This apple baked oatmeal recipe with old-fashioned oats, cinnamon apples, brown sugar, and warm fall spices is an easy make-ahead breakfast. It’s perfect for cozy fall weekends and Thanksgiving brunch!
Baking is the best way to prepare oatmeal for a crowd. If you love meal prepping your holiday breakfasts like I do, try my apple French toast casserole, too.
Baked oatmeal is an easy make-ahead breakfast that I love to bake year-round, but especially in the fall. This easy apple baked oatmeal recipe reminds me of an apple crumble, if the buttery oat topping and cinnamon apple filling were mixed into one. It’s soft-baked and packed with juicy cinnamon apples and cozy fall spices, and great to make ahead.
About This Fall Apple Baked Oatmeal Recipe
- Wholesome and satisfying. This baked oatmeal is like a big, sliceable, breakfast version of an apple oatmeal cookie, and it tastes like apple pie.
- Meal prep-friendly. Apple baked oatmeal is easy to make ahead and freeze for later. It’s perfect for thawing and reheating on busy fall mornings.
- Customizable. Make this apple baked oatmeal dairy-free or gluten-free, or change up the spices and mix-ins any way you’d like. You can also get creative with toppings, like whipped cream, syrup, or a drizzle of nut butter.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Listed below are the ingredients needed to make the cinnamon apples for the filling, and a handful of pantry staples needed for the oatmeal. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Apples – Peeled and sliced. Choose a sweet-tart baking apple, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala apples, for the best flavor and texture.
- Butter and Sugar – To make a quick caramel. Granulated sugar works perfectly, or you can use brown sugar for a deeper flavor. For a dairy-free option, use vegan butter.
- Cinnamon – To season the apples. You could also use nutmeg or a blend, like apple pie spice.
- Oats – Use old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick or instant oats will be mushy. You could also use certified gluten-free if needed.
- Baking Powder and Salt – Baking powder helps the baked oatmeal rise into a coffee cake-like texture. Make sure your baking powder is as fresh as possible! If it’s past its best-before date, your baked goods won’t rise properly.
- Spices – Additional cinnamon, plus allspice, cloves, and freshly grated nutmeg for the oatmeal.
- Milk – Any kind. Swap regular milk for your choice of non-dairy alternative, like oat or almond milk, to make dairy-free apple baked oatmeal.
- Applesauce – This can be any store-bought unsweetened applesauce. If you have homemade apple sauce, even better!
- Sweetener – I use agave, but you could substitute honey, maple syrup, or white or brown sugar.
- Eggs and Vanilla – I haven’t made this recipe with an egg replacement, like a chia or flax egg, but I believe either one would work in this recipe. If you’d like to make vegan apple baked oatmeal, try it out and let me know in the comments!
Optional Oatmeal Add-ins
Wondering what else you can add to your apple oatmeal before baking? These are just a few easy ideas:
- Chopped nuts. Stir in chopped pecans, almonds, or make this apple baked oatmeal with walnuts.
- Protein powder. Add a scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder to make a version of protein baked oatmeal with cinnamon apples.
- Chocolate chips. I think dark chocolate chips or butterscotch chips would go great in this apple baked oatmeal recipe.
- Dried fruit. Add in dried cranberries, raisins, or currants.
- Fresh berries. Fold fresh blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries into your oatmeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can prepare and bake the oatmeal in advance, or leave it unbaked and refrigerate the apple oatmeal up to 2 days ahead of baking. When you’re ready to bake, let the oatmeal sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to take the chill off.
Don’t overbake! Overbaking causes baked oatmeal to turn out crumbly and dry. Baked oatmeal is done when it’s browned at the edges and just set in the middle. It will continue to set up while it cools.
My first choice of apples for this apple oatmeal recipe is Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala apples, or a mix of all three. These types of apples are crisp and sweet-tart, and hold their shape when baked.
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Prep your tools. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
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Cook the apples. Melt the butter in a medium skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the apple slices, sugar, cinnamon, and water. Stir to coat, then cook, stirring occasionally until the apples have softened and the liquid has evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.
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Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the oats, baking powder, kosher salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
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Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the milk, applesauce, agave, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk well until combined.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well until you don’t see any dry bits of batter. Fold in the cooked apples. Just gently mix them in.
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Bake. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center of your baked oatmeal is set. (When you press on it lightly with your fingertips, it will feel firm.)
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Serve. Let cool on the counter for at least 15 minutes, then cut slices and serve with your favorite toppings. I suggest maple syrup and whipped cream.
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Apple Baked Oatmeal
While the oven preheats to 350ºF, lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to bake your oatmeal. I recommend a ceramic or glass baking dish, as the oatmeal browns more quickly in a metal pan. Then, follow these steps:
- Cook the apples. Meanwhile, you’ll melt butter in a skillet. Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of water, and sauté until the apples are soft.
- Mix the oatmeal ingredients. Now, whisk the oats with the baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, applesauce, agave, eggs, and vanilla.
- Combine. Then, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they’re well combined. Lastly, gently fold in the cooked apples.
- Bake. Pour the apple oatmeal into your prepared baking dish. Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes, until the oatmeal is golden at the edges and baked through in the center. If you press it lightly, the oatmeal should feel firm.
Cool, Slice, and Serve
Allow the baked oatmeal to cool for 15 minutes before you slice into it. This gives it a chance to set! Afterward, drizzle slices with maple syrup, dollop them with whipped cream, or serve with your favorite toppings.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate. Store the baked oatmeal covered airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers are delicious cold, at room temperature, or you can warm them up in the microwave or toaster oven.
- Can I freeze apple baked oatmeal? Yes! To freeze, allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Then, double-wrap the oatmeal whole or in individual slices to freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before warming it up or serving.
