Easy Amish Baked Oatmeal {Overnight Option}
This easy Amish baked oatmeal is so quick to mix up and can be made the night before to bake the next morning. Hearty and so delicious!
I have a soft spot in my heart for make-ahead breakfasts. And I also have a soft spot in my heart for oatmeal.
So it’s no wonder this easy Amish baked oatmeal is a fast favorite. For me and the kids.
Hearty and delicious, we make it often for no-fuss breakfasts before school (I assemble it the night before). And it also makes an appearance when we do breakfast-for-dinner.
Lightly sweet and texturally amazing, it’s the perfect breakfast!
Old-Fashioned Oats vs Quick Oats
This recipe works with both old-fashioned oats and quick oats. It does *not* work with instant oats or steel cut oats.
I prefer using old-fashioned (or sprouted old-fashioned) oats, because we really like the slightly piecemeal, soft granola-ish texture.
But if you like a softer, dare I say, mushier, oatmeal, go for the quick oats and bump up the milk just a bit.
All of the simple ingredients for the oatmeal get whisked together in a bowl:
- oats
- baking powder
- salt
- brown sugar + touch of maple syrup
- milk
- eggs
- butter or oil
Make it Overnight
This oatmeal is a great make-ahead breakfast.
The oatmeal mixture can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
If I am on top of things and make this ahead of time, I like to give the oatmeal a little stir right in the pan before baking. This prevents the layers from separating while baking (since everything settles a bit in the refrigerator).
Whether you choose to bake it right away or refrigerate for a while, I just want to warn you that it’s going to smell amazing when it finally does bake.
Like a warm oatmeal cookie.
Except healthier! And you can eat it for breakfast (ahem, because I would never ever EVER eat cookies for breakfast). wink wink
How to serve baked oatmeal
We scoop the warm baked oatmeal into bowls and add a little bit of milk. This helps cool the oatmeal down and soften it up a bit more.
Sometimes we eat it straight up plain as can be. Oatmeal + milk. Pure and simple.
Other times we pull out blueberries or slice up a banana. Occasionally the kids beg to drop a handful of chocolate chips in their oatmeal. Who am I to say no? #delicious
We don’t add extra sweeteners. It’s perfectly sweet for our taste buds with the maple syrup and brown sugar.
This easy Amish baked oatmeal is a staple recipe. And infinitely adaptable.
After loving this apple and cinnamon version for so long, I wanted a simpler, slightly plainer version for every day eating that could be adapted and experimented with depending on my mood.
Turns out, this is the only version my kids want to eat for the rest of forever. They love it.
And in case you are wondering: the leftovers are crazy good.
FAQs for Amish Baked Oatmeal
Yes, but it might be too much for a 9X13-inch pan unless the sides of the pan are extra tall. You’d probably need to split into two pans
This recipe works great with almond milk (and I’m assuming with other non-dairy milks).
Non-dairy milk works well for the milk – you’d have to experiment with an egg substitute. Perhaps the “flax egg” would work. Sometimes 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg works well in baking as well.
Yes. It will make a thicker oatmeal and may require a few extra minutes of baking, but it should work. I would suggest not baking in anything smaller than a 9X9-inch square baking pan.
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Easy Amish Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups (300 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (see note for quick oats)
- ½ cup (106 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups dairy or non-dairy milk (see note)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted butter or oil (see note)
- Toppings: additional milk, berries, sliced bananas, chopped nuts, etc
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (Skip this step right now if making the oatmeal overnight.)
- Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan (or smaller pan for thicker oatmeal). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- In another bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and butter or oil.
- Add the wet ingredients to the oats mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake (up to 24 hours) or bake right away.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the oatmeal is set. Serve warm with additional toppings.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (altered from this old favorite)
OK, what??? How in the world could an easy, low labor recipe taste SO good? This is delicious and oh my, a great find. You did it again, Mel! Every recipe I make of yours is so tasty. Thank you!
