This healthy baked oatmeal with apples tastes like apple cake, but is packed full of nutrients in addition to all those cozy fall flavors! It’s the perfect make-ahead breakfast for those busy mornings and can be prepared in less than 10 minutes! {Gluten-free & Vegetarian}
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Healthy Baked Oatmeal with Apples
With two little ones, I don’t have much time to myself in the mornings, so make ahead breakfasts have definitely been the way to go these days. This healthy apple baked oatmeal makes for an amazing breakfast that can be made ahead of time!
Plus, it’s loaded with fiber, so it’s the perfect breakfast solution that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.
Whip up a batch on a Sunday and have a healthy, hearty breakfast all week!
For more healthy baked oatmeal recipes, be sure to check out my Blueberry Baked Oatmeal with Applesauce, Healthy Oatmeal Muffins and Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal.
Why We Love Apple Baked Oats
- Easy: It takes no more than 10 minutes to make this apple baked oatmeal recipe and then into the oven it goes. It’s also made with simple ingredients, most of which you probably will already have on hand. Plus one batch makes 6 servings, so it’s a great way to feed the whole family at once or meal prep for the week!
- Healthy: Oats are one of my favorite foods of all times because they’re packed full of soluble fiber, which is great for managing cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The addition of apples in this dish further increases the fiber content, plus adds a dose of potassium and vitamin C.
- Great source of protein: I love the fact that there’s Greek yogurt in this dish, which not only adds more moisture but also increases the protein and calcium content. I know that not everyone loves the taste of Greek yogurt, but believe me, you can’t even taste it. For one serving of baked oatmeal, there are 10 grams of protein, which can help to enhance that feeling of fullness.
- Dietitian approved: As a Registered Dietitian, I developed this recipe to have the perfect balance of fiber, protein, and healthy fats to energize you for your day. It might taste like dessert, but it’s quite a healthy breakfast!
Apple Oatmeal Bake Ingredients
- Rolled oats: Oats form the base of this recipe and provide a nice chewy texture. You can use either rolled or quick oats for this recipe, but you get the best texture with old-fashioned oats.
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt helps pump up protein content. You can use 0% or 2% plain Greek yogurt. This also adds plenty of moisture, making it easy to skip the coconut oil or melted butter common in baked oatmeal recipes.
- Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon apple is a classic combination! Feel free to use apple pie spice instead.
- Maple syrup: Use 100% pure maple syrup to help add some additional sweetness to the baked oatmeal.
- Fresh apples: Diced apples provide a nice natural sweetness and incorporate some extra moisture into the oatmeal. Use your preferred apple or whatever you have on hand, or check out the suggestions below for the best apples for baking.
- Baking powder: A little baking powder helps the oatmeal to stay light and airy rather than becoming too dense when baked.
- Egg and milk: Help to bind the dry ingredients together and add some extra protein! Almond milk works great if you’re dairy-free.
- Vanilla extract: For a warm, cozy flavor.
How to Make Apple Baked Oatmeal
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish or a 7×11 inch rectangular one.
- Combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Whisk together yogurt, milk, maple syrup, egg and vanilla in another bowl; pour over oat mixture and stir to combine. Add chopped apples and mix until incorporated.
- Pour mixture into prepared dish and spread out with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until edges are browned and knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Let baked oatmeal cool before serving.
Expert Tips
- Chop up the apple in small pieces that are uniform in size and make sure that the apple chunks are evenly distributed throughout the batter so that you get all of that apple goodness in each bite.
- Grease the baking dish well to prevent the baked oatmeal from sticking to the pan. You can also line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Allow the oatmeal apple bake to sit in the baking dish for at least 20 minutes to cool. It needs time for the oats to absorb some of the extra moisture. If you try to take it out of the pan too soon, it may stick to the bottom.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the texture will be slightly less chewy if quick oats are used instead of rolled, but both will work well. If you have an intolerance to gluten, use certified gluten-free oats.
You can use any kind of apples that you prefer in this oatmeal recipe, but generally the best results are with firm apples that hold their shape well when baked, and ones with a slight tartness. Granny Smith apples are a great go-to, in addition to Honeycrisp, Jonagold and Braeburn.
