I’ve already shared my chai latte porridge recipe ― the addition of gentle, warming spices to the healthy breakfast makes it even more comforting.
But I’ll be the first to admit that the process, which involves steeping the milk before using it with the oats, can be a bit of a faff on busy weekdays.
Enter: none other than Gordon Ramsay, who adds to fruits to the classic breakfast to make it feel like a dessert.
In a recipe shared in Ultimate Fit Food by Gordon Ramsay, the chef revealed his secrets to “apple pie spiced porridge”.
How’s that made?
Gordon combines naturally sweet dates and most of his chopped apples into a milk and oat combo alongside cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a dash of salt.
He cooks that until it’s smooth and creamy, adding the remaining apple chunks on top for extra crunch (this is optional).
Dates, especially when cooked in milk, become very like caramel; as the apples stew, their pectins add a jammy quality to the breakfast.
Gordon’s recipe doesn’t contain any added sugars, and he says you can sub dairy milk out for oat, soy, or rice alternatives if you like: “or, for a very lean version, just make it with water.”
While I’m normally not convinced by thin, watery porridge, the thickening properties of the dates and apples in Gordon’s apple pie version mean you’ll still have a satisfying bite.
If you love a creamy taste though, Mary Berry’s seed and nut-packed Greek yoghurt oats might be perfect for you.
Jamie Oliver, meanwhile, places grated (rather than cubed) apple into his porridge recipe alongside blackberries.
Wait... is porridge bad for you or not?
Some forms of porridge oats were categorised as “junk food” under new government advertising rules in 2024.
But HuffPost UK previously spoke to Dr Frankie Phillips, a dietitian at The British Dietetic Association, who said: “There isn’t a single dietitian who would consider oats to be anything but a valuable food for all ages.”