Prep this easy and colorful Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal in the evening, then bake it in the morning for a hands-off, deliciously aromatic, warm breakfast! Oats team up with maple syrup, cinnamon, apples, cranberries, walnuts, and a hint of ginger to create a wholesome meal everyone at your breakfast table will love. Vegan, WFPB, and free from oil, refined-sugar, gluten, and soy; nut-free option.
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Is there a lovelier aroma to wake up to than warm apple-cinnamon? I think not. Okay, maybe cinnamon rolls. I'm noticing a common denominator. But if you're in the mood for a healthier breakfast, this Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal made with wholesome ingredients is the clear winner every time!
With festive and bright fresh cranberries, chopped apple, crunchy walnuts, and soft, creamy oats, I can't imagine anyone turning up their nose to this baked oatmeal.
If you're a fan of cranberries, be sure to check out my Apple-Cranberry Compote, Cranberry Oat Gelato, No-Bake Cranberry Cheesecake, Cranberry Cream Pie, Cranberry and Citrus Tart, Easy Vegan Cranberry Sauce, and Cranberry Salsa.
Why You'll Love This Cranberry Baked Oatmeal
In addition to the irresistible aroma and nutritious benefits, oatmeal bakes like this one are a breeze to throw together!
Spend about 15 minutes assembling everything in a casserole dish before going to bed, pop it into the fridge, and when you wake up simply crumble walnuts on top and bake. Perfect for busy mornings!
This is the perfect breakfast to share with family on Christmas day or really any holiday or leisurely morning spent with family.
Ingredient Notes
Another great thing about this recipe is that you probably have most of the ingredients on hand and if not, they are easy to find at the grocery store. And if you bought too many cranberries this holiday season, this is a perfect way to use any leftover cranberries.
Here's a quick look at what you'll need.
- old-fashioned oats - use rolled oats, not steel cut oats, and ensure they are certified gluten-free if needed
- fresh apples - use sweet apples such as honeycrisp rather than a tart variety like granny smith apples
- cranberries - either fresh or frozen (not dried cranberries)
- raw walnuts - they add great crunch but can be omitted if you're trying to reduce overall fat intake
- raw almond butter - adds moisture and makes the baked oatmeal more satisfying.
- unsweetened almond milk - or your favorite plain non-dairy milk
- arrowroot or corn starch - thickens the liquid mixture and gives the oatmeal
- warm spices - cinnamon and ginger are delicious paired with the apple, cranberries, and maple
- vanilla extract - enhances all of the flavors in the dish
- maple syrup - this natural sweetener is the main source of sweetness in the recipe
- coconut sugar or brown sugar, optional
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
How to Make Apple Baked Oatmeal
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this baked oatmeal is ridiculously easy. Literally the only part that requires "work" is the chopping of two apples. That's it!
Otherwise, you're essentially just combining ingredients. Here's a glance at the basic process:
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- Place the oats in a 9-inch square baking dish and set aside.
- To combine the liquid ingredients you have options. Either whisk together by hand in a medium bowl, or blend until smooth.
- Wash the cranberries, and wash, core, and chop the apples.
- Layer the apples and cranberries on top of the oats, and pour the wet ingredients on top.
- If assembling at night, cover and refrigerate.
- Just before baking, sprinkle the oatmeal mixture with chopped walnuts (or pecans).
Variations
Have fun with this recipe, and try a variety of fruits, nuts and spices. Here are some examples:
- Swap the walnuts for another type of nut such as crunchy pecans.
- Need a nut-free version of baked oatmeal? Use a different non-dairy milk, such as soy or oat, replace the almond butter with another fat of your choice (like coconut butter), and omit the nuts on top or replace them with pumpkin seeds.
- Not a big fan of tart cranberries? Swap them out for other fresh berries such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
- Try pears instead of apples...or both!
- Go for a more heavily spiced oatmeal by increasing the ginger and adding a dash of clove.
- For strong ginger flavor, infuse the milk with fresh ginger before using.
- Add your favorite dried fruits for variety, like raisins, currants, or apricots.
How to Store This Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal
Leftovers will last in the refrigerator for about 4 days. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave or bake them in ramekins in the oven.
FAQs
Unlike traditional stovetop oatmeal, baked oatmeal is made by by combining oats with milk, sweetener, spices, and mix-ins and then baking the oat mixture in the oven.
You don't have to make this recipe the night before. You can prep and bake it all at the same time, but allowing it to sit overnight will make the oats more tender and creamy.
More healthy breakfast recipes:
- Oat Flour Mug Muffin
- Fluffy Oat Flour Pancakes
- Easy Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal
- 1-Bowl Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Millet Breakfast Bake With Berries
- Quick Yogurt Oats
And don't miss this collection of Vegan Breakfast Ideas!
Recipe Video
I hope you enjoy this super easy Vegan Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal! As always, if you try it I would love to hear from you.
Leave a comment and a star rating below to let everyone know how it turned out, and if you share a photo on instagram, be sure to tag me with @myquietkitchen.
Happy baking!
Recipe
Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal (Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats, GF certified, if needed
- 2 apples, any sweet variety, cored and chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (3.5 oz) - See Notes re: frozen cranberries
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ⅓ cup unsalted almond butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar - Or sub light brown sugar or additional maple syrup, to taste.
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot or corn starch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup chopped raw walnuts or pecans (2 oz.)
Instructions
- If baking now, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- In a medium-size bowl or in a blender combine the milk, almond butter, maple syrup, sugar, starch, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Whisk or blend until smooth.
- Add the oats to a 9-inch square baking pan. Arrange the chopped apple in an even layer on top of the oats, followed by the cranberries. Pour the wet ingredients on top.
- If baking now, sprinkle nuts on top and transfer to oven. If assembling in the evening and baking in the morning, don't add walnuts yet. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C), and sprinkle nuts on top. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
vegan cheeks says
Super tasty, healthy and easy. Today I made a variation with chopped precooked sweet potatoes instead of apples. And added some pea protein to the milk mixture.
Mary Anne says
Delicious!!
Chris says
Sooooo good!
Lew says
Terrific recipe! The only problem is that I had it for breakfast and then dessert after lunch and dinner :-).
Kim says
This is my new favorite breakfast! I didn't have much luck with the layering the first time I made it - the wet ingredients never made it down to the oats (possibly because I used an 8x8 pan instead of 9x9) but it was still delicious! Now after blending the wet ingredients I mix everything up in a bowl (except the nuts) before adding to the pan. Not as pretty as yours, but, no dry oats 🙂 Thanks for this amazing recipe!!
Karen Ricketts says
Thanks for this super easy and delicious recipe. The sauce is perfect - just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks for the substitution suggestions too - I used mango and strawberries and it was fantastic. We can't stop eating it!
Lori says
Oh wow, mango and strawberries sounds fantastic! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe. Thanks, Karen!
Claudia says
Hi Lori. Made it today. We love this recipe and is so easy to make it. Thanks for the recipe.
Lori says
I’m so glad. Claudia. 😀 Thanks for the feedback!