I love making oatmeal for me and my family, but I've long favored a stove top simmer. It wasn't until recently that a friend got me hooked on baked oatmeal. The mix it, bake it, and enjoy it factor is incredible and the texture tends to have my family reaching for seconds. Finally, an easy weekend morning meal that is healthy and delicious. What more can you ask for?
This particular recipe is brimming with great flavors (think cinnamon, ginger, maple, and vanilla) while also boasting fresh blueberries and chopped cherries. And it's all crowned with additional fruit and pecans. Adding baking powder to the mix will give the baked oats more rise and a slightly fluffy texture that is reminiscent of a good oatmeal cookie. The egg helps hold it together and gives it a protein boost.
I usually have a little cream at the table for anyone wanting to soften their serving, plus some maple syrup for those with a super sweet tooth. Extra fresh fruit for nibbling is also a plus, as are mugs and mugs of coffee or tea.
Baked Blueberry Cherry Pecan Oatmeal
- 2 ½ cups uncooked regular rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
- 1 cup chopped fresh cherries, divided
- 1 cup pecans
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Stir together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl. Stir together the milk, syrup, vanilla, egg, and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter in a separate bowl. Add the oat mixture to the milk mixture; stir to combine. Fold in half of the blueberries and cherries.
Spoon the mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top the dish with the pecans and the remaining blueberries and cherries. Bake the dish in the preheated oven until the oats are set and golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Drizzle the top with the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Serve the oats in shallow bowls; drizzle each serving with heavy cream and maple syrup, if desired.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes