Cinnamon Swirl Baked Oatmeal
Our Cinnamon Swirl Baked Oatmeal is yet another deliciously healthy breakfast recipe that tastes like dessert! We used a combination of blended and whole oats to give this dish a texture that is a cross between bread pudding and oatmeal. Our recipe has less refined sugar, more fiber, and is more flavorful than many baked oats recipes! To make it extra special, we added a brown sugar cinnamon roll swirl, and used a few secret ingredients to make it even healthier.
It’s a great recipe for a weekend breakfast or brunch, but also a great make ahead recipe that you can reheat for a quick weekday breakfast! If you have never tried baked oatmeal, give this recipe a try. It’s easy to get hooked on this recipe trend because it’s good for you and tastes great! For variations of this recipe, visit the Pimp Our Recipe section in our Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
CINNAMON ROLL BAKED OATMEAL
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray (butter flavor or regular), and set aside. Chop pecans (plus a little extra as an optional garnish), and set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add only 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, sea salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, allspice, ground flaxseed meal, and chia seeds. Stir to combine all ingredients, and set aside.
- To a high speed blender (see Note #2), add almond milk (or dairy milk), bananas, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and only ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats. Blend until combined (about 30 seconds).
- Pour the batter into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir well to combine. Then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan (making sure to scrape out all the batter), and set aside.
- To make the swirl, add to a small microwave safe bowl (see Note #3 for stovetop method), brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter. Loosely cover the bowl with a paper towel (to prevent splattering), and microwave for about 50 to 60 seconds until butter is melted and sugar begins to bubble. Stop the microwave, stir to combine, cover, and microwave again until mixture is bubbling up (about 15 to 30 seconds). Stir well to combine, add chopped pecans, and stir again.
- Dump the swirl mixture evenly over the batter, and using the tip of a knife, gently swirl the mixture into the batter (do not over mix). Sprinkle the batter evenly with the remaining ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats. Then with the tip of a knife, gently dunk them partially into the batter. Dot batter and oats with remaining 1 tablespoon salted butter (optional), and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until oatmeal is set (see Note #4). Cool for 5 minutes before serving (CAUTION: Baked oats will be very hot!). Sprinkle with a few chopped pecans (optional) and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup (optional), serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Very ripe bananas provide natural sweetness in this recipe. The more ripe the banana, the sweeter your baked oatmeal will be. If you prefer a very sweet oatmeal, just drizzle a little pure maple syrup over the baked oatmeal when you are ready to serve.
- Blending time will vary depending on your type of high speed blender. Both the NutriBullet high speed blender, and the Vitamix high-speed blender work extremely well for this recipe.
- Stovetop Method for Swirl: If you don’t want to use the microwave, dump all the swirl ingredients (except the nuts) into a small saucepan. Place on medium heat on the stovetop, and stir to combine. Once it reaches a simmer, do not stir. Let it simmer for 1 minute, remove from heat, add the pecans, and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish, and immediately continue with Step 6.
- The longer you bake it, the more firm this oatmeal will become. If you want a softer oatmeal, test for doneness at 40 minutes (or until it is to your liking). It should be scoopable for serving.
- Make Ahead Instructions: Bake and cool completely in the baking pan. Then cover with plastic wrap for up to 2 to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave.
- Leftovers? Cool completely, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave.
- Yields 6 servings (up to 8 smaller servings).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
398.1Fat (grams)
20.12Sat. Fat (grams)
4.36Carbs (grams)
48.75Fiber (grams)
8.59Net carbs
40.17Sugar (grams)
20.08Protein (grams)
8.67Sodium (milligrams)
251.53Cholesterol (grams)
12.54Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Nutritional calculations do not include garnishes/toppings.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
Place oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray, and set aside. Chop ¼ cup chopped pecans (plus a little extra as an optional garnish), and set aside.
STEP 2
To a medium mixing bowl, add 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (see Note below), ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon allspice, ¼ cup ground ground flaxseed meal, and 1 tablespoon chia seeds. Stir to combine all ingredients, and set aside.
Note: We used a total of 2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats in this recipe, which is a combination of blended and whole oats.
STEP 3a
To a high speed blender (see Note A below), add 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or regular dairy milk), 2 medium bananas (very ripe - see Note B below), ¼ cup almond butter (chunky or creamy), 1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup (we love Shady Maple Farms very dark pure maple syrup), 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, and only ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats.
Note A: Both the NutriBullet high speed blender, and the Vitamix high-speed blender work extremely well for this recipe.
Note B: Very ripe bananas provide natural sweetness in this recipe. The more ripe the banana, the sweeter your baked oatmeal will be.
STEP 3b
Blend until combined (about 30 seconds - see Note below). Then scrape down the sides of the blender cup to make sure you get all of the batter, and stir to incorporate any bits that didn’t get blended.
Note: Blending time will vary depending on your type of high speed blender. The consistency of the oat mixture should be like pancake batter. If the batter is too thick, add a bit more almond milk (or dairy milk) only 1 teaspoon at a time, and just stir it in the blender cup to combine.
