This apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is inspired by traditional Amish baked oatmeal and studded with apples, raisins and loads of cinnamon flavor. It’s vegan, gluten-free and great for meal prep.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… baked oatmeal is the best thing since overnight oats! I’ve been on a baked oatmeal kick this year and I’m so glad you’re just as obsessed as me because that means I get to keep trying and sharing new flavor combinations.
Each month, I’ve been making a seasonal baked oatmeal flavor and this month we’re going with apple cinnamon. Late September is the start of apple season so the timing is perfect. Head to a local apple orchard or grab some fresh apples from your local market and whip up this delicious apple cinnamon baked oatmeal.
This apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is inspired by one of my favorite seasons: fall! I love visiting apple orchards and creating alllll the apple recipes. My ideal weekend would involve a cool, crisp morning, a cozy sweater and some sort of baked apple treat.
Who Invented Baked Oatmeal?
Since my obsession with baked oatmeal, I’ve been determined to figure out who invented baked oatmeal. I’ve yet to find the answer, but a lot of the old baked oatmeal recipes I’ve found come from the Amish, who made baked oatmeal to fuel their long days working on the farm.
Most of the Amish baked oatmeal recipes involve apples, raisins, and cinnamon so the recipe I’m sharing is inspired by that flavor combination, but without the butter, eggs, and milk! We’re keeping things vegan and dairy-free for my version!
I’ve made a similar version before with steel cut oats, but this version is just as tasty and cooks up a bit faster. Here’s the baked steel cut oatmeal recipe, if you’re interested.
unsweetened applesauce – make your own homemade applesauce or use store-bought. Just make sure it’s unsweetened if you go that route.
non-dairy milk – I like using unsweetened vanilla almond milk. You can also make homemade almond milk using my recipe. You can use whatever milk you prefer!
flaxseed – flaxseeds are great sources of healthy fats, fiber and even plant-based protein!
maple syrup – one of my preferred natural sweeteners. You can totally skip this or use another liquid sweetener like honey or agave.
coconut oil – gives the baked oatmeal a nice moist texture.
baking powder – rising agent that helps lighten the texture of the baked oatmeal. It prevents it from becoming too dense or heavy.
vanilla extract, cinnamon and sea salt – to enhance the flavors!
apples – you’ll need about 1-2 apples, peeled and finely chopped into pieces.
raisins – the perfect companion to apples and cinnamon!
How to Make Apple Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is pretty much just a matter of mixing and baking. Nothing fancy! In a large bowl, start by mixing together the rolled oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, almond milk, flaxseed, unsweetened applesauce, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Fold in the raisins and diced apples.
Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish, top with a few extra apple slices and bake at 375ºF for about 40 minutes or until the center is set.
This apple cinnamon baked oatmeal recipe is absolutely delicious with a drizzle of almond butter, a splash of almond milk, or maple syrup on top.
Can You Make Baked Oatmeal Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can totally make baked oatmeal ahead of time, and that makes it perfect for meal prep! There are a couple of options that work really well.
Option 1: Bake and Then Reheat Before Serving
Prepare baked oatmeal as the recipe suggests. Once baked, let the oatmeal cool, then cover the baking dish and place in the fridge. You can do this 1-2 days in advance. When ready to serve, take oatmeal dish from fridge, cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. For individual portions, set toaster oven to 350°F and bake for 5-10 minutes or reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.
Option 2: Prep as Much as You Can Without Baking
Mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl, cover and let sit out on the counter until morning.
Mix together all the wet ingredients in another bowl, cover and store in the fridge until morning.
In the morning, simply mix the wet and dry ingredients together, pour oatmeal mixture into your prepared baking dish and bake as recipe suggests.
This apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is inspired by traditional Amish baked oatmeal and studded with apples, raisins and loads of cinnamon flavor. It’s the perfect fall breakfast and great for meal prep.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl, mix together rolled oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, almond milk, applesauce, maple syrup, flaxseed, coconut oil and vanilla.
Fold in raisins and ¾ cup of the diced apples.
Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and top with remaining ¼ cup of diced apples.
Bake:Bake about 40 minutes or until the center has set and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow baked oatmeal to cool just a bit before serving. Serve with a drizzle of almond butter, almond milk, or maple syrup.
For storage:Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat:To reheat the whole baked oatmeal, cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. For individual portions, set oven (or toaster oven) to 350°F and bake for 5-10 minutes or reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.
I make this every few weeks! It’s amazing to have to divide up for breakfast each morning – great Sunday meal prep idea! I love it warmed in the microwave with some milk!
I absolutely love this recipe. My toddler is an incredibly picky eater, but she just cleaned an entire plate of this baked oatmeal. I also love that it’s made with healthy ingredients. I didn’t have unsweetened applesauce on hand so I subbed one mashed banana and it still turned out great!
I’ve made so many of your baked oatmeals… but this apple cinnamon is my absolute favorite!! I drizzle a little maple syrup on it and heat it up… sooooo good! Doesn’t taste healthy at all!
So good!! I’ve made twice 8n the last week because my husband keeps requesting it. I’ve subbed craisins for raisins since that’s what we’ve had on hand. I also love how quickly this comes together! One of the best baked oatmeal recipes I’ve had!
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I make this every few weeks! It’s amazing to have to divide up for breakfast each morning – great Sunday meal prep idea! I love it warmed in the microwave with some milk!
Woo! Love that this recipe is on repeat for you, Allison! Thanks so much for sharing your review, I appreciate it so much.
I absolutely love this recipe. My toddler is an incredibly picky eater, but she just cleaned an entire plate of this baked oatmeal. I also love that it’s made with healthy ingredients. I didn’t have unsweetened applesauce on hand so I subbed one mashed banana and it still turned out great!
Yay! So happy to hear this recipe was a hit for your family, Sara! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
I’ve made so many of your baked oatmeals… but this apple cinnamon is my absolute favorite!! I drizzle a little maple syrup on it and heat it up… sooooo good! Doesn’t taste healthy at all!
I’m so happy to hear that, Stephanie! Love when things taste like a treat but are still healthy! Thanks for the review, I appreciate it 🙂
So good and easy!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Amanda. Thanks for the review!
So good!! I’ve made twice 8n the last week because my husband keeps requesting it. I’ve subbed craisins for raisins since that’s what we’ve had on hand. I also love how quickly this comes together! One of the best baked oatmeal recipes I’ve had!
Yay!! So happy to hear this oatmeal has been a hit, Crystal! Thanks so much for trying it out coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!