Category: Oats

Best-Ever Oatmeal Pancakes (Really!)

Hold onto your hats, this is the BEST oatmeal pancakes recipe! They’re easy to whip up with 100% oats, and taste like vanilla cake. Looking for a breakfast recipe that’s healthy and outrageously delicious? Meet these incredible Oatmeal Pancakes! They’re fluffy, they’re made with 100% oats, and they’re easy to whip up in a blender. Even better: they taste like vanilla cake! Yes, these are the best oatmeal pancakes we’ve had! Many oatmeal pancakes can be very dense or fall apart easily. These work like a charm, and they’re full of fiber and protein. Breakfast just got better. Ingredients in the best oatmeal pancakes recipe (100% oats!) Why make oatmeal pancakes with flour when you can make them with all rolled oats? The blender is your best friend here: simply throw all ingredients into the blender and give it a whiz! It breaks down the oats into the texture of flour and makes a completely smooth batter. This trick is something we perfected in our banana bread muffins, and we’ve refined it here with some inspiration from these apple pancakes. Here’s what you’ll need: Old Fashioned rolled oats: Don’t be tempted to substitute steel cut (here’s why). Greek yogurt: This […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Hold onto your hats, this is the BEST oatmeal pancakes recipe! They’re easy to whip up with 100% oats, and taste like vanilla cake.

Oatmeal pancakes

Looking for a breakfast recipe that’s healthy and outrageously delicious? Meet these incredible Oatmeal Pancakes! They’re fluffy, they’re made with 100% oats, and they’re easy to whip up in a blender. Even better: they taste like vanilla cake! Yes, these are the best oatmeal pancakes we’ve had! Many oatmeal pancakes can be very dense or fall apart easily. These work like a charm, and they’re full of fiber and protein. Breakfast just got better.

Ingredients in the best oatmeal pancakes recipe (100% oats!)

Why make oatmeal pancakes with flour when you can make them with all rolled oats? The blender is your best friend here: simply throw all ingredients into the blender and give it a whiz! It breaks down the oats into the texture of flour and makes a completely smooth batter. This trick is something we perfected in our banana bread muffins, and we’ve refined it here with some inspiration from these apple pancakes. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Old Fashioned rolled oats: Don’t be tempted to substitute steel cut (here’s why).
  • Greek yogurt: This is key to getting just the right fluffy texture in an oatmeal pancake recipe. It also helps to hold the pancakes together: and adds protein to boot!
  • Eggs: Eggs also work as a binder. (You can make pancakes without eggs too, but not here.)
  • Milk of choice: Use whatever is on hand in your fridge: you can also use almond or oat milk.
  • Salted butter: Butter is key to the flavor, but you can also sub melted coconut oil.
  • Brown sugar: A touch of sugar sweetens just enough; use maple syrup if you like
  • Vanilla extract: You’ll use a lot, but these pancakes deliver big on vanilla cake flavor!
  • Baking powder & kosher salt
Oatmeal pancake recipe

Tip for cooking: use low heat!

Here’s a tip for cooking any pancake recipe, whether it’s oatmeal pancakes or not. Use low to medium low heat. It takes longer than you expect, but it makes for a perfectly cooked pancake. Here’s why:

  • Low and slow is key! Many home cooks have the heat turned too high when they cook pancakes. It makes them come out burned on the outside and raw on the inside. Low and slow is the way to go!
  • Flip them when bubbles form on the surface and start to pop. It’s hard to wait for this signal, but trust us! This trick works every time and makes the perfectly cooked pancake.

Oatmeal pancakes variations: mix-ins and more!

We like this oatmeal pancakes recipe straight up: it tastes like vanilla birthday cake and it’s so, so tasty! But you can add other mix-ins if you’d like. Here are a few ideas:

  • Blueberry oatmeal pancakes: Use 1 cup fresh or frozen. Don’t add blueberries to the batter! Add them after you pour the circles of batter onto the griddle.
  • Raspberry oatmeal pancakes: Sounds tasty! Do the same as above.
  • Chocolate chip oatmeal pancakes: We’re not chocolate for breakfast people, but we know some people are. Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips.

What else would you add to your oatmeal pancakes? Let us know in the comments below!

