Baked Oatmeal you’ll want on repeat. It’s fruity, tender, and naturally sweet with a crispy golden top and a rich, custard-like center.
author’s note
The Breakfast I Wake Up Thinking About!
Baked oatmeal is having a moment on the internet right now, and while I’ve always loved a warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, I wasn’t sure baked oatmeal would live up to the hype.
So I tried a bunch of versions—some were too dry, others too chewy—and I got to work creating the perfect one. After lots of testing, I finally nailed it.
This baked oatmeal is soft, creamy, slightly custardy, and just the right amount of sweet. Honestly, it’s the best baked oatmeal I’ve ever had. I even made a chocolate chip version based on this one! It’s the dreamiest way to start your day—and truly a must-try.
Baked Oatmeal Ingredients
- Milk: Any milk works, but I usually go with unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- Eggs: Save the leftover egg white for an egg wrap!
- Pure maple syrup: It’s not the same as pancake syrup or corn syrup.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt: Small amounts, but key for big flavor.
- Melted coconut oil: For a more solid bar, use melted butter instead. Don’t use oils like canola, vegetable, or olive—they change the feel.
- Baking powder helps the oatmeal puff up and keeps it from getting too chewy.
- Fresh berries work best. Frozen ones add too much water and make the bars mushy.
Quick Tip
The fresher and riper the berries, the better and sweeter the oatmeal will taste. If you’ve got extra fresh berries, add on top of the baked oatmeal for a contrasting texture and additional sweetness.
Baked Oatmeal Recipe Tips
- Use an 8×8-inch pan. Spray lightly or use parchment paper to make cleaning up easier.
- Bake right away. Don’t leave the mix out—oats soak up the wet stuff and can get too dry. Mix it and bake it right away.
- Make it as sweet as you like. I like it sweeter, but you can use less maple syrup if you want. You can always pour a little more on top later.
- Save and reheat extras .These bars taste great later too! Warm one bar at a time in the microwave and add a little milk to make it creamier.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Turn it into dessert If you like a not-too-sweet treat, this makes a great dessert. Add a drizzle of maple syrup and top with whipped cream or vanilla frozen yogurt.
- Banana-nut version Swap the berries for diced banana and stir in chopped roasted walnuts or pecans.
- Want more crunch? Mix in 1/3 cup chopped roasted nuts or pepitas.
Quick Tip
Make it your own!
Bake less for softer oats (great with milk or creamer) or longer for firmer bars that cut cleaner.
Reduce maple syrup if you like it less sweet—add more on top later if needed.
More Breakfast Recipes With Oats:
Beverages
Oatmeal Smoothie
Breakfast
Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Healthy
Oatmeal Energy Balls
Breakfast
Overnight Oats
Baked Oatmeal
This Baked Oatmeal is chewy and soft with a slightly crisp topping, packed with fresh fruit and made with nutritious ingredients. Perfect for a cozy breakfast!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk see note 1
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup maple syrup see note 2
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or melted butter
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats see note 3
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups fresh berries see note 4
- 1-1/2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar or light brown sugar, optional
- Serving suggestions see note 5
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
- Add milk, egg, egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla, and melted coconut oil (measured when melted) in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Stir in oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt with a wooden spoon until combined.
- If using all blueberries, gently stir them into the batter. If using raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries, cut down to the size of blueberries. Add in cut fruit and gently stir into the batter. Scrape batter into the prepared pan, smooth it with a spatula, and optionally sprinkle sugar on top. Bake promptly—otherwise oats will absorb the liquid and affect the end texture.
- Bake for 28–35 minutes or until set and lightly golden on top. (The longer in the oven, the firmer the oatmeal is; remove sooner for softer baked oatmeal.)
- Let cool slightly, cut, and enjoy! I like it best warm, but it can also be eaten chilled or at room temperature. It is crumbly right out of the oven and firms up as it chills. If desired, drizzle milk or even coffee creamer and maple syrup over the bars—so good! Add any leftover berries on top if desired.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Any type of milk works, but I prefer plant-based milk (unsweetened vanilla almond milk) in this recipe to keep it on the lighter side. For a richer and more custard-like oatmeal, use whole milk or 2% milk.
Note 2: Not to be confused with corn syrup or pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is just one ingredient and a great natural sweetener! These bars are pretty sweet, so feel free to reduce the maple syrup if you’d like less sweet bars (you can always drizzle more maple syrup over baked bars if you want them to be sweeter).
Note 3: Quick oats and steel-cut oats won’t work properly in this recipe.
Note 4: Use whatever berry (or combination of berries) you like best. These are great with 1 berry and great with a combo of 3–4! Only use fresh berries, though. Frozen berries affect the texture and make the baked oats watery and less flavorful.
Note 5: For serving, try additional milk or coffee creamer, additional maple syrup, or any leftover berries!
Make this Baked Oatmeal your own! If you prefer slightly softer oats, bake for a little less time and serve in bowls topped with a splash of milk or coffee creamer. For firmer baked oats, bake slightly longer and let stand out of the oven for 5–10 minutes before serving. (The longer these bars cool, the cleaner they cut out.) If you prefer less sweet oats, slightly reduce the maple syrup. For sweeter bars, add maple syrup on top after they’ve been baked! This oatmeal can be served warm right out of the oven (my favorite way to enjoy it), at room temperature, or chilled—whatever you prefer!
Storage: Once it has cooled completely, transfer leftover Baked Oatmeal to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. Enjoy leftovers for up to 4 days. Cut out individual portions, add to a bowl, and microwave. Add some creaminess back in with a drizzle of milk, coffee creamer, or extra maple syrup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 398mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had a plum, apricot, peach, a few blueberries, and a couple strawberries that I needed to use, so chopped them all up and added 1 1/2 cups of that. It was amazing! I’ve been looking for a go to baked oatmeal recipe and I think I found it! Thank you so much!
Delish! So glad you enjoyed! Thank Angela! 🙂
This was a big hit for my family! Yum! The little ones enjoyed it with whipped cream on top.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Madeline! 🙂
Can I use 1/4 cuo Applesauce as a replacement for the egg? Thanks!
Sorry Loren, I haven’t ever tried this substitute, so I can’t say how it would turn out!