Baked Apple Oatmeal
Baked Apple Oatmeal features tender apples, warm cinnamon, and sweet maple syrup for a wholesome breakfast that's sure to become a new favorite!
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If you enjoy apple cinnamon breakfast recipes, you'll also love Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Apple Cinnamon Waffles, Wholesome Apple Butter Bars, Blender Applesauce Muffins, and Overnight Slow Cooker Apple Pie Steel Cut Oats!
Y'all already know that I'm a baked oatmeal aficionado, so it should come as no surprise that I've concocted a new seasonal rendition for you.
Three cheers for Baked Apple Oatmeal! It's loaded with chewy oats, studded with chunks of apples and crunchy pecans, spiced with cinnamon, and sweetened with maple syrup...and it's the perfect way to warm up on a chilly (or not chilly) morning!
But juuuust in case you're new to the whole baked oatmeal phenomenon...
How to Make It
I'm happy to report that Baked Apple Oatmeal is extremely quick and simple to make.
- First, stir together the ingredients -- typically rolled oats, some sort of milk, a couple of eggs, a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup, fruit and nuts (if desired), and flavorings or spices. I also like adding some melted coconut oil to give an extra boost of nutrition to my baked oatmeal.
- After your ingredients are well-combined, simply spread the mixture into a greased baking dish.
- Pop it in the oven until the oatmeal is set and golden on top.
- Then slice and serve warm! I typically like to top mine with drizzle of milk and a sprinkle of toasted nuts.
Reasons to Love Baked Apple Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is fabulous for a lot of reasons, and this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is no exception:
- It’s quick and easy to make.
- It's an ideal make-ahead breakfast. Not only is it tasty fresh from the oven, but it's also delicious the next day (or the day after that, if it lasts that long), because it reheats beautifully with a splash of milk.
- It's tasty and easy to customize. All three of my kids love it, and y'all, that's saying a lot.
- It’s wholesome, filling, and full of healthy ingredients...AKA, the perfect breakfast for staying satisfied until lunchtime!
Possible Substitutions
It's easy to customize this Baked Apple Oatmeal recipe to your liking:
- Apple. Any type of apple will work...some varieties just become softer than others during baking. I used a Braeburn apple for this batch because that's what I had on hand. You can leave on the skin (I do) or peel the apple, if you prefer.
- Milk. I typically use whole milk in this recipe, but you may use skim milk or even a dairy-free option, such as almond milk or oat milk.
- Applesauce. I always use unsweetened applesauce because I prefer controlling the sweetness of my baked oatmeal, but sweetened will work as well.
- Oil. If you wish, you may substitute a different type of neutral oil (such as sunflower) or melted butter for the coconut oil.
- Maple syrup. Honey may be substituted for the maple syrup for a slightly different flavor.
- Nuts. Pecans (or your favorite type of nut) may be swapped in for the walnuts.
Baked Oatmeal with Quick Oats?
I prefer using old-fashioned rolled oats in my baked oatmeal for the best texture.
That being said, quick oats will work if that's all you have on hand. You'll just probably need to use slightly less since they're packed more tightly when measured out.
This Baked Apple Oatmeal is filling, wholesome, and lightly sweetened. I think it's delightful as is, but feel free to serve it with an additional drizzle of maple syrup, should you feel so inclined. Just don't tell my kids I said that.
Oh, what does it matter? They'll be too busy fighting over the last piece to hear you anyway. 😉
Helpful Tips, Tricks, & Equipment
- The reason the milk and eggs should be at room temperature is because if they are cold, they will cause the coconut oil to resolidify. To quickly warm everything up, I usually just put the whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes and zap the milk in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Reheat oatmeal by placing an individual serving on a plate, drizzling with a little milk of your choice, and then heating in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
MORE Tasty Flavors/Variations!
Baked Apple Oatmeal
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup diced apples, about 1 medium apple
- ½ cup applesauce
- ½ cup milk OR almond milk, at room temperature
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) an 8- by 8-inch glass baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, walnuts, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Mix in diced apples, applesauce, milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in coconut oil until all ingredients are well combined.
