Baked Oatmeal 3 Ways!

Learn how to make Baked Oatmeal like a pro! This breakfast is truly one of the healthiest and easiest ways to start your day. I am giving you 3 different flavors to enjoy that are kid friendly, and great for meal prep!

When it comes to healthy breakfast options, I often turn to my trusted favorites: chia porridge, my favorite smoothie, and my protein packed Instant Pot Egg Bites. But let’s not overlook a trusty bowl of oatmeal!

While I am typically an egg or smoothie for breakfast kind of girl, my kids want something different. They love cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt. As a nutritionist, I want my kids to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning. This baked oatmeal is definitely one I feel good about feeding them. It’s loaded with fiber, low in sugar, and will help you to feel full longer.

This particular oatmeal has the best texture: rich, creamy, fluffy, and a little firm on top to hold it altogether. It’s perfectly sweetened without any refined sugar. For this recipe, you have 3 flavors to choose from: Blueberry, Banana Bread, or Apple Cinnamon Raisin.

Different types of oatmeal

There are typically 3 different types of oats to choose from when making oatmeal.

• Rolled Old Fashioned: these are the oats we use in this recipe for baked oatmeal! Rolled oats are made by steaming the oat groat, then rolling it flat. They provide the best chewy texture and won’t be mushy or too firm.
• Steel Cut Oats: have a more complex flavor and are made by chopping the oat groat with a steel blade. Steel cut oats take longer to cook and are definitely more firm.
• Instant Oats or Quick oats: the most processed version of oats! They are often pre-cooked, dried, and chopped into smaller pieces. Instant Oats are typically mushier because of the process.

When comparing these three different oats, Steel cut oats has 1 gram more of fiber and is slightly lower on the glycemic index. However, rolled old fashioned oats are still a nutritious way to start your day!

How to make Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal could not be any easier! Here are the simple base ingredients you will need:

• Rolled Old Fashioned Oats: as mentioned above, these are the best texture for baked oatmeal
• Milk: You can use a dairy-free milk, or regular milk.
• Eggs: the glue that holds it altogether! This gives the oats that firm texture and keeps it together.
• Sweetener: I use maple syrup, coconut sugar or honey. I prefer maple syrup!
• Ripe Bananas: This is going to add to the sweetener, but also give us a little more texture in the oats. We will use applesauce in it’s place in the apple cinnamon flavor. You can also use 1 cup canned pumpkin!
• Vanilla Extract: a fun little additional flavoring
• Baking Powder: This allows the baked oatmeal to have a more fluffy texture and rise a bit

The best part of this recipe, is that you put all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, and mix. We will add in any additional flavors as outlined below. That’s it! Baked oatmeal will bake in the oven for right around 35 minutes in a 9×9 inch baking pan.

Baked Oatmeal Flavors

This is the fun part! I created 3 different flavors for this post, but we could easily add in a few others. I will tell you how below!

• Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal: Add in an additional ripened banana, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped pecans or walnuts.
• Blueberry Baked Oatmeal: My kids’ favorite! You will still use one banana, but also add in 1.5 cups of frozen blueberries (add from frozen). You can also add in sliced almonds.
• Apple Cinnamon Raisin: You will use applesauce in place of the banana for this one (you can also still use banana instead), toss in diced apples, raisins, and some cinnamon.

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Storing and re-heating

Baked oatmeal is perfect for meal prep! You can easily make ahead on the weekends, and enjoy throughout the week. The best way is to cut into squares after the oatmeal has completely cooled. Wrap each square individually in saran wrap or place inside an air tight container.

You can refrigerate or freeze. From the fridge, just heat in the microwave for about one minute. Serve with some additional maple syrup on top! From frozen, defrost in the microwave or bring to room temperature at microwave for one minute.

Other Breakfast Bakes you will love!

If you are looking for some more breakfast bake inspiration, here are a few breakfast bakes that resemble oatmeal but are grain-free.

• Strawberry Coconut Breakfast Bake
• Pumpkin Apple Breakfast Bake
• Maple Pecan Banana Breakfast Bake