Healthy Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Apple Baked Oatmeal is a warm, filling, wholesome breakfast. This fall-flavored version features tender apples, warm cinnamon, and sweet maple syrup for a cozy breakfast that’s sure to become a new favorite! It’s easy to make ahead of time and reheat on busy mornings!
Apple Baked Oatmeal is such a satisfying, nutritious morning meal and makes for a super convenient make-ahead breakfast. We bake it on Sunday and have plenty of oatmeal for 6 mornings throughout the week. It’s loaded with healthy ingredients — oats, applesauce and apples. The eggs bind it all together, and a light drizzle of coconut oil (or butter) makes it taste like a treat.
Our healthy almond joy baked oatmeal is such a great oatmeal recipe, we used it as a guide for this apple version. It turned out so good! It’s thick, creamy, warm and full of apple-cinnamon flavor. It’s so scrumptious, there is really no need for a topping! Just one serving is super satisfying and always keeps me full until lunch with plenty of fiber and protein.
Everything to love about this recipe
- Tastes like dessert. This apple cinnamon flavor is warm, cozy and tastes just like dessert for breakfast. Yum!
- Filling and nutritious. A slice of this baked oatmeal is super satisfying and will keep you fueled for hours. It’s full of fiber and loaded with antioxidants.
- Easy and so tasty. This recipe is truly so easy to make in just 1 bowl and it’s so good you’ll be begging for another slice.
- Great for holiday brunches. Because this can be ready-to-go ahead of time, it’s great for the holidays, particularly when hosting guests. It’s the ultimate warming, comfort food. Simple, hearty, wholesome, perfectly sweet, healthy and delish!
Just made this recipe and it was awesome. I was a little nervous because I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk which my go to (Cashew Milk) yet, it was PERFECT! Kids and hubby topped it with fruit, greek yogurt, and a drizzle of honey. I think we found a new breakfast fav!
— CJ
Ingredients needed
This easy apple baked oatmeal recipe uses simple ingredients with cozy mix-ins, like juicy apple chunks, maple syrup and warm spices. Here’s what you need to make it:
- Milk. We typically use either unsweetened vanilla almond milk or cashew milk in this recipe, but any milk variety will work great.
- Eggs. We’re using 2 eggs to provide structure and bind all of the ingredients together. I haven’t tried using flax eggs, but I think it would work fine. I did have a reader let me know that my almond joy baked oatmeal worked great without any eggs at all and this is a very similar recipe.
- Maple syrup. To naturally sweeten the dish. Honey or agave would work great as a substitute.
- Butter or coconut oil. Just 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil will add richness. We have successfully made this without adding butter or coconut oil and it worked fine.
- Applesauce. Gives the oatmeal extra apple flavor! If you don’t have applesauce on hand, use mashed banana or pumpkin puree.
- Oats. The base is made with old-fashioned rolled oats. Use gluten-free oats if you’d like. However, do NOT use quick oats or steel cut oats because the texture will not be good.
- Baking essentials. We’re adding in baking powder and salt to give this baked oatmeal a little lift and ensure it bakes properly.
- Spices. Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice for warm cozy flavor!
- Apple. You’ll need one small apple chopped. We like using Honeycrisp apples best, but braeburn, pink lady, gala or fuji would be great choices too!
How to make this recipe
This oatmeal recipe is so easy because all of the ingredients get mixed together in one large bowl. You can find the full printable recipe at the bottom of this page, but here’s the key steps:
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, butter or coconut oil and applesauce.
- Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the oats, baking powder, spices and salt with the liquid ingredients until fully combined. Now, stir in the chopped apple and feel free to stir in other favorite mix-ins, like chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, cranberries or raisins.
- Bake. Pour the oat mixture into your baking dish. Top with nuts and/or apple slices, if desired. Place in the oven and bake until just set and golden brown, about 35 minutes.
- Serve & enjoy! Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Cut it into 6 individual portions for serving. Top with maple syrup, yogurt, almond butter or you can even serve it in a bowl with a splash of milk.
Should I peel the apple? Not necessary! You can slice and chop up the apple without peeling it. Once it’s baked, you won’t even notice the peeling. However, feel free to peel it, if preferred.
Optional recipe swaps
This baked apple oatmeal recipe is a super versatile dish! Feel free to swap some of the ingredients listed with your favorites!
- Sweetener. Instead of maple syrup you can use honey, coconut sugar or brown sugar.
- Dairy free. Make this breakfast dairy free by using a vegan butter or coconut oil and a non-dairy milk.
- Fruit. Want to change things up? Feel free to use another type of fruit. Pears would be delicious, but berries or peaches would totally work too! Or try our Banana Baked Oatmeal or Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal.
