Baked Oatmeal is delicious for breakfast or as a snack bar when cooled. Baking oatmeal results in a spongy texture, much like bread pudding. It’s easy to make and customize with your favorite fruits and spices.
Traditional baked oatmeal, an Amish creation, usually calls for eggs, butter, cow’s milk, salt and sugar. My recipe uses none of these ingredients, and is simple, healthy, and bakes up quickly. The variations are endless when it comes to the types of nondairy milk, fresh and dried fruit, and spices you can use. The recipe does not call for any added sweetener aside from the raisins and apples, but see “Notes” below if you’d like a sweeter version.
- 2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1¾ cups nondairy milk (or water)
- 1 large apple, cored and chopped (peeled or unpeeled)
- ½ cup raisins
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Preheat oven to 375°F. degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Stir all of the ingredients (oats, milk, apple, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg) together in a medium bowl.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pan, and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. To serve for breakfast, spoon into bowls with a little nondairy milk, To serve as snack bars, allow to cool completely before cutting into 16 squares.
To further sweeten this dish, blend 2 ounces pitted and quartered dates (3 to 4 Medjool or 6 to 8 Deglet Noor) with the nondairy milk before mixing.
A favorite variation of mine is to substitute 1½ cups of sliced strawberries and ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom for the apple, raisins, and nutmeg.
Above: With cinnamon and grated nuts on top, and homemade almond milk.
Above: After cooling, Baked Oatmeal can be cut into handy snack bars to take traveling, hiking or for breakfast on the run. Kids will love them!
Above: For the version in this photo I used quick oats, which results in a more refined texture (I used Old Fashioned rolled oats in the photo below); both types work great.
Above: This is the Strawberry-Cardamom Baked Oatmeal, made with old-fashioned rolled oats and cut into bars after cooling.
Above: The three most commonly used types of oats (L to R): steel-cut, old-fashioned, and quick-cooking. I’ve not tried steel-cut with this recipe, but if you try it, let me know how it works out. If you only have old-fashioned but you want “quick,” just pulse the Old Fashioned in your food processor briefly until the pieces resemble the above “quick” oats.
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please share a comment below or on my Facebook page. If you’d like to print this recipe, use the green “Print” button near the top-right of the recipe. Learn more about the Straight Up Food Cookbook here. Thank you!
Hi Cathy, I am delighted to have found your wonderful recipes and, being Scottish, I’d live on oats if possible! I cannot thank you enough for making my journey (only just started a couple of days ago) wonderful help to make exactly the kind of food I absolutely love.
Have a wonderful holiday season from a great admirer. I think even my husband will love your recipes!!
Love and warmth from the U.K.
x
Welcome Barbara! 🙂 Thanks for saying hello! “Being Scottish” sounds very fun! 😉
I made this with old fashioned oats. My oven door doesn’t seal 100% so added 5mins. Result is moist, but sliceable and very tasty. Is result usually quite moist?
It’s moist at the beginning and as it cools it firm up. But feel free to adjust the liquid for more/less moistness. 🙂
Love this recipe. How long does it last in the fridge? Can I freeze the oatmeal bars?
Probably 5-7 days in fridge, and yes, they freeze well. 🙂 Thanks!