Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal – Cozy & Healthy Fall Breakfast

Apple cinnamon baked oatmeal has basically taken over my fall mornings, and I’m not even sorry about it. Like, I make this every single Sunday now and meal prep breakfast for the entire week because standing at the stove making oatmeal every morning when it’s cold and dark outside? No thanks.

I think I first tried something like this at a brunch place last year and it was like $14 for a small portion, which felt ridiculous for what’s basically oats and apples. So I came home and tried to recreate it. The first version was… not good. Too dry. Tasted like I was eating a granola bar that someone left in the oven too long.

But after tweaking it approximately a million times, I’ve got it down to a recipe that actually works and tastes better than that overpriced restaurant version.

Why This Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Works :

Now, here’s the thing about baked oatmeal. It’s not the same as regular stovetop oatmeal that you make in a pot. The texture is completely different—more like a cross between oatmeal and a really moist coffee cake? Which sounds weird when I describe it like that, but trust me, it’s good.

The apples get all soft and jammy while everything bakes, and you get these slightly crispy edges on top that are honestly the best part. My husband always steals the corner pieces before anyone else can get to them.

What makes this version work is the ratio of liquid to oats. Too much liquid and you get oatmeal soup. Not enough and it’s dry as cardboard (see: attempt number one). This recipe hits that sweet spot where it’s moist and tender but still holds together when you scoop it out.

Ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal :

Dry ingredients:

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant, those turn to mush)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (you can use less if you want, but I like it slightly sweet)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional, but it adds something nice)

Wet ingredients:

• 2 cups milk (I use regular whole milk, but almond milk works too)
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil if you’re into that)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

The good stuff:

• 2 medium apples, peeled and diced (Honeycrisp or Gala are my favorites)
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (totally optional but adds nice crunch)

Quick story about the apples: I used Red Delicious once because they were on sale and I thought “apples are apples, right?” Wrong. They turned to complete mush and had zero flavor. Spend the extra dollar on good apples. Your taste buds will thank you.

Also, I never measure the cinnamon. I just shake it until it looks right, which is probably way more than 1 1/2 teaspoons. I’m obsessed with cinnamon in fall recipes.

How to Make This Baked Oatmeal :

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. I forgot to grease mine once and it was a nightmare trying to get it out. Learn from my mistakes.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Stuff

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg if you’re using it. Just stir it around with a spoon until everything’s combined. Nothing fancy here.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Stuff

In another bowl (I know, dishes are annoying, but it matters for texture), whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla, and maple syrup. Make sure the butter isn’t too hot or it’ll cook the egg, which is gross. Let it cool for a minute if you need to.

Step 4: Combine Everything

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix it—a few lumps are fine. Then fold in your diced apples. I usually save a handful of apple pieces to scatter on top because it looks prettier, but that’s totally optional.

Step 5: Bake It

Pour everything into your prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle those reserved apple pieces and the chopped nuts on top if you’re using them.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set. The key is—oh wait, I forgot to mention—it should still have a little jiggle in the center when you take it out. It’ll firm up as it cools. If you overbake it, it gets dry.

I set a timer for 35 minutes and then check it. Sometimes it needs the full 40, sometimes less. My oven runs hot so I usually start checking at 33 minutes.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. I know it’s tempting to dig in right away (I’ve burned my tongue doing this multiple times), but it needs time to set up.

Serving This Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal :

I usually cut it into 6-8 squares depending on how hungry we are. You can eat it warm right from the oven, or let it cool completely and reheat portions throughout the week.

Ways I’ve served this:

• Plain with a drizzle of maple syrup
• With a dollop of Greek yogurt (adds protein and makes it feel more breakfast-y)
• Topped with extra cinnamon and a splash of milk
• With a handful of fresh berries on the side (trying to be healthy, you know)

My kids eat it with way too much maple syrup, but at least they’re eating oatmeal? That’s a win in my book.

Tips for Perfect Baked Oatmeal Every Time :

Use old-fashioned oats. I cannot stress this enough. Quick oats or instant oats will turn to complete mush. Steel-cut oats are too chewy and won’t work either. Old-fashioned rolled oats are the only way.

Don’t skip the baking powder. I thought it was optional once and left it out. The texture was weird and dense. The baking powder makes it fluffy and gives it that slight rise.

Prep it the night before. You can mix everything together, pour it in the dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and stick it in the fridge overnight. Then just bake it in the morning. Game changer for busy mornings.

Make it your own. I’ve added raisins, dried cranberries, different nuts, even chocolate chips when I was feeling wild. Pears instead of apples work great too. Honestly, it’s pretty forgiving.

Store it properly. Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat portions in the microwave for about 45 seconds to a minute. It reheats surprisingly well.

Actually, you know what? My neighbor Linda freezes individual portions and reheats them straight from frozen. Takes about 2 minutes in the microwave. Haven’t tried it myself but she swears by it.

Why I Love This Recipe :

Look, I’m gonna be honest. I’m not a morning person. Never have been, probably never will be. But having this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal already made means I can stumble into the kitchen half-asleep, heat up a portion, and have a warm, cozy breakfast without actually having to cook anything.

Plus it makes your kitchen smell AMAZING while it bakes. Like fall in food form. I’ve had neighbors knock on my door asking what I’m making because the smell drifts out into the hallway.

And it feels healthy? I mean, it’s oats and apples and not that much sugar compared to most breakfast treats. Sure, I add maple syrup when I eat it, but we’re not going to talk about that.

Common Mistakes to Avoid :

Using instant oats. Already mentioned this but it bears repeating because it ruins the whole thing.

Cutting the apples too big. They need to be small enough to cook through in the baking time. I learned this when I got lazy and just sliced them into big chunks. The oatmeal was done but the apples were still crunchy. Cut them into 1/2 inch pieces or smaller.

Not greasing the pan well enough. This stuff sticks like crazy if you don’t grease it properly. I use butter and really coat every corner.

Overbaking. A slightly underdone baked oatmeal will firm up as it cools. An overbaked one is just dry forever. When in doubt, take it out a minute early rather than leaving it in too long.

This has become my absolute go-to fall breakfast recipe. It’s easy, it’s healthy-ish, it tastes like dessert for breakfast (in the best way), and most importantly, it means I don’t have to cook anything on weekday mornings when I can barely function.

Let me know if you try it! And if you have any tweaks that make it even better, drop them in the comments because I’m always looking for new variations. 🍎🍂