Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Warm and inviting baked oatmeal with apples is the breakfast you’ve been yearning for. Trust us when we say one bite of this Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal will win you over, with its chewy oats, tender apples, crunchy toasted walnuts, warm cinnamon notes, and maple sweetness.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal for breakfast

Early mornings have found its match: this Baked Apple Oatmeal will make you feel like you can conquer anything that comes your way. When you start your day with a slice of baked apple oatmeal topped with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup, you’ll have the energy and stamina to skip your way to work knowing you’ll stay satiated until lunchtime.

Made with real food ingredients, including an extra handful of omega-3-packed walnuts, this warm and delicious breakfast is a delicious and healthy breakfast option.

A healthy Baked apple oatmeal for kids

For kids and adults alike that is! Baked oatmeal is such a wonderfully healthy, filling, delicious breakfast for kids. Kids love the taste, plus it’s easy to make ahead of time and reheat in the morning, so there’s no rushing around the kitchen before everyone needs to bustle out the door on time. Not only do kids willingly gobble up this apple baked oatmeal, but they also adore helping to make it, too!

This breakfast recipe is easy to make and a great way to bring the kids into the kitchen to bake with you. Kids can crack the eggs, pour in the oats and maple syrup, and stir it all together. Being a helper in the kitchen may even entice kids to try new breakfast recipes since they ‘made it’ themselves! So move aside, sugary cereal, baked oatmeal is in the house and ready to rock breakfast time!

What you’ll need for this baked apple oatmeal

• Oats – old-fashioned rolled oats are best for this recipe, but quick cook oats will work too. Use certified gluten-free, if needed
• Eggs – for tips on choose quality eggs read this post
• Milk – choose your milk of choice, whole cow milk or dairy-free
• Applesauce – use unsweetened applesauce
• Maple syrup – grade A maple syrup is our choice for this recipe, but honey can also be used
• Butter – melted unsalted butter of choice. Can also use dairy-free or vegan butter or coconut oil
• Vanilla extract – use a pure vanilla extract
• Apples – use your favorite variety of apple. We used pink lady and cosmic crisp apples when recipe testing. We recommend leaving the peel on the apples. But if you’ll be feeding this baked oatmeal to toddlers, it’s fine to peel the apples so as to make each bite easier for them to chew
• Walnuts – you can use chopped walnuts or walnut pieces for this recipe. To toast the walnuts, read our instructions below. Omit the walnuts for a nut-free baked oatmeal
• Chia seeds – black or white chia seeds will work for this recipe
• Ground cinnamon
• Baking powder
• Salt – fine salt or sea salt

How to make Apple Cinnamon oatmeal

To make the baked oatmeal:

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Spray a 9×9 or 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, combine the oats, chia seed, baking powder, salt, syrup, applesauce, eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
3. Fold in the apples and toasted walnuts (see below for toasting instructions).
4. Transfer batter to the prepared dish. Top with a few toasted walnuts.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center is set. 
6. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

To Make Toasted Walnuts on the stovetop:

1. Place a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add walnuts to the hot skillet, and then cook for 6-8 minutes or until they give off a toasted aroma. Make sure to watch them closely and stir often to avoid burning.
3. Once walnuts are fragrant and golden brown, remove from heat.

To make toasted walnuts in the oven:

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
2. Place the walnuts on a small sheet pan.
3. Toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
4. Once walnuts are fragrant and golden brown, remove from the oven.

A nourishing breakfast of baked oatmeal

By providing a nourishing breakfast for kids first thing in the morning, you’re ensuring they have the brain-power and focus needed to thrive in school, sports, and even the important imaginative play in young children. But the need for a nourishing breakfast doesn’t stop when you reach adulthood! We are huge advocates of starting the day with a healthy breakfast, and this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal receives all thumbs up from The Real Food Dietitians.

How is Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Healthy?

This is the part we love to dive into! When creating recipes, we carefully choose ingredients so each bite provides the nutrition your body needs to thrive. And since we’re big advocates of a healthy nourishing breakfast, here’s why we chose these ingredients:

• Apples – ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ may have some merit since apples are packed with vitamins (vitamin C), polyphenols (antioxidants that slow the oxidation in your body), and are linked to better heart health and lowering type 2 diabetes
• Oats – a nutrient-dense food, oats are a whole grain that are naturally gluten-free. Packed with antioxidants and fiber content, oats can boost immunity and will help keep you full longer
• Eggs – dubbed one of the most nutritious foods to consume, eggs provide a lot of good stuff. Eggs are high in choline (builds cell membranes), omega-3’s, protein, and can help elevate your HDL (good) cholesterol, which has been linked to lowered risk of several diseases
• Chia Seeds – a superfood packed with fiber, magnesium, protein, antioxidants, and a host of micronutrients to keep your body in good working order
• Walnuts – a plant-based powerhouse, walnuts are tasty, easy to source, and being packed with fiber, healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids), and antioxidants you’ll be fueling your brain and heart in a healthy way

the best kind of oats to use for apple baked oatmeal

When it comes to oats, you have a few options. We have tested this recipe using old-fashioned rolled oats, quick-cooking oats, and certified gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats, achieving similar and good results each time. Old fashioned rolled oats will give you a slightly more chewy baked oatmeal as where the quick-cook oats will give you a softer creamier baked oatmeal. Either one can be used successfully in this recipe.

How to store Oatmeal Bakes

After the baked oatmeal has cooled completely, either cut it into even pieces, place in a container with a lid, and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or let cool completely, cover the baking dish with a lid, and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To freeze baked oatmeal:

Cut cooled pieces of baked oatmeal and place in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Freezing in individual containers will be the easiest for reheating the exact portions you need for breakfast.

How to meal prep this Baked Apple Oatmeal:

To meal prep this baked oatmeal, bake the oatmeal according to instructions, let cool completely, then cut into equal-size pieces, place in containers with lids, place in the fridge. Take out a serving of apple baked oatmeal each morning and reheat to get your day started right.

How to reheat baked oatmeal:

From frozen – pull out a serving (or desired amount) of baked oatmeal and keeping it in the container, place in the fridge overnight. Or place frozen baked oatmeal pieces on a plate and heat in the microwave for 30-40 second intervals (time may vary depending on microwave wattage) until warmed through.

From fridge – place a serving (or desired amount) on a plate and heat in the microwave for 30-40 second intervals until warmed through.

More baked oatmeal recipe to try

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal with Toasted Pecans

Healthy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

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