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Holiday Oatmeal is filled with fresh apples, dried fruits, nuts, creamy oats, and brown sugar to create a deliciously filling hot breakfast. Less than 15 minutes from start to finish and a piping hot, warm, and creamy breakfast can be on your table.
This breakfast is a great way to start a fun day of cooking and eating during the holidays or any other day of the year. Thanksgiving or Christmas, holiday morning or not, it’s a delicious way to start the day year-round.
This oatmeal requires minimal fuss and it will keep the family full until the main eating event of the day. Over the years, this has become a tradition for our Thanksgiving breakfast.
Oatmeal with Fruit
We’ve been making our oatmeal recipes with fruit for about as long as I can remember and we’ve been making this particular fruit-filled oatmeal for over 10 years now. Holiday Oatmeal is a huge favorite with both the adults and the kids in our home.
Every guest we’ve ever served this to has requested the recipe. With plenty of fresh apples, sliced bananas, dried fruits, and nuts, cooked into creamy oats with a bit of brown sugar, this is a memorable oatmeal for everyone.
You can make this (and most other oatmeal recipes) with milk or with water and the oatmeal turns out great both ways. When I make oatmeal with water, I top each bowl with a pat of butter when I’m serving it.
Whenever we have an abundance of fruit in the kitchen, it’s a sure bet that some of it will make its way into our oatmeal in the morning. Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal is solid proof of that and my boys love that one too.
My own favorite quick breakfast year-round is Blueberries and Cream, but classic Peach Oatmeal and Peach Baked Oatmeal trump that when peaches are in season.
Kitchen Tip: I use this saucepan to make this recipe.
Holiday Oatmeal
You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:
- old fashioned oats
- milk or water
- apples
- dried cranberries
- chopped pecans
- kosher salt
- sliced bananas
- light brown sugar
To make the oatmeal, combine the oats, milk, apples, cranberries, pecans, and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
Cook, stirring frequently until the oatmeal has thickened. This should take about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the bananas. Scoop into bowls and top with a tablespoon or so of brown sugar.
Check out all of our Oatmeal Recipes! This time of year, Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is another favorite, as are Slow Cooker Cranberry Almond Oatmeal, and
For more great ways to start the day, these Microwave Egg and Vegetable Sandwiches and these Rise and Shine Breakfast Burritos are both terrific on-the-go options.
Brunch Eggs are a great way to feed a crowd and make sure everyone has some protein on their plate too.
Holiday Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 5½ cups milk or water
- 2 apples diced small, about 2 cups
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 medium bananas sliced
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, combine the oats, milk, apples, cranberries, pecans and salt.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the oatmeal has thickened. This should take about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the bananas. Scoop into bowls and top with a tablespoon or so of brown sugar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 11/20/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/28/24}
Now that is my kind of breakfast! It looks amazing.
I would love this any morning!
great seasonal oatmeal recipe love it
That’s an anytime oatmeal … yummy !!
I could eat that every day!
sound so healthy!
Could this be re-warmed or eaten cold???
I’ve never tried eating it cold, but it certainly can be reheated.
does it keep to reheat only two of us.
I would like to make a big pot on Sunday and separate it into containers for the whole week. This looks spectacular!
Anyone have the nutritional value of this please
Looks absolutely delicious, can sugar be substituted with sweetener?
Hello,
This recipe looks amazing!
I make breakfast every Christmas morning for my entire family, But we are vegan. Do you think I could use soy milk instead of regular milk and it would be OK? Also what would be a good substitute for brown sugar? Do you think I would be able to use the date sugar
Or just stick with organic brown sugar?
Thank you,
Rhonda ~
You can absolutely use soy milk. I make this recipe with water at least half the time. Feel free to use any sweetener that you enjoy.
I have seen Brown Sugar Substitute in the store
We needed a healthy and tasty recipe to replace fatty and salty meals we are accustomed to. So thankful for this recipe. Breakfast that is or even a cold evening by the fireplace.
Looks delicious!! I’m going to try it with steel cut oats I think 🙂
Would steel cut oats work? How would I adjust the recipe?
This looks delicious but I only ever use steel cut oats it cooks for 30 minute could I use that for this? And could I use cashew or almond milk instead of regular milk?
Yes, you can cook this with steel cut oats. I’d wait to add the fruit until close to the end of the cooking time though.
Sounds yummy. We love oatmeal. Plan to serve soon.
This oatmeal looks yummy
Looks like a healthy breakfast!
Have you ever made this in a crock pot?
Sounds like Recipes that are very tasty. Bring them on please !!!!