This easy and healthy vegan baked oatmeal recipe brightens the day with a gluten-free, whole food plant-based oatmeal breakfast cake made with dried cranberries, no added oil, and minimal prep that bakes in 30 minutes.
Everyone can enjoy oats for breakfast with this delicious oatmeal bake. And just like my other favorite vegan recipes using oats - easy oatmeal and raisin bars or chewy oatmeal granola bars, this plant-based vegan oatmeal is naturally sweetened.
Mix and match any combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit you like. Switch up the spices, beyond cinnamon and nutmeg, by grabbing the allspice or pumpkin pie spice. Breakfast is yours. Take it back!
Table of Contents
⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Dried fruit and chopped nuts are easy pantry staples.
- By popular demand, there are no bananas in this recipe (unless you substitute for the applesauce)
- Want fresh or frozen fruit? This recipe is happy to oblige.
- Choose easy - meal prep the batter a day ahead and treat yourself to freshly baked oatmeal on busy mornings.
📋 Recipe Ingredients
Oats. Whole rolled, old-fashioned oats yield the best texture. Quick oats or instant oats are more highly processed and don’t bake the same.
Flax seeds. Flax seeds, when mixed with water, mimic the behavior of eggs for baking. Use ground flax or chia seeds. I grind whole seeds and keep them handy for making the crust for vegan mushroom kale quiche.
Apple sauce. Apple sauce replaces oil. Use ripe bananas as a substitute.
Peanut butter. I used creamy peanut butter with no added sugar or salt. Almond butter or cashew butter are good alternatives.
Maple syrup. Date paste is another healthy option. Even better, date paste is easy to make. Substitute with an equal amount of coconut sugar or brown sugar.
Plant-milk. Any non-dairy milk works (I usually use oat or almond milk). Light coconut milk is a little thick, so use a few tablespoons more if you use it.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
📖 Recipe Variations
For a sweeter bite, add a handful of vegan chocolate chips.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the flax eggs first. Then mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 2: Toss the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients, cranberries, and nuts.
Step 3: Spread the oatmeal mixture in a small baking dish.
Step 4: Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
How to Test for Doneness
Baked oatmeal should have a soft and tender, cake-like texture. The center should be firm when lightly pressed with your finger. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean. If the center is soggy, the oats likely need a little more time in the oven.
🥣 Pro Tips
- Make the flax eggs first. Then, gather the rest of the ingredients and preheat the oven.
- I’ve always used a small 8x11-inch glass baking dish for baked oats, and it's never stuck to the bottom. You can use a square baking dish or cake tin of a similar size.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
A slice of baked oatmeal is delicious straight from the baking dish. Side it with your favorite fruits. I like to small dice-soft fruits or thaw mixed frozen fruit and add it over the top.
The savory flavor of tempeh breakfast sausage patties or smoky plant-based bacon slices is a delicious contrast of flavors.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Store vegan baked oatmeal in the baking dish, covered with plastic wrap or foil. You can also transfer it to an airtight container or separate containers for easy carrying. It will last at room temperature for 3 days and in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Baked oatmeal can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake as directed, cool completely, and cut it into slices. Store in an airtight container. Reheat in a baking dish or on a baking sheet at 350 F (180 C). Separate the pieces a little for quicker baking. Or wrap individual slices in a paper towel and reheat in the microwave.
After testing, I don't recommend steel-cut oats for baked oatmeal. Steel-cut oats are harder, slightly chewier, and have a nuttier flavor than rolled oats. You can try substituting in this recipe, but the texture, flavor, and baking time of baked oatmeal will differ.
Either leave the vanilla out entirely or consider adding another flavor, such as almond or coconut. Another option is adding a tablespoon of desiccated coconut to the batter.
If you want to skip the peanut butter or nut butter, sunflower seed paste is a good option. You can also use pureed chickpeas. Omit the chopped walnuts and add extra dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins.
🧾 Related Recipes
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Vegan Baked Oatmeal Recipe (Easy and Healthy)
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 6 tablespoons water
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt - if using unsalted peanut butter
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups plant milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds with 6 tablespoons of water. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) and place the rack in the middle.
- Toss the dry ingredients (oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt) in a large bowl.
- Mix the applesauce, peanut butter, maple syrup, and flax eggs in a small bowl until smooth.
- Measure out the milk in a separate cup and stir in the vanilla.
- Add the peanut butter mixture to the oats and stir. Slowly pour in the milk and mix until all the ingredients are moist. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.
- Spread the oatmeal batter in an 8x11-inch baking dish and place it in the middle of the oven. Bake the oats for 30 minutes. It should be slightly brown on top and firm in the middle. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Cut and serve!
Video
Notes
- Be sure to use ground flax seeds for the eggs. You can also substitute ground chia seeds in the same amount.
- Applesauce is used as an oil replacement for this recipe. You can make your own by pureeing a fresh apple or using ripe, mashed bananas.
- Consider sunflower seed paste or mashed chickpeas if you need to substitute peanut butter for something nut-free.
- Store vegan baked oatmeal in the baking dish, covered with plastic wrap or foil. You can also transfer it to an airtight container or separate containers for easy carrying. It will last at room temperature for 3 days and in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Adam
Is there a way to make this with steel cut oats? Precook them a little? Bake longer?
Denise
I've not tried this recipe with steel-cut oats, but I think you could soak them first. That would help the texture. I do think they might take a bit longer to bake (maybe another 10 minutes). I'd like to give steel-cut a try next time I have some. You've piqued my curiosity. Thanks. 🙂
LS
It turned out great! I'm on a a Daniel fast and we cannot have anything with a rising agent, so I omitted the baking powder and swapped raisins for dried prunes as that's what I had on hand. I also substituted date syrup for maple syrup and it was very tasty. Due to no baking powder, I baked the dish for an extra 15-20 mins and it still turned out great. Next time I'll try banana or apple.
Denise
I am so grateful that you shared this! I know it will be helpful to others who want to omit baking powder. This is a great 'base' recipe that can be modified, but knowing that it takes a bit longer without a raising agent is such a great test. Thanks!
Alexandra
easy and good
Denise
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