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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

    Published: Feb 18, 2021 · Modified: Aug 20, 2021 by Alyssa · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This healthy baked apple oatmeal is hearty and nutritious with the BEST texture. Sweetened with maple syrup and made with applesauce instead of oil or butter, this make-ahead oatmeal freezes well for an all-around breakfast MVP.

    A piece of apple baked oatmeal on a plate with a fork next to a linen napkin, apples, and a cinnamon stick.

    Back at it again with the baked oatmeal. Most of the time I will opt for a savory breakfast dish over sweet, but over the past few years I've really taken to baked oatmeal. It's hard not to love!

    It has easy prep, holds up well to freezing/reheating, and the way I make it is healthier than many classic recipes out there. Each of the flavor variations on my site (this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal makes #4 on the blog so far) is modeled after my original healthy baked oatmeal, which uses a modest amount of maple syrup for sweetening and mashed fruit in place of oil or melted butter.

    Reasons to Love This Recipe

    • Oats have a well-balanced nutritional profile and are helpful to a healthy diet. They're a good source of fiber and have a variety of other beneficial nutrients (NIH source).
    • This recipe is made healthier without the use of butter or granulated/brown sugar, but doesn't lack in flavor. Natural sweetness is provided by apples, applesauce, and a modest amount of maple syrup for a perfectly balanced breakfast or anytime snack.
    • Enjoy classic apple cinnamon oatmeal flavor without the cloying sweetness that store-bought versions can bring. After a long time of eating this homemade baked apple oatmeal, I recently had a packet of instant apple cinnamon oatmeal (which I used to love!) and was shocked at how sweet it tasted.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Labeled recipe ingredients in separate containers.
    • Oats: Old-fashioned oats (also known as rolled oats) are large, flaky oats that soften just right with the amount of liquid and bake time in this recipe. They provide a tender chewiness without being mushy. I don't recommend quick or instant oat varieties as they would lack a hearty texture and may lean too mushy.
    • Apples: I'm not picky with apple variety and just use the kinds we snack on like Honeycrisp or Gala, as they're sweet and retain some crispness after being baked. Fuji, Ambrosia, and Pink Lady are also good options.
    • Applesauce: Applesauce is a wonderful (and on-theme) substitute for the usual mashed banana for tenderness and moisture. Either unsweetened or regular is fine.
    • Milk: Any variety of milk will work here. Usually I use 2%, but I've also used oat milk. Using non-dairy milk will ensure this recipe remains dairy-free.
    • Maple syrup: This provides most of the sweetness in this baked apple oatmeal so please don't skip it. 100% pure maple syrup is recommended, though you can substitute in honey if desired.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. Add oats, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt to a mixing bowl. If you have bowls of different sizes, use a larger bowl for the dry ingredients as this is where the whole mixture gets combined later on.
    2. Whisk the dry ingredients well to combine evenly.
    Dry ingredients in a bowl before being mixed.
    Dry ingredients combined in a bowl with a whisk.
    1. Add milk, applesauce, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a separate mixing bowl.
    2. Whisk very well until combined and smooth. You can use an electric hand mixer for this, but I usually just do it manually.
    Wet ingredients added to a separate bowl.
    Wet ingredients combined smoothly in a bowl with a whisk.
    1. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the oats and other dry ingredients.
    2. Stir using a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula to combine, ensuring the oats are moistened evenly and scraped up from the bottom.
    Dry ingredients poured into one side of the wet ingredient bowl.
    Wet and dry ingredients combined in a bowl with a spatula.
    1. Add the diced apples to the bowl...
    2. ...and then stir them in evenly.
    Diced apples added to the bowl with the oatmeal mixture.
    Baked apple oatmeal mixture in a bowl with a spatula.
    1. Pour the apple cinnamon baked oatmeal mixture into a parchment paper-lined 8" x 8" pan, leveling out the top with a spatula so it's in an even layer.
    Baked oatmeal mixture poured into a parchment paper-lined square baking dish.
    1. Bake at 350°F/177°C for 45 minutes, or until the top has set and the edges have turned golden-brown. Let the baked oatmeal cool completely before slicing as that helps the squares hold their shapes. If you slice baked goods when they're still warm, you run the risk of of having crumbly or mushed pieces.
    Baked oatmeal in a square dish next to apples and cinnamon sticks.