Oatmeal pancakes

Toppings for this oatmeal pancakes recipe

Here’s the other fun part: topping your oatmeal pancakes! Once you smell that fragrant vanilla smell, you’re going to want to eat these immediately. Here are a few ideas we have:

Vegan variations

We haven’t tried a vegan spin on these oatmeal pancakes. Here are a few options in case you’re looking for a vegan breakfast:

Oatmeal pancake recipe

Oatmeal nutrition info

These oatmeal pancakes are made with 100% oats, which makes them a healthy and naturally gluten free pancake. All things considered, they’re a healthy breakfast idea that’s in contrast to the typical refined flour and sugar flapjack. Why eat oats in the morning? Here are some of the nutritional benefits of oats (source):

  • Oats are high in plant based protein. 1 cup of raw oats have 11 grams protein. That’s about 20% of your daily need!
  • Oats are high in fiber. 1 cup of raw oats have 8 grams of fiber, which is about 30% of the daily value.
  • Oats are very filling: they may reduce appetite and help you eat less calories.

This oatmeal pancake recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, go to Vegan Pancakes instead.

Print

Best-Ever Oatmeal Pancakes

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 pancakes
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

Hold onto your hats, this is the BEST oatmeal pancakes recipe! They’re easy to whip up with 100% oats, and taste like vanilla cake.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until a smooth batter forms. 
  2. Wait 5 minutes for the batter to thicken. 
  3. Lightly grease a skillet with butter and wipe off extra grease with a paper towel. Heat the skillet over low heat. Pour the thickened batter into small circles (about 1/3 cup each). Cook the pancakes until the bubbles pop on the top and the bottoms are golden: low and slow is the key! Then flip them and cook until golden on the other side. 
  4. Add 1 tablespoon milk to the remaining batter and stir so that it is pourable. Cook the remaining batter, adjusting the heat as necessary (the skillet can get very hot on the second batch). Place the cooked pancakes under an inverted bowl to keep them warm. Serve immediately with maple syrup.
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: Breakfast

Keywords: Oatmeal pancakes

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the best trick! They’re no bake, easy and healthy; and the flavor is out of this world. Here’s our new favorite trick for healthy treats: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars! These are everything you want in a treat: irresistible sweet peanut-y flavor, chewy texture, and a little drizzle of chocolate on top! These no bake oatmeal bars are like our famous bliss bite cookies, but easier and healthier (if that’s possible). And we can’t get enough of them! Our son Larson often asks with a sly smile if he can have an oatmeal bar: and we’re happy to indulge him. This sweet treat optimizes whole grain oats while hitting it big in the sweet, salty and satisfying department. Let’s get cooking! Though really…there’s no real cooking involved. Ingredients for peanut butter oatmeal bars There are only 5 ingredients you’ll need for these peanut butter oatmeal bars…and two are in the recipe title! That’s the ultimate easy recipe, right there. We love these no bake oatmeal bars for treats, but they’re also great for snacks since they’re mostly just whole grain oats. For breakfast bars, we prefer our straight up Oatmeal Bars: but you could also […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the best trick! They’re no bake, easy and healthy; and the flavor is out of this world.

Peanut butter oatmeal bars

Here’s our new favorite trick for healthy treats: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars! These are everything you want in a treat: irresistible sweet peanut-y flavor, chewy texture, and a little drizzle of chocolate on top! These no bake oatmeal bars are like our famous bliss bite cookies, but easier and healthier (if that’s possible). And we can’t get enough of them! Our son Larson often asks with a sly smile if he can have an oatmeal bar: and we’re happy to indulge him. This sweet treat optimizes whole grain oats while hitting it big in the sweet, salty and satisfying department. Let’s get cooking! Though really…there’s no real cooking involved.

Ingredients for peanut butter oatmeal bars

There are only 5 ingredients you’ll need for these peanut butter oatmeal bars…and two are in the recipe title! That’s the ultimate easy recipe, right there. We love these no bake oatmeal bars for treats, but they’re also great for snacks since they’re mostly just whole grain oats. For breakfast bars, we prefer our straight up Oatmeal Bars: but you could also eat these for breakfast as well. Here’s what you’ll need for these babies:

  • Old Fashioned rolled oats: Use plain old oats here: not steel cut or instant oats!
  • Peanut butter: We like natural peanut butter with no added sugar or salt, but use your favorite brand.
  • Honey: Honey has the best warm flavor and sticky texture. See below for a few vegan options!
  • Cinnamon: This spice adds just the right nuance.
  • Dark chocolate: All you need is a 1 ounce of dark chocolate — it’s just a hint of the good stuff!
Peanut butter oatmeal bars

Chocolate drizzle is optional

The dark chocolate is optional here: but it’s a great addition! Just the small amount of chocolate adds a great punch, but still keeps the treats on the healthy side. How?

