Delicious Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal is just one of those things that makes you feel warm and happy inside. It’s so hearty, filling and delicious. I love feeding my family wholesome foods that they all enjoy. When I announce baked oatmeal what we will be having for breakfast, it’s cheers all around!

Healthy and inexpensive

I like to feed my family healthy and nourishing food. Baked oatmeal hits the mark in my book. It is chock full of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and fiber just to name few. When you can have all of that and something delicious together that’s a real win!

While eating healthy, clean food is my top priority, I also definitely have to take budget into account. Oats are a great option for choosing economical meals. Even organic oats aren’t very expensive which is why we make them a staple in our pantry!

I love having a food option that is both healthy, and very affordable. In today’s economy you just don’t find that very often.

Delicious and Hearty Baked Oatmeal

I like to fix baked oatmeal on mornings that we are busy or in a rush to get out the door. It’s so easy because we can soak it overnight and then bake it in the morning while we do chores and get ready for the day.

We also like to make a large enough batch to have leftover the breakfast or lunch the next day. By doubling my recipe, I can take one more thing off of my plate to have to think about and plan. As a busy mom of many, wife, and homesteader I am always appreciative of time saving hacks.

Baked oatmeal is also nice for those days you just want a simple, easy, and slow morning. If you prep it ahead of time, it can just be popped in the oven and you’ll have a hot, filling, delicious meal ready before you know it.

I also love the fact that I can fill the oatmeal with healthy things like apples and raisins or other yummy add ins. That’s just an added bonus for getting more nutrition into my kids. Every mom loves being able to get wholesome food into their babies’ bellies.

We like to can both apples and peaches to enjoy all year round. Adding them to baked oatmeal is one perfect way to use and enjoy what we’ve preserved. Different add ins also change the flavor of the oatmeal so you never have to get bored or tired of it. Just change up the add in and it’s like a new dish!

Two preparation options for baked oatmeal

Option 1- Overnight soak

I start the night before by measuring out my oats and milk and mix them together in a bowl. I like to add a tablespoon or two of an acidic medium (vinegar, lemon juice, whey, etc…) to soak the oats in overnight in the refrigerator.

The acidic medium helps to break down the phytic acid and anti-nutrients which makes the oats more easily digested and the nutrients in them absorbable.

Option 2- Just mix and make

While soaking the oats overnight does increase some health benefits and nutrient absorbability, it is not 100% necessary. In fact, I don’t even always follow that step. Sometimes, I just throw this meal together in the morning and bake it straight away. It’s a very versatile recipe!

To get started, I add my oats and milk to a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Next step is to preheat the oven to 350° F.

Ready for the rest of the ingredients

If I have soaked the oats overnight, in the morning, I first mix the melted butter in the milk and oats. Next, I add Redmond Real Salt (or salt of your choice), organic raw sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and my fruit or nut add-ins.

If I didn’t soak the oatmeal overnight, I move straight to the above step after mixing the oats and milk thoroughly.

I mix all the ingredients well and pour into a 9×13 pan.

Baking and serving your baked oatmeal

Now, bake at 350° for 40 minutes. The top of the baked oatmeal will be slightly golden brown, especially around the edges. The oats should be just slightly jiggly and not slosh around when fully cooked.

Once the oats are pulled out of the oven the dish can be served right away or left to sit for 10-15 minutes to cool a bit. Oats tend to hold heat really well so for my little kids, I like to scoop their serving out and let it cool before serving them.

This is a super simple recipe for such a delicious, healthy meal. I like to think my kids will grow up with warm and happy memories wrapped around eating baked oatmeal at our breakfast table. I hope they will carry on this tradition with their children as well.