Baked oatmeal dappled with cinnamon and pecans is an easy & healthy meal to make for family breakfast or meal prep. It's vegan and so easy to customize!
Pecan baked oatmeal is one of my new favorite vegan breakfast recipes. It's the perfect recipe for when you need to throw together a quick, nourishing breakfast.
And it's super cozy, making it perfect for chilly fall days! The oatmeal is sliceable and soft, and because it uses flax eggs and soy milk it's vegan.
Looking for baked oatmeal that isn't vegan? Check out my Banana & Blueberry Baked Oatmeal instead.
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Recipe highlights
- Requires just 10 minutes of prep time
- Soft and sliceable, not hard like oatmeal bars
- Dappled with toasted pecans and cinnamon
- Easy to customize using your favorite milk, nuts, and fruit
Ingredients
- Rolled oats: Also called old-fashioned oats, these are different than quick-cooking oats or steel-cut oats (neither of which work in this recipe).
- Pecans: Choose whole raw pecans and toast them yourself or just buy them already toasted/roasted. If you prefer smaller pecan bits, you can roughly chop the pecans up before toasting.
- Non-dairy milk: I use soy milk because that's what I keep on hand, but you can use coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, etc. Choose unsweetened, unflavored milk to keep a neutral palette.
- Brown sugar is the sweetener. Add as little or as much as you like.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg provide a warming, comforting fall flavor that complements the sweet brown sugar and pecans.
- Flax eggs: Combine ground flaxseed and water to make this vegan egg substitute. It is also a great way to add healthy omega-3s to your breakfast.
- Olive oil: Like flaxseed, olive oil also provides healthy fats, but you can use canola, vegetable, melted coconut oil, or any other relatively neutral oil.
Step-by-step instructions
Before you begin: Make the two flaxseed eggs by stirring together 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of water. Let rest for 5 minutes before using.
Step 1: Toast the pecans. Start by adding the pecans to a medium skillet with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Stir continuously over medium heat until the brown sugar melts, about 2-3 minutes.
Once the pecans are toasted and the sugar is melted, spread the pecans evenly on a plate or in the skillet to prevent them from sticking together.
Step 2: Add all dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix together until well combined.
Step 3. Add in all of the wet ingredients Stir to combine.
Step 4. Lightly oil an 11x11 or similarly sized baking dish using cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil. This keeps the oatmeal from sticking to the pan. Evenly spread the oatmeal into the baking dish using a spatula.
Step 5. Top with the toasted pecans, reserving a few for garnishing after baking.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is set. It should be soft but holding together. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Oatmeal variations
Use this baked oatmeal recipe as a template for any flavor you prefer.
- For a firmer oatmeal texture, decrease milk to 1 and ½ cups.
- Lemon Blueberry: Add the zest of one lemon and a cup of blueberries (much like my lemon blueberry smoothie).
- Fruit: Fresh or frozen fruit can be mixed with pecans. Try berries in the summer and apples in the fall.
- Use eggs instead of flax eggs: You can use two eggs instead of flax eggs. Whisk them before adding in to the wet ingredients.
- Add-ins: 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds, hemp seeds, and ground flaxseed are all healthy ways to add extra omega-3s to breakfast. These are also good topping options.
- Nut butter: Add in a few spoonfuls of peanut or almond butter with the wet ingredients for nutty oatmeal and extra protein.
- Chocolate baked oats: Add in a handful of your favorite chocolate chips or add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients.
Recipe FAQ
I used an 11x11 baking dish in the photos but an 8x11 baking dish or anything near that size will work.
I haven't tested this recipe with a liquid sweetener but it should work. You may want to decrease the milk slightly to account for the increase in liquid ingredients.
Storage notes
- Storage and reheating: Let cool to room temp before refrigerating. For best quality, cover the baking dish and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave in just 1 minute with a splash of milk.
- How to freeze: Baked oatmeal freezes really well, whether it's vegan or not. You can freeze individual slices in an air-tight container or the entire batch covered in its original baking dish. Let thaw overnight in the fridge.
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Cinnamon Pecan Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 cup raw pecans plus a handful more for topping
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon light brown sugar adjust to taste
- 3 cups rolled oats see note #1
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk of choice soy, almond, coconut, dairy milk, etc.
- ¼ cup olive oil canola or melted coconut oil also work
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extra
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.⠀
- Make the flax egg by mixing together 2 tablespoons flaxseed with 6 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Let rest for 5 minutes before using.
- In a small skillet, add pecans with 1 tablespoon brown sugar over medium heat. Heat until the brown sugar melts and the pecans are lightly toasted, stirring frequently. This will take 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat once melted and layer evenly on a plate to prevent the pecans from sticking together.
- Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: rolled oats, ⅓ cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt.
- Whisk in milk, olive oil, flax eggs and vanilla extract until evenly combined. ⠀
- Pour oatmeal into a lightly oiled 8x11 or similarly sized baking dish. Top with the pecans. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F or until the center is set. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats. Instant oats and steel cut oats do not work here.
- Leftovers and reheating: For best quality, keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. You can warm up individual servings with a splash of milk in the microwave.
- Freezing: Freeze individual baked slices in an airtight container or freeze the entire baking dish. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Dora says
SO DANG YUMMY! I start my day every day with overnight oats and have been getting a bit burnt out on them-this oatmeal bake is definitely going to be a permanent addition to my breakfast rotation! Used milk/eggs/butter in my bake and it turned out lovely. Got away with using only 1/4 cup of brown sugar instead of a 1/3 and was still well balanced! Keep the good recipes coming, Cozy Peach!
Cassidy Reeser says
Thanks so much Dora! 💖
Beverly Diliberto says
What is the white topping in all the photos? There is no mention of it in the post and it sure looks yummy! Is it sweetened sour cream?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Hi Beverly, that is actually yogurt! I believe it was a vanilla soy yogurt. It makes a great side with the oatmeal.