Healthy apple cinnamon baked oatmeal with oats, applesauce, almond milk, a touch of maple syrup, and fresh apples. It’s bursting with apple flavor from the applesauce and fresh apples. This vegan baked oatmeal is sure to become a fall breakfast staple.
This apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is a game changer for chilly fall mornings. It’s the perfect make ahead breakfast that you can enjoy all week. You won’t regret having this healthy baked oatmeal ready and waiting for you in the fridge when you roll out of bed in the morning.
While you can enjoy this baked oatmeal hot or cold, when warm its deliciously moist and gooey. The bold apple flavor and warm spices is reminiscent of hot-out-of-the-oven apple pie. I recommend pairing baked oatmeal with yogurt or nut butter for a more filling balanced breakfast.
INGREDIENTS IN THIS HEALTHY BAKED OATMEAL
-
- Rolled oats – create a hearty, chewy texture. I don’t recommend quick oats for steel-cut oat fo this recipe. These oats will likely require a different liquid ratio.
- Unsweetened applesauce – helps keep the baked oatmeal moist while adding a touch of natural sweetness and fiber.
- Ground flax – act as a binder, holding the oatmeal together. Feel free to sub two eggs in place of the flax. Eggs add protein whereas the flax adds plant-based omega-3s. The oatmeal turns out great either way.
- Maple syrup – just a touch of maple syrup for flavor and sweetness. You can substitute honey or another liquid sweetener. For sweeter oatmeal use 1/4 cup maple syrup or simply add a drizzle when serving.
- Almond milk – the oats need liquid to expand and hold together. The 1 1/4 cups of almond milk will seem like a lot of liquid. That’s okay! This makes the oatmeal moist versus dry and crumbly. Let the oatmeal sit and absorb some of the liquid before transferring to the oven. Feel free to use any milk of choice.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla – warm and cozy flavors that when pair with apples gives this baked oatmeal delicious apple pie vibes.
- Baking powder and salt – for a little rise and flavor boost!
- Walnuts or pecans – adding nuts is optional. If you enjoy the extra crunch, they make a delicious addition while also adding healthy fats. Feel free to leave them out, but I highly recommend serving with a healthy fat like a drizzle of nut butter to make this baked oatmeal a balanced meal.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN BAKED OATMEAL?
Most of my baked oatmeal recipes are naturally vegan using ground flax. This recipe calls for eggs but it’s an easy swap to make vegan baked oatmeal.
You can use flax “eggs” (2 tablespoons of ground flax mixed with 5 tablespoons of warm water) or simply add 2 tablespoons of ground flax to the oats before adding the liquid called for in the recipe. Both work wonderfully! Since the oatmeal and flax absorb the liquid so well it’s not absolutely necessary to make a flax egg and wait for it to gel before adding it to the wet ingredients.
NOURISHED BY NUTRITION FACTS:
Apple NUTRITION
You’ve probably heard the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While it may seem cliché, there’s some truth behind it! Apples have a low glycemic index even thought they’re a carbohydrate and contain simple sugars. This means that apples won’t raise blood sugar levels as high as other simple carbohydrates. This is partly due to their high fiber content. Since a lot of the fiber in apples is found in the skin, I recommend enjoying apples with the skin on. Fiber is so important for digestion, blood sugar stabilization and detoxification.
Apples are also a good source of vitamin C potassium and the antioxidants quercetin and catechin. Quercetin has an anti-inflammatory effect, whereas catechin has been shown to improve brain and muscle function. (1) (2) (3)
MORE Healthy Baked OATMEAL RECIPEs:
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rate the recipe below to let me know how you liked it. You can also tag #nourishedbynutriton on Instagram with your creations!
PrintApple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Healthy apple cinnamon baked oatmeal with oats, applesauce, fresh apples, and a touch of maple syrup. Gluten-free, vegan baked oatmeal.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons flax (or 2 eggs)*
1 ¼ cups almond milk
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 medium apple, diced or shredded
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
5-minute healthy caramel sauceInstructions
Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease an 8×8 (or similar – I use a smaller 7.5×5 Staub baking dish) baking dish with avocado or coconut oil.
Mix together the oats, ground flax, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add in the applesauce, almond milk, vanilla, diced apples, and collagen peptides and nuts (if using). Mix until combined. Let stand for about 5 minutes so the oats and flax have time to absorb some of the liquid.
Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Place in the oven for 40-50 minutes. The larger your baking dish the less time it will take for the oatmeal to set. Check after 35-40 minutes. It’s ready when the top starts to brown and the middle is set. You can test this by poking the center with a toothpick or knife. It will come out clean when it’s ready. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with this 5-minute healthy caramel sauce, a splash of milk or top with yogurt or nut butter of choice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Notes
Baked oatmeal is great for meal prep. It can be eaten hot or cold. Just make sure to balance it out with protein and healthy fats. I recommend serving with yogurt and a drizzle of almond butter.
To Reheat: Reheat a single portion on the stove-top or microwave with a splash of almond milk. To reheat the entire dish, covered with foil, and place in a 350F oven until warmed through, 15–20 minutes
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #nourishedbynutriton.
I really love this recipe, it is so tasty! I did alter the amount of wet ingredients a bit though, as the first time i made this it just wouldn’t cook through. Instead of using 1 1/4 cup of milk i used only 3/4 of a cup. I also used real eggs, but instead of using 2 i only used 1. Even with these changes it has to cook quite a bit longer and it stays quite soft, but i really do like the outcome! Made it several times already. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Eline! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. Using eggs definitely adds more moisture which would require a longer time in the oven. Reducing the liquid is another option. I’m so glad you tried the recipe again with less liquid and enjoyed it!
[…] Healthy apple cinnamon baked oatmeal with oats, applesauce, fresh apples, and a touch of maple syrup. Gluten-free, vegan baked oatmeal. View full source […]