Name: Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 cup steel cut oats; ¼ cup ground flax; 3 Tablespoons chia seeds; 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking powder; pinch sea salt; 2 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk; ¼ cup tahini; 2 Tablespoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 medium apples (shredded); ½ cup sliced almonds

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This baked steel cut oatmeal recipe is perfect for a make ahead delicious breakfast. It’s loaded with apples and cozy spices for a vegan and gluten-free baked oatmeal that is big on taste and low on the glycemic index.

Pie plate of baked steel cut oats with one slice on a plate.

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Types of oats
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients
Variations
How to make this recipe
Meal Prep and Storage
Debra’s Pro Tips
More Meal Prep Breakfast ideas:
📖 Recipe

Whole grains + fresh fruit, plant based protein and healthy fats is a great way to start the day. This is one of my favorite recipes for a healthy make ahead breakfast because it’s easy, delicious, and everyone loves it.

The chewy texture is my favorite thing about steel cut oats, but I don’t have time on busy mornings to make them. Delicious baked steel cut oats makes this an easy breakfast any day. It feels like cheating the system, but I’m totally down for the easy way out, that’s just as healthy.

If you’re looking for a baked oatmeal recipe that uses rolled oats, check out my vegan baked oatmeal with berries or for a grain-free make ahead breakfast, try my quinoa breakfast bake.

Types of oats

Instant oats: A type of rolled oats that are rolled extra thin for quicker preparation. Instant oats are often pre-cooked for even shorter cooking time. Instant oats are not considered a whole grain as they are ultra processed, and are not as low on the glycemic index.
Quick oats: Similar to instant oats, they are rolled, pressed super thin and the most processed form of oats. They are often mushy when cooked and retain less of their shape and texture.
Rolled oats (also known as old fashioned oats): Oat groat that have been husked, steamed and then run through metal rollers to flatten them. They absorb water quicker than steel cut oats and therefore cook more quickly. They are the oat of choice for baking cookies, muffins, cakes and bars.
Irish oatmeal: another name for steel-cut oats.
Steel cut oats: Unprocessed oat groats that are toasted and chopped into pieces with large steel blades. Cooked steel cut oats produce a coarser, chewy oatmeal that has a nutty flavor.
Oat groats: The whole grain of oat after the husk is removed from the kernel. The oat kernel is called an oat groat.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Slice of steel cut oats with sliced almonds on top.

Delicious: That nutty flavor, the chewy texture, warm spices and fresh apple flavor combine for the best steel cut oatmeal.
Easy: Make it the night before and pop it into the oven in the morning for an easy breakfast on busy mornings.
Hearty: This filling breakfast will keep you satisfied all the way until lunch.
It’s easy to make individual servings in ramekins or bake it in a pie plate and slice into six equal servings.
Exactly what you’re craving on a chilly morning.
When this bakes up, it forms distinct layers of creamy goodness, sweet fruit and crunchy topping.

Ingredients

Steel cut oats: A whole grain that is low in fat and high in fiber, plant-based protein and antioxidants. Steel cut oats may also help lower cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. Cooking time on the stove is significantly longer than regular rolled oats. The cooking process for this baked version is fool proof and hands off, perfect for a busy morning.
Almond milk: any non-dairy milk that you tolerate well is a good choice for vegan baked steel cut oats. It’s easy to make homemade almond milk, and that way you get to control the ingredients. If you buy already made, look for a brand that has just almonds and water.
Apples: If you’re watching your blood sugar, opt for green apples that contain less sugar and more fiber. Fresh berries are another low carb option.
Tahini: substitute with peanut butter or almond butter if sesame is an allergen.

Variations

If this is your first time making steel cut oatmeal, go with the original recipe. Next time you’ll be primed and ready to experiment to produce your own unique baked steel cut oatmeal recipe.

Here are some suggestions to add on to the base recipe, maybe you have everything you need in your pantry and won’t even have to run to the grocery store!

Oatmeal Cookies: Mix in 2 Tablespoons raisins with the dry ingredients and maybe some chocolate chips for the full oatmeal cookie experience.
Banana slices and Pecans. Scatter the bananas in place of the shredded apples and top with chopped pecans instead of the almond slices. Drizzle the top with maple syrup before baking.
Chocolate baked steel cut oats: Add 2 Tablespoons cacao powder and 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips to dry ingredients and substitute 2 Tablespoons peanut butter for the tahini.
Berry Bliss: When in season, swap fresh blueberries and/or raspberries for the apples. In winter, use frozen berries and mix them in straight from the freezer.

How to make this recipe

Preheat the oven to 375. You can use a 9″ square baking pan or a 9″ round pie plate to bake this recipe.

Glass pie dish filled with steel cut oats and topped with chia seeds, ground flax, cinnamon and baking powder.

Glass pie plate filled with mixture of steel cut oats, flax, and chia.

Start by mixing together steel cut oats, ground flax, chia seeds, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in your baking dish.

Large pyrex measuring cup with whisk and plant milk mixture.

Glass pie plate with steel cut oats, almond milk and spices mixed together.

Mix together unsweetened almond milk, tahini, maple syrup and vanilla and then pour that onto the dry ingredients. Give it a stir.

Wooden cutting board with side of box grater and two shredded red apples.

I like the texture of shredded apples in this recipe. You could also do small diced apples. Either way, there is no need to peel the apples first. Apple peels contain fiber and phytonutrients.

Steel cut oats mixed with apples, spices and almond milk in a glass pie plate.

Steel cut oats mixed with almond milk, shredded apples, and spices in a glass pie plate.

Sprinkle the shredded apples on top of the oat mixture and mix well. A fork is a good choice to evenly distribute the apples throughout.

Let it sit for a minimum of 10 minutes. This will give the flax and chia a chance to absorb some of the liquid. You can stop here, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or proceed.

Steel cut oat mixture, topped with sliced almonds in a pie plate, ready to bake.

Baked steel cut oats topped with sliced almonds in a pie plate.

Stir the mixture well and then sprinkle the sliced nuts on top.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until golden brown and the oatmeal is set. If the mixture has been sitting overnight, it may be done cooking after 45 minutes, otherwise it will likely take 55 minutes.

Slices of baked steel cut oats on white plates, surrounded by whole apples, and a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Slice and serve!

Meal Prep and Storage

Serve: Baked steel cut oats taste great served hot, at room temperature or even cold, straight from the fridge! They are great for a healthy breakfast, afternoon snack or even as a plant-based breakfast for dinner option.
Prep ahead: Make the recipe until just before sprinkling on the nuts. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Then proceed to top and bake as directed in the recipe card. Or, make and bake. Reheat when ready to serve.
Store: Store well wrapped in the fridge for 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Freeze: Freeze individual portions or the entire baked oatmeal in freezer safe containers or wrapped first in parchment and then in aluminum foil. Defrost and reheat in 350 oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Debra’s Pro Tips

Pie shaped slice of baked steel cut oats on a plate. Pie plate with additional oats on the side.

For creamier, custard like oats, use 3 cups total plant milk, and scoop out portions with a large spoon.
Assemble everything the night before for an effortless healthy breakfast in the morning.
Make individual portions in ramekins for a fancy brunch spread. See recipe card for directions and baking times.
Vary the texture by slicing or dicing the apples and leaving them just under the nuts, but not mixed into the oat mixture.

More Meal Prep Breakfast ideas:

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Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal