I don’t know about you guys – but I’m always on the look out for some new (& easy!) options to feed the boys for meals and breakfast is no different! The first time I ever had baked oatmeal was at this adorable little cafe in Fontana, WI for my sister’s 40th birthday spa weekend that we had last spring and ever since then I’ve been meaning to find a recipe I love!
Well, I finally found some online and realized that (no shock here, I suppose) – they were all SUPER sugar laden and unhealthy!! OATMEAL, people!! haha. The first one I made was so sweet and butter filled that it basically tasted like eating an oatmeal cookie for breakfast (which, to be clear – I am all about cookies for breakfast now & then – haha) – but I wanted something I could make and the boys could have too without them bouncing off the walls! We try to not give them anything with added sugar so I scaled the sugar back big time, replaced the butter with applesauce, and piled on the fruit to make a recipe the boys love (and James & I do too)!!!
Here it is!!
EASY BERRY BAKED OATMEAL
- 1.5 cups old fashioned oats
- 4 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup plain no sugar added applesauce (*You can use a 1/4 cup of butter instead if you prefer)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of frozen berries (can substitute with frozen cherries, or craisins, or raisins – or whatever fruit you prefer!)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add wet ingredients & stir. Add 1/2 cup of frozen berries and stir until combined.
- In 1.5 qt baking dish layer bottom level loosely with frozen berries (separate from those listed in the ingredients above). I like a lot of berries in my oatmeal and layering the bottom of the baking dish keeps it extra moist! Feel free to skip if you prefer though.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Top with your favorite yogurt and a dash of cinnamon and enjoy!
**Note you can make a million additions/substitutions to make this recipe your own!! Really take it to another level by topping your bowl of oatmeal with your favorite yogurt to compliment the flavors! We love to add vanilla Siggi’s yogurt to the top for an extra punch of flavor and protein! I also love to add pumpkin spice and pumpkin butter (from Trader Joe’s) to give it a little more fall flavor (which is especially good if you use frozen cherries instead of blueberries)! And my actual favorite frozen fruit mix to make it with is the Berry Cherry organic frozen fruit mix from Target (it’s a mix of blueberries, strawberries, and sweet & tart cherries – though I only make the oatmeal with the blueberries & cherries and leave out the strawberries because those get a bit soggy when baking). Try whatever you like for the fruit / spice / yogurt topping and make it your own!! 🙂 Enjoy!! xoxo
