Baked Oatmeal

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October 15, 2025
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Shall we talk about that time I made oatmeal raisin cookies as a thank-you for a college professor and then proceeded to eat the whole batch? And then to make matters worse, I was never able to replicate them? Yeah. I have a thing for warm, sweet, cinnamon-y oatmeal raisin-y goodness. These cookies are the closest I’ve ever come to re-creating the magic of my College Cookie Binge cookies, but I also love baked oatmeal, which is basically a breakfast-friendly oatmeal cookie in a bowl. And hey, as long as you serve this with bacon and orange juice, this baked oatmeal is totally breakfast (or breakfast for dinner). Just ignore the amounts of butter and brown sugar that set off your cookie radar. Unless your kids refuse to eat it. Then you can totally tell them it’s cookies for breakfast.

how to make it

You’ll need oats (duh, right?! But don’t get the quick-cooking ones), milk, some kind of dried fruit (I love craisins, but raisins, cherries, coconut, or even dried apples are all good), eggs (these are not cookies), 3/4-1 cup of brown sugar (I do 3/4 c. and then if anyone wants more, they can add it themselves), cinnamon, baking powder, and butter (again…definitely not cookies!). I bet you could add some walnuts or pecans, too, and it would be awesome.


Also, in the spirit of not-cookie-ness, I bet it would be not disgusting if you left out the fruit and added some chocolate chips right before serving the oatmeal. If you can live with yourself for adding chocolate chips to your breakfast. And I think you guys know me well enough to know that I totally can.

Anyway. Preheat your oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, dried fruit, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

 

See? Doesn’t that look wholesome and healthy? It just kind of makes you think of something warm and cozy you’d be whipping up in a snowy cottage after a morning of cross-country skiing or other strenuous and good-for-you activity. At which point you take out a smaller mixing bowl and melt a stick of butter.
Add your eggs, milk, and vanilla to the melted butter and whisk it to combine.


Then add the butter/milk/egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour this mixture into a deep 9″ or 10″ pie plate or an 8″x8″ or 9″x9″ baking dish. Or something similar. Just don’t get too big–I’ve found a 9×13″ pan makes things a little too dry.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.


Don’t worry about cutting it–just scoop it into individual bowls and add a splash of warm or hot milk (cold milk is weird–everything becomes lukewarm, which isn’t really what you’re after). If you’re wondering what it’s like (besides awesome), it’s kind of a cross between regular oatmeal and a granola bar. Like a warm cookie that kind of falls apart with a spoon.
baked oatmeal from our best bites

Baked Oatmeal

This baked oatmeal is like a warm oatmeal cookie for breakfast! If you'd like, you can prep it the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning.
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups oats not quick-cooking
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup Craisins raisins, dried cherries, or other dried fruit
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup butter melted (you can substitute applesauce for 1/4 cup of the butter if you want)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and Craisins. In a smaller bowl, mis together the milk, butter, vanilla, and eggs. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Pour into a deep 9" pie plate or an 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately with a splash of warmed milk.
  • Serves 8.
Author: kate jones
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!

If you love baked oatmeal, try these other varieties!

Blueberry with Lemon and Ginger
Mixed Berry

 

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Meet The Author

Sara Wells

Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite Recipes, Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Fine Cooking, The Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.

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Questions & Reviews

  3. I love to make baked oatmeal on the weekend (sometimes 2 batches!) and it keeps for the week. It makes a great breakfast that is easy to pop in the microwave to warm up. I also use fresh apples cut up in addition to or in place of the dried fruit- perfect way to use apples that are better for baking than eating fresh. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  4. Oh my gosh Adriann- I know *exactly* which mother's lounge you're talking about, lol. Best couches ever in there! I felt bad for the actual mothers because there were always people sleeping on them, hahaha

    PS Kate- oatmeal looks great!

    Reply

  5. Yum! And ah, memories or ditching class and taking a nap in the mother's lounge. Good times =). My favorite mother's lounge was on the 4th floor of the library. Nice big comfy couch ;).

    Reply

  6. I have a slightly different recipe for baked oatmeal, but it is sooooo good! The difference between regular oatmeal and the baked kind is like the difference between rice cakes snd a candy bar.

    Reply

  7. I'm totally going to make this recipes this weekend. I had to send my husband your post, so he doesn't get freaked out by baked oatmeal and he just thinks "cookies for breakfast". I have to make it dairy-free for one of my little guys, but I have every confidence it'll be delicious. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

  8. I've tried this a few times, but I'm sure you've perfected it … as always 🙂 And so happy your cookbook is finally here!! It is fantastic and can't wait to try some of your new recipes as well as have favorites all in one place! Found it at Costco yesterday, made my day 🙂

    Reply

  9. My mom swears they've changed the Quaker recipe from the original version.. which she swears had nutmeg in it. So I always add nutmeg to oatmeal cookies which is soooo yummy! Can't wait to try this though.

    Reply

  10. Oatmeal cookies are my all time favorite!!

    This looks AMAZING!! Like a big bowl of awesome.

    🙂

    Happy Wednesday!!!

    Reply