Baked Oatmeal: Tastes like a soft oatmeal cookie! Easy to make, adaptable, & feeds a lot of people at once. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

A square of baked oatmeal, served on a white plate with apple slices and honey.

Today I’m bringing you my new favorite breakfast recipe: baked oatmeal!

I’m a huge fan of big breakfast or brunch recipes that you can throw in the oven, bake off, and then serve everyone a hot, comforting dish all at once. I am not one to stand in front of the stove flipping pancakes or scrambling eggs, like a short-order cook!

So I love having recipes like sticky buns, quiche Lorraine, or French toast casserole in my arsenal. Especially for holidays or when I’m hosting overnight guests.

And now we can also add this baked oatmeal recipe!

I’m telling you, it may not look like much, but these humble brown and nubbly-looking squares are seriously delish. This casserole bakes up hearty and soft, almost like a whole-grain cake or quick bread, with chewy oats, lots of warm cinnamon, and just a hint of sweetness from the brown sugar. It’s buttery and comforting, like a soft oatmeal cookie.

I absolutely love it and I think you will too!

Baked oatmeal recipe, prepared and cut into a square, with a text overlay that reads "Baked Oatmeal."

WHAT IS BAKED OATMEAL?

If you like oatmeal you are going to love this recipe!

It’s a lot like your favorite hot cereal breakfast, but instead of being spoonable like porridge, it’s firmer like a cake almost, and you can eat it with a fork.

But it still has that signature hearty oat flavor, and you can throw in all sorts of add-ins to jazz it up.

It’s easy to make and feeds a crowd, or you can bake up a big pan of it and it will keep in the fridge for days, which can make busy mornings a breeze!

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

I liken the taste of this baked oatmeal recipe to an oatmeal cookie. How about that, right? Oatmeal cookies for breakfast. Gotta love it!

The texture is similar to a hearty, whole-grain cake, with tons of chewy oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar. It’s buttery and comforting, and you can punch it up with just about any kind of fruit, nuts, or seeds.

HOW TO MAKE BAKED OATMEAL

You’re going to love how quick and easy this is to make!

What we have here is basically a quick bread recipe, only instead of using flour we are using oats. So it follows that simple method of mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl, the liquids in another, and then combining the two. Easy peasy!

Start with oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Give these a quick toss together, just to get everything evenly combined.

Mixing dry ingredients together for baked oatmeal.

I like to use old-fashioned oats because to me they have the most robust texture. You could probably get away with another kind of oats in a pinch, but the texture might come out a little different.

If you are using fruit or nuts, go ahead and add them to the bowl as well. You can use just about any kind of fruit you like, dried, frozen, or fresh. If you use frozen, you don’t even have to thaw it first. I used fresh apples here, peeled, cored, and diced, but I think golden raisins or dried cranberries would be fantastic too, or dried cherries or figs, or just about any kind of berries or sliced bananas… you could also add a little citrus zest if you like.

Baked oatmeal dry ingredients with apples and walnuts added.

I threw in a handful of chopped walnuts too, but any kind of nut would work. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Pecans
  • Almonds
  • Pistachios
  • Macadamias
  • Sunflower Seeds (particularly good if you are serving someone with a nut allergy!)

Next come the liquid ingredients. Whisk melted butter, milk, cream, eggs, and vanilla together until combined, then pour this mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients.

Adding liquid ingredients to dry for baked oatmeal.

Stir it all up, transfer it to a 1.5-quart casserole dish, and bake!

Transferring baked oatmeal mixture to a baking dish.

You’ll know your baked oatmeal is done when your whole house smells positively intoxicating, the edges are just a little brown, and it’s set in the middle.

Overhead image of a tray of baked oatmeal with a square cut out and served on a nearby plate.

IS THIS RECIPE HEALTHY?

We all have our own definitions of what is or isn’t healthy these days, so I’ll refer you to the nutritional label in the recipe card below for the nitty-gritty details.

But I love this dish because it’s whole grain and it’s made with wholesome ingredients like fresh eggs, fruit, and nuts. I also think 339 calories/slice isn’t too shabby, especially for such a hearty and filling breakfast.

If you have any specific food sensitivities, you should know that this recipe is naturally gluten-free (just be sure to use gluten-free oats).

For a dairy-free option, just swap in your favorite vegan milk/cream substitute. If it subs 1:1 for regular dairy, it should work just fine.

For a vegan option, try using flax eggs or chia eggs. To make one flax/chia egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flax or chia seed with 2 tablespoons of water, and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes until gelled.

HOW TO SERVE

This dish really doesn’t need a whole lot extra! I’ve garnished it with some sliced apple and honey just to make it prettier for the photos, but it’s really good just as-is.

It can be eaten hot from the oven, at room temperature, or chilled. You can drizzle it with a little warm milk if you like.

Really, you can’t go wrong!

HOW TO STORE

Cover the dish with plastic wrap, and this should keep in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days.

Or you can freeze it! Remove it from the pan and wrap it tightly in foil. (You could even wrap individual portions and pop them into a zip-top bag.) It will keep for 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temp. It can be reheated (covered) in the microwave or in a 170 degree F oven until warmed through.

Close up image of a square of easy baked oatmeal, served with sliced apples, honey, and walnuts.

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A square of baked oatmeal, served on a white plate with apple slices and honey.
5 stars (2 ratings)

Baked Oatmeal

Servings: 9
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Baked Oatmeal: Tastes like a soft oatmeal cookie! Easy to make, versatile, & feeds a lot of people at once. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (585 g) oatmeal, (I like old-fashioned oats)
  • 2/3 cup (146.67 g) light brown sugar, (loosely packed)
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup (177.75 g) fruit, , optional (dried, fresh, or frozen; I used fresh chopped apple)
  • 1/2 cup (72 g) chopped nuts,, optional (I used walnuts)
  • 3/4 cup (170.25 g) butter,, melted and cooled slightly (1 1/2 sticks)
  • 3/4 cup (183 g) milk, (I used 2%)
  • 1/4 cup (59.5 g) heavy cream
  • 2 (88 g) eggs, (large)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly mist a 1.5-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • Place the oatmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
  • Add the fruit and nuts, if using.
  • Whisk the melted butter, milk, cream, eggs, and vanilla together, then add to the oatmeal mixture.
  • Stir together until combined, then transfer to the prepared pan and bake until set (approx. 35 to 45 minutes).
  • Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Calories: 339kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 427mg, Potassium: 238mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 658IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 106mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.