Apple Pie Overnight Oats Smoothie

Name: Apple Pie Overnight Oats Smoothie
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (45 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice (dairy, oat or almond), cold; 1 teaspoon (4 g) chia seeds (optional); 1¼ teaspoon (3.3 g) ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon for soaking, plus a pinch for adjusting and dusting on top; ½ medium (90 g) sweet-tart apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and grated on the large holes of a box grater, peel on; 1 medium (180 g) sweet-tart apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks, peel on, chilled; ½ cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt, cold; ¼ cup (30 g) walnut halves, roughly chopped, plus 1 tablespoon (7 g) chopped for topping; 2 tablespoon (40 g) pure maple syrup; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) vanilla extract; ⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg; fine salt, a tiny pinch, to taste; ½ cup (70 g) ice cubes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, creamy breakfast smoothie that tastes like apple pie. Rolled oats soak overnight in milk with cinnamon, then blend with fresh apple, Greek yogurt, walnuts and maple syrup for a filling, spiced drink.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: —
Wait: 8 hr
Total: 8 hr 15 min
Makes: 2 smoothies (about 12 oz / 350 ml each)

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the overnight oats
½ cup (45 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice (dairy, oat or almond), cold
1 teaspoon (4 g) chia seeds (optional)
1¼ teaspoon (3.3 g) ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon for soaking, plus a pinch for adjusting and dusting on top
½ medium (90 g) sweet-tart apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and grated on the large holes of a box grater, peel on
For the smoothie
1 medium (180 g) sweet-tart apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks, peel on, chilled
½ cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt, cold
¼ cup (30 g) walnut halves, roughly chopped, plus 1 tablespoon (7 g) chopped for topping
2 tablespoon (40 g) pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg
fine salt, a tiny pinch, to taste
½ cup (70 g) ice cubes (optional)

Equipment (6)

Medium bowl or 16 oz (500 ml) jar with lid, for soaking
High-speed or standard blender (at least 4-cup / 1 L capacity)
Box grater
Cutting board and knife
Measuring cups and spoons
2 tall glasses

Steps

Before you start

Plan to soak the oats at least 6 hours, ideally overnight (8 hours).
Chill the apples and yogurt so the smoothie is cold and thick without much ice.
Use rolled (old-fashioned) oats, not instant or steel-cut, for the right texture.
Wash the apples well, since the peel is blended in.

1
Grate the apple
- Wash half an apple and grate it on the large holes of a box grater, peel on, down to the core.
- You want about ½ cup (90 g) of grated apple.
- Discard the core.
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Ready when: About ½ cup of loose apple shreds
Tip: Grate right before mixing so the apple doesn't brown much; the cinnamon and milk will mask any color change.
2
Mix the oats
- In a medium bowl or a 16 oz (500 ml) jar, stir together the rolled oats, 1 cup (240 ml) cold milk, chia seeds if using, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and the grated apple until no dry oats remain.
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Ready when: All oats are wet and the cinnamon is evenly distributed with no clumps
Tip: If using chia, stir again after 5 minutes to stop the seeds clumping.
3
Soak overnight
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- The oats will absorb most of the milk and become soft and thick.
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Ready when: Oats are plump and tender, with a thick, porridge-like consistency
4
Prep the smoothie fruit
- Core the remaining apple and cut it into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks, leaving the peel on.
- Roughly chop ¼ cup (30 g) walnuts, and chop an extra 1 tablespoon (7 g) for topping and set it aside.
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Ready when: Apple pieces are roughly even so they blend smoothly
5
Load the blender
- Pour the soaked oat mixture into the blender, scraping the jar clean.
- Add the apple chunks, yogurt, the ¼ cup walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla, nutmeg and a tiny pinch of salt.
- Add the ice last if you like a colder, thicker smoothie.
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Tip: Put liquids and soft ingredients in first and ice on top so the blades catch everything evenly.
6
Blend until smooth
- Start on low for 10 seconds, then increase to high and blend for 45–60 seconds (60–90 seconds in a standard blender), stopping once to scrape down the sides.
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Ready when: Smooth, thick and creamy with no visible chunks of apple or walnut, and it pours slowly from a spoon
Tip: If too thick to blend, add milk 2 tablespoons (30 ml) at a time. If too thin, add a few more ice cubes and blend 15 seconds.
7
Taste and adjust
- Taste the smoothie.
- Add another 1 teaspoon maple syrup if you want it sweeter, a pinch of cinnamon for more spice, or a tiny pinch of salt to sharpen the flavors.
- Blend 5 seconds to combine.
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Ready when: Tastes like apple pie: sweet, warmly spiced and slightly tangy
8
Serve
- Divide between 2 tall glasses (about 12 oz / 350 ml each) and sprinkle with the reserved chopped walnuts and a light dusting of cinnamon.
- Serve right away with a wide straw or spoon.
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Ready when: Cold and thick, topped with crunchy walnuts
Tip: Serve immediately; it keeps thickening as the oats and chia absorb more liquid.

Good to know

Tips

Leave the apple peel on for extra fiber and a rosy color; a high-speed blender will break it down completely.
For a thicker, frostier smoothie, freeze the apple chunks for 1 hour before blending instead of adding ice.
Choose a firm, sweet-tart apple; mealy apples make the smoothie dull and grainy.
Add a tablespoon of almond or peanut butter for more protein and richness.

Make ahead

Soak the oats up to 24 hours ahead (steps 1–3). You can also blend the full smoothie up to 12 hours ahead and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge; shake well before drinking.

Storage & reheating

Fridge: blended smoothie keeps in a sealed jar up to 24 hours; it will thicken, so shake and thin with a splash of milk. Unblended soaked oats keep 3 days covered. Freezer: freeze in jars or ice cube trays up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and re-blend with a splash of milk. Room temperature: drink within 30 minutes.

Substitutions

plain Greek yogurt → Plain dairy-free yogurt (coconut or soy). Makes the smoothie vegan when paired with plant milk; choose unsweetened and expect a slightly thinner result.
walnut halves → Pecans or almonds. Use the same weight; pecans taste closest to a pie crust.
pure maple syrup → Honey or 2 pitted Medjool dates. If using dates, soak them in the milk with the oats so they blend smoothly.
ground nutmeg → Apple pie spice. Use ¼ teaspoon in place of the nutmeg.