Start the morning with a cheerful breakfast. This Vegan Baked Oatmeal is easy to bake and full of delicious sweet-tart raspberries.
You can easily — and economically — present a beautiful array of plant-based dishes for brunch, including a simple Fruit Tray and baskets of Vegan Pumpkin Bread and Vegan Muffins with Pears. Be sure to serve the vegan adaptation of Milk Nog.
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Baked Oatmeal has been around for a long time, long before TikTok was a twinkle in someone’s eyes. But when I heard about it in the early part of this century, I was extremely skeptical.
I don’t like mushy oatmeal and I was worried that baked oatmeal would be mush. But, after hearing about it and hearing about it, and finding it in multiple cookbooks, I started to wonder, Could all of these people be wrong?
Turns out, no. They couldn’t be wrong.
Over the years I’ve played with my friend Lynn’s basic recipe, making Baked Oatmeal Cups with Apple as well as this version of Vegan Baked Oatmeal for my daughter. Now that one of my children has to eat gluten-free I love this basic breakfast casserole even more.
Why Make This
It’s delicious. Oat-y goodness, not too sweet, with dots of tart sweet berries and no mush involved.
It’s freezer-friendly. It is so easy to mix up, you can make several batches of this Vegan Baked Oatmeal at one time and slide the extras into the freezer for a later date. The night before you want to serve up a pan, transfer the pan from freezer to fridge. By morning, it’s thawed enough to slide into the oven.
It’s naturally gluten- and dairy-free, as well as vegan. Be sure to use specifically gluten-free oats and flaxseed meal. To make sure it’s vegan baked oatmeal, be sure to use cane sugar or an alternate vegan sweetener.
It’s super customizable. While my favorite mix-ins are vanilla extract and raspberries, there is a host of different extracts, fruits, and other mix-ins that you can mix and match for 100s of different combinations.
Ingredients
Raspberry Baked Oatmeal is a pretty simple, from-scratch recipe. Here’s what you need:
flaxseed meal and water – Combined and allowed to set for a few minutes, this pair of ingredients act as an easy egg substitute. If you don’t have flaxseed and would like to use eggs, substitute two beaten eggs for the flaxseed meal and water.
rolled oats – For best texture, use old fashioned rolled oats. (And be sure to try these other great oats recipes.)
brown sugar – This Vegan Baked Oatmeal doesn’t call for much sugar, so it’s not overly sweet. If you prefer, you can use agave, honey, or maple syrup. I even forgot the sugar once; it was still edible, though we didn’t like it as much. Be sure to use cane sugar to keep it vegan.
baking powder – A little goes a long way, adding just a bit of a lift to this breakfast casserole.
salt – The same goes for the salt. It balances the neutral flavor of the oats and highlights the sweet tart of the berries.
almond milk – I normally stock almond milk, but you can use your favorite plant milk. Remember you can freeze almond milk if you have too much to use before it goes bad.
applesauce , preferably unsweetened – Those applesauce cups are perfect to keep on hand for this recipe.
neutral oil – This adds enough fat to add flavor but not too much to make it greasy. I like to use avocado oil, but you can use your favorite neutral oil.
vanilla extract and raspberries – These are a perfect pair for adding flavor and pockets of interest to your oatmeal. See the variations for more ideas.
Variations
Feel free to vary both the extract and the fruit you add to the baked oatmeal. Combinations to try:
- lemon extract and blueberries
- almond extract and pitted cherries
- coffee extract and chocolate chips
- maple extract and chopped apples or pears
- rum extract and chopped pineapple
You can also stir in nuts, seeds, or butters.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make Vegan Baked Oatmeal:
Prep step – Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
1. In a small dish, combine the flaxseed meal and water. Stir well to combine and allow to set.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a second mixing bowl, whisk together the almond milk, applesauce, flaxseed mixture, oil, and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry, and add the raspberries. Fold gently to combine.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden.
