The coziest, easiest make-ahead breakfast casserole -- Amish Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon! Crisp and caramelized on the edges, soft and fluffy on the inside, this hearty dish tastes like a warm oatmeal cookie! Top a big slice with maple syrup, brown sugar, cream, milk, butter or fruit for a stick-to-your-ribs meal that the whole family will love.
Baked Apple Oatmeal
This baked oatmeal recipe is full of fresh apples and warm spices for a simple and delicious way to start the day. Serve it hot, straight-from-the-oven on a Sunday morning before church, or prep ahead and reheat individual servings on busy weekdays. It's flexible, tasty, and totally kid-friendly!
Amish Baked Oatmeal Recipe
Baked oatmeal is a traditional Amish breakfast casserole. Unlike other bowls of oatmeal porridge that are prepared on the stovetop, Amish Baked Oatmeal is stirred together and then baked in a casserole dish in the oven. It has a consistency that's similar to bread pudding, with crunchy, caramelized edges and a moist, soft center.
There are endless varieties of baked oatmeal -- from a plain casserole to those studded with berries, cranberries, peaches and nuts. Most Amish recipes call for instant (or "quick") oats, so that's what I'm using here. They give the dish a nice, soft texture -- less chewy than classic rolled oats. And since oatmeal is always better with brown sugar, spices, and fresh apples, you'll add those to the mix as well. Baked Apple Oatmeal will soon become your family's go-to morning meal!
How to Make Baked Oatmeal with Apples
This simple breakfast casserole comes together in about 10 minutes with just a handful of basic kitchen staples. There's a reason the hearty recipe is a farmhouse favorite!
Ingredients for Easy Baked Oatmeal
- Butter
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
- Quick oats (sometimes called "Instant Oats" or "1-Minute Oats")
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Milk
- Apples
Step 1: Combine Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs and brown sugar.
Step 2: Add Remaining Ingredients
Stir in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, milk and grated apples.
Step 3: Bake
Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13-inch dish and bake it in a 350 degree F oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until set.
How to Tell When Baked Oatmeal is Done
The oatmeal should be lightly browned on the edges and on the top. When it's done, a knife inserted in the center of the casserole will come out mostly clean with a few wet crumbs. The dish will appear set and dry -- not jiggly and wet.
How to Eat Baked Oatmeal
Slice the baked oatmeal casserole into squares and serve warm. It's delicious on its own, but it's even better when you add toppings!
Baked Oatmeal Toppings
- Warm milk or cream
- Fresh fruit -- such as sliced bananas, fresh berries, or diced apple
- Sprinkle of brown sugar
- Pat of butter
- Drizzle of maple syrup or honey
- Dollop of whipped cream
- Scoop of thick, creamy yogurt
- Raisins or dried cranberries
- Chopped, toasted pecans, walnuts or almonds
What to Serve with Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
If you're setting out a larger brunch spread, here are a few options that go well with the baked oatmeal:
- Scrambled eggs
- Bacon or sausage
- Apple Salad
- Yogurt
- Ham Steaks with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
- Country Ham Biscuits
- Easy Frittata
- Baked Western Omelet
How to Store Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal needs to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Wrapped tightly, it will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. To freeze the oatmeal, bake the dish as instructed, cool completely, then wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. You can wrap individual slices so that they're easy to pull out and reheat whenever you need a quick meal for one!
Make Ahead
For convenience, you can bake the dish the night before, let it cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter the next morning before reheating.
How to Reheat Baked Oatmeal
Reheat a full dish of baked oatmeal in a 350 degree F oven for about 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat individual slices in the microwave (covered) with a splash of milk or cream until warmed through (about 45 seconds - 1 minute). Add toppings and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- I prefer the texture of quick oats for this recipe, but you can substitute with old-fashioned rolled oats for a chewier dish.
- The grated apples just blend right into the casserole (no need to peel them first), adding flavor and moisture. If you prefer chunkier, more prominent apples in your oatmeal, you can peel the apples and dice them into small pieces.
- I used Honey Crisp apples here, but you can substitute with any apples that you like. Other nice options include Gala, Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Jonagold.
- Add nuts, raisins or dried cranberries to the baked oatmeal.
- Instead of apples, make Berry Baked Oatmeal with fresh or frozen berries.
- For a twist on the fall ingredients, try Cranberry Baked Oatmeal.
- Healthy Baked Oatmeal is loaded with warm spices, but has less sugar and less fat than the traditional Amish Baked Oatmeal recipe.
Tips for the Best Baked Oatmeal Recipe
- This recipe yields about 6-8 very large servings. If you're feeding a smaller family, you can cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the oatmeal in an 8-inch square pan for about 35-40 minutes.
- Feel free to add more spices to the dish. In addition to the cinnamon, apples pair nicely with nutmeg, cloves, ginger and allspice -- anything goes!
- The cooking time may vary, depending on the size and type of your dish. For instance, oatmeal in a metal or dark pan will bake much faster than oatmeal in a ceramic or glass pan. Just keep an eye on it and remove the dish when the outside of the oatmeal is golden brown and the inside is set.
What to do with Oats Besides Oatmeal
- Oatmeal Pancakes
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Baked Apple Oatmeal Crisp
- Meatloaf Recipe with Oatmeal
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Amish Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 cups quick oats (“instant oats”)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (I use 2%)
- 2 apples, grated (you do not need to peel them)
- For serving: warm milk or cream, brown sugar, butter, maple syrup, nuts, fresh fruit
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Whisk together butter, eggs and brown sugar. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until set. Slice and serve with warm milk and other toppings, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 6-8 very large servings. If you're feeding a smaller family, you can cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the oatmeal in an 8-inch square pan for about 35-40 minutes.
- Feel free to add more spices to the dish. Apples pair nicely with nutmeg, cloves, ginger and allspice -- anything goes!
- The cooking time may vary, depending on the size and type of your dish. For instance, oatmeal in a metal or dark pan will bake much faster than oatmeal in a ceramic or glass pan. Just keep an eye on it and pull the dish out when the the outside of the oatmeal is golden brown and the inside is set.
Can you use regular oatmeal not instant?
Hi, Kathleen! Yes -- you can. It won't have the same soft texture (it will be chewier), but the recipe will work. Enjoy!
Looks engaging and delicious. I want to practice immediately. I like your pages very much. This recipe changes the way use oat before. Pouring honey on the top and sprinkle cashew or walnut debris look very attractive.
Absolutely delicious. Little that I did have leftover I froze. Heated up in toaster oven and fabulous. The flavors are so well blended together. A true BREAKFAST TREAT!
Thanks, Maureen! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
I have made baked oatmeal a few times, sometimes with apples and sometimes with pumpkin. But I never grated the apples. I use stevia and possibly a little honey and almond milk because of yeast syndromwe. But I like Amish food.