With the change of the seasons comes an abundance of delicious produce, including the beloved apple! These delicious breakfast recipes will help you make good use of this seasonal fruit while it’s at its freshest, whether you stock up at a local apple orchard or your grocery store. Try options like our Apple Dutch Baby Pancake or Apple Pie-Inspired Overnight Oats for a perfect fall breakfast.
Apple-Cinnamon Muesli
Muesli, a Swiss breakfast cereal, is soaked in liquid overnight, softening the oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. This version is chock-full of apples from the applesauce, apple juice and fresh apple topping, with a little cinnamon to warm the flavor. We use a combination of yogurt and almond milk for the base, but any dairy or nondairy milk or yogurt will work well.
Apple Dutch Baby Pancake
This one-pan puffy oven-baked pancake recipe will wow brunch guests. Make it your own by swapping out the apple for pear slices, or switch up the spices and try cardamom or ginger in place of the cinnamon.
Apple Pie-Inspired Overnight Oats
There’s no better way to usher in fall than apple pie-inspired overnight oats in the morning. Prep and store this easy breakfast ahead of time to have on hand for busy work and school mornings. You can substitute any nondairy milk for the reduced-fat milk, or try kefir if you want your oats extra tangy.
Corn Pudding & Apple-Berry Parfaits
These striking parfaits are made with two colors of corn pudding and berry compote. If you prefer, you can use just one type of cornmeal. Culinary ash, typically made from wood like juniper, is used in Native American communities as a source of nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. These make a satisfying breakfast or not-too-sweet dessert. Enjoy them warm or chilled. This recipe is part of our spotlight, There’s a Movement to Revitalize Indigenous Cuisines and Knowledge—Here’s Why That Matters.
Apple Crumble Overnight Oats
Creamy oats combine with cinnamon-scented apples in this fall-inspired grab-and-go breakfast. Cashew butter adds a mild flavor and creamy texture. Try almond butter in its place to give this a nuttier twist. To make these overnight oats dairy-free, swap out the milk for unsweetened oat milk or almond milk.
Baked Apple Oatmeal
Just like apple pie, the warm flavors from cinnamon and vanilla combine in this baked apple oatmeal. Baked apple oatmeal is the perfect breakfast for busy fall mornings—you can make a batch ahead of time and enjoy it throughout the week. Whole milk adds to the creaminess, but you can swap it out for a nondairy alternative if you prefer.
Breakfast Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Cakes
These handy cakes are a great way to start your day. If you’re in a hurry, toss one in a food storage container to enjoy once you get to work. If you have more time, pop one in the microwave for 30 seconds, then top with a little milk and enjoy!
Carrot-Apple Smoothie
This carrot and apple smoothie is creamy and has a light tropical flavor thanks to coconut milk. It’s naturally sweetened from the carrots and apple, and the combination of ginger and lemon juice adds just a bit of spice and helps balance the flavor. The turmeric, fresh or dried, gives the smoothie a vibrant bright orange color.
Apple-Pie Bread
This easy everyday apple-pie bread makes a great breakfast-on-the-go with a cup of coffee. The fragrant spices typical of apple pie and the tender bits of baked apple inside also make it worthy as a healthy after-dinner dessert. Enjoy it warm from the oven with a pat of butter or cream cheese or keep it on your counter for a tasty treat during the week.
Apple Ricotta Pancakes
These healthy apple pancakes puff to perfection thanks to the right combination of ingredients, including a mixture of double-acting baking powder and baking soda (using both ensures the batter will spread out evenly and rise well). Ricotta cheese makes pancakes moister than using milk alone, and it packs nearly four times more protein than whole milk. Walnut oil is full of healthy fats and has a rich, nutty flavor, and white whole-wheat flour packs in more fiber than all-purpose flour. A bit of buttermilk adds a nice tang to these flapjacks. All in all, it adds up to a healthy breakfast that’s sure to impress.
Spinach-Apple Juice
This healthy spinach-apple juice is a green nutrient powerhouse loaded with calcium for bone health, and vitamins A and C for antioxidants. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this spinach-apple juice recipe in a blender.
Apple-Cinnamon Muffins
These healthy apple-cinnamon muffins will put you in an autumnal state of mind no matter the time of year. Sprinkling the muffins with sugar before baking gives them a crispy top, just like a coffee-shop muffin–but these are a whole lot more nutritious than your average coffee-shop muffin, thanks to wholesome ingredients like white whole-wheat flour. Serve them for breakfast or a grab-and-go snack.
Cranberry-Apple Smoothie
This riff on a classic fruit juice combines sweet apples with tart cranberries for a healthy, fiber-filled smoothie.
Caramel Apple–Inspired Overnight Oats
This easy, meal-prep-friendly recipe takes all the flavors of a caramel apple and imparts them into breakfast. Applesauce ensures the texture is creamy yet light while also providing balance to the sweet-tart flavor of the oats. If you don’t have Granny Smith apples on hand, Fuji, Gala or Honeycrisp apples work as well. Crushed honey-roasted peanuts mimic the coating of a caramel apple, but any salty-sweet nut would be delicious.
Apple, Bacon and Sweet Potato Mini Casseroles
These sweet and savory mini casseroles are ready in just an hour. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers to enjoy later.
Apple-Cinnamon Quinoa Bowl
Move over, oatmeal! Get a satisfying serving of healthy whole grains in the morning with this breakfast quinoa bowl.
Apple Puffed Oven Pancake
Apple pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves or ginger. If you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute cinnamon and a dash of cloves in the recipe.
Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding
Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. It’s made just like overnight oats: combine chia and your milk of choice, let soak overnight, then top with the classic flavor combo of apples and cinnamon, with pecans for added crunch.
Apple & Peanut Butter Toast
A pinch of ground cardamom punches up the flavor in this classic combo of apples and peanut butter on toast.
Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats
It takes just a few minutes in the evening to mix rolled oats and almond milk and you have a head start on a healthy breakfast the following morning. In the morning, top the oatmeal with fresh fruit and toasted nuts. Make up to 4 jars at once to keep in the fridge for quick grab-and-go breakfasts throughout the week.
Apple-Peanut Butter Smoothie
Apples and peanut butter are a classic pair. Try them blended together in this healthy smoothie recipe.