This Baked Oatmeal is our favorite! It’s super chewy, soft, rich, and a little custardy with a slightly crisp topping. This oatmeal is loaded with fresh fruit and made with natural good-for-you ingredients.
Craving chocolate for breakfast? Try our chocolate chip baked oatmeal instead!
Baked Oatmeal
If you’ve never had Baked Oatmeal, it’s fairly different from your standard bowl of creamy oatmeal — actually, it’s a unique type of oatmeal! Baked Oatmeal is like a sweet breakfast casserole made with oats, eggs, and milk. It’s slightly custardy and creamy with a very chewy and slightly soft texture.
We add a small sprinkle of coarse sugar on top before it goes into the oven, which yields an irresistibly crisp topping. The chewy interior is bursting with sweetness from the fresh berries and lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Instead of being overly soft, custardy, and eggy, we prefer our Baked Oatmeal more on the chewy side. You’ll notice this recipe has a bit less milk than most recipes; this yields firmer Baked Oatmeal bars. If you like yours to be super creamy, simply serve squares of this baked oatmeal in bowls and drizzle coffee creamer or additional milk on top — it is so good this way too!
This recipe is ridiculously quick and easy to make for breakfast, but the results are impressive enough to serve to company. You can make Baked Oatmeal in one bowl and with a wooden spoon — nothing complicated or overly time consuming for this breakfast.
Baked Oatmeal Ingredients
- Milk. Any type of milk works, but we prefer plant-based milk in this recipe to keep it on the lighter side. Unsweetened almond vanilla milk is what we use most often and macadamia nut milk is another favorite. For a richer and more custard-like oatmeal, use whole milk or 2% milk.
- Eggs. The eggs bind everything together and give rise to the oatmeal. We use one whole egg and an additional yolk for richness. Save those extra egg whites and add them to this egg wrap for lunch!
- Pure maple syrup. Not to be confused with corn syrup or pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is the sap from a maple tree that has been boiled down to a thicker consistency. It contains just one ingredient and is a great natural sweetener. See the “quick tip” below for more info.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. While small amounts of each, these ingredients all play big roles in the overall flavor of the oatmeal.
QUICK TIP
Pancake syrup is made with corn syrup and maple extract. Pure maple syrup is quite pricey (a lot more than pancake syrup), because it is so labor intensive to make (you can read more of the process here) and is a natural ingredient (not made in a factory). We rely on the flavor and stickiness of pure maple syrup for both taste and consistency in Baked Oatmeal. Have leftover maple syrup? Use in it these maple cookies, chewy granola bars, or chocolate chia seed pudding.
Baked Oatmeal Ingredients, Continued
- Melted coconut oil. It might be tempting to replace, reduce, or omit this ingredient, but coconut oil adds a nice texture and richness and ensures the bars don’t end up tasting gluey. For slightly firmer and richer oatmeal bars, use melted butter instead. I don’t recommend replacing the coconut oil with a different oil like canola, vegetable, or olive oil.
- Baking powder. This ingredient gives Baked Oatmeal rise and ensures the bars don’t turn out rubbery.
- Fresh berries. We’ve tested with frozen and fresh berries and only recommend fresh berries. The frozen berries made the oatmeal much more gluey tasting; they added too much liquid (water) to the oats. Feel free to use just 1 type of berry, 2, 3, or 4 different types — as many as you’d like, as long as the overall total remains the same (1-1/2 cups). Keep all the berries about the same size — we’re aiming for the size of a blueberry for each piece of fruit added into the oatmeal.
- Optional: Our favorite way to finish off this baked oatmeal is with a generous sprinkling of turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar. It adds such a delicious, yet subtle, crunchy topping!
QUICK TIP
The fresher and riper the berries, the better and sweeter the oatmeal will taste. If you’ve got extra fresh berries, add on top of the baked oatmeal for a contrasting texture and additional sweetness.
Baked Oatmeal Recipe Tips
- Use the correct-sized pan. This recipe is for an 8×8-inch pan. Very lightly grease with cooking spray or line with parchment paper for easier serving and clean-up.
- Bake soon after assembly. Don’t make the batter ahead of time and let it sit — the oats will absorb the liquid and bake up dry. As soon as everything is mixed together, pop it in the oven!
- Sweeten to preference. We like our oatmeal on the sweeter side, but you may feel differently. If you like less sweet oatmeal, reduce the amount of maple syrup. You can always add a drizzle more on top if you want extra sweetness.
- Save (and enjoy) the leftovers. This recipe is divine the first day it’s made, but leftovers heat up very nicely! Warm individual leftover bars in a bowl in the microwave and, if desired, add a splash of milk to add additional creaminess.
Variation ideas
- Make this into a dessert. If you like desserts that aren’t overly sweet (or chocolatey), serve this for a dessert instead! If serving these as a treat, add an extra drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh whipped cream or vanilla frozen yogurt on top.
- Make banana-nut oatmeal. Replace the berries with diced fresh banana and add in some coarsely chopped and dry roasted nuts such as walnuts or pecans.
- Craving some more crunch? Add in 1/3 cup coarsely chopped and dry roasted (or toasted) nuts or pepitas.
- Boost the nutrition. For more nutritional benefits, replace 1 tablespoon oats with 1 tablespoons flaxseed. Chia seeds will mess up the texture before the oatmeal is baked but taste great when sprinkled on top.
Baked Oatmeal FAQs
Baked Oatmeal is a sweet breakfast casserole made mainly from old-fashioned oats, eggs, and milk. It’s soft and custardy with a very chewy texture and a hint of cinnamon spice.
2What is the texture of Baked Oatmeal?