This is the yummiest! I like it plain jane warmed up with milk day after day. You’re awesome Mel! Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve made your baked oatmeal twice now (once this version and once the original from a few years ago). It tasted great! Unfortunately, both times the top was a great texture but the bottom was a little soggy. Any recommendations on how to fix it? Less milk? Flip it during baking somehow?
Hi Sophie – do you think you might need to add a few minutes more baking time? I think that could help. What type of baking pan are you using?
I am using a glass baking dish. I did bake it longer than the recipe called for. The edges were just barely starting to brown.
Is there a way to make it more homogeneous throughout the thickness of the oatmeal? I stirred well and baked immediately both times.
Hi Sophie, glass tends to bake a bit less evenly than, say, ceramic or metal. You could try reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees and then baking a few minutes longer.
What about a larger pan, like a cookie sheet, so it’s thinner. Might result in a more consistent texture throughout
I made last night and baked it this morning!! I woke up -36C here in Canada, and it was the PERFECT start to a really cold day. I substituted 1c of the oats with steel cut oats, as I have some to use up. This is hands-down the best baked oatmeal. It will be a regular in our breakfast line-up! Thanks so much, Mel!
Yum!!! Except waaaaay too much salt. I would use just 1/4 tsp or really none at all next time. But really good otherwise and definitely will make on repeat!
Baking the third batch of this! I’m not a fan of oatmeal but my husband loves this, and it makes a quick, easy breakfast. Reheats well! Thank you.
Thanks, Linda!
Maple syrup is hard to get our hands on over here (Korea). Has anyone had any luck with a maple syrup substitute? Or used the not real stuff?
You might be able to use honey, Marisa – or use part honey and increase the sugar just a bit.
This was amazing! I made the recipe as written and my whole family loved it! You never disappoint! Thanks, Mel!
Love hearing your family loved a recipe – thanks, JaNae!
I used to make a variation of this. It was called oatmeal casserole! Your name is so much more exciting! I would add a different kinds of fruit, but my favorite was rhubarb. That sweet and sour taste with oatmeal and cinnamon……Mel, I know how much you love rhubarb
I’ll have to get into making this again.
Thanks for reminding me.
Rhubarb!! That’s an amazing idea, Valerie! Thank you!
Mel…I love many of your recipes! But I never expected oatmeal to be this delish! So yummy! Thanks!
Thanks, Jill! 🙂
Made it four times already!!! AWESOME 🙂
Thanks Mel!
Four times! That’s amazing, Barb! Thank you!
I make your recipes all the time, but rarely comment. This warranted a thank you, however. For many years I have believed oatmeal is gross based on childhood breakfast experiences. (I remember just dumping in as much sugar as I could when my mom turned her back, and it still was awful). Now in my 30s I thought maybe I would grow up a tiny bit and give it a whirl, but I had very low hopes. I truly enjoyed it! My husband enjoyed it! My three kids enjoyed it! I really will make it again! Very few recipes of any kind please all of us, so it was quite amazing all around. Thank you!
This totally made my day, Tiffany! I had similar early-years oatmeal experiences like you described, and I’m so happy this oatmeal converted you over to the oatmeal fan club. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Baked oatmeal…where have you been all of my life?? So so good! Thank you!!
We’re Empty Nesters, so I cut this recipe in half. I used an 8 X 8 inch square glass baking dish, and baked for 25 minutes at 350. It was perfect. It has a chewy granola-like taste and texture . I served with fresh blueberries, and I’m looking forward to trying different toppings. This recipe is a winner!
thanks for that info. I wanted to make a small batch.
I just prepped this to make in the morning – for the second time. The first time it received rave reviews! I used what I had opened or available: sprouted old fashioned oats macadamia nut milk, date sugar and monkfruit granulated sugar, and olive oil. I added blueberries as a topping. My husband and our 1 yo both loved it. It was delicious and the perfect amount of sweetness and a good consistency.
Yum yum yum! My family enjoyed this for breakfast!
This is a wonderful recipe! I prepped it last night and cooked this morning. It’s very flexible as you’ll see, but it’s true essence is in the low ratio of liquid to oats compared to other baked oatmeal recipes.