    Recipe Tips

    • Line the 8" x 8" pan with a sheet of parchment paper to allow you to lift out the baked apple oatmeal to slice it MUCH easier. Leave enough parchment overhang on two opposite sides so you can get a good grip for lifting. Give the lined pan a little spritz of cooking spray, focusing on the two unlined edges to help those sides release cleanly.
    • Let this baked oatmeal cool completely before storing. This prevents condensation from forming and becoming trapped inside the container, which can lead to some adverse mushiness in leftover portions.
    • Recipe variations: Other mix-ins such as chopped walnuts, pecans, raisins, etc. would make a wonderful accompaniment to the apple cinnamon baked oatmeal flavor here. I have tested this recipe with a variety of dairy-free milks, as well as have replaced an egg with a flax egg. All work well.
    • Extra apples? Sweet and firm varieties (Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia) are also used in my recipes for air fryer apples, puff pastry apple turnovers, and Instant Pot applesauce. And if you prefer tart? Granny Smith is perfect for apple crumble.
    A piece of baked oatmeal on a plate drizzled with maple syrup with a fork.

    Storage Instructions

    Similarly, let the oatmeal cool completely before storing it. That prevents condensation from forming and becoming trapped inside the container, which can lead to some adverse mushiness going on in leftover portions.

    Wrap the oatmeal bars in foil, then place in an air-tight container or bag for storage. They will stay in the refrigerator for several days, but also do well when frozen. Reheating them in the microwave on half-power until warmed is my go-to, along with serving with a drizzle of maple syrup.

    Forkfuls of baked oatmeal removed from the piece with a fork.

    Related Recipes

    • Healthy Baked Oatmeal Bars
    • Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal
    • Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
    • Instant Pot Applesauce

    If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card and/or a comment review below!

    A piece of apple baked oatmeal on a plate with a fork next to a linen napkin, apples, and a cinnamon stick.

    Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

    This healthy baked apple oatmeal is hearty and nutritious with the BEST texture. Sweetened with maple syrup and made with applesauce instead of oil or butter, this make-ahead oatmeal freezes well for an all-around breakfast MVP.
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    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 199kcal
    Author: Alyssa

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ cups milk your preferred variety (12 oz)
    • 1 cup applesauce (8 oz)
    • 2 large eggs
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup
    • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups (180g) small dice peeled and cored apples
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    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9" x 9" baking dish with parchment paper, leaving enough hanging out along two opposite sides to be able to lift the baked oatmeal out of the pan later on for slicing. Give the parchment-lined pan a quick spritz of cooking spray and set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl stir together the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
    • In a separate, medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk, applesauce, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract well until smooth.
    • Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly moistened and combined. Stir in diced apples.
    • Pour out oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until the center has set fully and the edges are turning golden-brown. Let cool in the pan, then run a spatula along the edges to loosen before carefully lifting out the baked oatmeal. Let cool completely before slicing into nine squares.

    Notes

    Ingredient Notes
    Oats: Use old-fashioned oats for this recipe, not quick or instant as they may produce too mushy of a texture.
    Apples: 1-2 large apples, 3 medium-sized apples, or 4-5 small apples should end up around 1 ½ cups of small dice apples in total. Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Ambrosia, and Pink Lady are all good varieties to use for their sweetness and relative crispness.
    Applesauce: I've tested this recipe with both regular and unsweetened applesauce varieties and enjoyed both. Use your preference.
    Milk: Dairy or non-dairy milk will work here.
    Recipe Tips
    • Allow the baked oatmeal to cool entirely to room temperature before slicing and storing. This prevents the bars from crumbling up, and any remaining heat from forming moisture and condensation inside of the storage container.
    • Other mix-ins can be added here as you like, such as pecans, walnuts, raisins, etc.
     
    Storage Instructions: Refrigerate baked oatmeal for several days, or freeze in an air-tight container. Reheat frozen squares in the microwave on half-power until warmed throughout.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1square | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.6g | Protein: 6.2g | Fat: 3.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 15.8g | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe?Tag @mysequinedlife - I love to see what you're making!

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

    Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
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