Baked Oatmeal: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
Sunny-Baked Oat Squares
A warm, sliceable breakfast bake that delivers a custardy center, crisp edges, and cozy apple-cinnamon flavor — perfect for busy mornings or lazy weekends.
This version from Sunrise & Crumb is all about comfort with purpose: rolled oats and a touch of baking powder give the bake structure, while the egg and milk create a tender, almost custard-like interior. A dusting of ground cinnamon and brown sugar folds into the oats for that familiar, gently caramelized warmth, and a drizzle of maple syrup rounds everything out with deep sweetness.
Texturally it’s what makes people reach for seconds — the top gets lightly browned and crisp around the edges, the interior stays soft and sliceable, and every bite has a little crunch from chopped walnuts. Fresh apple grated or finely chopped keeps the bake moist and adds a bright, juicy note that balances the maple and butter.
Priya Lane designed this to be practical: it’s baked in an 8x8-inch dish, cuts easily into four generous squares, and travels well in lunchboxes. Make it the night before for effortless weekday breakfasts — warm a piece in the microwave for 20–30 seconds or pop it back into a hot oven for a few minutes to revive the crisp top.
Small tweaks are forgiving here: swap the walnuts for pecans, use your favorite milk, or stir in a handful of dried fruit. Whether you’re feeding a family at the table or packing morning fuel, these oat squares strike a satisfying balance between homey flavor and no-fuss prep.
Ingredients
How to Make Baked Oatmeal
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease an 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) baking dish with a little butter or line it with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar until evenly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with milk, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
- Peel and grate or finely chop the apple and roughly chop the walnuts; fold them into the wet mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry oats and stir until everything is combined and the oats are evenly moistened.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula, and scatter a few extra walnut pieces on top if desired.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set—insert a toothpick into the middle; it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the baked oatmeal cool for 10–15 minutes to firm up before slicing into 4 squares; refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat individual portions in the microwave for 45–60 seconds.
Recipe Card
Baked Oatmeal
Baked Oatmeal: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease an 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) baking dish with a little butter or line it with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar until evenly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with milk, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
- Peel and grate or finely chop the apple and roughly chop the walnuts; fold them into the wet mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry oats and stir until everything is combined and the oats are evenly moistened.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula, and scatter a few extra walnut pieces on top if desired.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set—insert a toothpick into the middle; it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the baked oatmeal cool for 10–15 minutes to firm up before slicing into 4 squares; refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat individual portions in the microwave for 45–60 seconds.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 61
- Saturated Fat
- 7
- Sodium
- 450
- Fiber
- 6.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 13
- Protein
- 12
- Fat
- 20
- Cholesterol
- 78
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 470
- Sugar
- 29