Berry Baked Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This berry oatmeal bake makes the most of the convenience of frozen berries. It doesn’t matter if it’s berry season. As they bake, the berries get jammy, infusing their flavor with the oats. You don’t need to thaw them first.

You can serve this oatmeal breakfast bake warm, at room temperature or cold. I’m a big fan of eating leftovers straight from the fridge with a splash of milk or a scoop of Greek yogurt.

Because it isn’t too sweet, you can pair this mixed berry oatmeal with savory brunch dishes. Whether it’s Christmas morning or Mother’s Day or Easter brunch, pair this recipe with a roasted vegetable egg bake for a complete spread.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This is what you need:

• Steel-cut oats are what I have tested this recipe with, so please don’t substitute with old-fashioned oats.
• Oat milk: Since it’s oatmeal, to me it makes sense to use oat milk, but you can use almond milk, soy milk or cow’s milk, if that’s what you have in your fridge.
• Berries: I love baking with frozen berries because they tend to spread and get more jam-like when they bake, which also what I do for this berry buttermilk cake. If you have fresh berries, save them to top each bowl.
• Ground flaxseed & water: To keep the recipe vegan, I whisk together ground flaxseed and water to make a flax egg. You can swap that out and use an actual egg if you prefer.
• Coconut oil enhances the nutty flavors in the oatmeal, but you won’t taste coconut.
• Nut butter: Either natural creamy peanut butter or almond butter will work.
• Maple syrup sweetens the oatmeal without being too much, and it has a nice balance with the berries and cinnamon.
• Vanilla extract: I include a half-teaspoon with the wet ingredients. Again, this is a background flavor to the berries, rounding everything out.
• Cinnamon for me is a requirement when it comes to oatmeal. I also like to give the baked oatmeal and fruit another sprinkle before I dig in.
• Almonds: Chopped roasted almonds give the oatmeal crunch. I use them even if I make the oatmeal with peanut butter, but you can substitute with peanuts.
• Baking powder helps the oatmeal rise slightly and puff up as it bakes.
• Salt: You need just a pinch to activate all the flavors and ingredients.

How To Make This Baked Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Make a flax egg by stirring flaxseed and water in a small bowl.

2. Melt the coconut oil and nut butter.  The easiest way to do this is in a bowl in a 30-second blast in the microwave. Just whisk it to distribute the heat and finish any melting as needed. This is usually for solid bits of coconut oil. 

3. Stir in the oat milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and flax egg.

4. Combine the steel-cut oats, almonds, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the oat mixture, stirring until fully combined.

6. Transfer to a baking dish and top with frozen berries. 

7. Bake the oatmeal. Give it 40-50 minutes. The oatmeal will brown and puff up. It should be a spoon-able consistency.

8. Divide the baked oatmeal into bowls. Serve with milk or Greek yogurt (or a plant-based yogurt) and fresh fruit. Sliced bananas or apples or fresh berries are great options. Top with chopped almonds and cinnamon.