This warm and cozy Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal is a great way to get ahead on meal prep for the week. You can make this on lazy weekend mornings and enjoy all week long. It’s a quick and easy healthy breakfast perfect for the fall season!
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If you’re looking for more apple oatmeal recipes, try my Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats with Apples or Vegan Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie Bars.
Reasons to Love Baked Apple Oatmeal
- A hearty breakfast made with simple ingredients.
- Bursting with flavor, thanks to warm spices and fresh apple flavor.
- Best served with a warm cup of coffee for the full fall breakfast experience.
- Just as delicious for early mornings when you are running out the door!
- It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan friendly!
Plus, Healthy Apple Recipes you must make throughout the fall season!
Ingredients for Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon
This baked apple oatmeal recipe requires a short list of ingredients from the grocery store. We will need:
- eggs – eggs provide structure and hold the oatmeal bake together. Flax eggs will work as well, your oatmeal will just be a bit more dense.
- oil – use a mild tasting oil such as avocado or light olive oil. You can also use melted and cooled coconut oil. Just make sure the eggs are room temperature so the oil doesn’t solidify when mixing.
- maple syrup – adding a little sweetness to the base with just a touch of maple syrup. Feel free to serve with more to your liking.
- vanilla extract – for that hint of vanilla essence we know and love in baked goods.
- milk of choice – you can use non-dairy milk like soy milk, almond milk, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, oat milk, or whole milk. Just stay away from protein milk (i.e. pea or protein added plant milk), as it thickens the oatmeal too much.
- rolled oats – I prefer using old-fashioned oats for the best texture. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if necessary. I do not recommend quick oats or steel-cut oats for this recipe.
- baking powder – for lift and a light, fluffy texture as this prevents the oatmeal from baking up too heavy.
- sea salt – to enhance that cinnamon and apple flavor.
- ground cinnamon -I use a good amount of cinnamon for extra warmth. If you want to add more spice, then you could add nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or apple pie spice.
- fresh apples – one medium-large apple is enough for this oatmeal bake. I like to use a crunchy variety like Cosmic Crisp, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith (see What Apples Should I Use to Bake With below) .
TIP: If you want those pretty apple slices on top, thinly slice an apple and layer them in a decorative pattern. Then sprinkle with brown sugar, if desired.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
What Apples Should I Use to Bake With
I always recommend tart, crisp apples since their flavor balances the sweetness and their texture holds up while baking. My favorite apples for baking in this oatmeal bake are: Cosmic Crisp, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith.
How to Make This Baked Oatmeal
Apple baked oatmeal is one of my favorite things to make because it really is so easy. You can’t really mess it up, and everything gets mixed together in one bowl.
Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Then, grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
Mix Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.
Add Dry Ingredients
To the bowl of wet ingredients, add rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
Fold in Apples
Lastly, fold in the diced apples. Feel free to add any extra dried fruit or chopped nuts you want to add.
Bake
Transfer the oatmeal mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until edges are golden brown and middle is set.
TIP: You’ll want to watch your bake time for different size pans. If you are using a wider and more shallow dish, you may need closer to 25 minutes.
How to Serve Apple Baked Oatmeal
This apple cinnamon oatmeal bake is one of those dishes that can be served in several ways:
- Breakfast Bars: Cool completely, then cut into individual squares or bars. Take it on the go as oatmeal breakfast bars or pack it into school lunches.
- Scoop and Serve: If you’re enjoying on its own, I personally like to serve with honey or a touch of maple syrup, full-fat Greek yogurt, peanut butter or almond butter, or an extra splash of milk.
- Extra Crunch: Finish it with chopped walnuts or crunchy pecans.
- Brunch Style: If you’re looking for something to serve for brunch, this apple oatmeal bake goes best with fresh fruit and Kale Frittata with Goat Cheese.
- Coffee: Enjoy with a warm cup of coffee, Cold Brew Latte, or Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte.
How to Store, Freeze, Thaw, & Reheat
Leftover baked oatmeal can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze Oatmeal Bake: Store completely cooled oatmeal in a freezer-safe container. Then, label, date, and freeze up to 3 months.
Freeze Oatmeal Squares: Divide cooled oatmeal into individual servings, wrap tightly, and freeze in a freezer bag.
Thaw: Allow the frozen oatmeal to thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat Entire Oatmeal Bake: Cover with foil. Then, reheat in the oven at 350ºF until warm, about 20 minutes.
Reheat Individual Portions: Reheat in the toaster oven or oven at 300ºF until warm, about 5-10 minutes. Or, microwave for 20-30 seconds until steamy.
Recipe FAQs
Can you make baked oatmeal ahead of time?
Yes! Bake the recipe as instructed 1-2 days in advance. Then cover and store in the fridge. Enjoy cold or rewarm in the oven or microwave.
Can I make baked oatmeal without eggs?
Yes! Swap out the eggs for Flax Eggs.
How do I prevent my baked oatmeal from being too dry?
Avoid overbaking, as this will dry out the oatmeal and make sure you are using the right size baking dish. Different size baking pans will have different cook times.
How can I make my baked oatmeal sweeter?
If you want it sweeter, then add dried fruit like raisins (this is known as Amish style). You can also increase the sweetener by 1-2 tablespoons or drizzle the baked oatmeal with extra maple syrup.
More Baked Oatmeal Recipes to Try
If you make this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or melted, cooled coconut oil, or light olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 ¼ cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup diced apple, I used cosmic crisp, but honeycrisp, granny smith, one with a nice crunch is best
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease 9×9 baking dish or a 1.5 quart casserole dish (or a similar size).
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: In large bowl whisk together eggs, oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and milk.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add in rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Gently fold in diced apples and transfer to prepared baking dish. Top with chopped walnuts if you’d like.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or, until top is golden and middle is set. You can serve immediately bowl style, or wait about 20 minutes to serve as squares.
- Serve apple baked oatmeal with your favorite toppings, a little extra maple syrup or honey and enjoy!
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