Easy Apple Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Recipe

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This is another simple variation of stovetop oats I made using apples and bananas and some cinnamon for an extra punch. I’m not the biggest fruit eater in general, but I find a nice, comforting bowl of oatmeal is excellent motivation for me to eat fruits! I think it’s especially important to get in a good portion of fruits in the morning so that you get essential nutrition and fuel for the busy day ahead! While I admittedly have a problem getting enough fruits throughout the day, I am a big advocate that a proper breakfast will set the tone for the rest of the day by starting it out on the right foot.

Who doesn’t love the combination of apples and bananas? These fruits are super sweet, which is why I find them perfect toppings to add to oatmeal. In this recipe, I used Granny Smith apples because they’re my favorite. I love the juiciness! I’ll let you in on a little secret about me though – my front incisors are actually not 100% because of some chips I got into as a mischievous kid! So, to avoid breaking them, I actually can’t bite into an apple. It’s disappointing for me to not be able to take a big, juicy bite of an apple but that’s okay! I still enjoy apples in slices as they serve at McDonald’s and that’s quite delicious too! I truly believe apples are an underrated fruit, and I’m guilty of that as well.

Why We Should Have Apples More Often!

Even though we may tend to neglect incorporating apples in our diets, perhaps knowing the benefits of apples will make you more likely to include them in your morning routine! According to Healthline, apples are great for a balanced diet because:

• They’re low in calories
• They’re loaded in polyphenols
• They’re linked to a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes
• They can lower the risk of cancer
• They can help fight asthma

Wow, after reviewing that list, that really makes me want to have apples even more often! I hope I’ve convinced you to eat apples more frequently too! Healthline also notes that most of the nutrition is found in the peel, so be sure to leave that on! In this oatmeal recipe, we’ll be slicing the apples into thin strips with the peel on, so you won’t be missing out on all of these wonderful nutritional benefits from these super foods!

Now that you know that this stovetop apple banana chocolate chip oatmeal recipe will be delicious and fuel you up to start your day, let’s address some questions you may have!

Let’s Start Our Morning!!

Get your fruits together and some chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth and get ready to make this speedy and nutritious breakfast in less than ten minutes. The simple flavors of the two fruits and the cinnamon really stand out in this oatmeal. Enjoy!

Get your oats out and add them to a pot with milk.

Let the oats and milk come up to a simmer.

When your oats have come up to a simmer, let them cook until they’ve reached your desired consistency. Take the pot off the heat and add your vanilla extract.

Mix in your vanilla and get ready to assemble! Transfer the oats to a serving bowl and add your toppings. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tools Needed

• Pot
• Cutting board
• Paring knife
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon

No Brown Sugar, No Maple Syrup, No Nutmeg: What Goes Into This Apple Oatmeal

Most apple cinnamon oatmeal recipes lean hard on sweeteners and warm spices. This one does not. The whole ingredient list is eight things: one and a third cups of rolled oats, two cups of milk, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a tablespoon of honey, one medium banana, half a Granny Smith apple, cinnamon to taste and chocolate chips to taste. There is no brown sugar, no coconut sugar, no pure maple syrup and no unsweetened applesauce anywhere in it. Honey is the only sweetener, and a single tablespoon of it across two bowls at that, because the banana and the chocolate chips are already doing most of the sweetening.

The spices are simpler still. Cinnamon is the only one. There is no nutmeg, no cloves, no ginger and no apple pie spice blend, so this tastes like apples and cinnamon rather than like apple pie. There is no sea salt in it either, and no coconut oil or butter, because nothing is ever fried or toasted. Raisins, walnuts, pecans and almonds all stay out of the pot too.

Which Apples to Use, and Why They Go In Raw

Granny Smith is the apple in this recipe, and the tartness is the point. Against sweet banana, honey and chocolate, a sharp apple is what stops the bowl tasting like dessert. Braeburn is the listed swap and behaves much the same way. If the kind of apples you have on hand are Honeycrisp, Fuji or Gala, they will all work, but they are noticeably sweeter and softer, so you may want to pull the honey back or leave it out entirely.

The apple is sliced thin with the peel left on, not diced, and it is never cooked. There are no sauteed apples in this recipe and nothing gets softened in a pan with butter and sugar first. The slices go on top of the finished oatmeal at the very end, along with the banana, so they stay crisp and keep the bite that makes the bowl interesting. Leaving the peel on matters too, since that is where a good share of an apple's fiber and nutrients sit, including its vitamin C.

Oats, Milk and One Pot: The Stovetop Method

Rolled oats, sometimes sold as old-fashioned oats, are what this is built on, and the liquid is plain milk at two cups to one and a third cups of oats. Quick oats will work if that is what is in the cupboard, giving a slightly softer texture. Steel cut oats will also work but need more liquid and a longer cook time, so treat that as a different morning rather than a straight swap.

The oats and milk go into a pot on the stove together. A small saucepan is plenty for two bowls. Bring it up to a simmer over medium heat rather than medium-high heat, and do not let it come to a rolling boil, which pushes starch up the sides and scorches the bottom. Stir the oat mixture now and then as it thickens. The moment it reaches the consistency you like, take it off the heat and only then stir in the teaspoon of vanilla extract, so the flavor does not cook away. If it tightens up more than you wanted, a splash of milk loosens it straight back. Five minutes of prep and about ten minutes on the stove is the whole job, and no large microwave-safe bowl is involved at any point.

Everything else is assembled in the bowl rather than the pot. Transfer the oatmeal, then add the honey, the banana slices, the apple, the cinnamon and the chocolate chips on top. Serve it hot. On chilly mornings that is the entire appeal, and it is worth saying that this is a hot stovetop bowl, not overnight oats, so there is nothing to prepare the night before.

Mix-Ins, Swaps and What Is Actually in a Bowl

The recipe as written is not vegan, since it uses dairy milk and honey. Both are easy to change: any non-dairy milk stands in one for one, whether that is unsweetened almond milk, oat milk or soy, and the honey can come out in favor of a plant sweetener. Whichever type of milk you choose will shift the numbers below a little. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often milled alongside wheat, so reach for certified gluten-free oats if that matters in your kitchen.

For mix-ins, a spoonful of peanut butter or any nut butter stirred through the hot oats before the toppings go on is the easiest upgrade, and chia seeds or hemp seeds add texture without sweetness. Sliced strawberries work alongside the banana if you want a third fruit. Chopped dark chocolate from a bar can replace the chocolate chips, and vanilla bean paste or a scraped vanilla bean can replace the extract.