Chai Baked Oatmeal
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Published Apr 08, 2020, Updated Aug 31, 2023
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Equally flavorful and comforting, this cozy chai baked oatmeal is the perfect way to warm up on a cool morning. Vegan + gluten-free.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of chai is “cozy”. Why are these flavors so comforting?! If you’re not a coffee drinker, there’s a good chance you love chai. I remember the first time I had a chai latte. I was in college at an on-campus coffee shop. Pretty sure Isaac ordered it and I tried his… either way, I loved the blend of spices and how creamy it was! It’s not my go-to order at a coffee shop but I love the flavor and often times end my night with the chai latte from Four Sigmatic.
What is Chai?
Chai is a type of tea typically made with black tea, ginger and a mixture of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves and coriander. A spicy tea! I took all of my favorite flavors in a traditional chai and made a delicious baked oatmeal paired with pecans and shredded coconut. I love so many of my baked oatmeal recipes but this one is especially exciting in the flavor department!
Here’s What You Need:
- rolled oats, baking powder, sea salt and ground flaxseed
- coconut milk – I prefer using “light” coconut milk for this so it doesn’t get super thick!
- maple syrup, applesauce and coconut oil
- spices and seasonings– cinnamon, cardamom, ground ginger, allspice, cloves and vanilla extract
- shredded coconut
- pecans
Serving Suggestions
I love eating this fresh out of the oven with a drizzle of almond milk and maple syrup. You can absolutely prep this ahead of time and eat it throughout the week. Refrigerate in an airtight container and heat up your individual portion throughout the week. I prefer to reheat in my toaster over but a conventional oven or microwave works just as well!
Can You Make Baked Oatmeal Ahead of Time?
Yes, I love making baked oatmeal ahead of time. There are a couple options that work really well. Here’s what I recommend:
Option 1: Bake and Then Reheat Before Serving
- Prepare baked oatmeal as the recipe suggests. Once baked, let the oatmeal cool, 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 Ingredients 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.
More Baked Oatmeal Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Maple Pecan Baked Oatmeal
- Chai Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
- Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
More Oatmeal Recipes
- Easy Overnight Oats
- Basic Healthy Oatmeal
- Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
- Protein Oatmeal
- Oatmeal For Babies
Chai Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 can coconut milk, light (about 1 and ¾ cups)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons shredded coconut
- 2 Tablespoons pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Spray an 8×8 square baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut milk, maple syrup, baking powder, sea salt, flaxseed, applesauce, coconut oil, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves and vanilla.
- Carefully pour oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Scatter pecans and coconut on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the oatmeal bake has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Portion and serve with a drizzle of 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t yet rate the recipe since I haven’t made it, but I tend to love your recipes! I actually have a question: do you think we could make this with steel-cut oatmeal?
I think you could, I’d just base the oat / liquid ratio off this steel cut baked oatmeal recipe. So use 1 cup steel cut oats with 2 cups liquid. Let me know if you try it!
There is no mention of chia seeds in the ingredients or the instructions.
??
Hey Dana – This is a chai baked oatmeal, not chia. 🙂
It smelled delicious before I even baked it! I added blueberries and used pumpkin instead of applesauce😋
Ahh yay!! Can’t wait to hear what you think once it’s done. 🙂
Hi Brittany,
Can you use almond milk instead of coconut milk? And can you omit flaxseed?
Hey Paige – Yes, you can swap the coconut milk for almond milk. The flaxseed is an egg substitute, but you can sub in a regular egg for the flaxseed.
Good to know that works too! I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
In India this called “Lamsa Chai”
Be careful if you are gluten sensitive or have Celiac disease- oats pose a possibility of cross-contamination!
Source: https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/living-gluten-free/the-gluten-free-diet/about-gluten/oats/
LOVE this oatmeal! I’m adding it to my baked oatmeal ‘rotation’. Looking forward to having it for breakfast all week, and it has an amazing aroma, too!
Ahh yay!! I’m so glad you love this oatmeal recipe, Brenda. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it!
I love the flavors of this! You have renewed my faith in baked oatmeal. I like that the oatmeal is not overly sweet, but sweet enough that it still makes the tastebuds feel satisfied while keeping healthy!
Easy to make! Tasty. Will make again and again. Definitely going in my morning rotation.
Wow! This was so tasty! I baked it last night and reheated it today. I tasted it cold and was stunned how delicious and flavorful it was. I warmed it a bit, poured some homemade cashew milk over the top of it and added some shredded apple, hemp seeds and some peanut butter. I enjoyed that so much. I will be making this often and playing the the add ins.
Hi, all of your baked oatmeal recipes look simply divine and I cannot wait to try them! For the chai baked oatmeal specifically, I already have chai tea bags, so instead of using the kitchen spices, I’d like to incorporate this instead. Thoughts on how to do so(I.e. seeping the tea bag in the coconut milk)? Thanks!
Hey Sydney – I’m sure it would work to steep the tea bags in the milk and use that milk as your liquid. I haven’t tried it before, so not 100% sure how the flavor will be, so you’ll definitely have to let me know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Delicious! Replaced the coconut milk with almond milk and it turned out great. Will be making this often.
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed this baked oatmeal. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Used almond milk and almonds instead of the coconut milk and pecans but turned out so delicious!!!! Definitely will make again!
Woo!! So glad you loved this recipe, Ryan. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I have made most of the different baked oatmeal versions, but this has to be my favorite! Super easy to prep for the week and still get a warm, cozy breakfast each morning. The flavors are great and I love to add even more pecan and coconut topping!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Erica. I’m so glad you loved this variation. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
This was so yummy! Thanks for the fab recipe 🙂
So glad you loved this recipe!!
Amazing! I subbed pumpkin butter for the applesauce and it was one of the best baked oatmeal recipes I’ve ever made! Thanks you!
Woo! Pumped to hear you enjoyed this chai baked oatmeal, Beth. Happy to hear the pumpkin butter worked for you as well. Thanks for the review! I so appreciate it :).
Like seriously SOOO GOOD!!! Taste like October in my mouth!! These are perfect in an 8 cavity Wilton cavity pan —- made 8 for either snacks or breakfast and holy awesomeness!! I mean you could even do this for a cheat snack with 6 Lily chocolate chips —taste like a healthy macaroon like breakfast bar! You’re awesome and I’m done saying awesome 😁
Ahh yay! I’m so glad you loved this baked oatmeal, Lola. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it!
Nice post