Shall we talk about that time I made oatmeal raisin cookies as a thank-you for a college professor and then proceeded to eat the whole batch? And then to make matters worse, I was never able to replicate them? Yeah. I have a thing for warm, sweet, cinnamon-y oatmeal raisin-y goodness. These cookies are the closest I’ve ever come to re-creating the magic of my College Cookie Binge cookies, but I also love baked oatmeal, which is basically a breakfast-friendly oatmeal cookie in a bowl. And hey, as long as you serve this with bacon and orange juice, this baked oatmeal is totally breakfast (or breakfast for dinner). Just ignore the amounts of butter and brown sugar that set off your cookie radar. Unless your kids refuse to eat it. Then you can totally tell them it’s cookies for breakfast.
how to make it
Also, in the spirit of not-cookie-ness, I bet it would be not disgusting if you left out the fruit and added some chocolate chips right before serving the oatmeal. If you can live with yourself for adding chocolate chips to your breakfast. And I think you guys know me well enough to know that I totally can.
Then add the butter/milk/egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour this mixture into a deep 9″ or 10″ pie plate or an 8″x8″ or 9″x9″ baking dish. Or something similar. Just don’t get too big–I’ve found a 9×13″ pan makes things a little too dry.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Don’t worry about cutting it–just scoop it into individual bowls and add a splash of warm or hot milk (cold milk is weird–everything becomes lukewarm, which isn’t really what you’re after). If you’re wondering what it’s like (besides awesome), it’s kind of a cross between regular oatmeal and a granola bar. Like a warm cookie that kind of falls apart with a spoon.
Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups oats not quick-cooking
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cup Craisins raisins, dried cherries, or other dried fruit
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter melted (you can substitute applesauce for 1/4 cup of the butter if you want)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and Craisins. In a smaller bowl, mis together the milk, butter, vanilla, and eggs. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Pour into a deep 9" pie plate or an 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately with a splash of warmed milk.
- Serves 8.
If you love baked oatmeal, try these other varieties!
Questions & Reviews
Made this over Christmas break and it was sooooo delicious! We used craisins and mini chocolate chips. My family loved it!
I’ve made this delicious baked oatmeal in the past – it’s delicious! – and I’m wondering if there is a way to make it with steel-cut oats? Maybe soak them overnight and then bake as per the recipe? I’d love to hear your thoughts 🙂
Do you think baked oatmeal would work with steel cut oats and agave nectar?
Ok, so I’ve made this twice now. The first time I tried it with reduced butter and sugar, and it came out tough and chewy, kinda like the oatmeal wasn’t cooked thoroughly enough. I figured the butter and sugar was my problem, so yesterday I made it exactly as written in the recipe (in a 9×9 pan both times, btw). It still came out super chewy. Is this how baked oatmeal is supposed to be (I’ve never had it before), or is there something going wrong–maybe how my gas oven bakes it, or maybe I should try quick oats? I really want to love this recipe, my husband and son love oatmeal cookies so I was hoping this could be a breakfast version.
This is definitely chewier than regular oatmeal, but if it’s bothersome, you might want to not bake it quite as long. 🙂
Hi I am wondering if this could be mixed up the night before and then pulled out of the fridge and put right into the oven in the morning? Thanks Tracy
I have tried this recipe several times since running across it on my cousin’s Facebook wall. I love it, as does my husband, who doesn’t regularly eat oatmeal. As a nursing mom, I add almond slices to help with my milk production, and a fresh apple for extra fiber. Delicious! Thank you!
A family member made this for Christmas morning–we all loved it, even the picky ones. She swapped out all the butter for applesauce, and it was still great. It’s probably good that we never knew what we were missing, as it might have been even better, if that is possible. Surprisingly, it was good re-heated too. THANK YOU!
As a young newlywed, one of the happiest moments for me is when my husband is amazed at a meal I make him (I’m definitely still learning!). I made this for breakfast this morning, and he flipped! It also convinced him immediately to purchase the Our Best Bites cookbook on our new Kindle. 😉 Thank you so much!
