This Healthy Baked Oatmeal is perfect for breakfast! Learn how to make the best baked apple oatmeal that is easy to make and delicious!
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Warm apples, hearty oatmeal, crunchy pecans.. what’s not to love about this easy apple baked oatmeal?
Gluten free, delicious, and simple to make – baked oatmeal is hands down one of our absolute favorite breakfast recipes (which is why we have so many versions! Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal, Chocolate Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal, Blueberry Baked Oatmeal to name a few!)
Our favorite thing about baked oatmeal is that instead of having to stand by the stove and watch your breakfast, all the oatmeal ingredients get tossed together and baked in the oven for a simple meal!
P.S. If you love apples – you have to try these Baked Apples or our Overnight Apple Oatmeal!
Why we love this Oatmeal Bake recipe
There is a lot to love about this boneless chicken breast recipe. It’s one of our favorite proteins for a healthy dinner because it’s:
- Meal prep friendly – Bake once, eat all week for breakfast. Rather than cleaning a sticky pan every morning, you’ll have 2 dishes to wash!
- Portable – Can be eaten on the go or on a dish!
- Tastes great cold or warm – I prefer it warm but it’s totally yummy right out of the fridge.
- Has only 11 ingredients – nothin’ fancy – all pantry staples you probably already have!
- Takes under an hour to make!
Baked Apple Oatmeal Ingredients
To make this Apple Baked Oatmeal you’ll need:
- old fashioned oatmeal
- cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg
- olive oil
- egg
- maple syrup
- almond milk
- apples
- pecans (optional)
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded substitutions box.
How to make Healthy Baked Oatmeal
Making healthy baked oatmeal is so easy!
- Take all your ingredients
- Mix them together
- Pour them in a greased 8×8 baking dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until solidified. Cool + slice!
If you love easy breakfast recipes – this is truly the recipe for you!
Baked Oatmeal Recipe Substitutions
Fresh Apples vs Canned Apples: Fresh apples work best in this recipe. We don’t recommend using canned apples.
Fruit substitutions: Baked oatmeal is pretty flexible and you can make a lot of substitutions to it. You can sub in any type of fruit or berry in this recipe for the apples. I’d check out this Chocolate Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal or Healthy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal if you’re looking for something a little more decadent!
Maple Syrup: You can sub honey for maple syrup or agave. I have not tried this with stevia so I’m not sure how that would work. I tested this recipe with honey – both were delicious!
Vegan Baked Oatmeal: Sub egg for one flax egg, sub honey for maple syrup, make sure to use a dairy free chocolate chip
Gluten Free: make sure you’re using gluten free certified rolled oats.
Milk: You can use any type of milk in this recipe. Regular dairy/non dairy will work! Try our homemade Walnut Milk or Almond Milk.
Optional add ins: chopped nuts, chocolate, shredded coconut, or more fresh fruit would be delicious.
Steel Cut Oats: You can use steel cut oatmeal in this recipe. Use 1 cup of steel cut oats and 2 cups of liquid/milk. We have a Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal recipe that you can also follow!
Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats-Quick Cook Oats: I have not tried this with quick cook oats and wouldn’t recommend it. I don’t think that it will hold up/cook correctly with the smaller oats.
Baked Oatmeal Cups: I haven’t tried baking these in muffin cups but I think it would work! The only thing I would say is it will be harder to clean up and it might stick to a muffin tin. I would grease the muffin tins or use silicone baking liners. You can bake for a little less time.
Nuts: A 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or chopped walnuts would be a great addition to this recipe.
How to serve Healthy Baked Oatmeal
This Healthy Baked Oatmeal is a complete meal in itself, but you can serve it with your favorite toppings. I like to serve it with greek yogurt. You can also add maple syrup if you’d like. It’s also delicious with Egg Muffins or Frittata.
Can I Make Oatmeal Bake in advance or overnight?
Yes you can make baked oatmeal in advance! We would recommend baking, cooling and reheating this, rather than letting the batter sit overnight.
This oatmeal bake also reheats really well so feel free to bake it and then just pop it in the microwave or oven when ready to eat.
If you’d like to prep the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately for the batter that would work fine, but don’t mix your batter and leave it in the refrigerator overnight as it might absorb all the liquid.
How to store Apple Baked Oatmeal
Storing: Do not store this healthy baked oatmeal at room temp. It likely will get moldy or stale if you don’t refrigerate it. This baked oatmeal will last in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freezing baked oatmeal: Bake, slice and freeze your oatmeal. You can individually wrap it to make it easier, or allow slices to freeze and then put them in a ziploc bag or container so they don’t stick together. Baked oatmeal will last about 3 months in the freezer.
How to reheat Healthy Baked Oats
You can easily reheat apple baked oatmeal! This oatmeal is great when microwaved or warmed in a toaster oven.
Every microwave and toaster oven will be a little bit different but it should be warmed through in under 1 minute in the microwave
Apple Oatmeal Bake FAQ
Yes, baked oatmeal is healthy! It’s loaded with fiber, healthy carbs, and whole grains! You can customize baked oatmeal to be higher in protein or healthy fats depending on what you need but it is a very healthy meal!
Yes, oats can go in the oven. They’re best when mixed with milk, an egg and a little bit of sweetener
Oatmeal is a very healthy breakfast. The healthiest way to cook oatmeal is on the stove or in the oven. You can use milk or water, a little bit of honey and some chopped nuts to make a delicious breakfast.
Old fashioned rolled oats are most commonly used in baking. Some recipes call for quick cook oats or oat flour. Most baking recipes do not use steel cut oatmeal.
Pretty much any apple will work in this recipe. The best apples for baking are Pink Lady apples.
They’re a little sweet and a little tart so I find them perfect in baking recipes!
Braeburn or Honeycrisp are also delicious and hold up well. Really – any apple will work in this recipe!
We don’t recommend using Granny Smith or other tart apples in this recipe. If you’re looking to learn more about baking/apples check out this post goes in depth on the best apples for baking.
Baked oats are oatmeal. Baked oats are oatmeal that has been baked, while oatmeal could be cooked on the stove.
Baked oatmeal is good the next day! It’s great when stored in the refrigerator and reheated.
You can put egg in baked oats if you’d like or you can make them without eggs.
Oatmeal bake does need to be refrigerated. It will get moldy if left on the counter because of the moisture and because there are no preservatives in the oatmeal.
Other healthy oatmeal recipes:
If you love oatmeal check out these other Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes. Here are some of our favorite healthy recipes that use oatmeal.
Apple Baked Oatmeal Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 cup apples chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients until combined.
- Pour batter in a greased 8×8 pan – it will look like there is too much liquid, but it will absorb.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the milk is completely absorbed. Enjoy warm or cold!
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Do not store this healthy baked oatmeal at room temp. It likely will get moldy or stale if you don't refrigerate it. This baked oatmeal will last in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Trudi says
Wonderful!! Thanks for the idea!
Casie says
My kids and I enjoyed this as a healthy breakfast this week. Thanks for the recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you all enjoyed it! Thanks, Casie!
Lala says
I’m allergic to almond milk – since I’m not a vegan, can I use regular 2% cow’s milk or possibly coconut milk? Also, I’m thinking using shredded coconut as a sub for the pecans – would this be a good substitute?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Lala – Please read the green substitutions section. It says: Milk: You can use any type of milk in this recipe. Regular dairy/non dairy will work! I haven’t tried shredded coconut in this recipe but shredded coconut is very different from the texture of chopped pecans, so I would either use 1/2 the amount or skip it all together.
Jessica Stroup says
The perfect recipe for school mornings. This is a hit 100% of the time!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it!
ElizabethTaylor says
This recipe was such a delicious way to enjoy fall apples! I made this for some easy meal prep and it warmed up very well! I added some milk when warming to make sure it didn’t dry out and it turned out great!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much!! So happy you liked it!
Erica says
So happy to have found this recipe! Our family loves it so much that I meal prep it for breakfasts weekly. I’ll even add some chia seeds and blueberries too! Once cooked, I love to throw some plain Greek yogurt on top. Absolutely delish!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Erica! Thank you!!
Patricia says
The carbs and sugars are quite high for those whose diets call for less . Are any substitutes can be used to lessen the carbs and sugars for this recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Oatmeal is by nature a high carb food. There’s really no way to make it lower carb. As for the sugar – the sugar naturally occurs in apples and in maple syrup. You could omit the maple syrup but it won’t taste as good. If you’re looking for a low carb meal, oatmeal isn’t the right choice
Liz says
It was okay. Didn’t seem like enough liquid in it once baked. The top was hard and crunchy like uncooked oats. The flavor overall was good though.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Baked oatmeal is supposed to be crunchy on top. Sorry you didn’t like the texture but that is the intended texture!
