Start your morning with a warm bowl of Instant Pot apple cinnamon oatmeal that transforms basic oats into a healthy breakfast in just 60 seconds of cooking time. Whether you prefer your oatmeal topped with a drizzle of cinnamon, chunks of apples, a sprinkle of nuts, or an extra dash of honey, this foolproof recipe adapts to your taste!
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Gone are the days of standing over the stove stirring endless pots of oatmeal. This apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe combines old-fashioned oats, fresh apples, and warming spices into a hands-off breakfast that practically makes itself.
The pressure cooking method ensures your oats turn out perfectly creamy while keeping the apple pieces tender but not mushy.
And the best part? This oatmeal is incredibly versatile! I like to try different toppings like nuts, dried fruits, or a drizzle of honey for a personal touch. With the Instant Pot doing all the work, you can enjoy a wholesome, satisfying breakfast without the hassle.
Why You Will Love This Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Recipe
- Budget Friendly: Skip those expensive cafe oatmeal bowls and packaged instant oats. This homemade version costs pennies per serving using pantry ingredients you already have.
- Quick Cooking: Ready in just 1 minute of cook time, making it ideal for those hectic mornings when you need a nutritious breakfast fast. The Instant Pot does all the work while you do other things around the kitchen.
- Incredibly Nutritious: You're getting wholegrain oats, fiber-rich apples, and cinnamon which have antioxidant properties. It's a filling breakfast that provides sustained energy.
- Meal Prep Hero: Make a big batch on Sunday and reheat portions all week long - the texture stays perfect and flavors get better overnight.
🥣 You wouldn’t believe how quickly the smiles appear when I serve peaches and cream oatmeal — it’s an instant hit and perfect for cozy mornings!
Recipe Ingredients
- Apples — Use your favorite kind of apple.
- Butter
- Old-Fashioned Oats — Don't use quick oats!
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Salt
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Step 1: Chop apples into ½-inch square cubes.
Step 2: Turn on the Instant Pot to saute mode. Melt butter and saute apples for 3 minutes.
Step 3: Cancel saute mode.
Step 4: Add the rest of the ingredients including the water.
Step 5: Press porridge mode and set the time for 1 minute. Make sure the vent is in the "sealing" position.
Step 6: When the Instant Pot beeps, carefully move the vent to the "venting" position. I use a wooden spoon to do this to avoid burns. Let it vent completely before opening. Add any extra toppings and serve!
Recipe FAQs
While you can use steel-cut oats, you'll need to adjust the cooking time to 10 minutes and use a 3:1 ratio of liquid to oats. The texture will be chewier, but just as delicious!
This is totally up to you! Leaving the peel on adds extra fiber and nutrients, plus saves time. But if you prefer a smoother texture, feel free to peel them first.
For perfect consistency, stick to the 2:1 ratio of liquid to old-fashioned oats. If it's too thick after cooking, simply stir in a splash of milk. If too thin, let it sit for a few minutes to thicken up.
Yes! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When reheating, add a little milk and stir well. It might seem thick at first but will reach the perfect consistency once stirred and warmed.
Expert Tips
- Use Fresh Spices: Opt for freshly ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick for a bolder, more aromatic flavor. It makes a noticeable difference in the overall taste.
- Properly Saute the Apples: Take the time to sauté the apples in butter first - this extra 3-minute step helps caramelize them and enhances the flavor before pressure cooking.
- Check Your Instant Pot: If you have an 8-quart Instant Pot and are concerned about burn notices, use the pot-in-pot method: place all ingredients in an oven-proof dish that fits inside your Instant Pot, then add 1 cup of water to the main pot around it.
- Keeping the Oatmeal Warm: If you want to keep the oatmeal warm for later, you can simply leave it in the Instant Pot on the "warm" setting.
Serving Suggestions
This warm and comforting apple cinnamon oatmeal makes an excellent breakfast when paired with a refreshing mango pineapple smoothie on the side. You can make the meal even yummier by adding some fresh fruits like berries or banana slices on top for extra nutrition and natural sweetness.
For those who enjoy an extra touch of apple flavor, try spreading some instant pot apple butter on top – it adds a delicious concentrated sweetness that complements the subtle spices in the oatmeal perfectly.