Here are my modifications – I made a third of the recipe.
1 cup oats – half of them were quick oats. I like the mixed texture.
No sugar
About 3 tbsp maple syrup
No baking powder – I don’t like the taste
1 egg
A bit less than 1/2 cup milk
Vanilla
2 tbsp butter. Since I made it the night before here is how I made it work:
In the baking dish I put the oats and cubed the butter on top. I left it out for a few hours until butter was soft and then rubbed it into the oatmeal. Then poured the liquid mixture into the oats and stirred. Butter flavour, ahead of time convenience!
Thanks for the recipe, Mel!
Can you substitute the maple syrup for something else? Honey maybe?
Yes, you can definitely try that!
I needed a quick, easy dinner tonight and decided to try this. We all LOVED it and my kids are begging me to make it again for breakfast tomorrow. Awesome recipe! Thank you! Also, I’m loving my Mel’s Kitchen hoodie that my husband got me for Christmas! 🙂
That made my day – thank you, Annie!!
This recipe is so delicious!! I like oatmeal but often can’t finish a serving because the texture starts making me gag. The texture of this baked oatmeal is perfect! It isn’t glumpy at all and it was so good with oat milk poured over it. I ate a ton! I made mine with cashew milk and coconut oil and it was perfection. The maple syrup and vanilla make a perfect flavor, even with the non-dairy situation. We added berries and almond slices. Thanks for a great recipe!!
The texture won me over, too, Maureen! I’m glad you liked it!
Made this for breakfast yesterday and ate the leftovers today and I liked the leftovers even more!! Thanks for the recipe
Thanks, Kenz! I’m going to double it next time just so we have the leftovers – we feel the same!
This was really yummy and smelled so good. I love to use your recipes, but I always veganize them. I used soy milk, Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer (though I’m sure flax eggs would work), & vegan butter. We all loved it. Thanks!!
So good!! My husband and 3 year old always turn up their noses at my love for oatmeal, but this one had them gobbling it up!! I was rebellious and mixed it all up right in the pan and it worked just great! Took me literally 5 minutes and was the perfect breakfast the next morning after being up all night with the baby. We are HUGE Mel fans here. Thanks for helping me feed my family!
Haha, love the rebelliousness! We should all try it! 🙂
This oatmeal was delicious! My family loved it.
Hi there!! do you think dried fruit would work in this recipe? I plan to prepare it in the morning, not leave overnight. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!
Yes, dried fruit should work great!
What would the baking time be for a 9″x9″ pan? And what would be the difference in the texture?
The texture on top will be the same but the thicker middle will be softer. I would watch the time, but you might need 5-10 extra minutes for that size pan.
Nice recipe! However, can you please add metric measurements to the ingredients list for those of us in the civilised world? :-
Hi there! Can I sub the maple syrup for honey? For the leftovers, can I store it in an air tight container at room temp? What’s the best suggestion for storage and any way to heat it up again for that warm fresh feel? 🙂 thanks mel!
Yes, you could use maple syrup for honey – I store the leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. We just lightly warm in the microwave. 🙂
I just made this, but made it vegan with ingredients I had on hand. I used melted Earth Balance “butter” instead of butter, natural brown cane sugar in place of brown sugar, honey instead of maple syrup, (I know maple syrup is vegan, but we were out and I was dying to try this recipe NOW!) and oat milk (ironic, more oats haha!) instead of milk. I omitted the eggs, and used 2 TB more of Earth Balance “Butter” to replace the wetness from the eggs. I also added a dash of cinnamon because … why not? LOL.
I put some in a bowl and poured a bit of oat milk on top and ate it hot. It’s wonderful!
It’s delicious and smells amazing. Thank you for the recipe idea! I’ve been juicing and eating a vegan diet since a health scare on December 23 2020, and I’ve lost 30lbs so far and this was a delicious treat that doesn’t make me feel I’ve derailed my new lifestyle
Hi Rachel – thanks for the review and the notes on making vegan! I’m sorry about your health scare – I hope all is well. My friend who is fighting stage 4 cancer has been eating vegan for over a year now; it’s been fun to experiment with vegan recipes when I take her dinner. I might have to give this baked oatmeal a go for her and her family with your suggestions!
