Tender apples, warm cinnamon, and sweet maple syrup flavor this wholesome Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal, sure to become a new fall favorite!
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. This autumn, how does a big serving of Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal sound? 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 morning!
Who am I kidding here? September just arrived and it’s still 95°+ in Texas. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal has already saved us on busy mornings since school started. You see — just in case you aren’t already familiar with the wonders of baked oatmeal — it happens to be 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), reheated with a splash of milk.
This baked oatmeal recipe 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.
So whether the temps where you live are starting to drop or you’re just longing for them to, Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal is the perfect breakfast to ring in September! It’s yummy and nourishing, it’s easy to make and quick to reheat. In fact, it’s pretty much the oatmeal incarnation of a crisp fall day…and for those of us still subjected to sweltering heat, that’s about as good as we’re going to get until mid-November. 😉
Helpful Tips, Tricks, & Equipment
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- I used a Braeburn apple because that’s what I had on hand. I left the skin on, but you may peel the apple, if you prefer. I used whole milk and unsweetened applesauce, but feel free to swap out your favorite type of milk and/or sweetened applesauce, if you wish.
- You may also substitute a different type of neutral oil (or melted butter) for the coconut oil. You may substitute honey for the maple syrup. You may substitute pecans (or another type of nut) for the walnuts.
- I prefer using rolled oats in my baked oatmeal for the best texture. Quick oats will work as well if that’s all you have on hand, but use slightly less since they’re packed more tightly when measured out.
- 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.
Tender apples, warm cinnamon, and sweet maple syrup flavor this wholesome Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal, sure to become a new fall favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup diced apples (about 1 medium apple)
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup milk OR almond milk, at room temperature
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 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.
Post originally published on September 3, 2015.
More tasty baked oatmeal…
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I’ve been wanting to make this for a while and finally did last night. It smelled so good coming out of the oven that I could wait for the morning and snuck a piece 😉 It was wonderful this morning for breakfast too!
Yay, Kristin…so happy to hear that! My kids love baked oatmeal, and this is one of their favorite twists on it. 🙂 Hope you have a great week!
Love this recipe! The only ingredient I added was about maybe 2-3 tablespoons of apple butter because I used unsweetened applesauce. The apple butter gave added spic and sweetness to the oatmeal. It was delicious!
Just made this for breakfast today and the family LOVED it!! Such warm cinnamon-y apple goodness! I think I will double it next time for a 13×9, so we have leftovers! 🙂 Thank you for sharing …. my family thanks you too!
Just saw this recipe and it looks fabulous. I am wondering if I can sub egg whites for the whole eggs. If I can, would I use 1/4, 1/2 Cup of whites. Thank you very much.
I love this baked oatmeal. Sometimes, I sub blueberries for the apples. I just saw other variations so I may try another time. It is a quick easy breakfast for several days for me.
Blueberries would be great in this, Kay…thanks for the suggestion! And yes, we love baked oatmeal for all of the same reasons. 🙂
I recently compiled all of my baked oatmeal variations in one place…you can scroll to the bottom of this post if you’d like to check them out: https://www.fivehearthome.com/2017/01/02/banana-nut-baked-oatmeal-healthy-breakfast-recipe/
Is there any way to get the nutrition facts?
Hi Lauren! I use MyFitnessPal.com when I want to calculate nutrition/calorie info for a recipe. 🙂
I used everything here except for the substitution of coconut milk and I used pecans. I made it feed six servings and it 306 per serving when I put it in MyFitnessPal. Double check if you need to but it’s at least a ball park
Can this be prepped ahead of time and then baked for guests when needed?!
Hi Jamie! That’s a great question (and a great idea!). I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, but I can’t say for sure since I’ve never tried it. If you decide to give it a try, I hope you’ll come back and let us know how it worked out!
How would you store this? In the fridge or on the counter in a container?? Thanks! It’s currently in the oven right now! 🙂
Hi Brenna! I store baked oatmeal in the refrigerator and then reheat leftovers in the microwave with a splash of milk. 🙂
Looks amazing! I’m going to make this for my Bible study group tomorrow!
I’ve made this. It tastes awesome. Really loved it. ?
I made this the second I realized we had all of the ingredients. My sister pinned it and I’m so not a pinterest mom. If I don’t burn the house down Yay! So I was really excited because it’s baking and i’m not as bad at that.
So we had red delicious apples and pecans and I bring that up because of the nut substitution and a different apple type I think would have made this better.
For starters, I didn’t burn the house down *applause*.
The baked oatmeal was delightful. The apples (I noticed when I started but I didn’t have an alternative) were a bit green so they didn’t get in any way tender and they tasted a lot like despair with a delicious sauce.
I’ve never baked oatmeal and I thought it would be really sturdy like granola and between it being a little gooey and the apples being so sad I baked it ten minutes longer. It didn’t make it worse.
I still ate it like mad and this morning it was a bit more set and I split it into servings in microwavable bowls for easy grabbing and reheating because this is my new bedtime snack.
The takeaway:
Use granny smith or another tart apple. This stuff is AWESOME!!! (don’t tell my husband. I’ve convinced him it’s super healthy and boring so that it doesn’t all go to work with him).
Sweet! I made this with a couple of “flax eggs” and some raisins thrown in, plus a few extra walnuts on top. Delish! Thank you.
Thanks for sharing your modifications, Chessie…glad it was a hit! 🙂
Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes, Suz, I like using rolled oats for added texture, but quick oats should work just fine! You may just need to add an extra splash of milk if the mixture seems too dry before baking (since the quick oats will probably absorb a little more moisture).
can i use melted butter instead of coconut oil?
Yes! 🙂
can I double the recipe?
Yes! 🙂 You can double the recipe and bake it in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, but you’ll need to increase the baking time a bit. Enjoy!
I’m not sure if anyone has asked this but could you use steel cut oats for this? Just curious since that’s what i have in the pantry………
Thx!
Jeff
I don’t think this recipe would work with steel cut oats, Jeff, since steel cut oats typically require a longer cooking and more liquid to soften. However, if you search “steel cut oats” in the search bar in the top right sidebar, I have a few steel cut oat recipes that should pop up, in case you’re looking for other ideas. Hope that helps!
Looking forward to trying this! Quick question though, I am seriously allergic to nuts. Can I omit the walnuts or will it mess up the recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Nick! Yes, you may leave out the nuts and the baked oatmeal should turn out just fine. 🙂
This looks yummy! I don’t think I have enough rolled oats on hand. Would quick oats work?
Yes! 🙂
Thanks so much for a delicious and easy recipe!!! We made it without walnuts and almond extract (tree nut allergy) and it still tasted great! Also used melted unsalted butter rather than coconut oil. This has become a weekly favorite!