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
WOW, I never comment on recipes (even the ones I like) but I had to leave a comment here. This recipe is SO GOOD, it tastes like dessert for breakfast! Or dinner, for my case tonight hehe. I substituted extra mashed banana in place of the apple sauce/maple syrup (I used about 1 1/3 ripe banana in total) and it was amazing.
Topped with some plain yogurt and a little drizzle of maple syrup? Like seriously my new favourite thing. And it was so easy to make :’) <- me crying tears of joy b/c I found my new fave recipe. THANK YOU!
Thus tastes amazing warm or cold. I used steel cut oats and skipped the eggs. Thank you! Also your notes about substitutions were helpful. I skipped the eggs, used coconut sugar, etc. Brilliant!
I really liked the flavor (and so did my family!) but for some reason it all fell apart when we cut into it! Any suggestions on how to help it stick together better? Maybe I did something wrong…
Hi Christina, if you’re looking for a “sturdier” baked oatmeal, you can try baking for a minute or two longer next time. That will help the oats to stick together more when cutting. Also, the longer you let it cool, the cleaner the cut pieces will be. Glad to hear your family enjoyed this one!
Wanted to try the baked oatmeal craze and of course looked to one of my fav bloggers …Sally! OMG. It’s to die for. Whipped cream on top is essential. Thanks, Sally.
I love this receipe. I have made it several times. We like apple and blueberry for the fruit the best. We will have it anyway. Super easy and taste wonderful.
I made this on Sunday, huge hit with my family! I used a 9 x 13 pan, and followed the
note for that pan size. What serving size is the nutrition information based on?
Hi Gigi! The nutrition information given in the recipe notes is based on the recipe as written for 9 servings.
Delicious! I made it for Easter brunch and it was excellent. I used regular almond milk as the milk so I decreased the maple syrup to 1/4 cup. Perfect topped with coconut vanilla yogurt alternative. I used frozen berries and ,will increase the amount next time, but just added some fresh berries when serving and it was great. Try it, it’s a great recipe and very adaptable.
Hi! Do you have the ingredient amount for an 8×8 pan? I don’t own a 9X9 and I’m only making it for 2 so I don’t want to make it in a 9×13. Thank you!
Hi Judy! We haven’t tested it, but for an 8×8 pan you could make a 3/4 batch of the recipe as written or make a few oatmeal muffins with the excess batter from a whole batch.
You are my GURU!!! My husband has diabetes but has a huge sweet tooth. The baked oatmeal and oatmeal cups have been his happiness. Every Sunday I make a batch and add whatever I have on hand: apples, blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips, etc. These recipes satisfy his sweet tooth and keep his glucose levels steady throughout the day without any dips or spikes. Thank you!
This is wonderful. I used frozen berries so had to cook longer. Also I thought I read that you used less butter and add peanut butter? But can’t find it now
Hi Lisa, so glad you enjoyed this one! We make it with peanut butter or almond butter all the time. We usually reduce the butter down to 2 Tbsp and add 1/2 cup of our favorite nut butter. Same bake time. Let us know if you give it a try.
This was really good! I halved the recipe, used half cow’s milk half almond milk. I only had blueberries so I used those and grated some apple in there, too. I also added some nutmeg. I used mashed banana, no applesauce in the pantry. Will definitely be making again, thank you!
Hi Sally, a co-worker/friend is a big fan of yours and I’m really enjoying becoming more of a baker. I LOVE the Oatmeal Cups and want to try this recipe. All the instructions mention baking ‘pans’ but will the recipe work okay if I use a baking ‘dish’?
Hi Debbie! Glass, ceramic, and metal baking dishes will work just fine for this recipe! As long as they’re the correct size (9×9 inch or 11×7 inch). Enjoy!
Thank you for all the wonderful tips. The oatmeal was great and helps breakfast run smooth on those busy days. I will make it again soon.
I am curious as well as to how many servings this would be made in a 9×9 pan?
Hi Karen, it depends on how large you cut your pieces, but we usually get 9 squares / servings.
Oh Sally, you are a keeper!! I ran across your website yesterday and I am a fan already! I made the baked oatmeal this morning and oh my gosh! It was picture perfect and delicious! I wish we could attach pictures. I used unsweetened almond milk, substituted the butter for coconut oil, substituted the maple syrup for unsweetened pancake syrup (I had that in my pantry), I added a mashed banana, blueberries and extra cinnamon. I will definitely make this often and continue to follow you. Thank you and God Bless You!
Thank you so much for the kind and thoughtful note, Devonne! We’re thrilled you came across our site and that you enjoyed this baked oatmeal recipe. Happy baking to you!
