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 with apples

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.”

Faye

What You’ll Need To Make Baked Oatmeal

baked oatmeal ingredients
  • 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.

baked oatmeal ingredients in bowl

Stir to combine.

mixed oat mixture in bowl

In a separate bowl, make the custard by whisking together the eggs, milk, and vanilla.

whisked liquid ingredients in bowl

Combine the custard with oat mixture and melted butter.

baked oatmeal mixture in bowl with wooden spoon

Arrange the chopped apples in a baking dish.

apples in greased baking dish

Top with the oat mixture and sprinkle remaining nuts over top.

oat mixture poured over apples in dish with nuts sprinkled on 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.

slice of baked oatmeal on plate

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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!

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Total Time: 50 Minutes

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch baking dish with butter.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, ½ cup of the nuts, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
  3. In another bowl, break up the eggs with a whisk; then whisk in the milk and vanilla until well combined.
  4. Add the milk mixture to the oat mixture, along with the melted butter.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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.

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Comments

  • Loved how simple it was to put this together and have it ready for a busy morning!

  • I have been trying to give family more healthy meals. This was a real hit. I used cranberries instead of raisins. I will surely make again.

    • — Margaret M. Higgins
    • Reply
  • Recipe is great. I used craisins and reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup. Also, I did not peel the apples and it turned out great. When you reheat it, just add a little milk and put it in the microwave.

  • Yum! The apples are my favorite part but it is scrumptious! It reheats very nicely. The only thing I changed was that I didn’t have regular oatmeal so I used Irish style steel cut oats and let it bake about 15 minutes longer. Definitely a keeper!

    • — Nora Schuffenhauer
    • Reply
  • The absolute best!! I’ve several different baked oatmeals and this recipe is top notch!!

    • — Chiquita Hodges
    • Reply
  • This recipe was delicious! I reduced the sugar a bit and substituted coconut oil for the butter, and the final result was stellar. My husband declared it to be a home run! I also enjoyed it as a yummy breakfast multiple days in a row–perfect for this sleep-deprived first-time mom. I will be making this when guests come to stay overnight!

  • This is delicious! Any thoughts on making this without refined sugar? Would you add another sweetener like apple sauce or coconut sugar or just omit the sugar? I’m hoping to make this for my 10 month old twins (they of course loved the original version, but I feel guilty about all the refined sugar). Thank you!!

    • Glad you like it! I’ve only used sugar in this, but some other readers have commented that they’ve used maple syrup successfully. Also, if you stick with the brown sugar, you can cut it back a bit, because the apples and raisins provide a good amount of sweetness.

    • No sugar. Sub 6 chopped dates.
      No butter. Sub coconut oil.
      No raisins. Sub craisins.
      Use 1 c steel cut oats & 1 c regular.
      More cinnamon.
      Oh man, this is a GREAT recipe :))

  • Made it the 2nd time with McCann’s Irish Oatmeal, chopped dates in place of raisins and organic maple syrup in place of brown sugar. Love the overall technique!

  • We love this delicious, nutritious recipe! I’ve baked it in 6-8 large non-stick silicone muffin cups instead of a single baking dish, for a next-morning grab ‘n go breakfast for the troops.

    I’ve gotten my best “muffin-style” results with a couple of small modifications:
    – Add one more egg (or 1/4 c. egg substitute); and
    – Mix everything together instead of layering.
    (- Bakes faster this way, too.)

    • I’m planning to do just this – make it in large muffin cups instead. Thank you for your tips. How long do you usually end up baking for?

      • I start checking them after about 25 min. of baking. Bon appetit!

  • Can this be made without the nuts?

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