Easy Baked Oatmeal: Whole Grain Healthy!

Anyone who knows our family knows that we love hot and hearty breakfast foods — not only for breakfast, but also for brunch, for dinner, and even heated up as leftovers any time of day.

It’s not uncommon for me to spend more time and effort planning our breakfasts than I do our dinners because we all enjoy breakfast foods so much.

And if I can work a bunch of whole grains into the first meal of our day AND have it prepped and ready to go the night before, that’s an even bigger win.

Enter… oatmeal!

Our family eagerly eats some type of oatmeal, baked oatmeal, slow cooker oatmeal, overnight oats, and/or granola multiple times per week, all year long.

Oats are my favorite “frugal” whole grain because they are easy to cook, easy to customize based on our taste preferences, and easy to find at any grocery store (I’ve even seen them at Menards!)

Oats are also full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and antioxidants (source) — they really fill us up and keep us full for hours!

Plus, oats are a naturally gluten-free whole grain (not necessary for our family, but I know it makes life easier for many of you!)

And did I mention they are inexpensive? 😉

If you’ve fallen into a breakfast rut and are looking for a new, yet simple, recipe to add to your rotation, I encourage you to give this EASY overnight baked oatmeal a try… and then let me know what you think!

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Yield: 6 servings

Easy Overnight Baked Oatmeal

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Baked oatmeal is one of our family's favorite ways to fill up on delicious whole grains. With a variety of flavor combinations, you'll easily be able to tailor this recipe to fit your family's preferences!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 c. oats (I use traditional, not quick)
• 2 c. milk (any kind) or water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce, oil, or melted butter
• 1 very ripe banana (mashed) or 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/4 c. honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Optional Add-Ins

• 1 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. pecans, walnuts, or slivered almonds
• 1/2 c. pre-made granola (gives it some extra crunch)
• 2 T. ground flax seed (with an additional 1/4 c. liquid)

Optional Toppings

• Maple syrup or brown sugar
• Peaches, blueberries, apples, bananas, cherries or any other fresh fruit
• Pecans, walnuts or slivered almonds
• Whipped cream or yogurt
• Milk (if you want a thinner consistency)
• Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Grease 2-quart baking dish (or 8" x 8" pan) and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients for the oatmeal
3. Add in any "optional add-ins"
4. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours (preferably overnight)
5. Preheat oven to 350ºF
6. Bake oats (uncovered) in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is completely set.
7. Scoop into bowls and top with desired toppings
8. Refrigerate leftovers (if you have any!)

Notes

This is a fantastic make-ahead meal for breakfast or brunch. It also travels well if you're bringing it for a holiday party (make sure you double the recipe for a 9" x 13" pan though!)

Recommended Products

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  Rolled Oats, 5 Gallons
• 
  2 Quart Dish with Lid
• 
  8" Square Baking Dish with Lid

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 541Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 73mgSodium 167mgCarbohydrates 74gFiber 11gSugar 40gProtein 14g

Nutritional information is approximate and does not account for additional ingredients or added toppings.

A quick note about the ingredients:

You can add mix-and-match ingredients based on your family’s taste preferences (and what you have in the house). The important thing to consider is your “liquid-to-oats ratio”.

In order to achieve the correct consistency, you’ll want to have roughly 3.5 cups of wet ingredients for every 2 cups of oats.

For example, this recipe calls for 2 cups of milk, 1/2 c. applesauce, 1 mashed banana (at least 1/4 c.), 1/4 c. syrup, 2 eggs (roughly 1/4 c.), and vanilla. That all adds up to between 3 and a quarter to 3 and a half cups of wet ingredients.

If you add significantly more wet ingredients, you’ll also want to add a bit more oats so it’s not too soupy after it’s baked.

Doesn’t it look delicious?

I promise, it tastes even better than it looks — but don’t take my word for it!

More Delicious Oat Recipes:

• Basic Homemade Oatmeal (with lots of yummy toppings)
• Slow Cooker Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal
• DIY Instant Oatmeal Packets (perfect for busy mornings)
• Whole Grain Oatmeal Pancakes (our favorite!)
• Chewy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
• Oatmeal M&M Bars
• Oatmeal Caramel Bars
• Crunchy Oatmeal Topping (great for fruit crisps)
• Rustic Whole Grain Granola (pictured below)