Hi Mel, Once you have assembled and baked this, do leftovers keep well, (there’s only two of us eating this and I would like for it to do multiple breakfast servings)
Thankyou
Yes, leftovers heat up really great! We love this as leftovers.
I noticed you used a baking dish in the photos. The recipe says to use a 9 x 13 pan.
Did you use 350 degrees when you baked in a dish, or did you reduce the temperature because of using glass/ceramic? I keep reading that baking in a dish takes a temperature lower than baking in a (metal) pan (usually 25 degrees lower)..
So, the temperature should be 350 degrees in a baking dish?
p.s. LOVE your recipes!
The baking dish in the photos is a 9X13-inch pan (ceramic – but a glass or metal pan will work, too). I baked at 350 degrees. Having said that, if I make brownies or cake in a non-metal pan (like glass or ceramic) I reduce the oven temp to 325 degrees.
I made this last night and baked it this morning. We topped with blueberries and banana slices and it was delicious, hearty and filling. The prep was super minimal, so my favorite kind of meal!
Yay! So happy to hear you liked it, Madison – thank you!
I made this today. Simple and delicious. My kids are weird and like baked oatmeal, but won’t eat regular oatmeal, so we do baked about every other week. I must say this one is better than the other baked oatmeals you’ve posted, or maybe I’m just getting better at following a recipe! 🙂 Thanks!
Thanks, Anna!!
Have you been spying in my kitchen?!
This recipe is almost exactly like the one I devised a few months ago – and we have been eating it almost every morning since then! Going on 6 months now and we still aren’t tired of it!
Instead of oil/butter, I use unsweetened applesauce – with excellent results.
To up the protein, I use one egg and two egg whites.
To change up the recipe, I sometimes add in frozen mixed berries. Or raisins with cinnamon. Or cranberries, pumpkin puree (omit applesauce) and lots of pumpkin spice. Special treat days call for chocolate chips and sweetened coconut. Often crumble pecans or walnuts on top to add a nice crunch. Sometimes serve with a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt as well as milk.
I only use a scant 1/3 cup sugar. We’ve recently started a 40 day sugar fast, but since this oatmeal already fit so many nutritional needs, I decided to keep it during the fast and reduce the sugar by half. Just enough sweetness to keep the oats from tasting….well…like fodder. It works for the fast, but I’m looking forward to returning to 1/3 cup sugar – and to trying your maple syrup addition!
Love this input and all the variations and tips! Thank you for sharing! That’s pretty amazing you have been eating this for 6 months with no signs of stopping. We just ate it on Monday morning and my kids already requested it again for tomorrow, so it’s definitely a winner!
I love baked oatmeal especially for those of us who don’t like the texture of cooked on the stove oatmeal. And I always replace the egg with 1/4 cup applesauce and it’s wonderful! I make it vegan for my kids and almond milk is a great substitute as well!
Thanks for the vegan input, Kelli!
I made this for breakfast this morning and all 6 of us thought it was the best oatmeal we’ve ever had! I am generally not an oatmeal lover because I don’t like the mushy texture. This was perfect! We went with coconut flakes and chocolate chips on top.
I’m so glad you and your family liked this, Lindsay – and the addition of coconut and chocolate sounds divine.
Excited to have this recipe! My kids would not touch oatmeal until I started making your the apple cinnamon version of this. They love it! And we eat it often! Can’t thank you enough doe constantly providing recipes my family loves!
Thank you so much, Jerusha! I hope you like this one as much as the apple version!
This baked oatmeal is so good that it doesn’t even need toppings! It’s definitely bumping to the top of my baked oatmeal list!
Thanks for another winner, Mel!
Thanks for letting me know you liked this one, Becky! Appreciate you!