I love your recipes, one of my favorite go-to sites! Made this, this morning. kitchen smelled delightful – reduced maple syrup to 1/4 cup and used unsweetened almond milk… but left in oven additional 20 min – sides just starting to crisp (I was going for the more baked version) it was not coming together and is still very very moist..just barely keeping shape. Tastes great but any suggestions? Less milk?
Thanks,Catherine
Hi Catherine, glad you enjoyed this recipe! This is a moist dish and will not completely “crisp.” The middle will stay soft and look just slightly set, but you can bake for a bit longer (as you mention) if you’re looking for a firmer center. We wouldn’t recommend reducing the milk at all for fear it wouldn’t hold together and become too dry. Hope this is helpful!
Amazing recipe! I have made this 3 times so far. I plan to serve at an upcoming bridesmaid breakfast. I baked these in cute 5oz baking cups from sophistiplate.com (wish I could attach a picture). I cooked these 25 minutes and they were perfect – topped with vanilla yogurt. Thanks for the delicious and super easy recipe! P.S. Learned that I should keep open pure maple syrup in the refrigerator!
I have been making a version of this or the oatmeal cups weekly to take to work for breakfast. It’s SO forgiving and easy to make substitutions. I like to add chia seeds and whatever fresh fruit I have around. Thank you for a breakfast that I look forward to each day!
I made this tonight so I could bring it to work with me in the morning!
I made it vegan, substituting the eggs with extra apple sauce.
And replaced the butter with coconut oil.
I used frozen rhubarb and strawberries in mine for fruit!
Super tasty!
I am so excited to make this, and try the pumpkin variation. Probably going to make the base recipe and do different variations – thank you!!
Do you think you could potentially sub the butter / coconut oil with nut butter?
Hi Alex, definitely. We make it with peanut butter or almond butter all the time. We usually reduce the butter down to 2 Tbsp and add 1/2 cup of our favorite nut butter. Same bake time. Let us know what you try!
I love this recipe ! Definitely fool proof and I feel like I am eating dessert for breakfast. I also love that it comes together quickly and can last in the fridge all week. I made it exactly per the recipe the first time. Since then I have substituted coconut oil for the butter and cut the maple syrup to 1/4 cup. I find mashing in one ripe banana adds enough sweetness to make up for it. My youngest has asked me to make it with apples since she doesn’t like the texture of the cooked berries so I will try that next.
Delicious and easy! Everyone that tried it loved it.
(Note to banana haters – my husband couldn’t taste the banana at all.)
I have made this countless times. It is a warm comforting, feel good breakfast. I accompany it with a little greek or skyr yogurt. It’s hard to have only one serving!
I have made this recipe many times in the last month since I discovered it. It is an amazing, healthy oatmeal with wonderful flavor and texture. I have shared the recipe to family and friends who are now believers. I use skim milk, Red Hill Rolled Oats, and the suggested real maple sugar.
Thanks so much for the pumpkin variation! We have this in our weekly rotation with two littles and they eat it up so quickly! So thankful for all your recipes. Always wonderful!
Great recipe! I’m trying to eat healthier breakfasts and this is so easy to make and eat for the rest of the week! Have made with apples, today I’m trying out blueberries and it smells wonderful.
Hi Sally! I love this recipe, perfect everytime! Would it be possible to half the recipe? x
Hi Michelle, yes, you can cut it in half. You can use a loaf pan or anything similar and decrease the baking time. Or, this recipe freezes wonderfully if you’d like to make a full size and freeze half for later!
I probably shouldn’t have even attempted this recipe with the number of substitutions I had to make, but I’m glad I did. It turned out so well! I had no milk, no baking powder, and not enough syrup. I subbed water, baking soda, 1/4c syrup + 3 tbsp honey, and added 2 big dollops of cottage cheese. Also added 8 tbsp egg whites instead of eggs. I divided into 2 loaf pans and took 10 minutes off baking time. I imagine it would be fluffier with baking soda, but still dang good! Excited to try again with all the right ingredients.
Yum!!!!!! So easy to make. I made the following substitutions based on what I had on hand: Mashed Banana (instead of applesauce), Coconut Oil (instead of butter), and Diced Apples (instead of berries).
I only had unrefined virgin coconut oil, and that flavor was pretty dominant throughout, especially with 1/4 cup. Although it was still good, I know it would taste even more delicious with butter!
Hi there,
Hoping to try your recipe this week as an easy breakfast. It looks amazing! I was curious if you have any suggestions for substituting the maple syrup. I try really hard to keep my sugars to a absolute minimum and was curious if substituting or completely removing the maple syrup would work for this recipe. Maybe adding more banana as a natural sweetener? Thanks!
Hi Amber, You can leave it out or increase the banana or applesauce to replace it. This recipe is very forgiving. (We make different variations all the time!)
These bars are so good and healthy too! I like mine warmed up. I added strawberries and blueberries for fruit and both made a really great combination. I love this recipe!