  • Dark chocolate adds just 8 calories per bar! That’s for the large sized bar (see more on that below). We’re not in the habit of counting calories, but we were pleasantly surprised to note that the drizzle doesn’t take it into decadent territory.
  • Also try milk chocolate, peanut butter, or white chocolate. Some variations? Melt semi-sweet chocolate, peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips into a drizzle. White chocolate and dark chocolate together would also look lovely.

Cut them into large or small servings

Serving size is helpful when you’re looking at healthy treats! These peanut butter oatmeal bars have two size options depending on what you’re looking for:

  • Cut them into 20 bars, 4 x 5-inches. We like small rectangles vs the standard large squares you get if you simply divide a 9 x 9 pan evenly into 16. Call us crazy, but it’s more fun to eat this size!
  • Or go smaller: cut those in half to make 40 bars! Love curbing a sweets craving with a little morsel? Go for 40 small bars: they’re perfect for little nibbles.
No bake peanut butter oatmeal bars

Vegan no bake oatmeal bars

Want to make vegan peanut butter oatmeal bars instead? The honey in this recipe is important for creating a nuanced, warm flavor and the sticky texture. Typically we use maple syrup as a vegan sweetener, but it doesn’t have quite the same texture and sweetness here. We recommend using agave syrup: it’s slightly stickier than maple. But you can use maple syrup if it’s all you have!

How to store peanut butter oatmeal bars

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the perfect treat to throw in the fridge and gobble up on moments notice! They keep very well in the fridge or freezer; here’s what to know:

  • Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you do the drizzle, wait for it to dry, then place wax paper between the layers. Or just don’t care and stack them, like we do!
  • Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. They also freeze well…and honestly taste great popped out of the freezer too.
No bake oatmeal bars

More healthy bars

We love these healthy bars as a sweet treat that’s not decadent and fills us up with whole grains! Here are a few more healthy bars that taste amazing:

This peanut butter oatmeal bars recipe is…

Vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free. For vegan and plant-based, see the notes above.

Print
Peanut butter oatmeal bars

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 20 bars (or 40 small bars)
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the best trick! They’re no bake, easy and healthy; and the flavor is out of this world.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (no sugar added, or sunflower butter for nut free)
  • 1/2 cup honey (or 1/2 cup agave syrup* for vegan)
  • 4 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 ounce dark chocolate (2 large squares)

Instructions

  1. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Add a sheet of parchment paper to a 9 x 9 pan. Place the ingredients in the pan and press it into an even layer. Use a small glass to roll over the top to get it smooth. 
  2. Freeze the bars for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the freezer and use the parchment to lift it out of the pan. Cut into 20 rectangles (4 x 5 inches) or 40 small rectangles.
  3. In the microwave with short intervals or over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, stirring until they come together into a glossy chocolate. If using the microwave, use short bursts of 10 seconds or so and stir after each: be careful not to overheat the chocolate or get any water in the chocolate, which will cause it to seize up. When melted, drizzle over the bars and allow to cool.  You can eat right away, or refrigerate for about 1 hour for a more solid texture. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks (or frozen for several months, placing wax paper between the layers). 

Notes

*Maple syrup is generally our sweetener of choice, but the flavor and texture of honey really make these bars. Since maple syrup is not as sticky as honey, for vegan substitute we recommend agave syrup. 

  • Category: Dessert or Snack
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keywords: Peanut butter oatmeal bars, No bake oatmeal bars, Healthy bars

More with peanut butter

Who doesn’t love nutty peanut butter? There’s nothing it doesn’t make better. Here are a few more peanut butter recipes to enjoy:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Oatmeal Bars

Here’s an oatmeal bars recipe that’s beyond easy! These healthy breakfast bars are irresistibly tasty and great for busy mornings and snacks. Here’s a recipe that’s perfect for breakfast and all those in between moments, too. This ridiculously easy no bake Oatmeal Bars recipe! These were big winners in our house and quickly solidified themselves into the weekly repertoire. These breakfast bars star peanut butter, honey, and Old Fashioned oats, and they’re a healthy breakfast or snack you can feel good feeding yourself or your family. In fact, I had to remind myself I didn’t need to sneak these like a treat. Ingredients for this oatmeal bars recipe These oatmeal bars have just 4 ingredients plus salt (because salt’s a given, right?). This makes them easy to whip up on moments notice…and we do. Here’s what you’ll need to make them: Old Fashioned rolled oats: That’s the standard oatmeal you’re used to, not steel cut oats! Because it has the texture of rice, it’s not a substitute here. Peanut butter: Use creamy, no sugar added peanut butter. If all you have is sweetened, leave out a bit of the honey. Use sunflower butter as a nut allergy substitute. Honey: Honey […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Here’s an oatmeal bars recipe that’s beyond easy! These healthy breakfast bars are irresistibly tasty and great for busy mornings and snacks.