So so so good!!! I used whole milk, sugar free maple syrup, and half oil/half pumpkin purée and added a touch of cinnamon. (Just because these are the things I had on hand). I will make it like this every time, it was sooooo good!! Thanks!!
I love when you guys include your variations. Thanks, Jessica!
Yum. Made my families morning complete. Now off to virtual school/homeschooling. At least we don’t have to distance ourselves from delicious food with Covid. 😉
Yes, I totally agree! Haha.
I’m heading in to make this now. We have a divine baked oatmeal recipe I’d love to share. It’s totally different as it’s more of a souffle. You combine 10 eggs and 8 cups of milk then add 4 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats. I also add some vanilla and sprinkle the top with cinnamon once placed in a greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350-375 until no longer soupy and firm — it cuts like cake. Usually 45-60 minutes depending on your oven. We serve with a simple caramel sauce: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 cup cream. The whole recipe is easily halved. Anyway, been a follower for years and always wanted to share.
Had to come back to comment. Made your recipe and it brought me back to my childhood. Not sure what it’s reminding me of, but it’s delish. Will definitely be making again!
Hi Alisha, thanks for sharing the oatmeal “souffle” baked oatmeal! And also your review on this recipe. Glad you liked it!
Need nutrition info for diabetics .I have not made this recipe yet.
Mel I love the lemon curd, but one recipe sure didn’t last long. Next time I’m doubling the recipe!!!!! Yum Yum Thanks for the recipe and your creative blog. You have a wonderful gift of expressing yourself and entertaining too. A Friend LMR
Mel I love the lemon curd, but one recipe sure didn’t last long next time I’m doubling the recipe!!!!! Yum Yum Thanks for the recipe and your creative blog. You have a wonderful gift of expressing yourself and entertaining too. A Friend LMR
Thank you so much, Linda!
Made this, this evening, and it was perfection. We have already enjoyed the version with the fruit baked in, but I think I agree with your kids to say that this one is a new favorite.
Thanks, Meredith! Super happy you loved this one!
Hey friend…Yummy! I love baked oatmeal…so much so, we just had this for dinner (throw in some collagen powder for a little more protein, and that makes it dinner worthy, right?)
So, there is this little bakery in Donnelly, on your way to Mccall, called Flight of Fancy, that serves the world’s most delicious baked oatmeal. If you are ever driving by-stop and get it. Anyhoo, I have been trying to recreate it for years now, and your recipe here is definitely the base—although she uses a mixture of old fashioned and steal cut oats, and then she adds coconut, slivered almonds, and craisins to the oatmeal before it is baked…warm, with milk and a little whipped cream… it’s a heavenly oatmeal cookie party in your mouth.
You’re the best! Thanks for all your experimenting in the kitchen so we don’t have to.
Holy cow, Hollie, I need to get up to that bakery ASAP. That sounds amazing.
Any chance you could include nutritional values for your recipes? I have used many of your recipes; now attempting to watch my diet and could use this information. Thanks.
Hi Marlene, I haven’t included nutritional facts simply because most of the nutritional calculators for food blogs are not accurate and I don’t feel good about posting inaccurate nutrition information (or skewing the recipe sizes so that a recipe “looks” healthy like often happens on food websites). I’m sorry for the inconvenience!
Love it!! How should I alter the recipe to make softer / mushier oatmeal using rolled oats?
I would increase the milk by at least a cup and bake a bit longer until soft.
Mel, I bought Prepear, and access to your recipes is well worth the price. But I would love some thoughts on how to take advantage of everything the app has to offer beyond Mel. 🙂
Hi Lillie – there are a lot of other recipes on there (not just mine) – I don’t remember how much it is to upgrade to the Gold membership (maybe $2 a month?) but if you do, you can have access to every other recipe/menu plan/cookbook on the app.
Yum!!!! I have a similar recipe for a breakfast kinda cobbler that is this kinda topping over some sweetened peaches. This looks easier and healthier. Definitely try soon, thanks!!!
That sounds delicious, Alissa!