It can be! Some recipes add so much fat and sugar that it’s really more like eating a piece of cake. This healthy baked oatmeal is made without any oil or sugar and has extra protein, thanks to the Greek yogurt, which makes it more nutritionally balanced. It’ll help you stay full for hours!
How to Store
Refrigerator: My favorite part about this baked oatmeal is that you can make up a batch and leave the whole pan in the fridge for a few days for a quick and easy breakfast on the go. Once it has cooled to room temperature, store it in the fridge covered for up to five days. You can also transfer individual servings to an airtight container for easy storage.
To freeze: Allow it cool to room temperature, and then you can either wrap the whole dish in foil and place it in a freezer bag, or cut the apple oatmeal bake into squares and wrap them individually. Frozen oatmeal will keep well for up to a month.
To reheat: You can reheat the baked oatmeal in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cover it with foil so that the top doesn’t burn. You can also microwave individual pieces for a minute or so on high power.
Serving Suggestions
Baked apple oatmeal is incredibly versatile since you can serve it plain or loaded with additional toppings!
Try it topped with the following:
- A splash of milk
- Dollop of yogurt
- Extra apple slices or fresh fruit
- Chopped nuts
- A drizzle of peanut butter or almond butter
- Or a sprinkle of unsweetened coconut
- A drizzle of maple syrup
That’s just the kind of breakfast this busy mama needs and it’s perfect for the kiddos too!
Recipe Variations
- Change up the fruit: Instead of apples, try fresh pears.
- Add dried fruits: Add a handful of raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates, or your favorite dried fruit for extra flavor.
- Add nuts: Chopped walnuts or crunchy pecans add extra healthy fats and a nice nutty flavor.
- Stir in seeds: Baked oatmeal is an easy way to serve up extra healthy seeds, like ground flaxmeal, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and more. You only need to add 1-2 tablespoons per recipe for a nice dose of omega 3 fatty acids!
- Increase the protein: For extra protein, stir in a scoop of your favorite unflavored or vanilla protein powder. My favorite protein powder to use is Good Protein powder. It’s so delicious and comes in lots of different flavors. My favorite flavors to use in this baked oatmeal are Vanilla Milkshake and Salted Caramel. Use the discount code ELYSIAC30 for 30% off your first order!
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Crockpot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars
- Coconut Flour Apple Muffins
- No Bake Apple Crumble
- Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Healthy Baked Oatmeal with Apples
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups diced apple peeled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
- Combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Whisk together yogurt, milk, maple syrup, egg and vanilla in another bowl; pour over oat mixture and stir to combine. Add chopped apples and mix until incorporated.
- Pour mixture into prepared dish and spread out with spatula until evenly distributed.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until edges are browned and knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Let baked oatmeal stand a few minutes before serving.
- Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
Notes
- Chop up the apple in small pieces that are uniform in size and make sure that the apple chunks are evenly distributed throughout the batter so that you get all of that apple goodness in each bite.
- Grease the baking dish well to prevent the baked oatmeal from sticking to the pan. You can also line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Allow the baked oatmeal to sit in the baking dish for at least 20 minutes to cool. It needs time for the oats to absorb some of the extra moisture. If you try to take it out of the pan too soon, it may stick to the bottom.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in May 2017 and was updated in October 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos.
I am trying this for the first time. It’s baking now & smells so good. I can’t wait to try it. Has anyone used almond milk to replace the milk? I’m hoping it turns out ok because I did.
It should work just fine with the almond milk! Hope you enjoy :)
Delicious! I added a bit more oats my mixture was a bit runny beforehand. Great recipe!
Awesome, so happy you enjoyed it!!
superb! I used 1 tsp anise with 1 tsp vanilla.
Awesome! Love the addition of the anise! Thanks so much for returning to share this feedback :)
Delicious! My go to breakfast meal prep recipe. I top it with some honey or Peanut butter.
Just made this baked oatmeal this morning and it’s soooo good! My son is a very picky eater and usually I can’t get him to eat oatmeal but he gobbled this down and actually loved it!
I’ve made this one a couple times now, it’s a great desert to make up quickly and tastes amazing. Also, there’s another similar strawberry rhubarb crumble recipe on this site that uses around 90% of the same ingredients. Would definitely recommending making that one too if you want variety
So happy you’ve been enjoying the recipes! When it comes to sweet treats, it’s always good to have options ;)