Oatmeal bars

Here’s a recipe that’s perfect for breakfast and all those in between moments, too. This ridiculously easy no bake Oatmeal Bars recipe! These were big winners in our house and quickly solidified themselves into the weekly repertoire. These breakfast bars star peanut butter, honey, and Old Fashioned oats, and they’re a healthy breakfast or snack you can feel good feeding yourself or your family. In fact, I had to remind myself I didn’t need to sneak these like a treat.

Ingredients for this oatmeal bars recipe

These oatmeal bars have just 4 ingredients plus salt (because salt’s a given, right?). This makes them easy to whip up on moments notice…and we do. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

  • Old Fashioned rolled oats: That’s the standard oatmeal you’re used to, not steel cut oats! Because it has the texture of rice, it’s not a substitute here.
  • Peanut butter: Use creamy, no sugar added peanut butter. If all you have is sweetened, leave out a bit of the honey. Use sunflower butter as a nut allergy substitute.
  • Honey: Honey adds a warm, golden flavor and a nice sticky texture. See our notes on vegan substitutes below.
  • Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds just the right hint of complexity.

Of course, you’ll need a little salt to round it out for the perfect flavor. Make sure to use kosher salt, since it flavors foods more gently than table salt.

Oatmeal bars recipe

How to make no bake bars: a few tips

Over here we love a good no bake recipe: and not just because you don’t have to wait for the bake time! No bake recipes are as close to no fail as you can get. Here are a few tips to note about the process of making this oatmeal bars recipe:

  • Use a small glass to get them perfectly flat. You’ll mix the ingredients together then throw them into a square pan with parchment underneath. Pat them as flat as you can, then roll over the top with a small glass. It gets the most uniform texture.
  • Freeze first! Freeze the pan for 15 minutes, which sets the bars. They will still be a little soft at this point.
  • Cut into bars. Then cut them into bar shapes. You can eat immediately, but we prefer waiting for another 1 hour of refrigeration for them to set completely.
Oatmeal breakfast bars

Make large or small oatmeal bars (we prefer small)

One of the things we like about this recipe is cutting the bars smaller: to get more of them! Here are a few notes on the pros of smaller oatmeal breakfast bars:

  • Make 32 rectangle-shaped bars for more servings & less calories and sugar. The sugar in a small bar is only 1 teaspoon, and it’s still a super satisfying snack or treat. We prefer this size for most versatility (though the photos show the squares).
  • Make 16 square bars for breakfasts. If you’re eating them as breakfast bars, you’ll probably want a larger bar to be more filling. Of course, you could just eat 2 small bars!

Vegan oatmeal bars variation

Want to make these into vegan oatmeal bars? We typically use maple syrup as our liquid sweetener of choice, which is vegan. But in this recipe, the flavor and texture of honey is integral to the structure of the oatmeal breakfast bars. Here’s our preferred vegan sweetener:

  • For vegan oatmeal bars, try agave syrup! It’s a little thicker than maple syrup, so it will work a little more similarly to honey. You can also try using a little less (see the notes below).
  • You can also try maple if it’s your only sweetener on hand. Just note that the bars will do better right from the refrigerator. Use a little less than the honey amount as well.
Oatmeal bars

When to eat oatmeal bars…breakfast, snack or anytime!

Yes, we love these oatmeal bars because they are perfect for those times in between meals when you’re hungry and don’t want to grab and unhealthy option. Here are a few ideas we’d recommend:

  • Breakfast: Grab them as you go out the door, or crumble over Greek yogurt
  • Snack: Grab one from the fridge anytime
  • Sweet treat: This is all we need to feel like a satisfying treat without a splurge. They’re especially good for kids (our son loves them!)

Oatmeal nutrition info

What’s so great about eating oats for snacks and in oatmeal breakfast bars? Well, these whole grains have a lot of good going on. Here’s some of the benefits you get from oats (source):

  • High in plant based protein. 1 cup of raw oats has 11 grams protein, or ~20% of your daily need!
  • High in fiber. 1 cup of raw oats has 8 grams of fiber, ~30% of your daily need.
  • Very filling: Oats may reduce appetite and help you eat less calories overall.
Oatmeal breakfast bars

More oatmeal recipes

It might sound silly as a “foodie” and cookbook author, but one of my favorite foods ever is oatmeal! I eat it every day and it’s always satisfying and filling. Here are our top oatmeal recipes:

This oatmeal bars recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, see the notes in the recipe.

Print
Oatmeal bars

Easy Oatmeal Bars (4 Ingredients!)

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 16 large or 32 small
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

Here’s an oatmeal bars recipe that’s beyond easy! These healthy breakfast bars are irresistibly tasty and great for busy mornings and snacks.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (no sugar added, or sunflower butter for nut free)
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons honey (or 1/2 cup agave syrup* for vegan)
  • 4 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Add a sheet of parchment paper to a 9 x 9 pan. Place the ingredients in the pan and press it into an even layer. Use a small glass to roll over the top to get it smooth. 
  2. Freeze the bars for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the freezer and use the parchment to lift it out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares or 32 rectangles. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. You can eat right away, or refrigerate for about 1 hour for a more solid texture.  

Notes

*Maple syrup is generally our sweetener of choice, but the flavor and texture of honey really make these bars. Since maple syrup is not as sticky as honey, for vegan substitute we recommend agave syrup. 

  • Category: Snack
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: Breakfast

Keywords: Oatmeal bars, oatmeal bar recipe, oatmeal breakfast bars

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Iced Applesauce Cookies

No one will be able to stop eating these applesauce cookies! Made with applesauce and oatmeal, they’re laced with an easy icing drizzle. Hello and welcome to our new favorite cookie recipe…spiced Applesauce Cookies! These are so moist and irresistible, you’ll forget about everything else and you savory each chewy bite. (Sorry, not sorry.) The applesauce makes them ultra moist, and they’ve got a little oatmeal to balance the sweet. But make no mistake: these aren’t a health food. They’re more like a lighter version of an oatmeal cream pie: which is AOK in our book. Here’s what to know about them! Ingredients for applesauce cookies These applesauce cookies are perfectly spiced to perfection, and so moist you won’t believe how soft and chewy they are. I always reach for a soft cookie over a crispy one (chewy ginger molasses cookies, any day). So this type of cookie is my ultimate. Here’s what you’ll need for the tastiest applesauce oatmeal cookies: All purpose flour Old Fashioned rolled oats (aka oatmeal!) Light brown sugar & granulated sugar Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves Baking soda Salt Applesauce Neutral oil Egg Vanilla extract When it comes to a neutral oil, you can use grapeseed […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

No one will be able to stop eating these applesauce cookies! Made with applesauce and oatmeal, they’re laced with an easy icing drizzle.

Applesauce cookies

Hello and welcome to our new favorite cookie recipe…spiced Applesauce Cookies! These are so moist and irresistible, you’ll forget about everything else and you savory each chewy bite. (Sorry, not sorry.) The applesauce makes them ultra moist, and they’ve got a little oatmeal to balance the sweet. But make no mistake: these aren’t a health food. They’re more like a lighter version of an oatmeal cream pie: which is AOK in our book. Here’s what to know about them!

Ingredients for applesauce cookies

These applesauce cookies are perfectly spiced to perfection, and so moist you won’t believe how soft and chewy they are. I always reach for a soft cookie over a crispy one (chewy ginger molasses cookies, any day). So this type of cookie is my ultimate. Here’s what you’ll need for the tastiest applesauce oatmeal cookies:

  • All purpose flour
  • Old Fashioned rolled oats (aka oatmeal!)
  • Light brown sugar & granulated sugar
  • Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Applesauce
  • Neutral oil
  • Egg
  • Vanilla extract

When it comes to a neutral oil, you can use grapeseed oil, organic canola oil, or vegetable oil: any oil that has a neutral flavor. Avoid olive oil since it’s rather strong! You can also substitute melted butter for oil if you wish.

Applesauce oatmeal cookies

Add icing for best results!

The best part about these applesauce cookies? The powdered sugar icing! This icing takes them up a notch: both in overall presentation and in flavor! The sweet icing adds just the right additional sweetness to each bite. (Side bonus: it reminds us of an oatmeal cream pie.) Here’s what to know about this easy icing:

  • Mix powdered sugar with milk until smooth (quantities here). Easy as that! Make it dairy free with dairy free milk.
  • Drizzle with a fork, not a spoon! Yes, that’s right. We always reach for a spoon: but it’s the tines of a fork that make the best icing drizzle! Trust us.
  • Add color if desired. We made a cute holiday version by splitting the icing and adding food coloring to make half red and half green.

