Baked Apple Oatmeal features tender apples, warm cinnamon, and sweet maple syrup for a wholesome breakfast that's sure to become a new favorite!
If you enjoy apple cinnamon breakfast recipes, you'll also love Apple Cinnamon Waffles, Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins, and Baked Apple Cider Donuts!
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 Substitutes
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!
- Banana Bread
- Piña Colada
- Coconut Almond
- Strawberry (Baked Oatmeal Cups)
- Pumpkin
- Carrot Cake
- Gingerbread
- Peach
Baked Apple Oatmeal
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
- ยผ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- ยผ cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350ยฐF. 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.
Post originally published on September 3, 2015 and updated on December 29, 2018, and January 10, 2021.
Kyla
Does this need to be stored in the fridge or can it be left on the counter?
Samantha Skaggs
In the refrigerator. ๐
Grace
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!
Brooke
is there a way i can substitute the walnuts? i have a tree it allergy (coconut doesnโt count). can i leave them out or do i have to substitute them with something else?
Samantha Skaggs
It's fine to just leave out the nuts, Brooke. ๐
Leslie
Absolutely delicious! We are in the middle of the Texas winter storm and short on flour to bake a breakfast treat. I came upon this recipe and the family loves it! We are vegan, so I swapped the egg with Red Mills egg replacement and used almond milk. ๐
Samantha Skaggs
So happy it was a hit! We're in the middle of the same storm right now...hang in there!
Sarah
Me, my husband, and our 2 year old are obsessed with this!! Can it be frozen?
Samantha Skaggs
Hi, Sarah! Yes, this recipe is freezer-friendly! Sometimes I make my baked oatmeal in a muffin pan for individual servings (like this recipe), then pop the "oatmeal muffins" into a freezer bags for individual servings that you can later thaw. Alternatively, you can bake your oatmeal as usual in a large dish, slice into serving-sized squares, freeze on a baking sheet for a few hours until hard, and then transfer into a freezer bag for storage (the squares might fall apart or stick together if you don't freeze them separately first). Or you can just freeze the whole dish of baked oatmeal and then thaw and reheat before serving. Hope that helps!
Melissa
How many servings does this make? Saw nutritional info but no serving size.
Samantha Skaggs
The entire recipe is 6 servings, so one serving is 1/6 of the baking dish. It's listed in the green section at the top of the recipe card, but I'm sorry if it was hard to find!
Anne Shelly
Delicious, made for breakfast today, easy and fast! (I had to leave out nuts for health issues)