Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Try this blueberry baked oatmeal recipe for a make-ahead breakfast that’s quick, easy, AND healthy! Loaded with fresh fruit and lightly sweetened, it’s the perfect way to start your day.

When it comes to breakfast, cheap, quick, and easy is the name of the game. Which usually means oatmeal of some sort.

Often, it’s leftover Banana Bread Muffins or Cinnamon Oatmeal Blender Waffles from the weekend.

Sometimes it’s Slow Cooker Oatmeal, where each kid can pick whatever flavor they want the night before and all I have to do is turn on the crockpot.

And lately, it’s been this delicious blueberry baked oatmeal. This baked oatmeal breakfast is packed with fruit, naturally sweetened, and the best part is that it can be made the night before!

WHAT IS BAKED OATMEAL?

If you’re new to baked oatmeal and usually make Steel-Cut Oats or Instant Pot Oatmeal for breakfast, or if you make DIY Instant Oatmeal Packets and you’re not quite sure what baked oatmeal tastes like, let me reassure you that baked oatmeal is delicious!

• It’s like thick oatmeal, loaded with fresh fruit.
• It’s not thin and runny at all, and when it’s completely cooled, it holds its shape when cut!
• You can make a big pan of it and reheat individual portions each morning for breakfast all week long.
• It’s kind of like an oatmeal breakfast cake!

BLUEBERRY BAKED OATMEAL RECIPE

There are plenty of quick and easy breakfasts out there… cereal, pop tarts, granola bars… But there are only a few breakfasts that I can think of that are quick, easy, AND healthy at the same time.

That’s one reason this blueberry baked oatmeal recipe has been showing up on our breakfast table lately. My kids LOVE this baked oats recipe, and it takes barely any work at all to make!

Plus…

• You dirty just one bowl and one pan, so dishes are minimal.
• This baked oatmeal recipe can be doubled, which means EVEN MORE breakfasts!
• It can be made with fresh or frozen fruit.
• You likely have all the simple, wholesome ingredients in the pantry already.
• And did I mention it’s super yummy?

BLUEBERRY BAKED OATS RECIPE INGREDIENTS

Let’s break down exactly what you need for this baked berry oatmeal recipe:

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

• Old-fashioned oats are best because the oat mixture is nice and thick.
• Quick oats can work too, but the only difference between quick-cooking oats and old-fashioned rolled oats is that quick-cooking oats have been cut into smaller pieces to reduce the cooking time.
  • Make sure you’re not spending MORE money on the convenience of quick-cook oats. In reality, they only cook about one minute quicker.
  • If saving that one minute is truly necessary, you can put old-fashioned rolled oats in a blender or food processor and pulse two or three times. That will break up the rolled oats into smaller pieces and create quick-cooking oats!
• If you have an allergy or sensitivity, make sure to buy gluten-free oats.

Fruit

I used fresh blueberries, but you can easily use frozen ones if you want. Or if you want to use strawberries – perhaps some that you froze yourself when they were in season – go for it! Blackberry baked oatmeal could be yummy after a berry-picking session.

Any fruit will work here – see the flavor variations section below for more yummy ideas!

As written, there’s a 1:1 ratio of fruit to oatmeal. If money is tight, you can stretch the fruit used in this recipe by doubling the amount of oatmeal OR halving the amount of fruit.

Cinnamon + Nutmeg + Vanilla

These are our primary spices to complement the blueberries.

Again, you can get creative here – see below for some delicious flavor combinations!

Milk and Eggs

This is our liquid and our binder.

• Use whatever milk you want – I used unsweetened almond milk, but coconut milk will work too (and would add delicious flavor!)
• You can substitute flax eggs instead of chicken eggs since you don’t need the eggs as a leavening agent. (Here’s how to make flax eggs).

Coconut Oil or Butter

Part binder, but part flavor as well.

• Both coconut oil and butter are healthy fats, so don’t shy away. Plus, they help keep the belly satiated until the next meal.
• I haven’t tried substituting unsweetened applesauce for either coconut oil or butter, but I don’t think I would recommend it. You MIGHT be able to substitute partially, but not for all of the fat.
• If you need dairy free, use extra coconut oil instead of butter.

Maple Syrup or Honey

Use whichever you prefer, although generally, honey is more affordable than maple syrup.

Also, consider changing the type of sweetener you use based on the fruit you use to create different flavors…

• honey + apple + cinnamon
• maple + apple + vanilla
• honey + bananas
• maple + pumpkin
• honey + strawberries

HOW TO MAKE BAKED OATMEAL AND BLUEBERRIES

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

Step 2. Pour the fruit, minus the reserved portion, into the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish.