STEP 4
Pour the blended wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir well to combine. Then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan (making sure to scrape out all the batter), and set aside.
STEP 5a
To make the swirl, add to a small microwave safe bowl (see Note below for stovetop method), ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar (or light, or sugar-free brown sugar), 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter (or unsalted, or plant-based). Loosely cover the bowl with a paper towel (to prevent splattering), and microwave for about 50 to 60 seconds until butter is melted and sugar begins to bubble. Stop the microwave, and stir to combine.
Stovetop Method for Swirl: If you don’t want to use the microwave, dump the above ingredients into a small saucepan. Place on medium heat on the stovetop, and stir to combine. Once it reaches a simmer, do not stir. Let it simmer for 1 minute, remove from heat, add the pecans, and stir to combine. Immediately continue with Step 6.
STEP 5b
Cover and microwave again until mixture is bubbling up (about 15 to 30 seconds). Stir well to combine, add ¼ cup chopped pecans, and stir again.
STEP 6a
Dump the swirl mixture evenly over the batter, and using the tip of a knife, gently swirl the mixture into the batter (do not over mix). Sprinkle the batter evenly with the remaining ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats.
STEP 6b
Then with the tip of a knife, gently dunk the oats into the batter (they should still be partially exposed). Dot batter and oats with 1 tablespoon salted butter (or unsalted, or plant-based - optional), and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until oatmeal is set (see Note below). Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Note: The longer you bake it, the more firm this oatmeal will become. If you want a softer oatmeal, test for doneness at 40 minutes (or until it is to your liking). Toothpick will come out with wet crumbs and a little stickiness (however, it shouldn’t be liquidy). The consistency should be scoopable for serving (and somewhat hold its shape).
SERVING SUGGESTION
Sprinkle with a few chopped pecans (optional) and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup (try Shady Maple Farms very dark pure maple syrup), serve and enjoy!
CAUTION: Baked oats will be very hot!
Notes:
Make Ahead Instructions: Bake and cool completely in the baking pan. Then cover with plastic wrap for up to 2 to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave.
If you prefer a very sweet oatmeal, just drizzle a generous amount of pure maple syrup over the baked oatmeal when you are ready to serve.
Leftovers? Cool completely, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Yields 6 servings (up to 8 smaller servings).
VIDEO
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Baked Oatmeal!
Blog Comments & Tips
A deliciously healthy breakfast that tastes like dessert!
Baked oatmeal has been a viral sensation in recent years on Social Media. Both Leigh and I are newbies to baked oatmeal, so we went through multiple test recipes before settling on this version of our Cinnamon Swirl Baked Oatmeal.
Even though our focus was to bring a healthy element to this breakfast recipe, it was important to give it the unmistakable brown sugar cinnamon swirl flavor you would find in a cinnamon roll. So we added a cinnamon swirl to give it that punch of flavor. The result of all our taste testing and recipe trials is a bowlful of goodness! This Cinnamon Swirl Baked Oatmeal has a texture that is a cross between bread pudding and oatmeal. The ingredients and flavors are healthy, but you get that pop of flavor from the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon swirl in almost every bite!
For a real treat, try topping it with more chopped pecans, and a generous pour of pure maple syrup. If you want to make it healthier, or even more decadent, take a look at our Pimp Our Recipe section below for more recipe variations.
Now you have the recipe, ingredients, and equipment, but how do you ensure the best results from our recipe?
Our 5 tips to making a great Cinnamon Swirl Baked Oatmeal:
Use high quality, organic ingredients.
We divided the oats in this recipe to create a combination of blended and whole oats to enhance the texture. We added a few oats to the blender batter to give the wet ingredients more body and creaminess. Stirred the majority of the whole oats into the batter, and used a few oats on top for crunchiness and presentation.
Do not overbake! It should be scoopable, but not liquidy or too dry. There are no ingredients that need to be cooked to a specific temperature (like eggs), so the toothpick test will tell you if it’s set and to your liking (some wetness is okay). Every oven varies, so test it a little early the first time you make it.
For that cinnamon roll flavor, don’t skip the swirl!
If you want a healthier, no refined sugar version, just omit the swirl and check out the Pimp Our Recipe section below for details.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with our recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it Vegan & Dairy Free: Just swap out the dairy butter for plant-based butter!
Make it Extra Decadent: Pile on the toppings! When serving, top with a pat of butter, a sprinkling of brown sugar & chopped pecans, and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup. For a darker and stronger maple syrup, our favorite is Shady Maple Farms very dark pure maple syrup. If you like a dark amber syrup, we like Shady Maple Farms dark amber pure maple syrup. For an even lighter amber syrup, try Shady Maple Farms amber pure maple syrup.
Make it Healthier with no refined sugar: Replace the brown sugar in the cinnamon roll swirl with pure maple syrup. You won’t have to dissolve the sugar, so it will combine more quickly with the melted butter.
Make it Even Healthier: Omit the cinnamon roll swirl (no added butter or sugar & fewer nuts). You can still get that cinnamon flavor by adding a little more to the batter. Just use a total of 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in the batter. Then sprinkle only a few chopped pecans as a topping.
Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to not overcook your baked oatmeal.
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