Baked Oatmeal

From the kitchen of Carly

Warm, custard-like baked oatmeal that's part breakfast cake, part comfort bowl. Toasted walnuts add crunch while cinnamon and vanilla create that cozy spiced flavor. Make it ahead, reheat it, top it however you want.

Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is the answer when you want the texture of a warm bar but the wholesome truth of a bowl. Bananas soften into the crumb, berries bleed their color and sweetness, and the whole thing bakes into something tender and custardy. A sheet pan breakfast that actually feels like dessert for good reason.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 cup/7 oz/200 g rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup/2 oz/60 g walnut pieces, toasted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup/2 oz/60 g natural cane sugar or maple syrup, plus more for serving
  • 1 tspaluminum-free baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tspground cinnamon
  • 1Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 2 cup/475 ml milk
  • 1 largeegg
  • 3 tbspunsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 tsppure vanilla extract
  • 2ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch/1 cm pieces
  • 1 1/2 cup/6.5 oz/185 g huckleberries
  • 1blueberries
  • 1or mixed berries

Instructions

  1. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 375°F/190°C. Generously butter an 8-inch/20 cm square baking dish and set it aside.

  2. Combine the oats, half the walnuts, the sugar (if using), baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and stir until evenly mixed.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup (if using), milk, egg, half the butter, and the vanilla until the mixture is smooth and uniform.

  4. Lay the banana pieces in a single layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Scatter two-thirds of the berries over them, then pour the oat mixture on top in an even layer. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats, then give the dish a couple firm taps on the countertop to help the liquid work its way through. Finish with the remaining berries and walnuts scattered across the surface.

  5. Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the oat mixture has set firmly. Pull it from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes, then drizzle the remaining melted butter over the top. Add a little extra sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup if you want more sweetness before serving.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Tap the baking dish hard on the countertop after pouring the milk mixture, not once but a couple times, so the liquid settles evenly and doesn't sit on top of the oats where it won't absorb.
  • Toast your walnuts first, even just in a dry skillet for a minute, so they taste actually nutty instead of blank.
  • Let it cool for a few minutes before serving, this gives the center time to set and makes it hold together when you cut it, but still stays soft and custardy inside.

Variations

  • Swap berries for diced peaches or apples in late summer, pressing them slightly into the oat base so they get jammy.
  • Add a tablespoon of nut butter stirred into the milk mixture for richness and a protein boost.
  • Use half rolled oats and half old-fashioned steel-cut oats for deeper, chewier texture.
  • Sprinkle the top with coconut flakes or crushed granola just before baking for extra crunch that lasts.

Make ahead and storage

Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat a single square gently in the microwave with a splash of milk, or eat cold straight from the pan with yogurt.