Apple Cinnamon-Raisin & Walnut Baked Oatmeal
64 comments » 
It’s January 3rd. Everyone is flying high on New Year’s resolutions, many of them likely focused on healthy eating, dieting and exercise. I have made no such resolutions. Let’s be real. It’s absolutely impossible for me to even attempt to eliminate anything from my diet. I don’t possess that kind of self-discipline.
Sweets? Obviously, not going to happen.
Sugar? See above.
Meat? I don’t eat it often, but I love an occasional burger.
Insert any food you want and the likelihood of me saying that I’d eliminate it from my diet is pretty much zero. Unless you say “Brussels sprouts” or any number of other vegetables (seriously, it’s a problem). The more likely scenario is that I work on incorporating healthy foods into my diet, instead of eliminating anything from my diet. Everything in moderation, I say! I’ve always loved oatmeal; it’s such a satisfying breakfast, especially in the winter when a warm belly feels oh-so-good. Even better is a big pan of baked oatmeal, since it can easily provide you with many servings, meaning you bake it once and have breakfast ready for much of the week… perfect for busy mornings!
I made a simple baked oatmeal a few years ago that I absolutely adore. It’s simple, quick and delicious. However, I was still drawn to this version while flipping through my copy of Super Natural Every Day by Heidi of 101 Cookbooks. I loved the addition of fruit, as well as the creamier texture, thanks to the addition of milk. While the original recipe called for a combination of bananas and blueberries, I substituted apples and raisins given what’s in season right now. This is the perfect recipe for playing around with, and swapping out fruit combinations given the time of year and what’s in season in your area.
As we head into the new year, this is a fantastic dish to start the day. I know if I start the day on a healthy note, I’m more likely to continue eating that way throughout the day. Then I don’t feel as guilty when I treat myself to a little something sweet in the evening 
One year ago: My 2012 Foodie Resolutions and Basic Green Smoothie
Three years ago: Chocolate Babka
Five years ago: Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Apple Cinnamon-Raisin & Walnut Baked Oatmeal
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 to 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
A wonderful basic recipe for baked oatmeal. Change up the fruits and nuts based on season or taste preferences.
Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (do not substitute quick oats)
½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped, divided
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups low-fat milk (anything from skim to 2%)
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Gala apples, peeled, cored and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1½ cups raisins, dividedDirections:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch or 9-inch baking dish; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, half of the walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; set aside.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, egg, half of the melted butter and vanilla extract.
4. Arrange the sliced apples in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the raisins over top of the apples. Cover the apples and raisins with the oat mixture, using a fork or spoon to spread it into an even layer. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture all over the top of the oats. Rap the baking dish on the counter a couple of time to disperse the milk among the oats. Sprinkle the top with the remaining walnuts and raisins.
5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal mixture is set. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Drizzle the remaining melted butter over top and serve.
(Recipe adapted from Super Natural Every Day)
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Great looking oatmeal and I remember a couple years ago making an adaptation of Heidi’s oatmeal with bananas and apples when I first got that cookbook. Every now and then I flip through it an am reminded what gems are in it. Thanks for that reminder
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I love oatmeal! I always look for ways on how to make it more interesting! Thanks for this recipe, Michelle!
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Love it!! I have four apples left in the basket after making apple pie yesterday. I’m definitely going to make this really soon! Thanks so much. All the ingredients are exactly what I love!!
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Yea, healthy oatmeal! Eating breakfast is a health resolution I’ve more or less given up trying to accomplish, but this dish could at least persuade me to pass on ice cream for dessert and go for baked oatmeal instead:)
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I just discovered baked oatmeal last week and I am hooked!! I was thinking of making it with apples and here it is. I love your blog and follow you faithfully. I think I relate so well because you cook what I do and it is food you want to eat and not have to go to china to find ingredients. Have a wonderful new year!!!
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This is the kind of recipe I need to start my day! love baked oatmeal
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Yum…will be making this on the weekend
Thanks for sharing.
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I love bakes oatmeal and with apples, cinnamon and raisin, yes please! That’s one of the best breakfast combos of all time!! Love it!!
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I seriously checked the clock to see if I could make this for breakfast but I can’t. I am going to bake this tonight for tomorrow. I love the cold oatmeal you make overnight in the fridge and top with fresh fruit in the morning but that doesn’t cut it on a cold winter morning. This looks perfect. Thanks for posting.
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Wow – this looks tasty! I’ve been on a breakfast cous cous kick lately, but this would be a nice change-up!
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Great breakfast!
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Nope, no resolutions here either! Never keep them.