Since the oatmeal already contains brown sugar, you can adjust any additional toppings based on your preferred level of sweetness.
Other Delicious Oat Recipes You Have to Try
Oatmeal is my go-to breakfast and I like experimenting with different recipes. If you are like me, you're going to love these irresistible recipes.
- A sweet and cozy breakfast treat, Peaches and Cream Oatmeal combines juicy peaches with velvety cream for the ultimate comfort.
- Perfect for busy mornings, Instant Pot Oatmeal delivers creamy, perfectly cooked oats in just minutes with almost no effort.
- With its warm, caramelized sweetness, Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal brings timeless flavors that make every breakfast bowl feel extra special.
- A heartier, nuttier alternative to regular oatmeal, is these the Pecan and Raisin Instant Pot Oatmeal cooked up beautifully in the Instant Pot for a filling breakfast packed with whole grain goodness.
More Breakfast Favorites From Longbourn Farm
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Quick Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 apples (your choice of variety)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar (use less if desired)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups oats (old-fashioned, NOT quick)
- 3 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Chop apples into ½-inch square cubes.
- Turn on Instant Pot saute mode. Melt butter and saute apples for 3 minutes.
- Cancel saute mode.
- Add the rest of the ingredients
- Press porridge mode and set the time for 1 minute. Make sure the vent is in the "sealing" position (see note).
- When the Instant Pot beeps, carefully move the vent to the "venting" position. I use a wooden spoon to do this to avoid burns. Let it vent completely before opening.
Notes
- The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to pressurize and de-pressurize; you don't need to push anything to make this happen. It will happen automatically.
- Sometimes the IP can give a burn notice when cooking oatmeal. I don’t have this problem in my 6 quart but I have had reports of it happening in the 8 quart. The oatmeal will not burn, but it may be golden brown on the bottom. This is normal and fine.
- Don't try to freeze this oatmeal as it will become very mushy when thawed.
- For an added delicious taste and texture, you can top the oatmeal with nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds) or dried fruit (raisins or cranberries) after cooking.
Daniel Broten
This is so easy and comes out perfect. No burn message at all. I sautéed the apples in a bit of water instead of butter to keep the recipe vegan. Thanks.
Dan
I made this again this morning and I chopped the apples smaller and I sautéed them in water as I eat vegan. Came out great. Another fine breakfast for a few days.
Dan Broten
I made this without the butter or sautéing the apples as I choose to eat vegan. Came out great. A few of the apples were a little hard but still very good. I’m going to make it again and chop the apples a little smaller.
Andy
I’ve tried to make this in our 6 quart Instantpot a couple times- it never pressurizes, and I get the “Food Burn” warning. I also had a layer of oatmeal caked on the bottom of the pot. It tastes okay, but I wasn’t wowed. It might be good to have more specifics in the recipe. Should I stir the ingredients? Should the setting for oatmeal be on high, medium? Or low?- our instantpot still has those options, even for the porridge/oatmeal setting. Not sure why this one recipe doesn’t work for our pot 🙁
Pam
A pot in pot approach would prevent the scorching on the bottoms
Alli
Yes, I have the method highlighted in the post.
Taylor McAnerney
I used my 6qt. And it never pressurized either because of burn notice. I cut my apples the same size as hers and they never got very tender. I transfered to a pot to try to boil but the flavor was nothing great. If people need to use the pot in pot method for it to work, then I wouldn't give the instructions another way.
Kristi
I can only cook so far pretty much recipe by recipe and THIS recipe is WONDERFUL and sooo DELICIOUS and hearty! I also feel healthier eating it than I do after the instant oatmeal packets. Not only was this a REALLY quick recipe but I felt confident after creating it bc it turned out sooo well. Thank you for this-I needed this and my kids enjoy it too!!
Alli
I'm so happy to hear this, Kristi!! Thank you so much for letting me know you love it.
Alli
Hi Kathy, I apologize that was worded in a confusing way. I've edited so hopefully it's more clear! Since there is a saute step in this recipe for 3 minutes, I was referring to that but the actually pressure cook time is just 1 minute. Thanks for clarifying!
Jen
...and now it reads "1 minutes". LOL This is a terrific recipe! Thank you!
