Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I feel like I’ve been killing the breakfast game. And not because, I’ve been getting up hours before my kids and slaving away in the kitchen. Because, let’s be honest, I live with roosters who get up at 6 (sometimes before) every morning no matter, and I repeat, no matter what time they go to bed. And that would mean, I’d have to get up during what I consider the middle of the night. And I love them, I do, but I’m not crazy. Instead, I’ve been prepping breakfast the night before, so all I have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven and voila, warm breakfast in their bellies to start the day.

Once fall hits, and there’s even the faintest hint of a chill in the air and autumn produce is abundant, a warm breakfast is exactly what I crave, and it usually requires at least one of three ingredients for me- apples, pumpkin or cinnamon. Well, this Baked Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal has two of them and is so so good. Think soft and gently spiced, cinnamon-y apples paired with warm and comforting oatmeal but with a slightly thicker, dessert-like texture. It’s divine. And in my opinion, so much better than a regular bowl of oatmeal, which still does have it’s place in our home, and my husband does a great job of making. See, he’s usually the breakfast cook in our family, but I am ever-so-kindly (ahem) trying to take some of the load off of these early school mornings by making some fabulous make-ahead breakfasts like this one or others such as my Favorite Zucchini Pancakes, Baked Overnight French Toast, or Everyday Maple Almond Granola (which, be on the look out for soon.)

The ingredients for this baked oatmeal are simple and probably things you have in your pantry right now and can all be mixed in one bowl, except for a few additional liquid ingredients, which you store separately in the fridge overnight. I’ve added raisins or cranberries to this and I think walnuts or pecans would be great too. I think one of the main differences you’ll find in this recipe compared to others on the internet is that there’s a bit more liquid in mine. Most of the overnight oatmeal recipes I have come across are baked into more of a grab-and-go bar, which can be convenient. But my aim with this recipe was for it to more closely resemble the creaminess of stove-top oatmeal so you can serve it in a bowl straight from the oven with a tiny drizzle of milk on top. I will say though, once it cools and is refrigerated, it does cut pretty nicely and can be enjoyed in bar or square form as a midday or after-school treat (as I may or may not be doing right now.) This makes a pretty big size, so there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it both ways. The only problem you might have is how fast it disappears and you are left making it weekly or more. Not such a bad thing if you ask me.

*Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.