Jen says
Oh my gosh, this was so easy and it turned out perfectly! I had everything in the house except pecans so I subbed sliced almonds. I will definitely be adding this into my weekly rotation. Yum.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Glad you liked it, Jen! Try the next!
Maria says
So good! I double the recipe because my family eats it so quickly! I made it vegan by using flax meal substitute for my egg! So so good and so easy!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you all enjoyed it!
Maureen says
I loved this! I saw on instagram and made the next day. So quick and easy. I really like apples, so next time I make this I’m going to add a little more apple and a little less oats!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it!!
Lisa says
Could I add protein powder to this recipe? Would I need to increase the almond milk? Looks delicious! Definitely want to try for meal prep!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m not sure because I haven’t tried it. Baking with protein powder is very finicky. Try at your own risk!
Ana says
Very yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it, Ana!
Carol says
This is my favorite breakfast yet! Thanks for such delicious recipes!! I tried this with pears instead of apples but decided I like apples in it much better
The Clean Eating Couple says
Pears sound delicious too! Thanks for trying!
Pam says
I love this recipe! I make a batch for during the week and it’s a great weekend dish also!
Alexa says
It looks and sounds delicious but I’m wondering about texture? Is if soft like soft oatmeal cookies or crunchy like the nature valley bars? I’m asking because I want to give it to my toddler but he doesn’t do very well with super hard crunchy foods. If it is crunchy would adding more milk or egg make it softer?
The Clean Eating Couple says
The texture is super soft! It’s a little firmer/thicker than regular cooked oatmeal. I think it would be totally fine!
Lindsay Stacy says
I see the serving size is one piece, but I never saw where it says the total number of servings? One piece out of how many total?
The Clean Eating Couple says
It’s in the recipe. Serves 4 people. Cut in 4 even slices 🙂
Shauna says
So delicious and easy!
My only question is how many servings are in this?
The Clean Eating Couple says
4 servings! the servings are always listed in our recipes.
Sandra Kelly says
Would this recipe work using fresh rhubarb or cranberries ? I can’t eat apples
The Clean Eating Couple says
Both of those would be too tart. You can try or
T Silver says
Discovered that my cholesterol was slightly elevated so I needed to take a break from egg muffins! Of course I came here to find a replacement. Made this and I am in love! Substituted a flex egg for the egg, added raisins, and used rice milk. This is so light but quite filling! Perfect for those that meal prep for the wk! Thank you!
Carol H says
I added 4 oz of unsweetened apple sauce to up the apple flavor. For that reason I reduced the milk a little and eliminated the olive oil. II baked it in lightly greasedramekins for portion control. Delicious! I have to eat oatmeal everyday for my cholesterol so I’ve been experimenting with baked oatmeal flavors. This one is a keeper!!!
Kellie E. says
This is a delicious and simple-to-make breakfast or snack! We didn’t have apples on hand, so I subbed in a peach and some blueberries…the recipe is so versatile. My family loves it! What a terrific way to enjoy some morning oats! Thanks for creating and sharing!
Tyler says
Hi! What kind of apples would you suggest for this recipe?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi! Check out the post – we covered this – Pretty much any apple will work in this recipe. The best apples for baking are Pink Lady apples. They’re a little sweet and a little tart so I find them perfect in baking recipes!
Braeburn or Honeycrisp are also delicious and hold up well. Really – any apple will work in this recipe!
We don’t recommend using Granny Smith or other tart apples in this recipe. If you’re looking to learn more about baking/apples check out this post goes in depth on the best apples for baking.
t21Mom says
I think this needs a tbsp of brown sugar. Mine came out very bland.
Teryn says
Great recipe! Easy instructions and able to swap out apples for other options and still delicious. I have made it with 1% milk as well and came out just as good.
Anne S says
The only reason I didn’t rate this recipe is that I made modifications to fit what I had on hand. I used skim milk and almonds instead of almond milk and pecans. I also added an extra tablespoon of maple syrup because I have a sweet tooth. I’ve made this recipe several times and keep going back to it. I love eating it reheated with fresh berries on top.
The Clean Eating Couple says
glad you liked it! you could still leave a rating 🙂
Scott says
What would be a good way to add more protein with this? I’m thinking of trying this recipe with peanut butter, but any other recommendations are encouraged. I’m really looking forward to tryin this, thank you
The Clean Eating Couple says
I wouldn’t try to add protein into this, I’d pair it with something else that is high in protein lik e or