Really, I have nothing against oatmeal. I’ve been known to cook up a batch several times a week. Heck, I even regularly incorporate it into my homemade dog food.
But let’s be honest: Oatmeal can be boring. It can be mushy. It can be bland. Nutritious, yes. But something you look forward to come breakfast time? Probably not.
Baked oatmeal, however, changes the game. Baked oatmeal uses the same main ingredient as oatmeal — oats, of course — but has a totally different texture. Instead of being mushy like porridge, baked oatmeal has a delightful firmness to it.
The oats on top get golden and delicious, while the interior remains soft. And it can be tailored to your specific tastes with the addition of nuts, fruits, and spices. Here is my baked oatmeal recipe that will make breakfast anything but boring.
Baked Oatmeal Recipe
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup fruit of your choice, cut small
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. If using dried fruit, add that here. Note you’ll want old fashioned rolled oats, not instant, steel cut, etc.
Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Now combine everything and mix well. Now the mixture is ready to bake. You can use a casserole dish or do what I prefer — spoon into individual ramekins. This makes it handy to have individual servings the days ahead. I simply heat the ramekins in the microwave before serving in the morning.
Step 4: Place in oven on middle rack (or bottom for a toaster oven), and bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until top of mixture is golden brown.
And that’s all there is to it! Once finished, remove the dish or ramekins from oven, let cool, and refrigerate. But before you do, try a bite. Hot out of the oven, this is irresistible. And while this is intended for breakfast, I won’t tattle if you dollop some whipped cream on top and enjoy this dish as a dessert. Enjoy!