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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We love this but have friends coming for Xmas who do not eat grains…can I substitute Almond flour for the Oats… will lose texture but maybe I can add some ground nuts or coconut.. thanks in advance. Love this blog and love your cookbook.
Hi Robbie, Unfortunately, I don’t think this would work with almond flour. I’m not sure if you’re willing to consider a dessert, but if so, this flourless chocolate almond cake would work nicely.
This is SO delicious!!! Made exactly as written and wouldn’t change a thing. Can’t wait to make this again.
I would like to make this using frozen peaches, but when thawed they generate a lot of juice. Can I keep all the juice for flavour or do I need to drain the peaches? If I do need to drain, can I replace some of the milk with peach juice?
Hi Elisabeth, This recipe is very forgiving; it should work even if there’s some extra liquid so I wouldn’t bother.
This has become a staple to our breakfast menu. I’ve never liked hot oatmeal, so this recipe intrigued me. My husband and I loved it; have since made it with pears and pecans. I doubled the recipe and baked in a 13 x 9 pan for family and my brother-in-law stated it was one of the “top 5 best breakfasts” he ever had – high praise! Thanks for another winner, Jenn!
This is really good! Warning to others though that if you’re using slightly less than 2 cups oats, like even just 1/4 cup less, the 1 tsp baking powder will be too much. Was really surprised how much of the bitter baking powder taste came through despite the oats mixture being just a hair under 2 cups and everything else the same.
Made this last night and it was delicious!! I read all the reviews beforehand and like many others, made modifications accordingly.
I ended up omitting sugar and the raisins altogether; only chopped up about 1/3 cup hazelnuts (the only nuts I had on hand); used unsweetened almond milk and coconut oil instead; mashed up two large bananas in place of the egg in the milk mixture; and used more cinnamon than what the recipe called for in addition to adding some allspice and nutmeg and a dash of almond extract too!
Next time I would toast up any nuts in a pan on the stove top beforehand to give the dish a nuttier flavor, and experiment with other fruit and topping combinations. I am thinking of adding even more almond extract, perhaps some unsweetened coconut flakes, and even some chopped up pieces of an unsweetened 100% cacao chocolate bar!
It is true comfort food. Absolutely delicious and easy to make!
This oatmeal has become a breakfast staple in my home. Since it reheats so nicely I just make it Sunday night and I have a a dish that lasts a few days into the week. In an attempt to stay within my paleo eating plan I took out the sugar and used a bit of honey and mashed up ripe banana, my kids still loved it!
Thank you for another great recipe!
I absolutely love this dish. I added 1cup of buttscotch morsels to give it a caramel-like addition and then divided it into 6 individual ramekins. After baking, I freeze four of them, wrapped individually, for later use. Later, I take one or two out and thaw overnight in the fridge. In the morning I add a bit of milk and reheat. All ready to go.
I love this recipe, so delicious and easy to make! I do reduce the sugar somewhat. It reheats wonderfully, allowing for quick and nutritious breakfasts throughout the week!