After a long egg breakfast phase (fueled by this simple technique for soft boiled eggs), I’ve begun craving my old standby, baked oatmeal. I had the intention of making a carrot cake-esque baked oatmeal, but the more ingredients I thought about adding, the more it began to resemble those super scrumptious Morning Glory Muffins. The baked oatmeal version has all the awesome flavors and textures as the Morning Glory Muffins (apple, pineapple, coconut, walnut, and carrots), but is quite a bit easier to make, has less sugar, and feels more like breakfast than a treat or dessert. I love it!
If you’re new to baked oatmeal, they’re a great make-ahead breakfast that can be quickly reheated each morning for a filling and healthy start to your day. Although it does take a little time to bake, the preparation is simple – you just stir everything together, then pour it into a casserole dish, and then bake. The oats absorb the lightly sweetened custard-like base as they bake to create a soft, warm, non-gooey version of oatmeal. Many people misinterpret the photos and think that the baked oatmeal is crunchy, but it is not. It is soft, moist, and almost fluffy in texture. It’s just fabulous. So, here’s the newest version!
Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal
Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal
Servings 8Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple sauce ($1.29)
- 2 large eggs ($0.44)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.08)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.14)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder ($0.03)
- 2-3 carrots, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups) ($0.33)
- 1 15 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice (drained) ($1.09)
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut, sweetened ($0.26)
- 1/3 chopped walnuts ($1.63)
- 1 cup milk, dairy or soy ($0.25)
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats ($0.43)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the apple sauce, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
- Peel the carrots and shred them on a cheese grater. Drain most of the juice out of the can of pineapple (it can be saved for smoothies or cocktails). Add the shredded carrots, pineapple, coconut, and chopped walnuts to the apple sauce mixture. Stir until well combined. Add the milk and stir again. Finally, add the dry oats and stir until they are well mixed and coated in the wet mixture.
- Pour the oat mixture into an 8x8 or 9x9 inch casserole dish that has been coated with non-stick spray. Bake (uncovered) in the oven for 45 minutes. Serve hot or refrigerate until ready to eat. The baked oatmeal can be enjoyed cold or reheated in the microwave.
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Nutrition
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Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple sauce, two large eggs, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp baking powder. A whisk works best for this step to help break up the eggs and get everything well incorporated.
Peel 2 or 3 carrots and then shred them with a cheese grater. You want about 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots total. Drain one 15-ounce can of crushed pineapple in juice (you don’t want to add TOO much moisture to the oats). Add the carrots, pineapple, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/3 cup shredded (sweetened) coconut to the bowl. Stir to combine. You’ll want to switch to a spoon for this step because all the little bits will get stuck in a whisk.
Add one cup of milk (dairy and soy both work well) and stir it into the mixture.
Lastly, stir in 2 1/2 cups of dry old-fashioned rolled oats. Although some people have used “quick” oats for my baked oatmeal recipes, I think the old-fashioned rolled oats work best because they have more texture. Steel cut oats require more cooking time and more moisture than rolled oats, so you can’t simply sub those in place of the rolled oats.
Pour the mixture into a casserole dish coated with non-stick spray. You’ll want to use a basic 8×8 or 9×9 inch casserole dish.
Bake in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Now it’s ready to eat! Or ready to refrigerate for the rest of the week.
I like to add a little splash of milk on top and then I’m ready to dive in! It’s sweet, full of texture, and loads of flavor!
I make this baked oatmeal and the pumpkin one all the time. My 2 year old loves them.
This is my favorite baked oatmeal recipe!
I love this recipe, even without sugar! Beth, have you considered making a master baked oatmeal tutorial? I love to sub ingredients for what I have available, but am never sure which baked oatmeal recipe to use as my starting point.
Great suggestion Veronica!
I subbed 12.5 oz fresh pineapple (since I assumed some of the 15 oz canned version is juice) and used unsweetened coconut. Turned out great.
Question for Beth or anyone: what about making this in a muffin tin for grab-and-go capability?
You can definitely do that! It might bake faster though, since there is more surface area contact with the heat.
This sounds amazing. Do you think I could sub boxed coconut milk? I don’t often keep dairy milk on hand and I have sensitivity to almonds. Can’t wait to try this!
If you’re talking about the type of coconut milk that is sold as a dairy milk substitute, then yes. The canned type might not have a high enough moisture content to work quite the same.
This was fantastic. I cooked it in jumbo muffin tins, which worked great.
I made the following small changes:
Added raisins
Omitted the sugar and instead took the liquid I drained from the pineapple. Put it in the measuring cup and added enough almond milk to get the total 1 cup of milk. Next time I might decrease it a little because it was very moist but sooo good!!!