Baked Oatmeal has a very different consistency than a creamy bowl of oats. It’s firm with a slightly custardy texture and is very chewy.
3Can you eat Baked Oatmeal the next day?
Yes! This recipe stores really nicely once baked.
Don’t make the batter in advance and refrigerate it. Once assembled, it needs to be baked promptly; otherwise, the oats continue to absorb liquid and the Baked Oatmeal will be dry.
Store leftovers, covered, in airtight containers for 4 to 5 days.
Cut out individual portions and reheat in the microwave before serving. If the oatmeal has dried out too much for your preference, serve leftovers in a bowl with a splash of milk or coffee creamer. You may also want an extra splash of maple syrup.
I don’t recommend freezing leftovers; I haven’t been impressed with the results.
4Which oats are best for baking?
Old-fashioned oats are the only oats that work properly in this recipe.
Avoid quick oats and steel-cut oats; they won’t work the same and will yield inconsistent (dry or under-baked) results.
5Why is Baked Oatmeal good for you?
Oats are filled with fiber which has a high satiety factor (you’ll feel fuller for longer) and also helps slow down digestion.
Oats have also been linked to lowering cholesterol and helping to control blood sugar.
6Can I leave Baked Oatmeal out overnight?
Once the oatmeal has fully cooled, transfer to an airtight container or tightly cover and promptly refrigerate. It is not safe to be left out overnight.
QUICK TIP
Make this oatmeal your own! For slightly softer oats, bake for a little less time and serve in bowls topped with a splash of milk or coffee creamer. For firmer baked oats, bake slightly longer and let stand out of the oven for 5-10 minutes before serving. (The longer these bars cool, the cleaner they cut out). Reduce the maple syrup slightly if you like things less sweet — you can always add more as a topping on the bars once they’ve been baked. For sweeter bars, add maple syrup on top of bars after they’ve been baked! This oatmeal can be served warm right out of the oven (our favorite way to enjoy it), at room temperature, or chilled — whatever you prefer!
More breakfast recipes with oats:
Baked Oatmeal
This Baked Oatmeal is our favorite! It’s super chewy, soft, rich, and a little custardy with a slightly crisp topping. This oatmeal is loaded with fresh fruit and made with natural good-for-you ingredients.
Baked Oatmeal
This Baked Oatmeal is our favorite! It’s super chewy, soft, rich, and a little custardy with a slightly crisp topping. This oatmeal is loaded with fresh fruit and made with natural good-for-you ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (245g) milk Note 1
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup (137g) pure maple syrup Note 2
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (71g) melted coconut oil or melted butter
- 2 cups (182g) old-fashioned oats Note 3
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
- 1-1/2 cups (230g) fresh berries Note 4
- Optional: 1-1/2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar (or light brown sugar)
- Optional: For serving: additional milk or coffee creamer, additional maple syrup, any leftover berries
Instructions
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PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with nonstick spray.
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BATTER: Add the milk, egg, egg yolk (discard the whites or save for another recipe), maple syrup, vanilla extract, and coconut oil (measure when melted) or melted butter to a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix until smooth. Add in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
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BERRIES: If using all blueberries, gently stir them into the batter. If using raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries, cut down to the size of blueberries. Add in cut fruit and gently mix into the batter. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of batter from the bowl into the prepared pan. Using the back of the spatula, smooth everything in one even layer. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar, turbinado sugar, or brown sugar evenly on top. Bake promptly– otherwise the oats will absorb the liquid and affect the end texture. (Don’t make the batter ahead of time.) Bake for 28-35 minutes or until set and lightly golden on top. (The longer in the oven, the firmer the oatmeal is; remove sooner for softer baked oatmeal.)
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ENJOY: Let cool slightly, cut, serve, and enjoy! We like it best pretty warm/fresh out of the oven, but it can also be eaten chilled or at room temperature. Baked oatmeal is pretty crumbly right out of the oven and firms up as it chills. Cut and serve in bowls. If desired, pour a drizzle of milk or even coffee creamer and maple syrup over the bars — so good! Add any leftover berries on top if desired.
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STORAGE: Once it has cooled completely, transfer leftover Baked Oatmealto an airtight container and store iiti n the fridge. Enjoy leftovers for up to 4 days after being made. Cut out individual portions, add to a bowl, and microwave. Add some creaminess back in with a drizzle of milk, coffee creamer, or extra maple syrup.
Recipe Notes
Note 2: Maple Syrup: Not to be confused with corn syrup or pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is just one ingredient and is a great natural sweetener! These bars are pretty sweet, so feel free to reduce the maple syrup if you’d like less sweet bars (you can always drizzle more maple syrup over baked bars if you want them to be sweeter).
Note 3: Oats: Quick oats and steel-cut oats won’t work properly in this recipe.
Note 4: Fruit: Use whatever berry (or combination of berries) you like best. These are great with 1 berry and great with a combo of 3-4! Only use fresh berries, though. Frozen berries affect the texture and make the baked oats watery and less flavorful.
Make this Baked Oatmeal your own! If you prefer slightly softer oats, bake for a little less time and serve in bowls topped with a splash of milk or coffee creamer. For firmer baked oats, bake slightly longer and let stand out of the oven for 5-10 minutes before serving. (The longer these bars cool, the cleaner they cut out.) If you prefer less sweet oats, slightly reduce the maple syrup; you can always add more as a topping on bars once they’ve been baked. For sweeter bars, add maple syrup on top of bars after they’ve been baked! This oatmeal can be served warm right out of the oven (our favorite way to enjoy it), at room temperature, or chilled — whatever you prefer!
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 398mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 4mg
We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.
