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Loaded with fresh blueberries, blackberries, strawberries or raspberries, this healthy Baked Oatmeal recipe is an easy make-ahead breakfast that comes together in just 10 minutes! Pick your favorite seasonal fruit or use frozen berries — it all works in this simple, hearty and delicious casserole.
It’s officially berry season (i.e., the best time of the year!), and we’re throwing these sweet little gems into just about everything! From salads to muffins, yogurt to smoothies, this is when we love to highlight the sweet, juicy fruit.
I originally created this oatmeal bake as a twist on one of my wintertime favorites, Cranberry Baked Oatmeal. I stirred it together on a random Tuesday morning at 6:00 a.m. before the rest of the house woke up, and I was certainly not planning on sharing it here. BUT…you guys, this baked oatmeal recipe is SO GOOD and it’s SO healthy! I couldn’t keep it to myself…
Plus, it’s perfect for meal prep since you can bake a pan over the weekend and enjoy it all week long, or you can prepare it the night before and have a beautiful feast to serve house guests in the morning.
How to Make Baked Oatmeal:
There are just a few simple steps involved here, and a handful of basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen!
First, stir together the dry ingredients. You’ll want to use old-fashioned oats, since they have a heartier, sturdier texture that stands up well to the baking process. Old-fashioned oats are also called rolled oats, but are different from quick-cooking oats or steel cut oats.
You will also need:
- pecans
- pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
- baking powder
- salt
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients:
- milk
- maple syrup
- egg
- vanilla extract and almond extract
- melted butter
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, transfer to a baking dish full of fresh berries, and bake in a 375 degree F oven until bubbly and set (about 30-35 minutes). Allow it to cool on the counter for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving!
Can baked oatmeal be made the night before?
Definitely! This is the ultimate make-ahead breakfast! Bake the casserole, allow it to cool to room temperature, and then store to enjoy later.
How to store baked oatmeal:
You have a couple of different options for storing this baked oatmeal breakfast recipe — either in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
Should this oatmeal bake be refrigerated?
Once the oatmeal has been baked and cooled to room temperature, you can slice it into squares, place each square in individual containers, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Alternatively, you can allow the oatmeal to cool to room temperature, and then just place the entire dish (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Will baked oatmeal freeze?
Yes! To freeze the baked oatmeal, prepare the casserole according to the recipe instructions. Allow the oatmeal to cool to room temperature, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to reheat a Berry Oatmeal Bake:
If reheating the entire pan of oatmeal, cover with foil and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave individual portions on HIGH for 45 seconds – 1 minute.
How to serve an Oatmeal Bake:
This is a wonderful breakfast casserole to serve alongside eggs (such as a Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet), but it’s also a satisfying, complete meal on its own.
I love adding some creaminess to the dish, as well as bit of crunch. If you’re serving guests, it’s fun to set up a “breakfast bar” and let your friends add all of their favorites. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- A pat of butter
- Additional drizzle of maple syrup
- A splash of milk (or cream)
- Whipped cream
- Extra chopped nuts
- Extra fresh berries
- Greek yogurt (try vanilla, strawberry or blueberry for added flavor)
- Coconut
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- A dollop of almond butter or peanut butter
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- This recipe yields 4 very large servings, or 6-8 smaller servings. If you’re serving a larger crowd, I recommend doubling the ingredients and baking in a 9 x 13-inch pan. You may need to increase the baking time to 35-40 minutes.
- Use frozen berries if you don’t have fresh berries on hand. You do NOT need to thaw the frozen berries before adding them to the dish.
- Instead of pecans, you can substitute with almonds, walnuts, or chopped hazelnuts.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute with cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg.
- I love the taste of almond extract in this dish, but you can substitute with additional vanilla extract if you prefer.
- For a delicious twist on this oatmeal casserole, try substituting sliced bananas, diced apples or sliced peaches for the berries.
Other easy oatmeal recipes that you might enjoy:
- Oatmeal Pancakes
- Pumpkin Spice Slow Cooker Oatmeal
- Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal Cookies
- Great Grandma’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Berry Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped pecans, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk or other milk of choice
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (or additional vanilla extract)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen berries, divided
- For serving: Greek yogurt, whipped cream, additional butter, additional maple syrup, additional berries, sliced banana, additional pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together oats, ÂĽ cup pecans, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, maple syrup, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract and almond extract. Stir milk mixture into oat mixture.
- Sprinkle 1 ½ cups berries in the bottom of the prepared dish. Pour oat mixture over top and spread to cover in an even layer. Top with remaining ½ cup berries and remaining ¼ cup of pecans.
- Bake until bubbly and set, about 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- This recipe yields 4 very large servings, or 6-8 smaller servings. If you’re serving a larger crowd, I recommend doubling the ingredients and baking in a 9 x 13-inch pan. You may need to increase the baking time to 35-40 minutes.
- Use frozen berries if you don’t have fresh berries on hand. You do NOT need to thaw the frozen berries before adding them to the dish.
- Instead of pecans, you can substitute with almonds, walnuts, or chopped hazelnuts.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute with cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg.
- I love the taste of almond extract in this dish, but you can substitute with additional vanilla extract if you prefer.
- For a delicious twist on this oatmeal casserole, try substituting sliced bananas, diced apples or sliced peaches for the berries.
Made this for our breakfast yesterday and we both loved it! We are getting quite a crop of blueberries this year so I used those (not as pretty as red raspberries, but super tasty and healthy!). This recipe is so adaptable to whatever fruit or nuts you have on hand–or spices (I just used cinnamon). I like that it is very flavorful but not too sweet and really like using the two extracts as it gave a great flavor. Since the weather is pretty warm, it’s nice that this goes into an 8×8 pan which easily fits in my toaster oven so I don’t have to heat up the big oven. I cleaned up and got the rest of breakfast ready while this baked. Great tasting recipe that comes together quickly and easily! Thanks, Blair!
That’s so great, Norma! I’m glad that you enjoyed it. I love the tip to bake it in the toaster oven. I could do the same thing — it just hadn’t occurred to me! 🙂
This was excellent!! Easy to prepare and toddler approved! Win-win 🙂
Thank you, Kimberly! 🙂