- Spread mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until set and light golden brown on top. Allow to cool in the baking dish for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with optional garnishes, such as warm milk drizzled over the top and additional chopped walnuts.
Notes
- Your milk and eggs should be at room temperature because if they're cold, they'll cause the coconut oil to resolidify. To quickly warm everything up, I usually just put the whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes and zap the milk in the microwave for 20 or so seconds.
- Reheat oatmeal by placing an individual serving on a plate, drizzling with a little milk of your choice, and then heating in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Nutrition
Post originally published on September 3, 2015 and updated on December 29, 2018, and January 10, 2021.
Do I need the almond extract? I don’t have any and I’m ready to assemble. I’m also out of Ginger ☹️
Hi Donna! Those two ingredients add subtle layers of flavor, but you can definitely leave them out. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Does it work to cut individual portions and freeze?
Hi Simone! Yes, you can cut this baked oatmeal into individual portions, wrap or place them in an airtight container, and then freeze. Then simply reheat individual portions as you need them. Enjoy! 🙂
Really, really enjoyed baking this this morning. I omitted the nuts and used melted butter as I didn’t have coconut oil. Absolutely delicious! You can’t “taste” the almond extract but I have no doubt that it adds some dimension. I first enjoyed it warm with a drizzle of peanut butter and then just by itself. I could have eaten half the pan in one sitting!
This is so delicious! I add some extra apple and raisins. My toddler and I devour them.
The flavors were delicious but as much as I wanted to love it, these baked oats were just ok. I think the texture was just off a bit for me. I will try your slow cooker apple cinnamon oats as I think I’ll enjoy their texture more. Thanks for healthy recipes to try!
I LOVE this recipe!! I have made it many times for breakfast prep and love adding pumpkin seeds and craisins along with everything else. I also switch up the coconut oil for canola oil - a great low saturates alternative. ( I even sprinkle a wee bit of brown sugar on top).
I greatly appreciate that this isn’t a very “wet” baked oatmeal. Most regular recipes call for way more wet ingredients.
Thank you for sharing this!!
I really like the recipe and will make it again. I used the honey and butter options. I also added 2 cups rather than one cup of apples which the recipe well accommodated.
What can I use in place of maple syrup? Can stevia or monk fruit be used? Or something else?
Hi Diann! I have subbed honey for the maple syrup in the past. However, if you're looking for another option, I imagine stevia or monk fruit could be used. I haven't tested them myself to be able to recommend exact quantities, but this recipe is pretty forgiving as far as adjusting the sweetness. 🙂
can this recipe be doubled for a 13x9 baking pan? TIA
Yes! Just watch the baking time to make sure it gets done in the center (you may have to add a few minutes). 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! Can I complete the steps up to baking the oatmeal and store it unbaked in the fridge until the next day?
Hi Danielle! If you would like to make this baked oatmeal ahead of time, I think you'll get the best results by baking, cooling, refrigerating, and then reheating. I don't recommend mixing up the ingredients ahead of time, spreading in a dish, and then popping in the fridge overnight to bake off in the morning because the oats can absorb much of the liquid as they sit overnight and your baked oatmeal will likely turn out drier than normal. Hope that helps!
This was absolutely delicious! I know this isn’t quite as ideal, but to prep it in advance (since we don’t have a lot of time in the mornings), I just mixed the wet and dry ingredients separately the day before (I mixed the apple slices into the wet ingredients), I omitted the coconut oil, and in the morning I melted 1/4 c butter, added it to the wet ingredients and then mixed it all together, so it just required mixing in the morning and popping in the oven. It worked great! My husband and 14 month old daughter loved it so much - in fact, my little girl kept asking for more and I ended up giving her 1.5 servings!! She ate more than me! Lol! This is going to be my go-to recipe for apple baked oatmeal for sure. SOOOOOO GOOD. Thank you!!
I occasionally make something that is so good I almost cry because it's so good. One time I remember doing this is when I made rice and pinto beans with shredded cheese. It was so simple and so good. (I cook a lot, and a lot of different foods, but this doesn't happen that often.)
