Looking for a warm, cozy breakfast for the cold winter months? We love this easy vegan cranberry baked oatmeal recipe made with tart cranberries, chopped apple, and lots of warm cinnamon. A yummy vegan Christmas breakfast option!
Oats are not only loaded with nutrition and make a great breakfast option that I love as a plant-based dietitian, but they are also budget friendly and delicious! This cranberry baked oatmeal recipe has quickly become a new favorite in our house. Oatmeal bakes are great since they let you batch prep several servings at once for a super quick healthy breakfast casserole option throughout the week.
We love this recipe because it is also vegan, dairy free, and egg free. If you need a healthier vegan Christmas breakfast recipe – this easy cranberry baked oatmeal is the perfect dish for the holiday season. Maybe cranberries aren’t your thing? Check out my banana baked oatmeal or my carrot cake baked oatmeal recipes for Christmas morning.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Oats: we prefer to use old-fashioned oats for this recipe for a chewier texture but you can also use quick cooking oats. I would avoid steel cut oats though as they aren’t soft enough for this recipe.
- Milk: Use any plant-based milk you prefer. I prefer soy milk since it has more protein than other options. Just use a plain, unsweetened milk of choice like unsweetened almond milk.
- Baking Powder: Adds lightness to this baked oatmeal.
- Ground Flax Seed: Use as an egg replacer to help bind the oats together to form a cake-like texture.
- Pure Maple Syrup: rather than using brown sugar, this cranberry oatmeal bake is naturally sweetened with maple syrup.
- Oil: Just a little oil is needed to add a bit of fat since you don’t use eggs in this vegan version of baked oatmeal. Use any neutral tasting oil you have on hand like olive oil or canola oil.
- Cranberries: I used fresh cranberries for the batch in the photos for this post, but you we love this with dried cranberries as well (since fresh cranberries aren’t always available year round). Use just 1/2 cup of dried cranberries or 3/4 cup of leftover cranberry sauce.
- Walnuts: feel free to omit the nuts if you don’t like them or have an allergy. If you don’t have walnuts on hand, pecans would also be delicious in this vegan baked oatmeal recipe. We just love the texture from the crunchy walnuts as well as the healthy fats.
- Maple Yogurt Topping: for added sweetness and pretty presentation, we like to drizzle the top of the baked oatmeal in some maple yogurt glaze. You can also top with nut butter if you’d like.
How to Make Cranberry Baked Oatmeal
Step One: In a small dish, use a fork to mix together the ground flaxseed and water to make a flax egg. Spray an 8×8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Step Two: Add the rolled oats, baking powder, ground cinnamon and sea salt to a small mixing bowl and mix.
Step Three: Add the wet ingredients (milk, oil, maple syrup, and flax egg) to a large bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine then add the dry ingredients, cranberries, walnuts, and chopped apple. Stir well.
Step Four: Pour the oat mixture into an 8×8 inch glass baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and center is firm. Allow to cool 10 minutes.
Step Five: Make the yogurt drizzle and spoon over the top of the baked oatmeal. Serve!
FAQs
Yes! Both versions are filled with slow digesting carbs, fiber and protein. Eating more oats can help you lower your cholesterol and support a healthy gut.
Yes! If you can’t find fresh or frozen cranberries, you can use dried cranberries for this apple cranberry baked oatmeal. Just use 1/2 cup dried cranberries in place of the 1 cup of fresh cranberries in the recipe.
This recipe is easily adapted to be gluten free as well – just use gluten-free certified oats for a gluten free version.
How to Store Baked Oatmeal
- To Make Ahead: You can make your apple cranberry baked oatmeal up to 3 days in advance and then reheat when ready to serve. You can also slice into individual servings and store those in an airtight container. When ready to eat, simply defrost in the microwave and serve.
- Storing Leftovers: Leftovers will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can also freeze individual portions of vegan baked oatmeal in an airtight container to reheat when ready to eat.
More Vegan Baked Oatmeal Recipes
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Cranberry Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 5 tablespoons water
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons oil or melted vegan butter
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (can sub 1/2 cup dried cranberries)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
For the Maple Yogurt Drizzle
- 1/3 cup plain, non-dairy yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the ground flaxseeds and water to a small bowl and stir well with a fork to combine. Set aside for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- To a small mixing bowl, add the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine.
- Add flax egg, milk, maple syrup, and oil to a large mixing bowl. Whisk and set aside. Stir in the oat mixture.
- Add the chopped apple, cranberries, and walnuts. Stir again and then transfer to an 8×8 inch baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until firm and browned.
- While the oatmeal bakes, make the yogurt topping by whisking together the yogurt, maple syrup, sea salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Once baked oatmeal has cooled for 10-15 minutes, top with the yogurt drizzle and serve.
Video
Notes
- To serve: serve warm with a splash of milk and more maple syrup (if desired).
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze baked oatmeal in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.
Nutrition
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