Freezing Instructions
Prior to baking, cover the dish and label with baking instructions. Store in freezer until ready to bake. Thaw overnight in the fridge prior to baking.
You can also bake from frozen, just adjust the time if necessary to make sure it cooks all the way through.
Alternatively, you can bake the oatmeal and store wrapped portions in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave from frozen.
FAQs
Baked oatmeal is a great dish to prep the night before. The oats soak up the liquid and develop a delicious texture when baked. You can also freeze the casserole prior to baking to make it even easier. Just pull from the freezer the night before and thaw in the fridge overnight.
The top will be golden brown and the inside will be “set,” that is, not liquidy. Since vegan baked oatmeal has no egg, it’s perfectly safe to eat if it’s slightly undercooked, so you can taste it for texture and put it back in the oven until you have the texture you like best.
Prepped food, including baked oatmeal, is good for up to 4 days, refrigerated. Freeze it for longer storage.
Due to the moist texture of baked oatmeal, it’s best stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.
You can serve baked oatmeal as it is, with milk like cereal or granola, or topped with a whipped cream like a dessert.
Recipe Costs
Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.
- flaxseed meal – $0.08
- rolled oats – $1.00
- brown sugar – $0.06
- baking powder – $0.08
- salt – $0.01
- almond milk – $0.28
- applesauce – $0.35
- oil – $0.08
- vanilla extract – $0.25
- raspberries – $2.00
While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $4.19 for a large pan of Vegan Baked Oatmeal, about 52 cents/serving.
How to save even more
Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:
- Raspberries are the big ticket item in this recipe. Use a different fruit or add nuts and seeds instead for a lower priced dish.
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. This summer frozen raspberries went on sale for $1.50/bag. I bought dozens to stash in my freezer.
- Buy baking ingredients in bulk. I always buy a lot of baking ingredients when they go on sale.
Recommended Vegan Recipes
Tell us what you think!
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Vegan Baked Oatmeal
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- wire whisk
- small mixing bowl
- rubber spatula
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 3 cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar be sure to use cane sugar to keep it vegan.
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk
- ½ cup applesauce , preferably unsweetened
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a small dish, combine the flaxseed meal and water. Stir well to combine and allow to set.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a second mixing bowl, whisk together the almond milk, applesauce, flaxseed mixture, oil, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry, and add the raspberries. Fold gently to combine.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden.
Notes
- lemon extract and blueberries
- almond extract and pitted cherries
- coffee extract and chocolate chips
- maple extract and chopped apples or pears
- rum extract and chopped pineapple
Nutrition
This post was published July 29, 2011. It has been update for content and clarity.
Lindsey
Do I need to drain the juice out of my thawed raspberries first, or will the extra juice be okay? Don’t want it to be too mushy.
Jessica
I didn’t thaw mine, so I’m not sure. I guess I’m going to say drain. But, that is a guess.
sona
Made this morning with raisins. Loved it. For Weight Watchers out there…..
8 servings=8 pts each, 6 serving= 10 pts each
Great, hardy, filling breakfast!
Donna
Could this be put in the crock pot overnight on low, or would that be too long to let it cook?
Jessica
I don’t think so.
Cheryl
So is this suppose to come out like a bar or is it suppose to fall apart? the reason i ask is I made it today & we didn’t have any applesauce in the house so I increased the yogurt & milk each by 1/4c to make up the difference. The only other substitution I made was craisins for the raspberries (I could swear I had another bag in the freezer) We used half & half instead of cream & once that was added the baked oatmeal fell apart. I only used about a tablespoon of 1/2 & 1/2; if that.
Wondering if I did something wrong?
It tasted fantastic, I just wish it held together a little better instead of breaking apart into little oat flakes
Jessica
@Cheryl, well, I think so many substitutions will throw off the recipe, particularly the dried cranberries. Those would absorb moisture from the dish while the raspberries add moisture in. Just that change alone could change the texture of the oatmeal.