Tips for making applesauce cookies

Here are a few tips for the baking portion of applesauce cookies. It’s very easy and similar to most standard cookie recipes. Just a few things to note are:

  • The dough will be very sticky. It’s stickier than what you’d expect for say, a chocolate chip cookie dough.
  • Observe the chill time. After you mix up the dough, chill for 10 minutes. Don’t skip this part: it helps so the cookies don’t spread when baking.
  • Use 2 spoons or a cookie scoop to shape drops. Don’t adjust the cookies once they’re on the tray. The dough is sticky, so it’s a little harder to work with and form into a round drop (the cookie scoop is easiest). But never fear: once your cookies are on the try, they’ll bake up nicely.
Applesauce cookies

Vegan variation

Want a vegan variation on these applesauce oatmeal cookies? Luckily, they’re easy to make plant based! All you have to do is substitute the egg with a flax egg. A flax egg is ground flax seed that’s mixed with water. Let it sit and it forms a gel-like substance you can use as a binder in vegan baked goods. It might sound odd but use it once, and you’ll see how easy it is! It works well in quick breads, cookies and pancakes.

Why bake with applesauce?

Why bake with applesauce? Adding this fruit puree gives cake a rich, moist crumb to baked goods. Applesauce is a well-known substitute for butter and oil in baking recipes, an easy way to cut the overall calories. In these cookies it’s used for moisture and overall flavor (the oil is still necessary!). Even though it only uses 1/2 cup applesauce, you can taste it in every bite.

Applesauce cookies

Storage info

These applesauce cookies store well and stay very moist in a closed container. Here’s what to know about storage:

  • Store at room temperature in a cookie tin for up to 5 days. If the cookies are becoming too moist, you can unseal the top and let it loosely cover the tin.
  • Freeze un-iced cookies for up to 3 months.

More recipes with applesauce

Applesauce is one of our favorite tricks in baking! If you love these applesauce oatmeal cookies (which we know you will), here are a few more recipes with applesauce you’ll enjoy:

This applesauce cookies recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, see the substitutes in the recipe.

Print
Applesauce cookies

Iced Applesauce Cookies

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 20 cookies
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

No one will be able to stop eating these applesauce cookies! Made with applesauce and oatmeal, they’re laced with an easy icing drizzle.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all purposes flour
  • 1/2 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice (or ginger)
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 6 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 egg (or flax egg for vegan)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 x recipe of Powdered Sugar Icing

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until a sticky dough forms (it will be wetter than you expect).
  3. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill for 10 minutes. 
  4. Make 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls (using a size 40 cookie scoop, if you have it) and place them onto the baking sheet. Scoop or use 2 spoons to make evenly spaced drops onto the paper — don’t try to adjust or move them once they’re on the sheet. 
  5. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature before enjoying. If desired, make a criss-cross icing drizzle with a fork using our 1 Minute Powdered Sugar Icing. Store at room temperature in a cookie tin for up to 5 days, or freeze (un-iced) for up to 3 months.
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Cookies

Keywords: Applesauce cookies

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Vegan Lentil Meatballs

This article is from Delicious Everyday.
These vegan lentil meatballs make for the perfect party dish or complement to spaghetti. Served along with a flavorful marinara sauce, they make for a delicious, filling meal. Not only are these vegan meatballs…

This article is from Delicious Everyday.

These vegan lentil meatballs make for the perfect party dish or complement to spaghetti. Served along with a flavorful marinara sauce, they make for a delicious, filling meal. Not only are these vegan meatballs tasty—but they’re easy to make too! And they’re even better than store bought vegan meatballs! To make them, all you do...

Read On →

This content is copyrighted protected by DeliciousEveryday.com.

©2017 Delicious Everyday.

All content in this feed (including photographs and text) are copyrighted to Delicious Everyday and may not be republished in part or full without written permission and appropriate credit. Please contact me for republication or syndication rights.

If you suspect copyright infringement please contact me.

Oatmeal Cookies

One of my favorite cookies to bake and eat are oatmeal cookies. Yes, plain and simple oatmeal cookies. I know they are often picked last because their friends are more popular…chocolate chip, chocolate, and snickerdoodles, I am looking at you, bu…

One of my favorite cookies to bake and eat are oatmeal cookies. Yes, plain and simple oatmeal cookies. I know they are often picked last because their friends are more popular…chocolate chip, chocolate, and snickerdoodles, I am looking at you, but I always pick oatmeal cookies first. They are always welcome on my team. Oatmeal…

The post Oatmeal Cookies appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Orange Cranberry Crisp (Gluten-Free & Easy!)