This is one of those recipes. This is SO GOOD. I kept saying to my daughters, "How is this so good!?" They also loved it. (My son is a little picky, so evn after taking two bites, he wanted "regular" oatmeal--quick oats in the microwave with raisins, maple syrup, and cinnamon. He expressed his disgust out loud before his little brother had tried it, and so his little brother also turned his nose up. I think Little Brother will come around though...)
I did not use walnuts, I substituted unsalted butter for coconut oil, and I used half gala apple and half granny smith (I 1 1/2ed the recipe and used one whole of each apple, so I used a little more apple than the recipe calls for.) I also went a tiny bit shy on the almond extract. Besides that, I made it as written, and it is phenomenal. I've made a few different kinds of oatmeal over the years, and they've all been decent, but most I haven't repeated. I think this will absolutely be one I make many, many times! Thank you for this delicious oatmeal recipe!
Is there an alternative ingredient that you would recommend for the coconut oil?
Any type of neutral flavored oil will work in place of the coconut oil. 🙂
can steel cut oats be used?
Unfortunately, steel cut oats cannot be substituted for rolled oats in recipes. They require a different ratio of liquid and a longer cooking time.
Can you freeze it?
Yes. 🙂
Make this for the first time today. so delicious. I will be making this a lot!
We have a nut allergy (not coconut though) in the family. Is there something I can use in place of the walnuts? Or do you think I can just completely omit the walnuts, or would that mess things up? Thanks!
Hi Melissa! You can just leave out the walnuts. 🙂
I've been making different baked oatmeal recipes. This one was pretty good. Was out of maple syrup and coconut oil so used 1/8 cup of agave and 1/4 cup avocado oil. Needs to be a little sweeter. Baked in a 11x7 in Pyrex dish. Also, topped with a couple spoonfuls of low fat cottage cheese. I think a drizzle of maple syrup would add a little more sweetness. All in all, pretty good.
Loved this! I made mine in a silicon muffin tray and baked at 375 for about 25 mins.
Absolutely delicious anytime of day 👩🏻🍳
I've made this recipe 3 times, the last was on a camping trip where I put together the dry ingredients and added the wet when I got to our campsite. Yes, I camp in a travel trailer which features a small gas oven. It is and always will be one of our favorite breakfast items, my wife says this is a great desert not just for breakfast anymore. She likes it drizzled with heavy cream.
Samantha, thanks for this tasty and versatile recipe. I had pinned the recipe before the holidays but only had the chance to try it today. Substituting instant oats for rolled, butter for coconut oil, honey for maple syrup and holding the nuts allowed my mom to be able to enjoy your dish. (The need for softer foods for mom is such that rolled oats are a problem. Mincing the apples also helped!) Not only was this a tasty brunch but it will be breakfast or snacks for a few days!
Does this need to be stored in the fridge or can it be left on the counter?
In the refrigerator. 🙂
I made this today to take to a pitch-in brunch and I’m really glad I got to bring leftovers home! I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9x13 glass dish. I used 4 small apples (I wanted lots of apples) and left the peel on. I didn’t have enough coconut oil, so I used avocado oil instead. I used almond milk to make it dairy-free for friends. The flavor and sweetness was just what I wanted. A dollop of plain Greek yogurt served on top was a nice addition to my plate. I can’t wait to have more tomorrow! And I will definitely make this again.
ok so just to be clear .. You said the recipe is 401 calories is that for the whole thing 6 servings? In a weight loss program and just want to make sure I have the accurate amount of calories..can not afford any mistakes...it's a very close competition thx so much this is sooooo good!!
Hi Trish! The nutrition information for any recipe on my site is provided as a courtesy and is likely to be more of an estimate than exactly precise, depending on the particular ingredients you use. So if you are needing to be extremely accurate, I would suggest inputting the info for the specific ingredients that YOU use to make the recipe into a nutrition calculator. That being said, this recipe is estimated to have 401 calories per serving. There are six servings in the whole recipe. So 1/6 of the dish = 401 calories. Hope that helps!
Just made it this morning. We had it with a dollop of yogurt, drizzle of maple syrup and whipped cream. It was so good and filling! Thank you for sharing!