Step 3. Meanwhile, whisk together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture and stir well.

Step 4. Pour the oatmeal over the fruit and use a spatula to distribute evenly. Gently pat down any dry oats sitting on top. It may look a little soupy but that is normal. The oats will absorb it!

Step 5. Sprinkle the reserved fruit on top of the oatmeal and bake for 42-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let the baked oatmeal cool on a cooling rack for a few minutes before serving.

To make a double batch, use a 9×13 inch baking dish and increase the baking time by 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it so the edges don’t burn!

HOW TO STORE BAKED BERRY OATMEAL

• If you’re serving it the next morning, I personally keep the baked oatmeal out on the counter. It’s no different than keeping baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies out on the counter, in my opinion.
• To store longer than one day, your baked oatmeal should be refrigerated. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or move to an airtight container and you’ll be good for 3-5 days.
• To store longer than a few days, freeze baked oatmeal! I recommend portioning the baked oatmeal first and storing it in individual servings.

To reheat baked oatmeal, microwave a single serving for 30-45 seconds. You can also rewarm the oatmeal in the oven at 325 for about 10 minutes. It typically retains plenty of moisture, but if it seems dry a little melted butter will do the trick!

HEALTHY BAKED OATMEAL FLAVOR VARIATIONS

Enjoy your baked oatmeal with seasonal fruit! Experiment to find your favorite recipes for baked oatmeal.

• Enjoy berries in the spring and summer.
• Try apples and pears in the fall.
• Use pumpkin near Thanksgiving.
• Banana baked oatmeal is a great year-round option if you ever get tired of making Caramelized Banana Bread (although that likely won’t happen!).

Or mix up the flavor by using different spices and extracts:

• Almond or maple extract would be great instead of vanilla extract.
• Pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or using clove instead of nutmeg will all change the end flavor.
• You could even omit the spices and use citrus instead, like the zest and juice of one lemon or orange! Lemon blueberry baked oatmeal would be a treat!

SERVING BREAKFAST BAKED OATMEAL

Blueberry baked oatmeal is a great option for brunch or serving a crowd!

• My kids like baked oatmeal straight out of the pan. In fact, my son ate half of this pan before I even heard him at the table!
• You could serve baked oatmeal with yogurt (as I did in the photos), sprinkled with Turbinado sugar for some crunch, or drizzled with maple syrup or honey. If you like to add syrup or honey when serving, consider adding less sweetener to the baked oats recipe itself.
• Fresh fruit is always a delicious option, or if it’s a special occasion, Homemade Whipped Cream or even Homemade Chocolate Whipped Cream would both be a great way to surprise the family!
• Reheated baked oatmeal can end up slightly dry after it’s been in the fridge for a few days. Heat it in a bowl and add a splash of milk to help perk it back up.

IS BAKED OATMEAL HEALTHY?

It depends. If you use a lot of brown sugar, baked oatmeal wouldn’t be that healthy. My baked oatmeal recipe uses just a little bit of natural sweetener to complement the fresh fruit, which gives it just a hint of sweetness.

You could use less sweetener though if you want. I’ve used as little as 2 Tablespoons in recipes for baked oatmeal in the past!

To make blueberry baked oatmeal part of a balanced breakfast, make sure you’re getting enough protein. Eating protein with carbs (like oatmeal) helps to keep your blood sugar stable.

• Have a slice of baked oatmeal with a side of breakfast meat, like bacon or Breakfast Sausage.
• Add a scoop of collagen or protein powder to the baked oatmeal recipe (this is my favorite collagen).
• Add egg whites. One egg white has 5g of protein. You can add 1-2 egg whites to baked oatmeal for extra protein and a fluffier, cake-like texture. Make sure they are mixed in well.
• Throw in some flax seeds for a bit of nutty flavor and a protein boost. 2 Tablespoons will add almost 4g of protein.
• Top with chopped nuts for a bit of crunch. ¼ cup of chopped pecans will add 3g of protein, and the same amount of chopped walnuts will add 4.5g.

Don’t forget the produce! Add some raw veggies or fresh fruit to your plate to round out the meal.

FAQS FOR BAKING WITH OATMEAL RECIPES

MORE DELICIOUS OATMEAL RECIPES

• Oatmeal Pancakes
• Cinnamon Blender Waffles
• Chocolate Leftover Oatmeal Cake Recipe
• Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bites
• Maple Oatmeal Bread

WATCH HOW TO MAKE EASY BLUEBERRY BAKED OATMEAL