Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
Last Updated on October 11, 2022 by Annie
Start your morning with a delicious and filling dairy-free Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal breakfast. This hearty and filling baked oatmeal recipe is the perfect meal prep for busy mornings and can easily be made gluten-free. Great for a sweet breakfast or an afternoon snack, these baked oatmeal bars are sure to please.
As we creep into the fall months, I can’t help but get excited for all the flavors that come with this delightful season. From pumpkin spice to apple pie, I love them all!
This apple pie baked oatmeal recipe takes everything you love about a classic apple pie and packs it into a hearty and filling breakfast bar. Simple to make and even easier to enjoy, this apple pie baked oatmeal is sure to become a fall time favorite in your household!
What is baked oatmeal?
Baked oatmeal simply refers to the process of baking oatmeal instead of cooking it on the stove or in the microwave. You might also see baked oatmeal referred to as baked oats, but typically baked oats include an added step of blending the ingredients into a thin batter.
If you find yourself wondering if baked oats are the same as oatmeal, you are not alone. While they have many similarities (made primarily with oatmeal) they differ significantly in texture.
Traditional oatmeal made on the stove or in the microwave will have a porridge-like consistency, thick, creamy and wet. Baked oatmeal on the other hand will yield a cake-like consistency with flakes of oatmeal and chunks of fruit or nuts.
Why We Love this Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
You know I love getting a meal prepped in advance for the week and these baked apple pie oatmeal bars are the perfect fall meal prep. Some other reasons we love these baked oatmeal squares include:
- Quick and easy. You can prep and have these in the oven in under 10 minutes.
- All the flavor of apple pie for breakfast. With cinnamon, apple pie spice, chunks of apples, and toasted pecans, every bite of the oatmeal bars is sure to give you healthy apple pie vibes.
- Filling meal prep recipe. It’s a great make ahead meal that you can easily re-heat and eat on all week long.
How to Make Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Apples– Granny smith work perfectly for this recipe but you can also use just about any apple you wish.
- Rolled Oats– Also called old-fashioned oats.
- Spices– Cinnamon, apple pie spice, salt, and baking powder add flavor and rise to this baked oatmeal recipe.
- Oat milk– Or another non-dairy milk of your choice.
- Egg– Helps bind the ingredients together.
- Brown sugar– Helps give the baked oats an apple pie filling flavor.
- Maple syrup + vanilla– For a little sweetness and flavor.
- Pecans– Chopped and toasted while the oven preheats to help bring out their flavor.
Step-By-Step Directions
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray or lining with parchment paper.
- Toast pecans: Once preheated, toast the chopped pecans for about 5 minutes.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk wet ingredients: Next, in a 4 cup liquid measuring cup or a medium sized bowl, whisk together non-dairy milk, egg, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold in the chopped apples and pecans.
- Pour in pan: Transfer the baked oats mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with additional chopped apples or a sprinkle of crushed pecans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.
- Allow to cool at least 5 minutes before digging in!
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Here are just a few of the tools I find helpful when making these apple pie baked oats.
- 4-cup Liquid Measuring Cup– The pour spout comes in handy when transferring the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.
- Rectangular baking pan– I made and photographed these apple pie baked oatmeal squares in a 10.5-inch x 7.5-inch baking pan.
- Square baking pan– You can also easily cook this baked oatmeal recipe in an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan.
Serving Suggestions
I am all for taking a fork straight to the pan and eating these baked oats fresh out of the oven. But if you want to dress them up a bit, here are a few different ways you might want to dish this oatmeal breakfast bar out.
- Drizzled with maple syrup
- Topped with some non-dairy yogurt
- Sprinkled with extra nuts, apples, spices and more!
Storing and Re-Heating Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
If you are making this apple pie baked oats recipe as a meal prep to snack on all week long, here are a few things you will want to keep in mind as you store and reheat these bars.
- Group storage– You can keep the whole pan of baked oatmeal in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, for up to 5 days.
- Individual storage– Slice and store these apple pie baked oatmeal bars in air-tight containers that are great for grab and go storage.
- Reheating– For individual slices of these baked oatmeal squares, simply pop them in the microwave and heat in 30 second intervals until your desired level of heat is reached.
Baked Oatmeal FAQs
Can you use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
No. The texture and the consistency of these baked oats depends on the sturdy, flaky qualities of rolled (old-fashioned) oats. Quick oats will render this baked oats recipe into a mushy bit of a mess.
Is baked this baked oatmeal healthy?
Yes and no. Compared to cinnamon rolls or pancakes, these baked oats definitely have a leg up on the competition. That said, they are made with sugar and maple syrup which might not be considered the healthiest of options when it comes to breakfast. I would classify this more as a healthy-ish breakfast with the filling benefits of oatmeal plus the delightful flavors of apple pie.
Is this baked oatmeal recipe gluten-free?
Yes, maybe. If you are using rolled oats from a gluten-free facility then these baked oats are most certainly gluten-free. Be sure to check the container to see if your oats are processed in a location free from gluten.
More Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes to Try Next
If you tried this apple pie baked oatmeal recipe feel free to leave a comment below, I would love to hear how it went! You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
Start your morning with a warm and cozy plate of this apple pie baked oatmeal. Packed with all the comforting flavors of fall, this baked oatmeal bar recipe is a dairy-free delight!
Ingredients
- 2 Apples diced
- 2 cups Rolled Oats (old-fashioned)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ¾ cups Non-dairy Milk
- 1 Egg
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ½ cup Chopped Pecans
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray or lining with parchment paper.
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Once preheated, toast ½ cup chopped pecans for about 5 minutes.
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In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups rolled oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
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Next, in a 4 cup liquid measuring cup or a medium sized bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cup non-dairy milk, 1 egg, ¼ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
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Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold in 2 chopped apples and pecans.
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Transfer the baked oats mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with additional chopped apples or a sprinkle of crushed pecans.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.
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Allow to cool at least 5 minutes before digging in!
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