Baked Oatmeal with Apples
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Wake up to the cozy flavors of this baked oatmeal recipe with apples, raisins, and a nutty crunch—basically fall in a breakfast dish!
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, this 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 tart apples, plump raisins, and a crunchy nut topping is a classic. Bonus: it can be made ahead of time and reheats beautifully.
“I’ve been making this dish for the last two years and it has been a staple for our family! When peaches are in season, I sub them for the apple and add nutmeg and ground ginger.”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Oatmeal
- Light brown sugar – Adds sweetness and a hint of molasses, which pairs nicely with the fruit.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans – For crunch and nutty flavor; I like to divide them, mixing some into the oatmeal and sprinkling the rest on top for extra texture.
- Raisins – These add little pockets of sweetness and chew throughout the oatmeal. Feel free to omit them if you’re not a fan.
- Baking powder – Helps the oatmeal puff up slightly as it bakes.
- Cinnamon – Warm and spicy, it’s the perfect complement to the apples and oats.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
- Eggs – Bind the ingredients together and give the oatmeal structure.
- Milk – Keeps the oatmeal moist and creamy as it bakes.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and depth of flavor.
- Unsalted butter – For richness and flavor, both in the oatmeal and to grease the dish.
- Apples – Add juicy bursts of flavor that contrast nicely with the warm spices and rich oats. For the best results, use tart yet sweet baking varietals, like Honey Crisp or Gala, which hold their shape when baked.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the oats, half of the nuts, raisins, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.
Stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, make the custard by whisking together the eggs, milk, and vanilla.
Combine the custard with oat mixture and melted butter.
Arrange the chopped apples in a baking dish.
Top with the oat mixture and sprinkle remaining nuts over top.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until the oats are set and the top is golden. Be sure to save some leftovers; this dish is just as delicious cold out of the refrigerator the next day.
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Baked Oatmeal with Apples
Wake up to the cozy flavors of this baked oatmeal recipe with apples, raisins, and a nutty crunch—basically fall in a breakfast dish!
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
- ¾ cup 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 chunks (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch baking dish with butter.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, ½ cup 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 nuts on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the oats are set. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This dish can be frozen after baking, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours then reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 411
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Sugar: 36 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 322 mg
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
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.
This looks divine!!!
Could I make this without nuts? If so, any recommendations on what to use instead?
Hi Winnie, You can just omit the nuts. No need to replace them with anything else. Enjoy!
I have to give an updated comment about this dish. I’ve been making this ever since you posted this on your website, Jenn, and it’s become a staple in our house. I’ve made with apples, pears (our favorite), and blueberries. I like to bake the day before and then cut into squares to heat in the microwave the next morning. It’s yummy with yogurt or milk, too. I’ve made for company and it’s always a big hit!
This will definitely be a go to! The only things that I did change was to use 1/2 cup coconut sugar instead of the 3/4 cup light brown sugar and I used a raw nut mix from Simply Nature that had almonds, pecans and pistachio kernels. Delicious!!! What I will change next time is to put 3/4 of the nuts in the mix and 1/4 on top.
Can I prep this the night before and bake in the morning, rather than bake and reheat? Thanks.
Sure, Diane, that should be fine. Enjoy!
I do it all the time and it’s great that way,
I made this instead of having plain oatmeal and it was so delicious! I will definitely be making it again. I’ve shared the recipe with a few friends as this recipe is a hit! It is just as good reheated in the microwave the next day.
Should this be served with milk?
Hi Mimi, I never serve it with milk, but you certainly can if you’d like. 😊
This is super delicious!!! The only issue I had was that it took over 1 1/2
hours to cook and was still a bit moist at that point. I thought I messed up ingredient amounts but doesn’t look like it after checking.
Definitely will be making it again 🙂
I make this all the time. I always take it visiting family:)
I’m eating it with milk right now for breakfast and it’s delicious!
This oatmeal is so delicious! I didn’t have raisins so used craisins which turned out to be a delicious combination with the additional tartness. Next time I will try adding chia. Thank you for another 5 star recipe!!
made muffins that turned out good but not great…baked at 325 in convection oven for 35 min to internal temp of 205. What could I add make the mix hold together a bit more. Some flour?
Hi Kary, I’m still not certain they’ll hold together well, but adding a bit of flour may help.
I made this yesterday and it’s amazing! I reduced the sugar and butter by half. I also used oat milk which gave it some more sweetness.
One interesting note – I accidentally left the skin on the apples. Completely foggy brained it. But! It doesn’t seem to make a difference so if you’re looking to save time, that might help.
So good!! I used oat milk which worked fine, and added some cardamom and chopped dates. Will definitely make again!
I doubled the recipe, put it in a 9×13 pan, increased the cook time by about 10-15 mins, and took it to work. After 10 minutes it was nearly gone and I had everyone in my group stop by my desk to say they loved it. I will be making this again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.