Admittedly, I’m not the hugest fan of traditional cranberry sauce. Perhaps that’s because it was mainly in jello form at most of my childhood holiday meals. However, cranberries, when done right, are incredibly delicious. This cranberry crisp proves th…

Orange Cranberry Crisp (Gluten-Free & Easy!)

Admittedly, I’m not the hugest fan of traditional cranberry sauce. Perhaps that’s because it was mainly in jello form at most of my childhood holiday meals. However, cranberries, when done right, are incredibly delicious. This cranberry crisp proves that.

Baked to perfection, it’s a bubbly, saucy, tart-sweet, crisp dream. Dare I say it’s my new favorite crisp?! Plus, just 45 minutes and 10 ingredients required! Let us show you how it’s done. 

To start, tart cranberries are tossed with orange zest and juice and naturally sweetened with maple syrup.

Orange Cranberry Crisp (Gluten-Free & Easy!) from Minimalist Baker →

Overnight Oats

This overnight oats recipe is the epitome of a healthy, easy breakfast! Here’s how to make it, with lots of tips and topping ideas. Looking for the epitome of an easy breakfast idea? Try this overnight oats recipe! There’s no cooking involved here: in fact, you can mix up a jar in just 2 minutes! Lave rolled oats in the fridge overnight with milk, and it magically makes them into a sort of porridge. Eat them cold topped with berries or nut butter and they’re absolutely fantastic! This easy breakfast has been trendy for years now. But it wasn’t until recently that Alex and I found a recipe that we actually like (more on that below). Here are lots of tips and topping ideas for how to make the best overnight oats ever! How to make overnight oats This overnight oats recipe has just 4 ingredients, plus salt. That’s less than most recipes you’ll find! Here’s the breakdown of what you’ll need (or jump to the recipe below): Rolled Old Fashioned oats* Milk of choice (2%, oat milk, or almond milk or other) Maple syrup Vanilla That’s it! Throw them into a jar and leave the in the refrigerator overnight. […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This overnight oats recipe is the epitome of a healthy, easy breakfast! Here’s how to make it, with lots of tips and topping ideas.

Overnight oats

Looking for the epitome of an easy breakfast idea? Try this overnight oats recipe! There’s no cooking involved here: in fact, you can mix up a jar in just 2 minutes! Lave rolled oats in the fridge overnight with milk, and it magically makes them into a sort of porridge. Eat them cold topped with berries or nut butter and they’re absolutely fantastic! This easy breakfast has been trendy for years now. But it wasn’t until recently that Alex and I found a recipe that we actually like (more on that below). Here are lots of tips and topping ideas for how to make the best overnight oats ever!

How to make overnight oats

This overnight oats recipe has just 4 ingredients, plus salt. That’s less than most recipes you’ll find! Here’s the breakdown of what you’ll need (or jump to the recipe below):

  • Rolled Old Fashioned oats*
  • Milk of choice (2%, oat milk, or almond milk or other)
  • Maple syrup
  • Vanilla

That’s it! Throw them into a jar and leave the in the refrigerator overnight. Instant breakfast! Here’s the thing though: there are a few tips to keep in mind about this process. Let’s run through them quickly!

Overnight oats recipe

Use Old Fashioned rolled oats, not steel cut

This overnight oats recipe is for Old Fashioned rolled oats, the kind that you use to make your standard oatmeal that look like flat discs. Do not use steel cut oats here! Why? Well, steel cut oats are whole grain oats that are cut into nubs instead of rolled out: the grains look like brown rice or barley. They take much longer to cook than rolled oats. We tested the overnight process with steel cut oats, but it turned out terribly. The texture of the oats tasted soaked grains of rice (yuck!), even after several days in the refrigerator.

Some people think that steel cut oats are healthier than rolled oats. That’s actually not true! Both varieties have very similar nutritional profiles: lots of protein and fiber to start your day. So opt for rolled oats here and you’re losing nothing. (Read more at Steel Cut vs Rolled Oats.)

Chia seeds aren’t required!

Many overnight oats recipes out there have chia seeds in them. Confession: we tried an overnight oats with chia seeds recipe a few years ago, and it turned us off on the concept for years. Chia seeds form a gel when they’re wetted, so they give overnight oats a jelly-like quality. To us, this wasn’t appetizing!

