Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal is an easy and delicious make ahead breakfast for the fall and winter months. Prep it the night before and bake it the next day for a relaxed morning!
Aaaah, baked oatmeal. One of my favorite make ahead breakfasts! It’s easy and delicious, it tastes like cake for breakfast and everyone in my family will gladly eat a large helping. Even my oatmeal-hating husband!
Shhh… You can also bake it right away if you’re not the planning kind ?
This Apple Baked Oatmeal
- is extremely easy to stir up in just one bowl
- if you make a double batch you can freeze the leftovers for those extra-busy mornings
- we add a generous helping of Greek yogurt with sweetener and cinnamon, which is kind of like eating apple cake with cinnamon frosting
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Milk: Feel free to use any milk you like – whole, 2%, skim, non-dairy. They all work just fine.
- Oats: Don’t use quick oats, they require less liquid and will turn out mushy.
- Pecans: Feel free to use walnuts in place of the pecans, or leave them out entirely.
- Maple syrup: You can use brown sugar in place of the maple syrup if you prefer. Honey would also work.
How to make Apple Baked Oatmeal
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined (1).
Then add the wet ingredients to the bowl and stir very well until fully combined (2).
Next, fold in the diced apples and chopped pecans (3).
Now, transfer the mix to the prepared casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (OR let the bake sit on the counter for 10 minutes. It will come out less cake-like, but it will still be delicious!).
Sprinkle the oatmeal with coarse sugar if you like, and bake it for around 35-40 minutes (4). Make sure to allow the casserole to cool for around 5-10 minutes before you slice it to serve!
Recipe tips
- Oatmeal cups: You can also bake this in a muffin pan for individual oatmeal muffins – baking time is around 15 minutes. Great for a portable breakfast!
- Dice the apples into bite-sized pieces. If you dice them too large, it will be annoying to eat. If you dice them too small, they will disintegrate during baking. I like dicing them into roughly ¼ inch cubes.
- Don’t overbake. It’s important you don’t overbake the oatmeal, or it will end up very dry. I’m nervous about raw egg, so I tend to overbake it – but I regret it every time because it does really dry out.
Serving ideas
We love this baked oatmeal with milk, or with a serving of Greek yogurt (drizzle with maple syrup, of course!) – it’s almost like a healthy frosting!
It’s also delicious with a side of Cinnamon Apples ?
More baked oatmeal recipes
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup OR brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups chopped apple
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients: Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the milk, applesauce, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla and stir very well to break up the eggs. Fold in apples and pecans.
- Add to a casserole dish: Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread the oat mixture in it.
- Chill the dish: Cover the casserole dish (you can use either plastic wrap or even a towel). Chill in the fridge overnight.
- Bake the dish: The next morning, remove the dish from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until set and golden on top, about 35-40 minutes. Rest the casserole dish on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes, then slice to serve.
Nutrition
More recipe information
Recipe first published on 09/13/2019. Updated and republished on 12/14/2020.
Kathleen says
So easy and delicious! And such big serving !
Sue says
Do you have to chill overnight?
Nora says
Sue, check out this part in the recipe: “OR let the bake sit on the counter for 10 minutes. It will come out less cake-like, but it will still be delicious!” Hope this helps!
Jennifer says
Just made this recipe for the first time. My house smells divine and it was so filling and delicious. I added some plain Greek yogurt on top before eating which added another dimension to the texture as it melted like ice cream. A new keeper to my breakfast rotation!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Jennifer!
Rebecca says
I love this recipe so much! I baked it over the weekend and have been eating it for a quick breakfast every morning. I drizzle it with a little maple syrup and top it with a dollop of cool whip. Delicious and filling!
Nora says
I’m so glad you enjoy the oatmeal, Rebecca! It’s one of my favorite breakfasts.
Nancy says
Outstanding recipe!! ?? Thank you for sharing!
Nora says
I’m glad you liked the oatmeal, Nancy!
LouAnn says
Can flax eggs be subbed for eggs?
Nora says
I’ve had many, many readers tell me they successfully use flax eggs in my blueberry baked oatmeal, so I would think it should work in this one, too!
Kathy says
Best recipe yet for backed oatmeal. Easy to make plus delicious
Nora says
I’m so glad, Kathy!
Kathy says
I love this recipe. I am gluten free and vegetarian. I took this to a breakfast potluck where I knew there would be lots of meat casseroles. Everyone loved it. It was one of the only empty pans at the end. I also like to serve it as a dessert with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel syrup. Yum ?