Baked oatmeal is bread pudding for breakfast! Made with a handful of healthy ingredients, this easy recipe comes together in 1 bowl and leaves you satisfied all morning.
What is Baked Oatmeal?
Baked oatmeal is a warm breakfast casserole made from oats, milk, and other kitchen staples. Stovetop or instant oatmeal has a creamy porridge consistency, but baked oatmeal, like bread pudding, combines chewy, soft, and creamy all in 1 casserole dish. You can add berries for a juicy burst and walnuts for a crunchy topping. This breakfast recipe is a texture lover’s dream and your oven does all the work.
Basically, baked oatmeal is regular oatmeal with even more texture. If you’re looking for individual serving sizes, try my baked apple cinnamon oatmeal cups or chocolate chip baked oatmeal cups.
You can bake oatmeal ahead of time and reheat it for a quick breakfast during the week. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing and the whole family, young daughter included, LOVES it. This baked banana oatmeal is a hit, too! Busy parents certainly appreciate the convenience!
And if you want even more family friendly recipes, be sure to check out this list of 30+ back to school recipes.
Gluten Free, Healthy, 1 Bowl Breakfast
This baked oatmeal combines simple and healthy ingredients and can be adapted for any allergies or flavor preferences. Stir the ingredients together in 1 large bowl, pour it into a greased baking pan, and bake. You need:
- Oats: I recommend whole old-fashioned style oats for a hearty and satisfying texture. If you eat gluten free, choose certified GF oats.
- Milk: Use the variety of milk you drink. This baked oatmeal is wonderful with whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, skim milk, and everything in between.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs, while adding protein, bind all of the ingredients together. Have an egg allergy? Use extra applesauce or mashed banana.
- Applesauce or Mashed Banana: Adds flavor and binds. You can use more of either to replace the eggs. For a heavily banana-flavored version, see below!
- Maple Syrup: I recommend pure maple syrup for the best flavor, but other unrefined sugars such as coconut sugar or honey work too. 1/2 cup sweetens the entire dish.
- Baking Powder: Lifts it all up!
- Melted Butter: A few Tablespoons of melted butter prevents the dish from tasting rubbery. Don’t replace with a non-fat alternative. Melted coconut oil is a wonderful dairy-free substitution.
- Vanilla, Cinnamon, & Salt: Each add sweet satisfying flavor.
- Berries: I asked, you told, and I’m delivering! Add some fruit for flavor, texture, and all-around deliciousness. Replace with chopped banana, apple, peaches, pears, raisins, dried berries, chocolate chips, or even a spoonful of your favorite nut butter.
For the BEST baked oatmeal texture: use whole oats and don’t over-bake! You want a deliciously soft & moist spoonful.
Ok let’s recap…
This Baked Oatmeal Is:
- Prepped in 1 bowl
- Made with unrefined sugar
- Not overly sweet
- Packed with fruit
- Warm & satisfies for hours
- Soft, chewy, & creamy
- Adaptable for flavors, allergies, etc
- Like a casserole version of my blueberry banana breakfast cookies
Plus it requires minimum effort—just what our mornings need!
Complete your breakfast! Serve baked oatmeal with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, frittata, individual breakfast egg muffins, or my crustless vegetable quiche. (Also simple, healthy, & gluten free!).And for even more inspiration, see my complete list of 30+ healthy breakfast recipes.
P.S. The recipe below calls for banana, but for a heavily banana-flavored baked oatmeal, here is my banana baked oatmeal recipe. This one is a favorite.
1 Bowl Baked Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 9
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This baked oatmeal combines simple ingredients that can be adapted for any allergies or flavor preferences. It’s like bread pudding for breakfast—creamy, soft, chewy, and delicious all in one! Make ahead and enjoy all week long. Try my baked oatmeal cups, too!
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (420ml) milk (dairy or nondairy)
- 2 large eggs*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) pure maple syrup*
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled*
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (225g) fresh or frozen mixed berries, (do not thaw)
- optional for topping: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9×9 inch square pan, or an 11×7 inch rectangle pan with nonstick spray. Any similar size pan that holds around 3 quarts works, though 8×8 inch square pan would be too small. The pictured dish I’m using is this white casserole dish. See recipe Note for 9×13 inch pan.
- Whisk all of the ingredients together in 1 large bowl. Pour into prepared baking pan. Top with nuts, if desired. (Or stir into the oatmeal mixture.)
