Baked Oatmeal with Apples
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Wake up to the cozy flavors of fall with this comforting baked oatmeal—a warm, make-ahead breakfast that’s perfect for chilly mornings.
Baked oatmeal is a traditional and comforting breakfast casserole. Unlike regular oatmeal, which is made on the stovetop and has a porridge-like consistency, or overnight oats, which are served chilled, baked oatmeal recipe is made in the oven and has a consistency similar to bread pudding. There are endless variations, like blueberry baked oatmeal and morning glory baked oatmeal, but this version with juicy apples, plump raisins, and warm spices is a classic. Bonus: it can be made ahead of time and reheats beautifully.
“FANTASTIC!! I sub peaches during the summer and add ginger and nutmeg. We cut into individual portions and top with Greek yogurt.”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Oatmeal
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: The base of the dish; don’t substitute instant oats—they won’t give you the same hearty texture.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins & apples: These add-ins lend crunch, a touch of chewiness and sweetness, and tart, fruity flavor.
- Light brown sugar, cinnamon & vanilla: A well-balanced mix that sweetens the oatmeal and adds warm spice and depth of flavor.
- Baking powder: Helps the dish rise slightly.
- Butter, Eggs & Milk: This trio binds everything together and gives the oatmeal a rich and custardy texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, half of the nuts, raisins, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla until well combined.
Step 3: Combine everything. Pour the custard and melted butter into the oat mixture and stir until evenly mixed.
Step 4: Layer the apples. Arrange the chopped apples in a greased baking dish.
Step 5: Assemble and top. Pour the oat mixture over the apples and sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
Step 6: Bake. Bake at 325°F for about 40 minutes, until the oats are set and the top is golden. It’s just as tasty cold from the fridge the next day, so be sure to save a slice!
ADDITIONAL PRO TIPS
- Make it your own: You can swap the raisins for dried cranberries, chopped dates, currants, or skip them altogether.
- No nuts (or different nuts)? Instead of pecans, use slivered almonds or walnuts. Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds work too—or just leave them out.
- Meal prep win: Slice the baked oatmeal into squares, wrap individually, and store in the fridge or freezer for a grab-and-go breakfast.
- Best apple types: For the best results, use tart yet sweet baking apples, like Honey Crisp or Gala, which hold their shape when baked.
Got Oats? More Ways to use them
Baked Oatmeal with Apples
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
- ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, divided
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the dish
- 2 tart yet sweet baking apples, such as Honey Crisp, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3-cm) chunks (about 2 cups/232 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease an 8 or 9-inch (20 or 23-cm) baking dish with butter.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, ½ cup (60 g) of the nuts, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
- In another bowl, break up the eggs with a whisk; then whisk in the milk and vanilla until well combined.
- Add the milk mixture to the oat mixture, along with the melted butter.
- Scatter the apples evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pour the oatmeal mixture over top and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup (60 g) nuts on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the oats are set. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Loved how simple it was to put this together and have it ready for a busy morning!
I have been trying to give family more healthy meals. This was a real hit. I used cranberries instead of raisins. I will surely make again.
Recipe is great. I used craisins and reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup. Also, I did not peel the apples and it turned out great. When you reheat it, just add a little milk and put it in the microwave.
Yum! The apples are my favorite part but it is scrumptious! It reheats very nicely. The only thing I changed was that I didn’t have regular oatmeal so I used Irish style steel cut oats and let it bake about 15 minutes longer. Definitely a keeper!
The absolute best!! I’ve several different baked oatmeals and this recipe is top notch!!
This recipe was delicious! I reduced the sugar a bit and substituted coconut oil for the butter, and the final result was stellar. My husband declared it to be a home run! I also enjoyed it as a yummy breakfast multiple days in a row–perfect for this sleep-deprived first-time mom. I will be making this when guests come to stay overnight!
This is delicious! Any thoughts on making this without refined sugar? Would you add another sweetener like apple sauce or coconut sugar or just omit the sugar? I’m hoping to make this for my 10 month old twins (they of course loved the original version, but I feel guilty about all the refined sugar). Thank you!!
Glad you like it! I’ve only used sugar in this, but some other readers have commented that they’ve used maple syrup successfully. Also, if you stick with the brown sugar, you can cut it back a bit, because the apples and raisins provide a good amount of sweetness.
No sugar. Sub 6 chopped dates.
No butter. Sub coconut oil.
No raisins. Sub craisins.
Use 1 c steel cut oats & 1 c regular.
More cinnamon.
Oh man, this is a GREAT recipe :))
Made it the 2nd time with McCann’s Irish Oatmeal, chopped dates in place of raisins and organic maple syrup in place of brown sugar. Love the overall technique!
We love this delicious, nutritious recipe! I’ve baked it in 6-8 large non-stick silicone muffin cups instead of a single baking dish, for a next-morning grab ‘n go breakfast for the troops.
I’ve gotten my best “muffin-style” results with a couple of small modifications:
– Add one more egg (or 1/4 c. egg substitute); and
– Mix everything together instead of layering.
(- Bakes faster this way, too.)
I’m planning to do just this – make it in large muffin cups instead. Thank you for your tips. How long do you usually end up baking for?
I start checking them after about 25 min. of baking. Bon appetit!
Can this be made without the nuts?
Sure!