisins
• extra applesauce
• walnuts
• granola on top
• a drizzle of maple

Let them choose something — they’ll feel like kitchen royalty.

Ingredients You Probably Already Have

This is why I call it pantry-friendly:

• Rolled oats
• Applesauce
• Plant milk
• Maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• Chia seeds (optional but amazing)
• Vanilla (optional but delicious)

If you’ve got a pantry, you’ve got overnight oats.

How to Make Apple Pie Overnight Oats (Kid-Friendly Steps)

Let your kids be involved in every step — they love ownership.

Step 1: Add Oats to the Jar

½ cup rolled oats per jar — let them scoop!

Step 2: Add Applesauce

Big dollop. This is what makes it taste like pie.

Step 3: Pour In Plant Milk

About ½–¾ cup, depending on how thick you like it.

Step 4: Add Cinnamon + Vanilla + Maple

Kids LOVE sprinkling cinnamon. It’s a thing.

Step 5: Add Chia Seeds

Fun fact to tell the kids: “These tiny seeds turn into pudding!”

Step 6: Stir or Shake

If you don’t let them shake the jar, you’re missing out on peak childhood joy.

Step 7: Refrigerate Overnight

And boom — breakfast is ready when you wake up.

A Quick Little Story Because Moms Get It

My home is “theme central.”
If it’s apple week… everything becomes apple.
Books? Apple.
Snacks? Apple.
Crafts? Apple.
Conversations? Apple.
Mood? Also apple.

It helps keep my son focused on one topic, and he ends up learning so much without even realizing it. And if inspiration strikes and he suddenly wants to ditch apple crafts to build a giant racetrack?
We ditch the apples and build the racetrack.

Never interrupt a kid’s imagination flow. Ever.

Final Thoughts (from a Mom Who Does Not Like Apples)

Even though apples and I are not friends, this recipe is a total keeper.
My son loves it.
It makes mornings easier.
It’s cheap, healthy, quick, and kid-involved.
And you probably have everything you need right now.

So honestly?
Just make it.

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