We love this recipe and it has become a staple in our family. One of my daughters has food allergies so we usually substitute the milk, butter and eggs with rice milk, oil, and applesauce and we love it that way as well! It freezes fine and reheats great.
Anyone tried this with fresh fruit or reheated as leftovers? This is a must-try, especially with fall right around the corner. So glad I stumbled across this reading all of the other favorite recipes of contest entries for the apron! 🙂
I loved it, along with my in laws! It is more like a cookie…what a good excuse! Will be making again (and again, and again)
This was extremely bland & sits so heavy in your stomach, that we (myself & my husband) were disappointed. I can see how people would like this though, so I think it’s more just my personal opinion. Though, I did want others to know how heavy this pie really is, so it’s better to serve small portions.
I have made this almost every other day since i found the recipe about 6mos.ago I simple love it and it is good for you.I add nuts to mine either walnuts or pecans which ever i have on hand.
My daughter wanted oatmeal this morning so we tried this recipe. It was a success. Both my girls ate it all up! Thanks!
Do you think i could substitute pureed pumpkin for applesauce? I like apple sauce but am in the mood for something pumpkiny (is that a word?) and i like the sound of pumpkin oatmeal!
I bet you could! Try it out and let us know how it goes! 🙂
Hey Girls, would I be able to double this recipe and put it in a bigger pan without drying it out?
I’ve never tried it, but I imagine that would be totally fine! Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t get too dry. 🙂
I made this up last night and refrigerated it for morning, is wonderful in flavor. I didn’t have dried fruit so I used some frozen cranberries that I chopped up in my nut chopper! Little 3 yr old says “mmmmm that’s good, that taste good!” He don’t usually like cinnamon so that is a good response from him. It even taste good COLD out of the fridge. I do have a question: what does the baking powder do in this mix?
It doesn’t look good it looks AMAZING!!!!!!!!
dear you guys,
thank you for bringing one of my favorite memories of my summer back!!!
I went to israel this summer for 2 months on a mission trip and my leader would make baked oatmeal ALL the TIME and i kept wanting to make it at home!!! so thanks, im making this for my family tomorrow.
I have made this countless amount of times since finding this on your site and I love it soooo much!! I even love it cold and so far I’ve put dehydrated coconut in it instead of dried fruit and it works very well!!
Thanks for a great recipe and keep them coming.
Charlotte;)
I have been making baked oatmeal for several years – modified of course, as the first recipe I had ever seen for baked oatmeal contained something like 1 cup of oil or butter AND at least a cup of brown sugar. Usually I sub apple juice for most of the oil – use about 2 Tbsp of oil or butter, chop up a whole apple, peels and all + dried fruit, 1/4 cup of brown sugar or honey, because more sugar/honey can be added at serving time. It is a wonderful breakfast – however it is also one of our favorite desserts for dinner – warmed up with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, so the breakfast leftovers end up as dessert! I have also frozen it in individual servings to bring to work for breakfast.
I have tried this a few times now and LOVE it! It makes a perfect Sunday morning breakfast for my family – I put it all together Saturday night and pop it in the fridge. When I get up in the morning, I turn the oven on and put it in. 40 minutes later, voila! A hearty and delicious breakfast.
Thanks for this great recipe! I made it this morning with some adaptations: http://www.amberdegrace.com/2011/05/maple-baked-oatmeal.html
This is wonderful! And I love it even more warmed up with a little milk, the next day!
My new breakfast (or anytime) treat! Made this a couple of nights ago! So YUM! Thanks! I have been taking leftovers for breakfast each morning since. I cut up and apple and added it along with the cranraisins and it was so good! Next time I might try adding blueberries. Hmmm!
Oooohhhh… we love baked oatmeal. It may shock you, but I eat mine with honey greek yogurt on it. I may have to try this recipe. It has more yummy sugary goodness in it than mine.
For those of you who have “texture issues”, I never liked cooked oatmeal until I stopped putting milk on it, added soy granules or wheat germ, craisins, etc. I drink a cold glass of milk with my gooey thick oatmeal and am perfectly content.