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If you haven’t tried Baked Oatmeal yet, you are missing out. Mildly sweet and lightly spiced with cinnamon, this leaves the average bowl of oatmeal in the dust.
When I say this is one of our family’s most beloved breakfasts, there’s no exaggeration. Baked oatmeal is tied with our slow-cooker oatmeal for our family’s all-time favorite oatmeal recipe, and we’ve made it so many times over the years that I’ve lost count.
Baked Oatmeal
A friend introduced our family to Baked Oatmeal via an Amish cookbook over 20 years ago and it’s been a staple in our family’s meal plan ever since.
There’s something about this sweet, chewy Baked Oatmeal that is just guaranteed to make me smile. Whether right out of the oven, or warmed up in the microwave the following day, this oatmeal is always a treat. We love preparing it for breakfast, but we’ve also been known to heat it up for a midday (or midnight!) snack.
To make this recipe even better, it can also be made in advance then portioned into individual bags or containers for one portion meals. This breakfast is a lifesaver on busy mornings.
I decided I should finally write a review because I have cooked this very easy recipe so many times! I love it! I bake it in a 9×13 pan. My son likes to add whipped cream to his baked oatmeal. I like to add almond milk to mine. It reheats great for a second day serving as well. I have a pan of baked oatmeal in the oven right now. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Oats – I use rolled oats in this recipe for their distinct texture in baked oatmeal. I do not recommend substituting quick cooking oats in this recipe.
Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar serves as the main source of sweetness in this oatmeal.
Cinnamon – Cinnamon creates a warm, rich foundation for the flavors in this recipe, with just a bit of spice.
Raisins – Either raisins or craisins will work well for this recipe. I typically just grab whatever’s convenient from the pantry. Not fan? I really like them, but you can skip them.
Milk – I use whole milk, but whichever milk you happen to have on hand will work fine here. Dairy free milks will also work in this recipe.
Eggs – Eggs help provide structural support for the oatmeal, keeping every bite hearty and consistent.
Baking Powder – This is our leavening agent, and along with the eggs helps the oatmeal rise.
Neutral Oil – I use light flavored olive oil in this recipe, and in most of my baking as it is neutral flavored. Canola or vegetable oil may be substituted here if that is your preference or more easily at hand for you.
Salt – I use Kosher salt in all of my recipes unless specifically noted otherwise.
Notes on Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Spoonula – One of my favorite kitchen tools that I use pretty much every day is the Get It Right Spoonula. It combines the best parts of a spatula and a spoon in one handy tool. Nothing sticks to it and it’s completely dishwasher safe. And, as far as I’m concerned, it’s practically perfect in every way.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Baking Pan
How to Make Baked Oatmeal
Preheating the Oven – To start, you’ll want to preheat the oven to 350°F.
Greasing the Pan – While the oven is warming up, grease a 10″ baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
Combining the Dry Ingredients – I add the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder to a large bowl. Stir until completely combined.
Adding the Wet Ingredients – Add the oil, eggs, and milk and stir to combine.
Finishing with Raisins – Last, I add the raisins to the bowl, stirring again until thoroughly mixed.
Baking – Scoop the oat mixture into the greased pan (I use a spatula to do this) and let bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Serving – Once the oatmeal has finished cooking, let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing/scooping and serving. This gives the dish time to settle after baking.
Expert Tip
I’ve said it before, but it’s worth restating, we really love our oatmeal recipes and there are endless ways to enjoy it. From the oven to the stovetop to the crockpot, we’re oatmeal experts over here. So, here are a few more tips to make sure your baked oatmeal turns out perfectly every time.
Mixing too Early: If you would like to prepare this ahead of time, bake it completely. Do not stir it together and wait to bake it later. If you stir it together too early, the oats will absorb all of the liquids producing a very different result. Instead, go ahead and bake it and then reheat as directed below.
Rotating the Pan – Rotating the pan in the oven to face the opposite direction halfway through cooking (at the 15 minute mark) is a good way to produce more uniform results, especially if your oven has hot spots.
Checking for Doneness – When the oatmeal is fully baked, it should be lightly browned, and slightly crisp on top and around the edges. If you insert a knife into the center of the dish, it should come out mostly clean with wet crumbs.
Serving Suggestions
I typically serve oatmeal on its own or with some fresh fruit. If we’re doing brunch or having a bigger breakfast spread, it pairs well with a Peach Fruit Salad, or this Honey Lime Fruit Salad. And if I want to add some extra protein, a skillet of Cottage Cheese Eggs always gets cheers.
Most mornings, the kids are likely to be eating their oatmeal with a Strawberry Banana Smoothie or these Spinach Smoothies. (And yes, my kids actually like them – probably because they taste nothing like spinach!)
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: Yes! Not only can this recipe be made ahead, that’s usually our plan when making it. I love having baked oatmeal tucked away for future breakfasts. This oatmeal will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, or several months in the freezer.
How to Store: Let the oatmeal cool completely, then cut or scoop into portions. I usually store this dish in airtight containers or freezer bags.
How to Reheat: I reheat individual portions in the microwave with about a tablespoon of water. Or cover the pan with foil and pop the room temperature pan in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.
More Baked Oatmeal Recipes
- Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
- Baked Peach Oatmeal
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Pineapple Coconut Baked Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal
Frequently Asked Questions
You can substitute melted butter for the oil at a 1:1 ratio (so ¼-cup, or one ½-stick of butter).
In this case, I don’t recommend it. Changing the type of oats will drastically affect the overall texture of the oatmeal. And steel cut oats will not cook through at all in the recommended time frame.
