Baked Oatmeal

If you love the idea of oatmeal in the morning but aren’t a fan of the porridge-like texture or standing over a hot stovetop stirring, try something new: baked oatmeal.

Baked oatmeal is all the things you love about oatmeal (hearty, comforting, sweet, and versatile), but with a crisp and crunchy top and a soft and tender center. Baked in the oven, think of this baked oatmeal recipe as a not-overly-sweet bread pudding or an oatmeal breakfast casserole! 

What Is Baked Oatmeal?

Baked oatmeal is perfect for a crowd and easy to prepare ahead of time for a weekend brunch. Or, serve it for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It also reheats wonderfully in the oven, making it a great make-ahead dish or perfect for leftover snacks.

What's in Baked Oatmeal?

Though the flavors are rich and comforting, baked oatmeal is a healthy breakfast, brunch, or dessert option. In addition to filling fiber from the oats, it’s chock-full of fruits, which add additional fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, and nuts, which add protein.

A touch of baking powder helps the oats rise in the oven when baking, giving the dish a lighter texture. For denser baked oatmeal, omit the baking powder.

How To Make Baked Oatmeal

Begin by arranging chopped apples in a lightly greased baking dish. Combine the oatmeal ingredients, including oats, sugar, seasoning, milk, and eggs. Pour oatmeal mixture over apples. Finish by sprinkling chopped pecans over the top.

Bake until the oats are set, and the top is golden and set. This baked oatmeal recipe can be made in advance, and leftovers can be reheated or enjoyed cold the next day.

Baked Oatmeal Tips

Though this recipe is absolutely delicious as is, here are a few tips and tricks to customize your dish:

Oats

Oats are naturally gluten-free; just make sure to reach for certified gluten-free oats, if this is an issue for you or your guests.

Since all oats cook differently, it’s super important to use old-fashioned rolled oats. Steel-cut oats will not cook completely, and quick-cooking or instant oats will turn into a soggy mess.

Fruit

We love Honeycrisp apples in this dish, but you can use other sweet and crisp apples that are locally available. Or swap out the apples with any seasonal fruit that you have on hand.

Try fresh berries, peaches or nectarines, or bananas. In a pinch, frozen fruit also works well. Just make sure to thaw and drain the fruit well so it doesn’t add extra moisture to the oats.

Dried fruit is also a great addition to this dish. We love adding a handful of raisins, craisins, or currants alongside the apples. But dried coconut, mango, or any other fruit will add a fun twist.

Nuts

Pecans add healthy fats and protein to this baked oatmeal and a perfect crunch next to the tender fruit. You can swap out the pecans with other nuts, like almonds or walnuts. Or try adding a handful of unsweetened coconut flakes or a generous pinch of hemp seeds.

More swaps

You can easily make this dish dairy-free or vegan when accommodating different dietary needs of family and friends. Butter helps the oats get nice and toasty in the oven. But you can get the same effect by swapping out the butter with coconut oil. Bonus: Using coconut oil will add a light coconut flavor to the dish.

If you don’t want to use eggs, you can use 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed mixed well with 6 tablespoons of warm water as a replacement.

Use any dairy-free milk alternative (we especially like oat or almond milk in this dish) instead of whole milk. 

Toppings

Though this oatmeal is perfectly delicious on its own, you can up your oatmeal game even more by serving additional toppings at the table. Serve it with Greek yogurt, whipped cream, heavy cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle the oatmeal with a bit of maple syrup or honey, or pile it high with sliced bananas or fresh berries.

To make it extra special add a schmearing of nut butter or sprinkle with chocolate chips.

How To Store Baked Oatmeal

After the baked oatmeal has cooled completely, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze individually wrapped portions for quick on-the-go breakfasts for a few months to come.

If you are reheating the entire dish, wrap it in foil and bake it at 350°F until warm, about 20 minutes.

To reheat individual portions of baked oatmeal, give it a quick zap (about 1 minute) in the microwave, or warm it in a covered dish in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

More Baked Oatmeals:

• Baked Oatmeal With Apples, Cranberries, And Pecans
• Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
• Skillet Baked Almond-and-Banana Oatmeal
  

Editorial contributions by Jackie Freeman.