I am obsessed with oatmeal, but have never tried the baked variety! yum
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I have never tried baked oatmeal, but I love eating oatmeal in the morning and it would be so nice to have it already prepared and waiting in the refrigerator! Thanks for the inspiration!
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My new New Year’s resolution is to eat this oatmeal every day. YUM!
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This oatmeal is stunning! We are on an oatmeal kick in our house – nothing beats it on a cold morning! I’ll bookmark this one to try next!
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This looks so hearty! I’ve seen so many baked oatmeal recipes that are “healthy” but the recipe calls for cream and tons of sugar. So glad to see this one!
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Your baked oatmeal recipe is my go-to breakfast recipe. This looks similarly delicious, can’t wait to try it!
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This sounds delicious! The combination of raisins, cinnamon and apple is one of my favourites
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Could I substitute steel cut oats for rolled oats in this recipe? Would I need to cook them longer or soak them or anything? Thanks for sharing! I have literally had all the ingredients sitting on the counter for three days and have needed this push to make me put them all together for a delicious breakfast!
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Michelle on January 3rd, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Hi Jessica, I’m sure you could use steel cut oats, but you would definitely need to bake it longer and/or use more liquid. How much, I’m not exactly sure since I haven’t done it yet. Enjoy!
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Most baked oatmeal recipes SOUND good for you but end up being loaded with 2 sticks of butter and a ton of sugar… might as well eat oatmeal cookies, right? But THIS looks like the perfect balance. Score! I’m excited.
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I’ve been looking for some warm breakfast options, and this is perfect! Another good one from BEB!
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I tried baked oatmeal for the first time just last week and love it! Can’t wait to try your apple, raisin and walnut version!
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Oatmeal has always been my “go to” breakfast so it’s nice to get some new ideas to spruce it up!!
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Yeah, I am not giving up any food for new years – just not gonna happen! But I am all for adding in some yummy but good for me breakfasts!
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How does this heat up? It’s just me & my hubs and would love to make this to take to work every day & heat up there.
Happy New Year! You inspire me to keep trying new things – thank you!
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Michelle on January 3rd, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Hi Andrea, It reheats great! Enjoy!
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I love that the milk is infused with maple syrup! YUM!
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This looks amazing and I love oatmeal! One question thought – would be be okay to make this the night before and then bake in the morning? I am wondering if that will make it too soggy or change the consistency of the oatmeal. Thanks!
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Michelle on January 3rd, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Hi Christina, I don’t think I’d assemble it and leave it until the morning; the oats will soak up a lot of the liquid overnight, which will affect the texture. You could bake it the night before and then reheat in the morning.
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Has anyone tried this with vanilla almond milk?
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Michelle on January 3rd, 2013 at 6:42 pm
I haven’t, but I think it would work. Maybe eliminate the vanilla extract? (I’ve never had vanilla almond milk so I don’t know how sweet it is.)
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Liz on January 5th, 2013 at 3:14 am
Over time I’ve made several other baked oatmeal recipes with original almond milk and they turn out just fine…and always delicious!
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Since I eat oatmeal every morning about 90% of the time, this is on top of my list of breakfasts to try. I always make mine with plenty of cinnamon, finely shredded coconut, toasted wheat germ, maple syrup, and toasted nuts and fruit — but I’ve never baked it before. The options are pretty endless and I will definitely try it!
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We had this for breakfast yesterday — fantastic! I’m already thinking of other variations … banana, pears, coconut, dried blueberries/apricots, almonds — loads of possibilities … thanks for the recipe!
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We had this just this morning. I did not have any syrup on hand, so I used 1/2 c. honey instead and then drizzled some over the top once it came out of the oven. For 2 people living in an RV, we use our toaster oven rather than our large oven and it took about 45 mins. to bake. It was delicious!
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I’ve never tried baked oatmeal but it sounds great and like an easy way to serve a crowd. I love the flavors in here with the apples and raisins!
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I’m used to having oatmeal in a bowl with brown sugar and milk on top. I’ve never tried it baked and am anxious because it looks so good. Are you saying that you just scoop/cut some onto a dish and eat it with a fork or do you then pour milk on top????
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Michelle on January 5th, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Hi Lexy, Yes you would just scoop it out of the pan and eat it on a plate or in a bowl with a fork. I’ve never poured milk on top of my oatmeal, and did not pour milk over this.
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To the poster who asked about the steel cut oats, I have done that and I loved the results! The first time I did it I wasn’t sure how it would turn out so I did approx 25% of the oats as steel cut, 75% regular. I liked the results so much that I now do about 50/50 steel cut and regular. I love the texture of the two oats mixed together. PS. I just bake as per recipe. The steel cut oats stay very firm and almost a little crunchy, which I happen to like. Enjoy!
