With tender, caramelized apples and lightly spiced maple syrup oats, this Baked Apple Oatmeal is the perfect fall breakfast. Leftovers reheat in just 60 seconds, so it’s ideal for busy school day mornings.
This baked apple oatmeal is the perfect cozy breakfast. It’s lightly spiced and sweetened with maple syrup, giving it lots of yummy fall flavor. The apples are cooked down slightly before they go in so they’re tender and caramelized all the way through, and the pecans on top add some crunch on every bite.
This is actually my second baked oatmeal recipe, following my peanut butter banana baked oatmeal. Baking the oatmeal changes the texture, making it thicker and chewy, almost like a oatmeal bar but with more oats. It’s such a great breakfast to make on Sunday to enjoy throughout the week!
Why This Baked Apple Oatmeal Is So Good
- Perfect for fall. This recipe is one of my favorites for back-to-school through fall. The warm spices and apple flavor perfectly match the season and it’s a cozy but filling way to start the day.
- Great for meal prep. One of the reasons I love this baked apple oatmeal for back-to-school is because I can make it on the weekend and the boys can easily reheat it in the morning. It reheats in just 60 seconds in the microwave!
- Filling & tasty. This is one of those breakfasts I love giving the boys before school because I know it’ll keep them full until lunch. The oats are dense and filling, as are the apples, and it’s just sweet enough without a sugar crash later.
Ingredient Notes
This yummy breakfast is made with apples, oats, and some pantry staples. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Apples – Any type of apples you have on hand works great, such as honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
- Butter – For cooking the apples and to add moisture and richness to the oats.
- Maple syrup – Used to sweeten the apple mixture and in the oat casserole. The apples can also be tossed with brown sugar.
- Spices – The apples are tossed with cinnamon, while both cinnamon and nutmeg add warm flavors to the oats.
- Oats – Be sure to use rolled oats, not quick or instant oats, for the best texture.
- Eggs – Add structure to the oat casserole.
- Milk – Any milk, like whole or 2%, works.
- Chopped pecans – Walnuts can also be used, or they can be omitted completely.
How To Make Baked Apple Oatmeal
This baked oatmeal recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare before it’s popped in the oven. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the apples. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for 6 minutes until slightly softened.
- Make the oat mixture. Combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Assemble. Add the wet ingredients to the oats. Fold in most of the cooked apples. Transfer to a baking dish. Top with the remaining apples.
- Bake. Bake for 45 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
- Enjoy. Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve. Serve with maple syrup, Greek yogurt, and a splash of milk.
Tips for Success
Here are a few general tips for making this baked apple oatmeal recipe.
- Don’t skip cooking the apples first. Raw apple chunks added directly to the oat mixture release too much liquid in the oven and can leave the center soggy. Six minutes in the skillet softens them just enough and concentrates their flavor before they go in.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick oats absorb liquid too fast and turn mushy. Steel-cut oats go in the opposite direction and don’t soften enough in the baking time. Old-fashioned rolled oats are the right call here.
- Grease the baking dish well. The maple syrup in the batter makes it sticky and prone to sticking around the edges. A thorough grease saves you from losing a good chunk of the crust when you’re scooping it out.
- The center should be just set when you pull it. It will look slightly underdone in the very middle at 45 minutes and that’s fine as it continues to firm up as it cools. Overbaking dries it out and the texture suffers.
Serving Suggestions
This baked apple oatmeal is delicious served warm from the oven (or reheated in the microwave). While you can enjoy it as-is, we like to top it with a bit of additional maple syrup and a dollop of Greek yogurt, whipped cream or a splash of milk.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover baked apple oatmeal in the fridge for 4-5 days. Cover the pan tightly with foil or transfer leftovers to an airtight container.
- Freezer: Baked oatmeal also freezes well. Wrap the entire pan or individual slices in plastic wrap and place in a ziploc bag. Thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Individual slices of the oatmeal can be reheated in the microwave in 60-90 seconds.
Baked Apple Oatmeal
Ingredients
For the Apple Mixture
- 2 medium apples peeled and diced into chunks
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the Oat Casserole
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the diced apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for 6 minutes until slightly softened but still chunky, then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the oats and stir until combined. Fold in most of the cooked apples, reserving some for the top.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish and top with the remaining apples.
- Bake for 45 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with maple syrup, Greek yogurt, or a splash of milk.
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