Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal (Vegan)

This baked pumpkin oatmeal is so easy to make and is perfect for a healthy fall breakfast! It's loaded with pumpkin spice flavor, soft and sliceable. This recipe is gluten-free and vegan.

With October comes all things pumpkin, and baked pumpkin oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast recipes to prep for the week. It's super cozy, easy to throw together, and makes enough to feed a few or make leftovers for the work week.

Baked oatmeal is soft and sliceable. It's pretty much just like a bowl of pumpkin oatmeal that's firm enough to serve on a plate!

This pumpkin oatmeal is vegan because it is egg-free and uses non-dairy milk (any kind works!).

About this recipe

• Dietary features: vegetarian, vegan, soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free optional (use certified gluten-free oats)
• Texture: Baked oatmeal is soft but sliceable. It has a tender center and is not dry!
• Time: This recipe takes just 5 minutes to active time and 35 minutes in the oven.
• Flavor: Just like you'd hope, pumpkin oatmeal is packed with fall flavor from pumpkin pie spices, canned pumpkin, and brown sugar.
• Versatile: Great for meal prep and family breakfast. It can easily be doubled to make a larger serving. See below for recipe variations.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Rolled oats: Also known as old-fashioned oats. Instant oats and steel-cut oats won't work in this recipe because they result in different textures.
• Spices: Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice give that cozy fall feeling.  Add a pinch of salt to enhance the spices.
• Pumpkin: Choose pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Leftover pumpkin puree is great in pumpkin dip or pumpkin mug cake.
• Milk: I use unsweetened, unflavored soy milk when I make oatmeal, but any sweetened or unsweetened non-dairy or dairy milk works in baked oatmeal.
• Light brown sugar: This is the main sweetener. The oatmeal itself is subtly sweet, with additional sweetness coming from a brown sugar topping.

How to make

Start by lightly spraying the baking dish with cooking oil.

You can mix together the oatmeal ingredients in a bowl or directly in the baking pan. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients.

Stir in the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined. It should look like the image above once transferred to the baking dish.

Top with remaining ¼ cup brown sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the oatmeal pulls away from the edges of the baking dish.

A knife or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Baked oatmeal tips

• Make into overnight oats instead: This recipe can easily be made into delicious pumpkin overnight oats. To do so, mix all ingredients together and divide them into four jars or bowls. Let rest in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours, then enjoy heated up (or cold!) in the morning.
• Chocolate pumpkin oats: Make chocolate pumpkin oatmeal by mixing 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients.
• Add-ins: Try adding in ½ cup walnuts or pecans for additional protein and healthy fats. You can also add in 1-2 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flax seed for additional nutrition and omega-3s. 
• Topping ideas: Serve topped with chocolate chips and a dollop of whipped cream for dessert or pair with walnuts and cranberries for a filling breakfast. The oatmeal seen in the photos is topped with pistachios, dark chocolate chips and additional cinnamon.

Type of dish to use

I use an 11x7 ceramic baking dish to make baked oatmeal.

If you don't have a dish this size you don't need to go out and buy one. Instead:

• I recommend using 8x8, 9x9, 8x11, or a similar size. Smaller dishes require a few more minutes of baking time. Larger dishes require less baking time.
• I prefer ceramic baking dishes, but metal or glass work! This isn't a technical recipe, so the oatmeal will turn out as long as you keep an eye on it and don't overbake it!
• Individual ramekins also work. Just divide the oatmeal batter between ramekins and bake until the center is set and the edges are pulling away from the ramekin.

Storage tips

• Leftovers: For best quality, keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days.
• Reheating: You can reheat individual servings in the microwave for 45-60 seconds. You can also reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through, which takes about 10-15 minutes. Add a splash of milk if needed.
• Making in advance: You can either make the oatmeal in advance and let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving or prep the ingredients in advance.
  To prep the ingredients for baked oatmeal, simply mix together all dry ingredients and all wet ingredients. Keep them refrigerated in separate containers for 1-2 days and mix together once ready to make the oatmeal.

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