- Spices. Apple pie spice would be tasty. Feel free to leave out the nutmeg and allspice and only use cinnamon, if that’s what you have on-hand. You could also add in ginger and/or vanilla extract.
- Fun mix-ins. Any of these extras would be super tasty baked into this oatmeal – chocolate chips, shredded coconut, walnuts, pecans, or raisins. I would use about 1/2 to 1 cup of any of these or a combination.
Expert tips
- Bake soon after assembly. Don’t make the batter ahead of time and let it sit. The oats will absorb the liquid and bake up dry. As soon as everything is mixed together, pop it in the oven!
- Double the recipe. If you’re serving a crowd, feel free to double the recipe and use a 9×13 inch pan. The baked oatmeal might be extra thick and require at least 10 extra minutes in the oven. Tent with aluminum foil if the edges are browning too quickly.
- Let it cool. This smells AMAZING when it comes out of the oven, so it might be tempting to dig in right away. However, it’s actually best if you let it cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. The sweet, spiced flavor will intensify in those few minutes out of the oven. The texture gets better too—the topping crisps up and the middle becomes firmer.
Frequently asked questions
Baked oatmeal is a warm breakfast casserole made from oats, milk, and other kitchen staples. Whereas stovetop or instant oatmeal has a creamy porridge consistency, baked oatmeal is more cakey, like bread pudding. It’s basically like regular oatmeal with even more texture. If you’re looking for individual serving sizes, try my pumpkin baked oatmeal cups.
This apple baked oatmeal recipe is very nutritious! It’s loaded with fiber, healthy carbs, and whole grains! You can customize it to be higher in protein or healthy fats depending on what you add, but overall it is a great well-balanced meal! This particular recipe has 323 calories per serving and 46 carbs. See the recipe card for more nutrition information.
Definitely! Baked oatmeal is awesome cold. Sometimes we even eat this apple baked oatmeal right out of the refrigerator. It’s surprisingly tasty that way, especially if you need a quick bite after a workout or an easy, quick snack.
Serving suggestions
We typically enjoy this on its own because it’s plenty satisfying. We especially love it warm, kind of mashed up with an extra splash of milk. So good! But it does pair well with a variety of breakfast sides. Below are some tasty options:
- Hash browns or breakfast potatoes
- Fresh fruit or fruit salad
- Yogurt
- Bacon, sausage, or ham
- Eggs
Topping ideas
This is pretty amazing served with just a splash of milk or a drizzle of maple syrup, but here are some other fun topping ideas:
- chopped pecans or walnuts
- yogurt or whipped cream
- vanilla ice cream
- nut butter or Nutella
- shredded coconut
How to store, reheat & freeze
- To store in the refrigerator. Cool completely, and then cover the pan with aluminum foil or plastic wrap before storing it in the refrigerator. Stored properly, it will stay fresh for up to about 7 days, and you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. For a meal prepped breakfast that’s ready-to-go, store individual slices in separate glass meal prep containers.
- To freeze & reheat. Once completely cooled, cut into 6 individual servings and wrap each serving in plastic wrap and then tinfoil. When you’re ready to eat, unwrap it and place it on a microwave-safe dish and microwave in 30 second intervals for 1-2 minutes. If you wrap and freeze the entire baked oatmeal for later, reheat it in the oven, covered with foil, for 20-25 minutes at 350ºF.
More breakfast recipes you’ll love:
Other baked oatmeal recipes from my friends:
- Slow Cooker Baked Oatmeal With Bananas And Nuts from Foodiecrush
- Baked Oatmeal With Blueberries And Bananas from Skinnytaste
- Easy Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal from Eating Bird Food
If you try this, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Healthy Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk , (any milk product can be used)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, (can sub with mashed banana)
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, (gluten-free as needed)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped apple , or 1 small apple (I like Honeycrisp)
- Optional for topping: 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Optional garnish: whipped topping, ice cream, yogurt, nut/seed butter, drizzle of chocolate, maple syrup, and/or fresh fruit
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×9-inch or 11×7-inch (or other similar size) baking pan with nonstick spray. Stir the liquid ingredients (milk, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter and applesauce) together in one large bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients (oats, baking powder, spices and salt) to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined, then stir in diced apple. Pour the mixture into prepared baking pan. If desired, top with additional apple slices and/or nuts (or stir nuts into the oatmeal, if using).
- Bake oatmeal for 35 minutes or until the center appears *almost* set, which will give you a soft oatmeal. For drier and more solid baked oatmeal, bake until center has set. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Spoon or slice and serve with yogurt, almond butter or maple syrup, if desired.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I just made a pan of the dish and am nibbling at a piece now. What a great way to serve oatmeal! The measurements and ingredients are wonderful together, and the texture turns out to be very pleasing and interesting.