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Your recipes look interesting but finding a simple way to print them are difficult if not impossible. Could you make it simple and more user friendly? Thanks. Garth
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Michelle on January 6th, 2013 at 1:19 pm
Garth, At the top of each recipe there is a “print” button, along with “save” and “email” buttons. It will generate a print-friendly version of the recipe, along with a thumbnail.
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A+++ This is delicious!!
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DELISH!!! I just made it…YUM. Thanx
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I made this last night for breakfast this week. I substituted craisins for the raisins and slivered almonds instead of walnuts because that is what I had around, it turned out great! Very good recipe that I will keep using and adding new things to.
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Looks so good and hearty!!
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I tried this over the weekend and it is great! I made a half recipe and still used a whole egg. The second morning I melted a tablespoon coconut oil and drizzled it. Tasted good! I might substitute the coconut oil for the butter next time I make this. Thanks for sharing.
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I made this dish and it was absolutely delicious! The inside had a very soft, almost gooey consistency, did it need more time in the oven? The top had already browned so i wasn’t sure…
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Michelle on January 9th, 2013 at 11:09 am
Hi Mary, I’m so happy you enjoyed the oatmeal! The inside is soft, but not gooey; it likely needed a little bit more time in the oven.
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Great recipe! I made this for breakfast day at work and it was very well received! I’m new to your blog and I love what I’ve seen so far. I love your healthier take on recipes without going overboard. Thanks!!
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Michelle,
this is my very first baked oatmeal recipe form you and ever. This one was very good, favour by my family. I have made with carberries instead of raisin. Great. Thanks for sharing and the inspiration. Have a nice weekend
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My mom introduced me to baked oatmeal last year… I must say… I am definitely a fan!
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I love baked oatmeal so I was excited to try this version. It was okay. I might make it again, but I would make the following two changes:
1. Dice up the apples and mix them and the raisins in with the oatmeal and milk mixtures. As far as I can tell there’s no reason to have them layered that way, and the apple slices were a little awkward to eat.
2. Leave the walnuts and raisins off the top or use foil when you bake (may affect total baking time). I went ahead and followed instructions against my better instincts, and sure enough, the raisins burned. If you’re desperate for a topping, I think a little crumbled brown sugar and nut mixture with the melted butter mixed right in before baking would do fine.
Other than that, the flavor was great and a perfect amount of sweetness for breakfast. Thanks for the recipe!
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Finally!
I had been on a baked oatmeal quest for one which had the appropriate soft but not gummy texture, and was resilient enough for a make-ahead week of lunches.
Subbed in a flax egg and almond milk so my GI tract didn’t explode and it was perfect. Anyone tried adding a banana? How did it hold up?
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Finally got around to making it this morning. Perfect timing with temps in the single digits. But I’m an oaf – didn’t have enough milk but I think it still turned out great. The maple syrup along with the natural sugars of the fruit made this just the right sweetness.
I definitely think you get more servings out of this. It was quite filling
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I have substituted applesauce for the melted butter in several baked oatmeal recipes. I really cannot taste the difference. I do a direct substitution of natural applesauce for butter. Sometimes the tablespoon is a little more towards the “heaping” side of a tablespoon of applesauce. But hey, whatever saves me 300 calories, right?!
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I made it on Saturday. This recipe sure makes a lot – maybe not a whole casserole dish, but enough for two breakfasts for the whole family! I think I liked it more than the previous Baked Oatmeal made with applesauce. That one was great too (I made it several times), but I much prefer the big chunks of baked apples. It’s almost like eating an apple crumble
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Do you know how many calories and the nutritional information for the oatmeal?
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Michelle on April 19th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Hi Kellie, I do not have the nutritional information or calorie count for the oatmeal.
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This looks delicious! If I doubled the recipe, do you think it would fit in a 9 x 13 pan?
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Michelle on April 26th, 2013 at 10:02 am
Yes, definitely.
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This is excellent!! I’ve made it for my old man friends & they loved it. I’ve eaten it for breakfast, lunch & dinner & dessert. Seems to get better if it sets a while. Taking some to family gathering this weekend. As I’m gluten/milk free I use Rice Dream (rice milk) & it works fine.
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Have you ever tried this in. A crockpot? I’d love to make it for the big Mother’s Day Brunch I am hosting, but I have very limited oven space. It sounds delicious–I can’t wait to try it!
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Michelle on May 10th, 2013 at 10:49 pm
Hi Sandi, I have not made this in a crockpot, but I have made other oatmeal recipes in a crockpot. I think it could work, you’ll just want to be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t dry out. Enjoy!
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