Blueberry-Baked Oatmeal
This blueberry-baked oatmeal recipe is a hearty, wholesome breakfast! Keep it interesting and swap in whatever seasonal fresh fruit you like.
At different times in my life, I’ve liked oatmeal in the morning, especially during the colder months in New England. In recent years, I’ve gotten away from oatmeal, until I found this recipe and made my own variations. This blueberry-baked oatmeal recipe is, by far, my favorite baked oatmeal recipe I’ve tried and has awakened my love of oatmeal once again.
This comforting blueberry baked oatmeal is easy to make (I often make it ahead of time) and the baked blueberries look and taste SO delicious when I pull the pan from the oven. It’s loaded with wholesome oats, fresh blueberries (although you can use frozen blueberries), and crunchy nuts. It’s not like mushy stovetop oatmeal – it’s more like a big baked oatmeal square. This is a wonderful dish to serve for a group at brunch. When your guests enter your house the aromas smell amazing! It’s perfect with a flavorful cup of coffee or hot tea!
Healthy Blueberry-Baked Oatmeal Recipe
One of the important things in making the recipe is the crunch.It will make it so much more delicious and satisfying.
I decided to make the blueberry-baked oatmeal as a vegan AND gluten-free recipe so anyone in the house can enjoy it regardless of their dietary restrictions. The base is straightforward – a wholesome base of rolled oats. Gluten-free rolled oats are easy to find especially online. I like to use Bob’s Red Mills gluten-free rolled oats, which cook pretty much the same as the regular oats. Don’t use quick oats in this recipe, because they cook differently and won’t hold up under the heat of the oven.
Aside from the oats, here’s what else makes this baked oatmeal recipe so delicious (and healthy!):
- Almonds, hemp seeds, and coconut flakes (not butter). The almonds and hemp seed bring healthy fats and protein and the coconut oil adds a satisfying crunch. I don’t use melted butter here – which many traditional recipes call for. Instead, I use coconut oil since it’s vegan and adds a hint of coconut flavor.
- Strawberry and banana layer. The fresh strawberries add a juicy bottom layer which plays wonderfully off the top layers of crunch and the banana adds a sweet, substantial bready, banana-y base.
- Blueberries. They burst open in the oven and become melty and sweet. I personally LOVE everything about blueberries – the taste, smell, and deep blue color.
Blueberry-Baked Oatmeal Variations
I love this blueberry-baked oatmeal recipe as it is, but it’s SO adaptable – play around with it! Here are a few ideas for changing it up:
- Stay seasonal. If blueberries and strawberries aren’t in season, feel free to use frozen berries instead of fresh ones. Otherwise, try using a different seasonal fresh fruit like apples, pears, peaches or nectarines, or cherries.
- Swap the flax for 2 eggs. If you’re not vegan or you don’t keep flax on hand, use 2 eggs in its place. The oatmeal will still be toasty, nutty, and delicious, and the eggs will give it an extra boost of protein!
- Mix up the seeds and nuts. Use all almonds or all hemp seeds in this recipe instead of both, or try adding a different seed or nut! Chopped walnuts or pecans would both be excellent.
- Reduce the sugar. If you prefer a less sweet baked oatmeal, omit the sugar and increase the maple syrup to 1/3 cup.
More Favorite Breakfast Recipes
Finding a delicious brunch / breakfast recipe that appeals to everyone’s taste buds and dietary specifications can be difficult. That’s why I really love serving this for Sunday brunch to my family and friends.
When it’s in the oven the smells of blueberries, oats, and sugar fill my 1920s apartment. My guests enjoy an atmosphere of joy and laughter while sharing this comforting, warm baked oatmeal. And isn’t that what cooking is all about? Enjoy!
Blueberry-Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups Oats (old-fashioned or gluten-free)
- 2 lg Eggs or Flax Eggs
- 12 oz Or 1 pint fresh or frozen Blueberries (or 2 ½ cups of your preferred berry/fruit, chopped into ½” pieces if necessary), divided
- 2 Bananas
- 1 3/4 cups Milk of choice (almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk or cow’s milk all work)
- 3 tbsp Melted, Unsalted Butter or Coconut Oil, divided
- 1/3 cup Maple Syrup or Honey
- 2/3 cup Sliced Almonds
- 2 tsp Raw Sugar
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2/3 cup Coconut flakes
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 tsp Fine-grain sea salt (or ½ teaspoon regular table salt)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish. Once the oven has finished preheating, pour the nuts onto a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 4 to 5 minutes, until fragrant.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, toasted nuts, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the milk, maple syrup or honey, egg, half of the butter or coconut oil, and vanilla. Whisk until blended. (If you used coconut oil and it solidified in contact with the cold ingredients, briefly microwave the bowl in 30 second increments, just until the coconut oil melts again.)
- Reserve about ½ cup of the berries for topping the baked oatmeal, then arrange the remaining berries evenly over the bottom of the baking dish (no need to defrost frozen fruit first). Cover the fruit with the dry oat mixture, then drizzle the wet ingredients over the oats. Wiggle the baking dish to make sure the milk moves down through the oats, then gently pat down any dry oats resting on top.
- Scatter the remaining berries across the top. Sprinkle some raw sugar on top if you’d like some extra sweetness and crunch.
- Bake for 42 to 45 minutes (if using frozen berries, 45 to 50 minutes), until the top is nice and golden. Remove your baked oatmeal from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Drizzle the remaining melted butter on the top before serving.
- Serve as-is or with toppings of your choice. I prefer this baked oatmeal served warm, but it is also good at room temperature or chilled. This oatmeal keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 5 days. If desired, simply reheat individual portions in the microwave before serving.
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