If this has happened to you before: never fear! Chia seeds aren’t essential for overnight oats. Overnight oats are simply oats soaked with milk and seasonings. So the texture here is just softened oats: not jelly-like at all!

How to make overnight oats

Best eaten the next day, but you can store

Speaking of texture…let’s chat about that briefly. Make sure to note this, if you’ve never had them before: The texture of overnight oats is not like normal oatmeal. It’s softer and a little more…gooey. But it’s very delicious, once you get used to it.

This overnight oats recipe is best eaten the day after you make it. Why? We found that the texture of oats can get very soggy and gooey after a few days in the refrigerator. If you don’t mind that, you can store it 2 to 3 days. We like it best eaten the next day.

Overnight oats recipe is eaten cold (but you can warm them)

Another thing: overnight oats are typically eaten cold right from the refrigerator. This again makes it a little different from normal oats, so you have to get used to it. Think of it more like a combination between breakfast cereal and oatmeal.

Want to heat it up instead? You can do that too! Microwave it for about 40 to 60 seconds, stopping about halfway through to stir. Make sure you have enough room in your jar for overflow. You also can heat it on the stovetop, though that’s kind of defeating the purpose of these oats! In that case, you might as well just make oatmeal (it takes only a few minutes).

Overnight oats

Healthy overnight oats topping ideas!

Once you’ve got your tasty overnight oats, you can decide on your toppings! Here’s the thing: many overnight oats recipes have loads of sugar in the toppings. For us, we prefer not to overload on sugar for the first meal of the day! So here are some ideas for healthy overnight oats topping ideas:

  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Sliced bananas
  • Cubed apples
  • Peanut butter
  • Almond butter
  • Cashew butter
  • Honey
  • Maple syrup
  • Pepitas
  • Dried cranberries or cherries
  • Raisins

What’s our favorite? Personally, I love my oatmeal with a pinch of salt and a swirl of cashew or almond butter. Alex likes to load it with fruit and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

More oatmeal recipes

Confession: we love this overnight oats recipe, but we’re partial to regular oatmeal and our extremely delicious baked oatmeal. This overnight oats is a close second. Here are a few more of our favorite oatmeal recipes:

Best overnight oats

This overnight oats recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Print
Overnight oats

Overnight Oats (The Best Easy Recipe!)

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Total Time: 7 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This overnight oats recipe is the epitome of a healthy, easy breakfast! Here’s how to make it, with lots of tips and topping ideas.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup rolled Old Fashioned oats*
  • 3/4 cup milk of choice (2%, oat milk, or almond milk)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Topping ideas: berries, banana slices, diced apple, peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter,  toasted nuts, dried fruit, maple syrup, etc. 

Instructions

  1. Place the oats, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a small jar with a cover and stir or shake to combine.
  2. Leave in the refrigerator or overnight. The oats are best the next day, but you can store 2 to 3 days (the texture becomes more sticky). This oatmeal is meant to be enjoyed cold straight from the refrigerator. Add toppings and enjoy! If you’d like, you also can microwave the jar for about 40 to 60 seconds.

Notes

*Do not use steel cut oats. 

  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Overnight oats, overnight oats recipe, how to make overnight oats

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Cinnamon Apple Energy Balls

Cinnamon Apple Energy Balls-these easy no-bake energy bites are the perfect healthy snack for fall! They only take 10 minutes to make and are great for breakfast, snack time, or dessert. Energy Balls I love a good snack and energy balls are one of my g…

Cinnamon Apple Energy Balls-these easy no-bake energy bites are the perfect healthy snack for fall! They only take 10 minutes to make and are great for breakfast, snack time, or dessert. Energy Balls I love a good snack and energy balls are one of my go to’s! My Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls are a…

The post Cinnamon Apple Energy Balls appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This article is from Delicious Everyday.
These Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies make a delicious spin on the classic oatmeal cookie. They’re filled with dark chocolate chips and are 100% vegan!  These cookies are made with brown sugar a…

This article is from Delicious Everyday.

These Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies make a delicious spin on the classic oatmeal cookie. They’re filled with dark chocolate chips and are 100% vegan!  These cookies are made with brown sugar and dark chocolate, making them extra rich and extra delicious! They’re also super easy to make. All you do is mix the ingredients...

Read On →

This content is copyrighted protected by DeliciousEveryday.com.

©2017 Delicious Everyday.

All content in this feed (including photographs and text) are copyrighted to Delicious Everyday and may not be republished in part or full without written permission and appropriate credit. Please contact me for republication or syndication rights.

If you suspect copyright infringement please contact me.