These baked oatmeal recipes save my mornings!! I love having a huge batch of healthy, filling, hot breakfast that takes just a minute to get ready. This is one of my favorites, and I have tried several of your recipes. I replaced the applesauce with mashed bananas because I had 3 black ones on the counter and I needed to use them up. I also added raisins. This was great!
Mashed bananas are an awesome idea! How many did you use?
Made this for breakfast today using homemade applesauce, coconut palm sugar and almond milk. Turned out delicious! (PS – Thanks so much for your awesome blog. I’ve saved dozens of your recipes to my Evernote ‘Recipe’ notebook! I’m progressively working my way through making all of them.)
I love this recipe. I had just been eating oatmeal everyday and this totally brings it up more than a notch. I even used fresh nectarines (since they are in season now) instead of the pineapple yesterday… amazing. You can also add in flax seed meal with no ill effect. It’s such a versatile recipe. Thank you, thank you!
Absolutely love this! Made it yesterday for hubby and I to eat all week before work. This is my 4th baked oatmeal recipe of yours and probably my fave!! Love your website! Can’t wait to try the smoked tomato soup recipe you just posted!
In my Top 10! Make and freeze in portion sized scoops. Add frozen berries or Greek yogurt to eat. So fast and YUMMY!
I’m super excited to try this, I just have one question; would I be able to substitute coconut milk instead of normal milk?
Probably, yes. :)
Thanks for the quick response to my question re omitting the coconut…Based on your answer, should I add another 1/3 cup shredded carrots to the amount of crots already in the recipe ??? Also, do we drain the pineapple and use the liquid for something else??? thanks so much…
Yes, drain the pineapple and you can save the juice for smoothies or cocktails. :) (thanks for pointing that out, I’m clarifying it in the recipe now) As for whether or not to add extra carrot, that’s completely up to you. :) You can add more or just leave the coconut out without replacing it and it will still be good.
Hello–this looks delicious …What , if any, problems would there be if the coconut is not used ??? we have a family member with tree nut allergies…would cooking time need to be adjusted ?? would it be beneficial to add more of other ingredients like maybe more carrots or something ??? or just omit the coconut ??? thanks
You can leave the coconut out with no ill effects. :) You can try adding some shredded carrot or any other fairly dry ingredient in its place, if you’d like.
Holy yum! This is delicious. I love quick breakfasts for those rushed mornings (who am I kidding, all of my mornings) and this oatmeal is great for just that. I baked mine in a muffin tin then stuck them in the freezer so I have premade portions that I can microwave, pour milk over, and eat whenever I want!
Oh my gosh. This oatmeal is ridiculous(-LY DELICIOUS). I can’t open the fridge and NOT take a bite of this stuff! I made it with the hopes that I’d have breakfast for a whole week or two, but it didn’t make it that long.
I love it warm. I love it cold. I love it with milk… I love it any way it comes.
Thank you!!
I’ve been overwhelmed with websites, videos, and cookbooks, etc. I accidentally came across your site, and I’m RELIEVED!
I can finally stay focused by following your recipies. They look delicious.
Ps. We happen to be in the Same field of science!
Thanks SO Much!!!
Awesome! Nice to meet you! :)
Has anyone tried this with steel cut oats instead of rolled? Thanks!
I have done this with steel cut oats and it is sooo good. I assemble it the night before (keeping it in the fridge) and bake in the morning.
I’ve made this twice now, subbing maple syrup for the brown sugar and using unsweetened coconut flake – SO good!
This looks delicious, breakfast is such an important meal and this would be a greta way to start your day. Check out my blog if you want to know some of the other benefits of breakfast http://sciencewiththat.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/the-benefits-of-breakfast/
How would this turn out if I made it the night before, put it on the fridge and then baked on the morning?
I think others have commented that they’ve done that with success. The only thing you have to consider is that the oats will be chilled when they go into the oven rather than room temperature, so it may take slightly longer to cook.
Love the muffins, gotta try this next! One problem: I work with a food salvage team and have to use up a pint of lemon yogurt, a ton of carrots, and nix the coconut for this week’s prep shift. Any ideas for adapting this recipe?
I think lemon yogurt would be lovely in this. In some of my other baked oatmeals I use yogurt in place of the apple sauce. Just sub an equal amount.
LOVE IT! Wasn’t sure I’d like it as much as the baked pumpkin oatmeal but I think I love it MORE. The fact that I have breakfast for a whole week it icing on the cake.
Thanks for making the work week easier.
I am from scotland, just found your website! I absolutely loved baked oatmeal! AMAZING!! Can’t wait to mix it up with different flavours!
