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Warm and inviting, this Gingerbread Oatmeal Bake is super festive and the perfect brunch to feed a crowd this holiday season. This 1-bowl breakfast bake is dairy-free, gluten-free and made without any refined sugars. Keep it all about the gingerbread flavor as-is, or add in walnuts, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries for a twist.
Gingerbread Oatmeal Bake
With its warm spices and hearty molasses flavor, this Gingerbread Oatmeal Bake completely feels and tastes like the holiday season. It’s not only delicious, but it’s also a nutritious breakfast that will be perfect to serve for a crowd. It’s made in 1 bowl and bakes up in just about 30 minutes. Make it ahead, or make it fresh!
There are a few ways you can serve baked gingerbread oatmeal, besides digging right in with a spoon. You can scoop out a serving into a bowl and add a little extra milk, like a warm cereal. Or, you can slice it and eat as is, warm or cold. This makes it a great meal-prep option as well; bake it and eat some immediately and then pack the rest away for later.
Gingerbread Oatmeal Ingredients
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Eggs
- Maple Syrup
- Milk-of-choice (we recommend almond or oat milk)
- Oil-of-choice (we recommend avocado, light olive oil, or melted coconut)
- Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- Molasses
- Baking Powder
- Chia Seeds
- Dark Chocolate Chips (optional)
- Walnuts (optional)
- Dried Cranberries (optional)
What Oats Should You Use
For this recipe, use rolled oats, not quick cooking oats. If you are gluten-free, make sure the package you buy says gluten-free rolled oats on it! You can’t use instant oatmeal. It’s different than rolled oats or old fashioned oats because it is thinly cut, processed and flavored. They don’t lend the same structure to baked goods as regular oats or quick oats, so make sure to check labels.
Can you freeze baked oatmeal?
Yes! Once it is fully cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Either defrost overnight in the refrigerator or give it a quick pass in the toaster oven or microwave to heat up!
If you like this oat recipe, check out these others:
- Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
- Lemon Poppy Seed Overnight Oats
- Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin (Nut-Free & Gluten-Free)
- Gluten Free Apple Muffins
If you like this holiday breakfast recipe, check out these others:
- Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Hash
- Sheet Pan Classic Breakfast Bake (Eggs, Bacon, & Home Fries!)
- Easy Pizza Scramble
- Breakfast Prep Baked Egg Cups
GINGERBREAD OATMEAL BAKE
Ingredients
Gingerbread Oatmeal
- 2 large eggs
- 1-¼ cup almond milk or milk-of-choice
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or coconut oil melted
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Optional add-ins
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips dark or white chocolate would be nice here!
- 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8" x 8" (or similar size) oven-safe dish. If desired, prepare a parchment sling by cutting out a piece of parchment paper slightly longer than the pan and placing it inside.
- In a large bowl add eggs, milk, maple syrup, apple sauce, oil and molasses and whisk to fully combine.
- To the wet ingredients add oats, chia seeds, baking powder, and all of the spices and salt mix until fully combined. If adding in any option ingredients like walnuts, fold them in here.
- Pour into prepared dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center is just barely firm.
- Scoop and serve warm as is or with milk, or cool and slice into 9 square portions.
Love this! I’ve made your blueberry baked oatmeal before, which is great also, but this has been our favorite. Just a quick question, how do you store this? I usually refrigerate your baked oatmeal recipes. Is that correct or can they be stored at room temperature since they are baked?
P.s. – I baked this with the full amount of milk listed (I used skim) for the full time listed and they came out absolutely perfect.
Love this! I’ve made your blueberry baked oatmeal before, which is great also, but this has been our favorite. Just a quick question, how do you store this? I usually refrigerate your baked oatmeal recipes. Is that correct or can they be stored at room temperature since they are baked?
Fine sea salt is listed twice in the ingredient list, 1/4 and 1/8 tsp. Is this correct.
It’s been updated–thanks for the catch.
I love all of your oatmeal bakes but this one called for more milk then the others and it didn’t bake right because it was all soggy… Any reason for the extra milk in this recipe?
Hi Kelly. I hear you! We tested this with the typical amount of milk that we usually call for, but felt it needed a bit more of a creamy feel to balance the molasses flavor, so we added in 1/4 of a cup more. If you prefer it more dry, feel free to omit the extra 1/4 of a cup.