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the center appears *almost* set, which gives us a soft oatmeal as pictured above. For drier and more solid baked oatmeal, bake until center has set.
- Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon or slice and serve with yogurt, if desired. Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Bake the oatmeal, cool completely, and store in the refrigerator all week for easy breakfasts. Reheat in the microwave or cover and bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 10 minutes. To freeze, bake and cool oatmeal. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Warm to your liking. I love cutting the cooled baked oatmeal into bars or servings and freezing them individually for a quick breakfast to thaw. Wrap each in plastic wrap and place in a large freezer bag or container.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×9 Inch Square Pan, 11×7 Inch Rectangle Pan, or Similar Size Casserole Dish | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Don’t: Do not make oatmeal batter ahead of time. The oats will soak up all the liquid! Whisk it all together, then bake right away. See make ahead instructions above for alternative.
- Can I Make This in a Muffin Pan? Yes. For baked oatmeal cups, divide the batter into a greased 12-count muffin pan. If using muffin liners, spray them with nonstick spray. The oatmeal cups stick to the liners a bit regardless, so I recommend skipping them. Fill the cups all the way to the top. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and top appears set. If you added extra add-ins, you may have more batter and need a 2nd greased muffin pan.
- Eggs: Eggs bind the casserole and add wonderful flavor. If needed, you can replace the eggs with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana.
- Sugar: I recommend pure maple syrup because the flavor is outstanding and the baked oatmeal is extra moist! You can also use packed brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey.
- Butter: What wonderful flavor! The baked oatmeal can taste rubbery without it. Don’t replace with a non-fat alternative. Melted coconut oil is a wonderful dairy-free substitution.
- Oats: Whole oats give you the best texture. Quick oats soak up more moisture and dry out the baked oatmeal. If using steel-cut oats, soak the oats in the milk for 20 minutes, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Add-ins: Instead of berries, try the same amount of peeled chopped apples, peaches, pears, bananas, or other fruit. Or 1 cup chocolate chips, dried cranberries, nuts, or raisins.
- 9×13 inch Pan: Double the recipe for a 9×13 inch pan. The baked oatmeal will be extra thick and require at least 10 extra minutes in the oven. Tent with aluminum foil if the edges are browning too quickly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 256
- Sugar: 13.8 g
- Sodium: 120.8 mg
- Fat: 6.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 38.4 g
- Protein: 5.8 g
- Cholesterol: 54.9 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
I used Trader Joe’s Blueberry Lavender Almond Milk. It was so amazing! This is definitely going into the rotation!
I have always loved baked oatmeal but became especially obsessed after giving birth to my first baby in 2020! I knew oatmeal was helpful for lactation support and used that as an excuse to live off baked oatmeal. After giving birth to my second baby, my mom made this recipe for me and I LOVED it! Now every time I make it the smell and taste remind me of my little girl as a 1-day-old infant I’m still breastfeeding now so I add a couple scoops of ground flax seed for additional lactation support!
Made this today and loved it, so easy too! I put some raw sugar on top and put it in the broiler to give it a crispy finish
Have you used honey instead of maple syrup?
Hi Erin, We recommend pure maple syrup because the flavor is outstanding and the baked oatmeal is extra moist! You can also use packed brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey.
This was so delicious! I substituted chopped dates and walnuts for the fruit and Wow! Just so good!
Hi, could I use frozen fruit? if so do I thaw or just add it frozen?
Thanks!
Sure can, Melissa! If using frozen fruit do not thaw first.
What variations would you make to have this be gluten free?
Hi Karla, make sure that the oats are labeled certified gluten free.
Can this be made without sugar or sugar substitutes for a toddler?
Hi! You can absolutely play around with the recipe. Feel free to skip the maple syrup and replace with some more applesauce or even mashed banana. The flavor will change.
Good recipe. First time I made this I followed the recipe as instructed, but second time I doubled the berries, added a touch of nutmeg and used 3/4 cup brown sugar as I thought it needed more sweetness and more of a berry flavor.
I’ve made before and love it but would it be ok to use olive oil instead of butter (only because we are out of butter-ahhh!!)
Not sure how olive oil would taste. Melted coconut oil is a great alternative too!
Hands down, the best baked oatmeal. I make it all year and vary the fruit by season. Freezing into individual servings makes the most convenient breakfast ever. My daughter loves!