Nicole
That looks and sounds amazing, but do you have any possible suggestion for an applesauce substitute? We absolutely never have applesauce in the house, but have all the other ingredients on hand most of the time. I could certainly buy applesauce for this, but that seems a bit wasteful if there’s an easy alternative. A ripe banana maybe?
Jessica
I have no idea as this is the only way I’ve made it. But do a search on baked oatmeal and I bet you’ll get an idea of the different bases.
P Reis
@Nicole, If you have apples on hand you can grate them and use in place of the applesauce. I used a different recipe that called for grated apples and it’s delicious!
Janie
Nom nom nom…! That looks amazing and even though I’m still stuffed from just eating my tea, I could so find room for a bowl of that! x
Kate Bakka
My husband will not touch oatmeal… will it last in the fridge if I am the only one eating it? Has anyone reheated it later-does it still have the same texture and keep its flavor? I would like to make it and take it to work for my breakfast each day.
Jessica
Yes, we had leftover, and I thought it was fine. 🙂
Samantha
I freeze peanut butter baked oatmeal all the time. I have two pans in the freezer right now. I microwave it and pour a little milk over the top.
Kristy
I just love oatmeal! One recipe I love that is kind of unusual is Coconut oatmeal – it is cooked on the stove and involves a can coconut milk and a cinnamon stick. So good.
Cheryl
@Kristy,
That sounds yummy; I’m thinking of trying the baked oatmeal & just substituting the coconut milk for the milk & yogurt (I’m thinking for the consistency factor)
Amy
I know what I will be making this weekend! Thanks!
Amy Durham
Do I need to thaw out the frozen raspberries first?
Jessica
I didn’t.
Tammy @ Skinny Mom's Kitchen
Oh my goodness this looks AMAZING!!! I am looking forward to hearing if this freezes well because that would be a huge bonus!!!
Tracy
Does it end up more like the topping to an apple (or other fruit) crisp? It looks delicious! I am going to try it – and maybe tweak the ingredients a bit so my twin infants can eat it as finger food! Thanks for the recipe.
Jessica
I would liken it to a granola bar cake, but not so sweet or crunchy.
Tracy
@Jessica,
They loved it! And so did I. I’m eager to try it with other fruits, too. 🙂
Eileen
My daughter hates mushy oatmeal too. We have had some good results with baked oatmeal though. I did try freeze dried blueberries in one batch – I think the lack of juice kept the oatmeal from getting mushy and it turned the entire batch a deep purple hue – which delighted my kids. I served it with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Will have to try the raspberry version – we pick up the frozen ones at Aldi all the time.
Kayla
I wonder if this would work well with rhubarb? I have a ton of it stashed in my freezer, and we LOVE baked oatmeal at our house!
Jessica
I don’t know. I’ve never cooked with rhubarb.
Barefeet In The Kitchen
We love baked oatmeal. As a matter of fact, I have some cooling on the counter already this morning.
JessieLeigh
I don’t generally like oatmeal (too soft/mushy for me), but I love baked oatmeal! I’m definitely going to try your idea of whipping cream for with it. Most recipes I see show milk poured over it and that has never appealed to me (again- mush). And, well, you know me and raspberries. 🙂 I still have some wild black raspberries on the bushes in my backyard- they might be perfect for this!
Amanda
This looks amazing! I’ve tried Lynn’s peanut butter baked oatmeal and liked it, but it was a little dry for me. I’ll have to try this one and also try serving it with cream.
Anne
Oats are a staple around here because of wheat allergies. We probably have oats in some form or another 75% of the time for breakfast: granola bars, granola, oatmeal, muesli, etc. I just recently started making vegan baked oatmeal (vegan b/c of allergies to dairy and egg), and we all love it! The last time, I added some farm-fresh peaches, cinnamon and cardamom. It was fabulous!
Annie Jones
I can’t think of a way that I don’t like oatmeal. It’s all good!