Baked Oatmeal

I have a hard time with oatmeal. It takes a while to make if you’re using rolled or steel-cut oats, the dirty dishes are hard to clean, and I am not a fan of the texture.

Oats are a fantastic grain! If you life in a region similar to me (southern Wisconsin), you can probably buy locally-grown oats for a very competitive price at your local natural foods store or cooperatively-owned grocery store. You can grind your own oat flour to add fiber to your baking. You can blend oats up with a lot of water to make oat milk – check out my recipe! And then there’s…oatmeal.

If you’re like me, and you really aren’t a fan of oatmeal, Baked Oatmeal will be a game-changer for you. With a few tweaks, and a little bit of oven time (long enough to take a shower and get dressed – that’s what I do while it’s baking), your oatmeal can turn into a tasty bake similar to a coffee cake.

This recipe is not oil- or sugar-free, but these can easily be omitted. Add about a 1/4 cup of extra plant-milk and an extra Tablespoon of flax meal if omitting oil, and consider adding nuts. Add an extra 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if omitting sugar.

If you use gluten-free oats, this recipe is naturally gluten-free!

Ingredients:

3 cups oats (quick-cooking works best, rolled oats will do, or a mix of the two – steel cut does not work well in my experience)
1/2 cup sugar (can be decreased or omitted)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (I use flax milk)
1/2 cup oil
2 Tablespoons ground flax meal
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: 1/2 cup raw shelled hemp seed (adds a nutty flavor, good substitute for oil or as an addition to the recipe)
Optional: 1/2 cup dried berries or raisins
Optional: 1/2 cup unsalted pecan or walnut pieces

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, forming a well in the center of the mix. In a smaller bowl, mix wet ingredients, then pour into the center of the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Pour into a 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan (I recommend pyrex, no need to grease it). Bake for 30 minutes or until it starts to turn golden-brown on top and doesn’t jiggle in the center when you gently wiggle the pan.