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

  • 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!

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