Baked oatmeal is an awesome idea. But for days when I don’t have the foresight to have made it, I have a trick. I have a 10 oz wide-mouth thermos. I put half a cup of old fashioned oats, a sprinkle of salt, and a sprinkle of cinnamon in it. Then, I add a cup of boiling water. I screw the top on and let it sit on the counter until I’m ready to eat it. If I have it, I can stir in some raisins and butter. If I absolutely don’t have time to eat it before I leave the house, I just take it and a spoon with me.
I love all of your baked oatmeal recipes. I usually cut into squares, wrap individually in plastic, and freeze them in a large freezer bag. Just 2 minutes in the microwave for a breakfast treat.
I made this one following directions and it was good. Made it a second time adding golden raisins and grated ginger–that took it from good to great!!
Quick question: can it be prepares the night before, refrigerate it and bake it the following morning? Or would it get soggy?
Other people have commented that they do that with success. The oatmeal itself is very soft and moist, so it can’t really get “soggy” :)
Just wondering…with baked oatmeal, do you eat it as an on the run meal or do you usually break it up and put milk on it as a sit down meal as it looks like you’ve presented it in the pic. I love oatmeal but have never had baked oatmeal. Will certainly try it. Chocolate oatmeal is my favorite.
Yes, you definitely need to eat it in a bowl. It’s not solid enough to eat on the go (it’s kind of soft and custard-like). I prefer it with milk, but it’s certainly good without, too. :)
Do you think this would work with something like mango in place of pineapple? I love the idea of these, but have a pretty strong aversion to pineapple. :)
Honestly, I can’t really imagine mango in that mix, but hey, give it a try! Who knows!
This was really, really good and incredibly filling. I portioned mine out into 9 servings, but the sweetness from the pineapple, and texture from the coconut was awesome. The boyfriend doesn’t usually go for cold oatmeal, but we’ve been eating it straight from the fridge, and he’s loving it. He’s even asked me if we can make it for breakfast again next week. Best part? This was easy enough that HE made it while I was unexpectedly stuck at work longer than planned. :)
He used too much coconut, though, being that he loves the stuff, and that clocked the nutrition info up to about 200 calories per serving, but that’s not bad at ALL. Thanks for another wonderful meal!!
what’s a serving size for this? also, do you have any nutritional information. it’s delicious!
The serving size was just the pan divided into 8 portions. Probably 3/4 to 1 cup packed, if I had to guess. Unfortunately I don’t have the nutrition info.
I am SO excited that I stumbled up on your blog. This is gonna help me get my husband and I on a food plan and food budget. You do GREAT work!
I just happened upon your blog last week. I have already made two delicious recipes. I am ready to make this, as I LOVE morning glory muffins! Looking forward to many more delicious meals on a budget.
Hi Beth,
I just found your site and am totally hooked, I love it! I’ve never tried baked oatmeal before, but am definitely going to try it next week – anything to make my morning routine smoother while still having a delicious, healthy breakfast is a must for me! One question on the baked oatmeal though. In one of your other recipes you mentioned pre-portioning it out in containers for breakfast the rest of the week. Do you freeze these containers or just keep them in the refrigerator? If you don’t freeze them do you think they will hold up well frozen then re-heated? I’m not sure I can commit to the same breakfast six days in a row so I was thinking that freezing and re-heating single serving portions might be a better bet for me.
Thanks!
Hi Robin! Often times I freeze some of the portions and keep the rest in the refrigerator for the next few days. It reheats really well in the microwave from both the freezer and the refrigerator. :)
I loved it. Thank you.
I am a big fan of All your oatmeal bakes, but this one is by far the best, but of course I say that every time I take one out of the oven! But really I couldn’t stop eating it! I just love your blog and recipes, so easy to follow!! Thank You!
I was recently introduced to your site and i am so glad I was! I love the one baked oatmeal I’ve tried, and this has some of my favorite things in it. I’m excited to try it! 2 questions: the measurement for the baking powder is missing something. Is it a teaspoon or tablespoon? Also, do you think coconut milk would work in this? I thought the flavor might go well in this.
Oh, wow, thanks for catching that typo! It’s 3/4 tsp and I just fixed it. Coconut milk would be good and it would make the oatmeal super rich! Yummmm.
Can you believe I’ve never made baked oatmeal? Will definitely give it a try. Sounds yummy!
This’s made me laugh so hard… In my country ‘morning glory’ is a name for ‘morning wood’ ;)
Hahahah, yes, right after I posted this my friend sent me a text telling me the same. My response was, “Well, it is that good.” :)
I love the texture of baked oatmeal. It’s almost like having oatmeal cake for breakfast. The morning glory muffin flavors are a great variation.
Love baked oatmeal. Blueberry coconut (two peas in a pod) is our current fav. But I most often make your banana bread oatmeal. I always mix it up the night before, stick it in the fridge until morning then back while I get ready.