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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This is one of my favorite breakfast dishes. It is really versatile, which I love. I’ve made it with many different variations/substitutions due to my son’s various food allergies. The great thing about this recipe is that it is delicious if you follow the recipe to the letter, and also if you need to modify due to allergies or lack of a certain ingredient. I have subbed coconut milk for milk, flax seed eggs for eggs, taken out the brown sugar, and taken out the nuts at any given time. I usually make the original recipe for my husband and I, except we omit the nuts and sugar, and I like to add raspberries in it as well. I find that if you serve with real maple syrup, you don’t miss the brown sugar too much. It freezes really well and is great to put together ahead of time for a busy day or for when you have company.
I made this oatmeal but with frozen blueberries and no raisins, and really enjoyed it!
Hi Jenn. This is one of my favorite fall/winter breakfast recipes. I make this on Sunday and just reheat it all week long. Sometimes I switch up the walnuts for pecans. It’s so delicious!
This is great! I made it for guests and they loved It! My son’s girlfriend will not eat raisins. So I made it once for her without the raisins. Still delish!
I love this (posted earlier)… make it this way (except sub applesauce for oil and cut brown sugar in half). OR make it with blueberries. YUM. BUT now – as fall is coming – I’m thinking it would be amazing with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. I’m wondering how to adjust given the moisture in the pumpkin. Anyone tried this? Advice?
The recipe was a hit with my elderly mother and my husband. I added chopped dates in place of the raisins. It taste good hot or cold. The next time I make it my mom requested I use dried apricots.
I absolutely LOVE the white baking dish you have pictured in your review. Where can I buy the same one? Thanks!!
Hi Andrea, I’ve had that for so long (it may have been a wedding gift) I honestly don’t recall where it came from–sorry!
I made the Amish style baked oatmeal and the Raspberry Jam Bars for a group of women I was hosting. Great cooks, all of them! They loved both dishes. I prepared the oatmeal dish the evening before (I used pecans and 1/3 cup of lt. brown sugar) and baked it in the morning for 45 minutes. The Raspberry bars also used pecans and a 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Both dishes came very well. Thank you, Jen!
If it’s prepared the day before, do I refrigerate it or just cover it and leave it out?
Refrigerate it. Hope you enjoy!
Just made this tonight. Followed the recipe exactly except I only added half the brown sugar because of the comments. Everything is absolutely delicious except it is still way too sweet. I will probably toss it tomorrow and add much less sugar next time! Otherwise it looks like a definite keeper! Unless you LOVE sugar, you probably need to cut way way back!