Community Pick: Applesauce Oatmeal
Photograph by brokenburner
Total time: 14 minutes | Serves: 4
Ingredients
(9 core ingredients, plus 1 optional topping)
1 cup rolled oatmeal
2 cups water
1 pinch fine salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
¾ cup applesauce
Candy sprinkles (optional, for topping)
Cooking Instructions
Combine water, oats, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla in a medium saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to just above medium.
Let simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add brown sugar and stir until fully dissolved.
Stir in applesauce until evenly mixed.
Scoop into individual bowls, pour a small splash of milk over the top (do not stir the milk in).
Top with optional sprinkles for a fun, festive finish!
Community Q&A
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Community Reviews
If you cook regularly, you know one single ingredient can make or break a whole dish—and for this recipe, ginger was the dealbreaker for me. I was skeptical from the start, since I couldn’t see how that flavor would fit here, but I always follow a recipe exactly the first time I test it. I wish I’d read other reviews first before wasting my time and ingredients; I ended up dumping the entire batch down the garbage disposal. I only use very fresh spices, which made the overpowering ginger flavor even worse.
— Reviewer
I made this recipe exactly as written except I skipped the ginger after reading other negative reviews. I added a dash of pumpkin pie spice instead, and it turned out absolutely delicious! I especially loved the texture of the oatmeal—it’s not too sweet, with just enough warm flavor that I scraped my bowl clean. This is definitely going into my permanent recipe book.
— Happy home cook
Easy and delicious.
— Quick reviewer
I followed the recipe exactly except I used unsweetened applesauce, so I added an extra 2 tablespoons of white sugar. I didn’t think half a teaspoon of ginger could be too overpowering, but I have to agree with the other reviewers—it completely took over the whole dish. If I make this again, I’ll swap it for apple pie spice like another commenter suggested! I also thought it needed a little more sweetness, but I did love the creamy texture the applesauce adds to the oats.
— Reviewer
I have to say, I love this recipe way better cold—the spices mellow out and blend perfectly when chilled.
— Reviewer
I cut the recipe in half to serve two of us. I swapped water for milk since I don’t enjoy oatmeal cooked in water, and I used less liquid than called for because I prefer thicker oatmeal. I skipped the salt, ginger, and optional sprinkles, and used Splenda brown sugar blend instead of regular brown sugar. I enjoyed it, though my son thought it could be sweeter. I cooked this in the microwave instead of on the stovetop, and I’ll definitely make it again.
— Family cook
See 21 more reviews
User-Substituted Tweaks & Variations
This came out fabulous! I swapped organic Sucanat for the brown sugar and only used 1 teaspoon total, and just a pinch of ginger instead of the full half teaspoon. I cooked the oats with a 50/50 milk and water ratio, then added a pat of raw butter instead of extra milk on top, and used my homemade applesauce. This is now a staple in our weekly breakfast rotation.
— Home cook
I love this recipe so much that I was craving it at 11pm and had to come look up the measurements again! This time, probably because it was so late, I accidentally grabbed almond extract instead of vanilla—and it still tasted amazing. I really just need to memorize the ingredient amounts already! Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
— Late night cook
This was such a fun, flavorful twist on basic oatmeal. I read other comments before making it, so I adjusted the recipe a little: I started with a smaller amount of ground ginger to test the flavor, but ended up adding the full amount at the end—I loved the warm spice blend! I also added a little extra nutmeg (not a swap, just an extra add-in). I used honey instead of brown sugar (my brown sugar had hardened into a solid brick, oops) and waited to add vanilla until after all other ingredients were mixed in. The flavor and spice blend is perfect, I enjoyed every bite. UPDATED TO 5 STARS!! My 5-year-old is obsessed with this oatmeal. I now make double and triple batches to keep in the fridge so I can warm it up for her whenever she asks. Who says no to a healthy breakfast or snack request any time of day or night?
— 5-star reviewer
This was pretty good! I cut the recipe down to a quarter for a single serving, used 1/3 cup milk and 1/4 cup oats. I skipped the ginger, but I’m planning to try swapping it for nutmeg next time. I used a small amount of Splenda brown sugar plus 2 packets of regular Splenda to keep it light, and cooked it in the microwave which worked perfectly. After cooking the oats, I mashed half a banana and mixed it in with the applesauce and vanilla, and it turned into a thick, rich, creamy treat. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
— Single-serve cook
