Maple & Brown Sugar Baked Oatmeal

Healthy maple & brown sugar baked oatmeal with the flavors you remember from the instant packet, but made with simple ingredients. Bake it on Sunday and eat for breakfast all week!  (Jump to recipe)

Welcome to the solution to weekday morning blues: Baked Oatmeal.  It’s like an oatmeal cookie hug.

I know oatmeal is a humble, often-maligned breakfast.  Poor oatmeal has, time and again, seen itself labeled “boring” or “bland” or “gummy” or recently, and worst of all, “unhealthy.”  Thanks, McDonald’s.

I will not let this stand.  Oatmeal has always been, and likely will always be, one of my favorite breakfasts.  It’s healthy, full of protein and fiber, and super filling.  I like it cooked on the stovetop, but I really don’t mind it when it’s cooked in the microwave either.  My secret to making microwaved oats delicious, by the way, is to stir in a generous teaspoon of nut butter after microwaving.  It melts and gives the oats a delicious flavor, and a creamy texture without the use of any cream.  Then add toppings and voila!  The best part is, you can switch up the flavor every day depending on your mood.  I love how customizable oatmeal is!

In all cases, however, I am talking about plain rolled oats here, not the instant stuff.  I’m not judging – in high school (and college…and the first year after college) I basically lived on the Quaker Peaches & Cream packets.  Does anyone else have super nostalgic memories about those?  Just me?  Probably just me.

I know Maple & Brown Sugar is the classic, which is why my first oatmeal recipe on here recreates the flavor we all know and love.  Pretty sure I nailed it, but you be the judge.  Yes, it’s easy to just add hot water to a pre-made packet, but you know what’s even easier?  Having oatmeal you made yourself, knowing exactly which ingredients it contains, portioned out in individual containers to reheat every morning before (or at) work.  Do a little work on Sunday, and you won’t have to think about breakfast all. week.  I’ve been doing it for years and I can say it is totally worth the time.

And trust me, this oatmeal is worth it.  If you’ve never tried baked oatmeal before, you’re in for a glorious surprise.  For those who have an issue with the texture of cooked oatmeal as “gluey” or “gummy,” baked oatmeal is the answer.  Baking oatmeal creates a fluffy, cake-like texture that is somewhere between cookie and cake.  And cooking it is entirely hands off.  Win win!!

This is seriously simple to put together.  You put your oats and dry ingredients in an 8×8 baking dish (I used this one for these pictures but I also like this glass one), pour in the wet ingredients, and bake.  That’s it.

The other great thing about this recipe is how easily adaptable it is.  Avoiding dairy?  Use almond or coconut milk.  Hate coconut oil?  Use melted butter or another oil.  This oatmeal will love you either way.

Here’s our finished product.  Doesn’t it look like cake?  It smells like cake too.  So. Cozy.

My favorite way to eat it is warm out of the oven, with a splash of milk, fresh fruit, a spoonful of nut butter, and maybe some coconut or nuts on top!  Sweet, warm, comforting.

This recipe makes 5-6 servings, so it’s perfect for portioning out for the entire week’s breakfasts or for feeding the whole family at once.  You could also double it and bake in a 9×13 pan, no problem.

Don’t you want to just dive in here with a spoon?

Spoiler: I did.