Yes, you can incorporate all kinds of add-ins into baked oatmeal! Check out the collection of baked oatmeal recipes I’ve shared above for more ideas.
The Best Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup light flavored olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 1½ cups milk
- 1 cup craisins or raisins optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch pan with butter or coat with cooking spray. Combine the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the oil, eggs, and milk and stir to combine. Add the craisins and stir once more.
- Scoop the oat mixture into the greased pan and bake for 30 minutes. The oatmeal should be lightly browned, slightly crisp on top and around the edges. A knife inserted will come out mostly clean with wet crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Slice into servings or scoop servings with a spoon.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 1/26/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 8/17/26}
Baked oatmeal is a staple in my house. Funny thing is, I have disliked oatmeal my entire life (I'm a grits kinda girl), but this dish is in the top ten of my favorite recipes. I make mine with sliced apples and cinnamon lining the bottom with no craisins or raisins and I'm here to tell you that I don't know which I would choose if I HAD to, grits or (gulp)baked oatmeal. It is truly divine. 🙂
I tested this recipe and I really liked it. I'm addicted to oatmeal. That was the first time I baked it.
I published it on my blog : http://lescrocsduloupinet.blogspot.fr/2016/03/gateau-de-flocons-davoine-labricot.html .
Thank you for sharing your recipes.
(From France)
Tried this for breakfast today. Made only half as much because I’m the only one that enjoys all things oatmeal. Delicious! Used 1/2 of everything except I used only 1 egg, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and also added 1/2 cup of pecans and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
Simple and delicious! We used golden raisins instead of cranberries and it was perfect!
Used this recipe as a jumping off point: we added almonds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and vanilla.
Superb!!
Thank you for posting. 😁
I love this! Followed recipe but added a handful of walnuts and sprinkled with extra cinnamon. It’s moist but holds together well. I can imagine many variations according to what dried fruit or nuts and seeds I have hanging around.
Just made this this morning on a very rainy Sunday. It was delicious and got rave reviews from my family. Definitely a repeater!!! Thanks so much
I’m so glad you like the baked oatmeal, Karen!
Do you have the nutritional values for the baked oatmeal…???
Hi Michelle, that isn’t something that I track, however you can take the ingredient list and paste it into an online recipe calculator (like this one: https://happyforks.com/analyzer) to figure the nutritionals.
Has anyone tried soaking the oatmeal in hot water first? I made this and loved it, but I feel like I might have liked the oatmeal a bit more tender. Thinking about taking half the volume of liquid as boiling water and soaking the oatmeal in it for a few minutes before adding the other ingredients. I have an oatmeal spice cake recipe that calls for that and it always comes out great.
Hi Sarah, I enjoy the texture of the oatmeal as written, but if you prefer it a bit softer, you can substitute the smaller quick-cooking oats for the old fashioned rolled oats listed above. They will soften more in the baking process.
I’ve made it from recipes that actually have you use cooked/prepared oatmeal instead of adding in the dry oats and it comes out perfect. You could try doing that and you would probably like it that way.
Can i substitute sweetener for the brown sugar?
Sure thing. You can use any sweetener you like, Anita.
Can I use soy milk instead of cow’s milk in this recipe?
That should work fine, Charity.
When you say 10 inch pan, are you talking about a round cake pan? I have never heard of a 10×10 but your pan looks square in the picture. Also, it says 6 servings, but I am taking this to mean 6 good meal-sized servings for a pan that size. Thanks for the help. 🙂
Hi Holly, I do typically use a 10×10 square pan, however, you can make this in just about any size pan. Just adjust the time slightly higher for thicker oatmeal in a smaller pan, and adjust it for less baking time if you’re making thinner oatmeal in a larger pan. The oatmeal won’t a great deal in the oven, so as long as it has at least half an inch rise space in the pan, it will work fine.
I’ve had baked oatmeal once in my life, and now I’ve volunteered to bring it for a breakfast-themed meal. I’m not sure if the olive oil I have on hand is lightly-flavored…anyone used butter instead?
Butter, vegetable or canola oil will work as well. You just don’t want to use an extra virgin olive oil.
I made this with a few modifications this morning. We are it warm for breakfast and then cold with whipped topping for dessert after dinner. Absolutely delicious both ways. I added two over-ripe mashed bananas, blueberry infused dried cranberries, an extra half teaspoon of cinnamon (I would probably bump it up another half to a full 2 teaspoons the next time I make it), a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. I baked it in a 9×11 pan for the 30 minutes. Yum!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying this oatmeal, Stacey!
I’m so stoked to make this! Can I make it the night before and then bake in the morning? If so, at what point do I stop?
That should work fine, Gabriela. However, I typically go ahead and bake it and then just reheat portions through the week in the microwave. (I add a tablespoon or two of water to the dish with the oatmeal when I’m reheating.)
Are baking instructions different at higher elevations?
This recipe should be fine at all elevations, Diane.
how can i make the baked oatmeal softer? my kiddos find it too hard
You might try adding 1/2 cup more milk, Ann. And make sure to remove it from the oven when cooked through but before it gets crispy on top.
What please is light flavored olive oil and is there a substitution for this?
Light olive oil is simply olive oil that is NOT extra-virgin oil. You can also use vegetable or canola oil, Harriet.
can you use melted butter in place of the oil?
Yes, that will work, Bonny.
I absolutely love this recipe! I made this one with craisins and added chia seeds! I also made the peanut butter banana bread recipe! I look forward to making them all. They also keep you energized and less hungry for those of us trying to lose weight and eat healthy too! Thank you for these great recipes!
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the oatmeal recipes, Dionne!
Hello Mary. Can I make the recipe with Quaker oats?
That’s what I use, Bose.