This sounds great, if I had to use quick oats would increasing the milk and applesauce each by a 1/4 cup solve the dryness issue? Thanks
Made this morning for a special Sunday breakfast. It was delicious!
Delicious! Loved it and will definitely make it again!
Loved this recipe! Made it with oat milk, strawberries, blueberries, and bananas and used twice the amount of cinnamon it called for, and it was absolutely delicious. Would definitely make again.
How many does this serve?
Serves 9!
Wow! Yummy! Will try again with different fruits! I put 2 cups of fruit in it and baked it an additional ten minutes. Use a knife in the middle to determine if it is the consistency that you like. I always test items before the recipe end time just in case my oven temp is off.
I love this recipe do you think it would be ok to put raisins in the recipe
Yes, absolutely!
This was delicious! I cannot stomach normal cooked oats due to the texture , so was very pleasantly surprised when I made this! Thoroughly enjoyed these oats with a scoop of Greek yogurt and flaked almonds on top.
It’s in the oven right now! I’m excited, but have a question. Are you supposed to put milk on it to eat? Or just eat it as is?
Hi Candy, we eat it as is (once baked), but certainly feel free to enjoy it how you like best!
I love eating baked oatmeal warm with milk poured over top but it’s also great as-is!
Can i substitute apple sauce/banana with anything else?
Hi Dj, You can use pumpkin instead. See the pink box right above the recipe called “Craving Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal?”
I’ve been baking this for 2 years now and have always loved this recipe. It’s been my go to breakfast indulgence and the pan easily lasts me a whole week, unless my husband helps me ;). I recently had to go dairy free and have cut back on my eggs, so I’ve been making this with almond/coconut milk and flax eggs. I also cut the maple syrup in half, the sweetness from all the fruit is more than enough! None of these changes has affected the result, which is just as delicious as your base recipe! Thanks Sally 🙂
We’re so glad this recipe is a favorite for you, Kenzie!
I made this today, and it will not be the last time. I did not change a thing and so glad I did. I mixed the walnuts in, and recommend that if you love nuts in your baked goods. Thanks, Sally, for another winning recipe!
This is so yummy and takes no time to prepare. I was looking for an alternative to my daily bowl of oatmeal which I’ve been eating for a long time. This has the right amount of crunch and sweetness.
A winner!
I make this recipe regularly and we’re never disappointed. Guests usually request the recipe. We’re making this morning for our brunch group…no doubt they will enjoy it!
Sally, you’re my “go-to” for many favorites and I always find inspiration from you and your recipes!
It’s a part of our weekly routine! Both pumpkin and the berries. Have you frozen this to use at a later date? Curious if you think it would be a good fit?
Thank you!
Hi Lindsey, sure can! We freeze this often. See recipe notes for make ahead / freezing instructions.
This is delicious! I make this for a breakfast treat for my husband and me. He just loves it, as do I. I can attest that maple syrup makes this dish. When I made the last batch, I only had half of the maple syrup called for, so I made up the difference with brown sugar. It was really good, but not as good had I used all maple syrup.
This is definitely one of the least healthy recipes I was able to find, but I figured it would be worth it for good flavor. However, I found it a little bland. I think upping the berries may have helped.
Another wonderful Sally invention!!! I used fresh blueberries and dried cherries which made for a great combo. I used half the amount honey instead of maple syrup.
These are so good. I froze some and once thawed they’re still chewy and so full of flavor. My husband heated a chunk up and topped with fat free greek yogurt and home made sugar free fruit compote. He said it was awesome.
Sally you’ve done it again!!!
We love this recipe so much! Do you think it would easily translate into a muffin recipe?
Hi Emily, You can definitely bake these in large muffin tins. We actually do that with the apple cinnamon baked oatmeal cups.
I love this recipe and have made it with so many variations! Could I use flax eggs? If so, how much?
Hi Sabeehah, We haven’t tested this recipe with flax eggs, but you can replace the eggs with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana.
Always looking for a new way to make something gluten free. This was a real hit!
An out of the park home run! Thanks for inspiration & help.
I made this recipe for the first time on Christmas Eve. I have seriously made it almost every week since then. My boys love it! The only thing I have done differently is bake for 45 minutes. Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m sure this is one that will be handed down for possibly generations. So good!!!
We love this as a snack! I use part heavy cream and dried berries! I also bake it until it browns,yum. A healthy alternative for us
I like the idea of heavy cream, I was think about using coconut milk as a non dairy substitute, thoughts?