Just look at those toasty, golden, maple-cinnamon pecans on top of this gooey, apple-studded baked oatmeal.
You’re going to want this pan of oatmeal in your life, ASAP. Trust me: I’ve made it twice in the past 10 days and haven’t gotten sick of it yet. 
This oatmeal is perfect for lazy weekends, brunch parties, or for mornings when you have a house full of guests, because it makes enough to feed a crowd and is pretty darn quick and easy to make.
It’s also particularly welcome as a make-ahead breakfast for the workweek. Just bake yourself a big pan full of oatmeal, let it cool, and portion it out into 5 microwave-safe containers. Then, in the mornings, you’re only a 30-second microwave trip away from a warm, hearty, perfectly fall-themed breakfast.
You can leave it plain, or go wild with toppings like: a drizzle of almond or peanut butter, a splash of milk or cream, a big dollop of yogurt or whipped cream, and as much extra maple syrup as your heart desires. My current favorite is a slightly reheated slice + full fat Greek yogurt. 
The secret to this ooey-gooey, perfectly spiced breakfast bake is:
SHREDDED APPLES! Oh, and an entire tablespoon of cinnamon.
Yes, really. I tested it with diced apples, and didn’t love the big, unevenly cooked chunks of apple in every bite. But shred them? Oh, yes, now we’re talking. I even used apple cider as the liquid to make sure this was the most apple-y oatmeal, ever. Every single bite was full of apple flavor, and the oatmeal stays extra moist and flavorful for days after baking. I even found it less bothersome to shred apples on a box grater than it is to shred, say, carrots. I didn’t bother to peel them first, just shredded down til I hit the core, rotated the apple, and kept shredding. No problemo.
And despite being made with an outrageous amount of cinnamon, this oatmeal isn’t overpoweringly spiced. Just enough to make you say “yup, that’s apple cinnamon oatmeal”, but not enough for you to go “holy cinnamon!” with every bite. 
I hope you love this baked oatmeal as much as I do! It’s:
thick,
dense,
full of apple flavor from both apple cider and shredded apples,
perfectly spiced,
covered in crunchy maple-candied pecans,
and the best way to start your weekend.
If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram! I can’t wait to see your oatmeal!
And don’t forget to check out my PANTRY STAPLES page to purchase some of the ingredients needed for this recipe!
Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 2 Tablespoons butter melted
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups oats
- 2 cups shredded apples tightly packed (from about 4 apples)
- 1 small apple thinly sliced, for topping (optional)
Maple Pecan Topping
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped (can sub walnuts, if desired)
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease large baking dish with butter or nonstick spray (I used a 10-inch oval dish, but a 9x9, 7x11, or really any large baking dish will be fine here.
- 2. Shred your apples, and set them aside while you make the oatmeal batter.
- 3. Put apple cider, maple syrup, almond butter, melted butter, egg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Then, dump in all remaining ingredients, including the shredded apples and any liquid that may have pooled around them, and stir.
- 4. Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan, and set aside while you mix up the pecans.
- 5. In your now empty mixing bowl, quickly toss together the chopped pecans, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Evenly distribute them over the top of the oatmeal. If desired, thinly slice an additional apple and arrange it on top of the oats. This really just makes them look extra pretty, but isn't necessary.
- 6. Bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your pan, or until the oatmeal is not longer wet/jiggly in the middle and the pecans are toasted.
- 7. Let oatmeal cool at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving. To store leftovers, let cool completely and transfer to an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Notes
Yes, please.