I didn’t want to open a jar of applesauce to use only 1/4 cup, so I grated half of a hard (Stayman Winesap) apple, skin and all, with my box grater and put 1/4 cup of that in instead. I was in a hurry today so didn’t dress the oatmeal up with sliced apples as the picture shows, but will do the grated apple again, and use the second half to slice for decoration. I diced up a soft Golden apple to add in.
This recipe is a “keeper,” for sure. Thanks for it!
Thanks so much for your feedback! So happy you enjoyed!
My 16 month old loves oatmeal but isn’t great with utensils yet so I adapted a bit to make it more of a finger food. I add extra oats and cook in a 9×13 pan, I also add ground flax seed for extra fiber. He loves it and my 4 year old and I like it too!
That’s great! So happy to hear!
This is my first time baking this. Been seeing posts from Instagram about baked oatmeal, searched it up and picked on Kimscravings! WOW it is so delicious and so easy to make. I will definitely bake this again! My family loves it! You can smell the spices in each bite! Kim thank you for sharing this recipe. I am exploring your site and had found pumpkin recipes that I want to try.
Oh that makes me so happy! Thanks so much for your comment and I hope you find some more goodies to try!
This is our family’s favorite anytime meal or dessert! Have you experimented any other fruit? Thank you!
Oh, I love hearing that! Try this similar recipe with bananas – https://www.kimscravings.com/banana-baked-oatmeal/
Wonderful recipe, however I would not recommend keeping it for 7 Days in the refrigerator. That could lead to food poisoning. Toss your leftovers on day 4.
Can’t wait to try it! Can I use a different oil vs Coconut or Butter?
Yes, any will work fine. Enjoy!
This is a fantastic recipe – love the oatmeal & apples! Perfect ingredients, as-is. It is on our rotation of healthy desserts! Thank you!
So happy to hear! Thanks for your comment!
Yum! This was so delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
Can you subtitute the apple sauce for something else? What would you recommend to swap it with?
You could use yogurt, mashed banana or pumpkin. Peanut butter would probably work too.
Just made this recipe and it was awesome. I was a little nervous because I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk which my go to (Cashew Milk) yet, it was PERFECT! Kids and hubby topped it with fruit, greek yogurt, and a drizzle of honey. I think we found a new breakfast fav!
Just made this recipe and it was awesome. I was a little nervous because I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk which my go to (Cashew Milk) yet, it was PERFECT! Kids and hubby topped it with fruit, greek yogurt, and a drizzle of honey. I think we found a new breakfast fav!
Yay! Super happy to hear! Thanks so much for your comment.
Delicious! Not too sweet, just enough warm spice flavors without being overpowering. I made it to take as part of my lunches for the week. I will definitely be making again!
My family loves this recipe even when made dairy free (vanilla almond milk) and sugar free (stevia + maple syrup/honey)!😋 My dad even said it was so good that he would serve it for the president if he were to visit!✨
You can replace cinnamon for the other spices if you don’t have them– still tastes great!
Yay! This is one of my favorite (underrated) recipes on the blog. Makes me so happy that your family loves it as much as I do! LOVE your dad’s comment!
Love this recipe– I’ve been sharing it with others and they love it too! Especially with extra cinnamon😋
I hear so much about Coach’s Oats. Can that oatmeal be used in your baked oatmeal recipe?
No, I wouldn’t recommend them for this recipe. They have a very different texture and cooking instruction.
I’ve been in a breakfast rut and this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal recipe was perfect. I know I’ll be making this again and again!
Am looking forward to trying your baked oatmeal recipes this fall. I’m curious why the sodium content is so high for this recipe compared to the healthy almond joy baked oatmeal one. Do you know?
I checked both recipes and recalculated the almond joy baked oatmeal. You’ll see that it is more in line with the sodium content of this apple baked oatmeal. Must have been a typo… thanks for the catch.
This is so perfect for fall! Not to mention how great it makes my kitchen smell too.
I made this and loved it! I have enough for the week! Deliciously different and also made the Banana & Strawberry Oatmeal! Both great!
That is so awesome to hear! It’s one of my favorites. Thanks so much for taking time to comment.
I love making baked oatmeal ahead of time to have on hand for busy mornings! This one is a family favorite that I make again and again!
YUM! This is so tasty with a dollop of Greek Yogurt! I make this all of the time.
I really loved the flavors in this oatmeal and it worked great to prep ahead of time!
This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes! I always make it when I have guests for breakfast and everyone loves it!
This is such a delicious breakfast for fall! My whole family ate it up!
This was such a comforting and hearty breakfast! I love all things apple cinnamon and this hit the spot! 🙂
Delicious! Loved this recipe and I’ll definitely be making again!