Apple Pie Oatmeal Brûlée

If you have one of those kitchen torches buried in the bottom of your drawer, now is the time to use it! This Apple Pie Oatmeal Brûlée has all the flavors of fall in a good oatmeal, finished with a caramelized, crunchy top. That topping is everything!

This was one of those recipes that we stumbled upon after an apple-picking extravaganza. We had made some homemade applesauce and to use it up, we tossed it into a pot of oatmeal.

It was so easy and turned everyday oatmeal into a treat. Then we thought, why not add a crunchy top? We will admit, we dusted off our kitchen torch (an impulse buy after we thought we would be churning out crème brûlée every week). Who knew you can brûlée breakfast too?

The result is a sweet and comforting oatmeal, that not only tastes like apple pie but is fancy enough to be called oatmeal crème brûlée. The crunchy top is the best part, and deserves the necessary crack with the back of a spoon to get it started.

What you will need

You likely have all the ingredients at home. Nothing fancy here!

• Oats we make our oatmeal with steel-cut oats. We love the texture it brings (firm and a little chewy). You can use old-fashioned oats instead (follow the instructions on your packaging).
• Milk and water we use a combination of milk and water to cook the oats. We find that using all milk makes it taste a bit too rich. This ratio cuts down on calories, yet still feels creamy. You can use any milk you like.
• Salt To flavor the oats and balance out the sweetness.
• Applesauce we prefer unsweetened chunky-style applesauce, but feel free to use regular applesauce. Store-bought or homemade is fine. If you only have sweetened applesauce, taste it first before adding the brown sugar.
• Brown sugar we use it to sweeten the applesauce. You can cut down or omit the sugar altogether if you like things less sweet (remember it's going to get a sugary top, so you may prefer to leave it out when preparing the oatmeal).
• Spices Cinnamon and allspice are our faves, but you can use apple pie spice, cloves and nutmeg.
• White sugar we find that white granulated sugar works best for caramelizing the tops.

Making the oatmeal

Grab a pot and get stirring! If using old-fashioned oats, follow the instructions on the packaging.

Step 1. Bring a large pot of milk and water to a boil. Step 2. Add the oats and cook for 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Step 3. When most of the liquid is gone, add the applesauce, spices, and brown sugar. Step 4. Give it a stir, and allow it to sit off the heat for a few minutes before caramelizing the top.

How to make oatmeal brûlée

Add the cooked oatmeal to a ramekin or crème brûlée dish.

Add the white sugar to the top.

Using a kitchen torch (culinary torch), gently sweep the flame from side to side until the top is browned and hardened. follow the directions on your particular model.

Top tip

When boiling the water and milk for the oatmeal, watch it closely. The liquid will rise up rapidly and boil over if you are not careful.

Substitutions and variations

Apple pie oatmeal can be customized to your liking. You can make any flavor oatmeal you would like, and proceed to the instructions for the brûlée top.

Try adding raisins, chopped fruit or jam to your oatmeal to mix up the flavors. If you prefer overnight oats you can brûlée the tops of them! The contrast between the cold interior and hot sugar topping is next level!

Serve it with

Oatmeal brûlée can be served on it's own (it's pretty filling), or it can be paired with something light like a simple fruit bowl, a yogurt parfait or this cottage cheese bowl.

Storage and make-ahead

The oatmeal can be made ahead and stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to add the topping, gently reheat the oatmeal in the microwave or on the stove, and proceed to the sugar topping for caramelizing.

Kitchen questions

Can we make our own applesauce?

Absolutely! We've made it with our own applesauce and store-bought, and it's good either way. Try it with our Honeycrisp applesauce for a real treat.

What if we don't have a kitchen torch?

No worries! You can make this using your oven's broiler. After adding the sugar to the top of the oatmeal, place your ramekins in the oven and broil on high for 5-8 minutes. If you have a kitchen torch, then use it. Follow the safety instructions for your model, and sweep the flame over the sugared top until brown and hardened.

Can we make this with overnight oats?

Yes! If you prefer an easier prep, make your favorite overnight oats and when ready to eat, add the sugar and brûlée the tops. The combination of the cold interior and the warm crunchy top is solid!

If you love fall recipes, check out some of our faves!

Ingredients

Makes 4

• 3 cups (24 ounces) water
• 1 cup (8 ounces) milk (any kind)
• ¼ tsp Kosher or fine sea salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) steel-cut oats
• 1 cup (8 ounces) chunky applesauce, unsweetened (if using sweetened, omit or decrease brown sugar)
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp dark brown sugar (omit or decrease if using sweetened applesauce)
• 4 tbsp white granulated sugar

Equipment

• large pot
• oven-safe ramekins
• culinary torch

Method

1. In a large pot, add the water, milk, and salt. Bring to a boil (watch closely as it will foam and rise to the top rapidly as soon as it boils). Add the oats.

2. Remove the cover. Simmer on low heat for about 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. After the oatmeal finishes cooking, add the applesauce, cinnamon, allspice, and brown sugar, stirring until incorporated. Remove from the heat and divide among 4 broiler-safe bowls.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar to the top of each bowl. Using a kitchen or culinary torch, sweep the flame back and forth over the sugar until it begins to brown and harden.

   Broiler method: Add the sugar-topped ramekins to the oven and broil on high for 5-8 minutes until the top is brown and crunchy.

Kitchen notes

• If you don't have individual broiler safe bowls, add to a broiler safe pan and continue with the remaining steps; this time adding all the sugar to the top and then proceed with broiling the top.
• Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days without the added sugar. When ready to broil, remove from the fridge, add the sugar and proceed with broiling.