Diane
This was my first Use of my InstantPot. I was nervous but followed the directions closely and the end product was delicious although I will probably ass another 1/2-1 cup of water since it thickened a bit more than I liked while sitting. Because I haven’t used the pot before but have read a lot before purchasing, I was aware of “burn” issues. I didn’t expect any but after a 8-9 min pressurizing the 1 minute cook time started and within 15-30 seconds I got a “food” and “burn” message. After about 10 seconds of watching the message, I cancelled the rest of the time and let it depressurize by itself before opening. The oatmeal was sticking to the bottom but with some strong scraping with a wooden spoon it mixed together fine and had no burn on the bottom or burned taste. I know this is long but wondered if you might tell me if this is a normal problem or another way so I won’t get the message. Thank you so much. It really was delicious and I will try again.
Alli
Hi Diane! I'm glad you had a good first experience! What size IP do you have? Sometimes the IP can give a burn notice when cooking oatmeal. I don’t have this problem in my 6 quart but I have had reports of it happening in the 8 quart.
Diane Despres
Thank you Alli. I have made this oatmeal recipe 5-6 times now and have had no problems at all with the “burn notice”now. I stir all the ingredients well before I turn on IP to the one minute. We love this recipe. It makes plenty to put 2 jars in the fridge for a quick breakfast later in the week. I add a bit of milk to the jar before cooking and break it up a bit and then microwave until hot, stirring occasionally. It is as good days later. Thanks so much for this recipe. I now use my IP almost daily for this and other recipes.
Alli
Thank you so much for this comment, Diane! That is such a good idea to store it in jars, I hadn't even thought of that. I so appreciate your review!
L Lowman
I made the apple cinnamon instant pot oatmeal, doubling the amounts for a large group . I did add a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup, and the oatmeal turned out GREAT! I left it on warm for about an hour and a half to give everyone time to eat and did have to add additional hot water--without affecting the taste. It did stick a little in the bottom, but I wouldn't say it "burned".
Everyone loved the oatmeal, and the entire amount was gone! They are already eagerly awaiting the next round of instant pot oatmeal, so I'm going to try some flavor variations (maybe banana).
Alli
So glad it turned out well for you! Thank you for letting me know. I have more flavor variations coming out soon! Banana would be excellent.
Alli
So glad you liked it, Amber! I've noticed mine does that sometimes as well, but sometimes it's fine. Weird! I'm going to try and figure out why it does that sometimes.
Julie
Can this recipe be made ahead and re-heated?
Alli
Yep! I add some liquid to it when I reheat.
Ania
Hi Alli, Can I substitute the water for almond milk?
Alli
Hi Ania, yes I think that will work. I've never tried it before but it's low in fat so it shouldn't separate.
Emily
Can you double this recipe?
Alli
Yep! Cook time stays the same.
Tania Gibbs
Hello, thank you for putting this recipe together ❤ I'm new to instant pot and when I made this I got a burn message on my instant pot and sure enough it was stuck to the bottom. Should I leave spices on top of oat meal next time and not stir all ingredients?
Alli
Hi Tania! What size instant pot do you have? Sometimes this can happen with the 8 quart. If you decrease the cooking time to two minutes that should help.
Bonnie
12/02/18
Helllo,
This instant pot looks good but i do not have ine of them, only a crock pot. Can i use the one with the apples. I am retired amd thought it just looked so good. So my question is..can i use my crock pot and how long do you cook it for?? Thank you..love your recipes very much. Continue on with the awesome work you do. ???????????? Bonnie in Michigan.
Alli
Hi Bonnie! Thanks so much for your kind words. I would probably just make this on the stovetop if you don't have an Instant Pot. While you can make oatmeal in the crockpot, you would need to cook it for 6-8 hours and I'm not sure what the ratios for oatmeal to liquid would be. For the stovetop, you can follow the recipe as written, just sauteing the apples in a saucepan and then adding the rest of the ingredients to the same pan and boiling the oatmeal for 5 minutes, or until soft. Hope that helps!
Tracy
This was awesome! My kids devoured it.
Alli
So happy to hear that, Tracy!!
Alli
Love instant pot oatmeal!