Why Baked Oatmeal Is the Perfect Adventure Breakfast
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If you Google baked oatmeal, dozens of recipes pop up. I’m sure they’re all delicious, but I’m willing to bet they don’t produce the same Pavlovian response as the recipe below. You see, in our house, when a pan of baked oatmeal goes into the oven, it means adventure awaits.
My husband and I first began eating baked oatmeal 20 years ago when we were dating. Every so often we would spend a weekend at the Savory Inn, then a bed-and-breakfast in Vail, Colorado. Crafted from huge logs, the inn was cozy and rustic, the perfect mountain getaway. It was also home of the Vail Cooking School so the food, as you might imagine, was chef worthy.
Each morning, on our way out the door to ski, hike, mountain bike, or trail run, we’d peruse the breakfast table. At the center of the spread that included fruit, yogurt, muffins, to-order omelets and multigrain pancakes, was an enormous bowl of baked oatmeal. The fluffy mixture looked like the airy crumb of a muffin (and nothing like gloppy porridge), and filling our bowls with this toss of oats, apples, raisins, shredded coconut, cinnamon, and brown sugar, was surefire fuel for the day ahead. We loved the mixture so much that on one visit, the smiling innkeeper handed us the recipe upon checkout.
Now, two kids later, the Savory Inn’s baked oatmeal remains a staple in our household—but it’s not something I always have on hand. Instead, I only make it when we’re heading out for summer camping trips and winter hut trips—adventures that require sustained (and delicious) energy. So, when baked oatmeal hits the breakfast table, it comes with an unwritten code: get ready!
Savory Inn Apple Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs*
- 3 cups quick cooking oats (not instant)
- 2 tsp. baking powder (less at altitude)
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 cup milk
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 cup cranberries
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix oil, sugar, and eggs, and beat until yellow and glossy.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except fruit. Beat until well mixed. Stir in fruit.
3. Pour in a greased 8×8-inch baking dish. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. If top is browning too quickly, stir during baking.
4. Serve warm in a bowl. Mixture will be crumbly. Top with brown sugar, shredded cheese, fresh fruit, a dollop of yogurt, etc.
*My youngest daughter has a severe egg allergy so I sub with flax seed. Per egg, simply combine one tablespoon ground flax seed with three tablespoons warm water.