Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bake
Bursting with your favorite fresh berries, this Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal is a sweet and simple breakfast that you can assemble in minutes. It smells so heavenly as it bakes that you’ll want to enjoy it right away. But it’s perfect to make ahead so you can meal prep for busy mornings or prepare in advance for a weekend or holiday brunch.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Dairy-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
With only a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of work, you can have breakfast for the week or brunch for a crowd. Sweet and bursting with berries, but packed with whole grain oats and naturally gluten free, you can’t go wrong with this make-ahead baked oatmeal. And you probably have most of the ingredients you need in your refrigerator and pantry.
Then just stop by the grocery store or farmers market to pick up your favorite berry, or use a mix of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries (or all of the above) for a colorful and flavorful dish.
Make Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal Part of Breakfast
Here’s why you’ll love it…
- Simple prep. Just stir together a handful of pantry basics, add berries, and pop it in the oven. That’s all you have to do. The hardest part will be letting it sit for the last several minutes to ensure those oats fully absorb all the liquid.
- Perfect to prep ahead. While I caution you about digging in immediately, also know that this is a great recipe to make in advance. Then you can reheat the entire dish if you are having friends or family over for brunch, or microwave individual servings during the week.
- Easily made without gluten or dairy. Certified gluten free oats and a plant-based milk are the only swaps necessary to meet these different dietary needs. Nobody will even notice the difference!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this baked oatmeal recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full amounts and straightforward instructions.
- Old-fashioned oats. Do not use quick or instant oats, make sure they are old-fashioned rolled oats. Use certified gluten free oats, if needed.
- Baking powder. For a bit of lightness to your oatmeal bake.
- Salt.
- Milk. You can use dairy milk or a non-dairy option like almond or oat milk.
- Maple syrup. I always recommend using real maple syrup, not pancake syrup
- Egg. Just one.
- Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract has the best flavor.
- Berries. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or a mix of all of your favorite berries
How to Make Berry Baked Oatmeal
You are only a few steps away from enjoying a bowl of this fruity oatmeal bake. Let’s get started.
- Preparations. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 2-quart baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Then wash and dry the berries, cutting any larger ones in half or quarters.
- Make oat mixture. In a bowl, toss the oats, baking powder, and salt together to combine. Then add the milk, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla, and mix well.
- Add berries. Gently stir in the berries to avoid breaking them up or mashing them. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake and serve. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Let it cool slightly before spooning it into bowls to serve. Give each serving a drizzle of milk before enjoying it, if you like.
Tips for Success
- Get the right oats. You’ll want old-fashioned oats. Not quick or instant oats that won’t give you the proper consistency, or steel-cut oats, which take much longer to cook. And if you have celiac or gluten intolerance, you may wonder if oats are gluten free. It isn’t the most straightforward answer, so do read that article before looking into buying certified gluten free oats.
- Swap the berries. You can use just one type of berry or any combination of your favorite fresh berries. If you want to use frozen berries, do not thaw them. Just toss them in frozen and reduce the milk by about 1/4 cup. Feel free to try other fruits, too!
- Stir gently. You want to try to keep the berries whole, and some, especially raspberries and blackberries, can be fragile. So take care not to mash them up.
- Let it rest. Don’t skip the step at the end that calls for waiting 10 minutes before you dig in. Not only does this let it cool off a bit, but it also allows the juices to redistribute and oats to fully absorb the liquid for the best baked oatmeal consistency.
- Find more fun recipes. I had so much fun making this Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal recipe while I was reviewing the My Little Pony Baking Book by Christi Johnstone from the blog Love From the Oven, where she shares all sorts of fun and delicious goodies. This cookbook takes inspiration from the prettiest ponies in the land for an entire cookbook full of fun and tasty treats. It’s a great way to get the kids in the kitchen.
Make it Ahead
This berry baked oatmeal recipe can be made ahead of time. If you are planning to serve it for a larger gathering, you can bake it the day before. Just pull it out of the oven a few minutes before it is completely set. Then just before serving, you can pop the entire baking dish in the oven to heat it through. Again, you’ll preheat the oven to 350°F. Then heat it up for about 10-15 minutes, depending on whether it is cold or if you have let it come to room temperature.
It will also last in the fridge all week. So bake it up over the weekend. Then each morning, you can scoop a serving into a bowl and heat it up for a minute or two in the microwave. Drizzle it with a little milk or even an extra bit of maple syrup. You’ll have a warm, cozy breakfast even on busy mornings. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 or 6 days.
Make it a Meal
I love to bake a batch over the weekend so we can easily reheat it to enjoy with a Strawberry Banana Coconut Milk Smoothie or some baked eggs. But it’s also a wonderful addition to your spread of gluten free brunch dishes. Here are some of our favorites:
Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed berries , washed, dried, and cut
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats , certified gluten free if needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 1 large beaten egg beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 2-quart baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Wash and dry 2 cups mixed berries, and cut any larger berries so that all of the pieces are about the same size.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well to combine.
- Add 1 1/2 cups milk, 1/4 cup real maple syrup, 1 large beaten egg, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix well to combine. Gently stir in the berries.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes prior to serving.
- If desired, serve in a bowl and top individual servings with milk.
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We made this the other morning and there was not a leftover in sight. The only thing I did differently is use frozen fruit. I think I would reduce the milk by a quarter cup next time to account for the liquid. This time we baked an extra 6 minutes and let it sit for the full 10 minutes. I’m curious to know what type of pan you used. I used a casserole dish but your picture looks – flatter.
So glad you liked it! Yes, frozen fruit definitely does give off more liquid. I used a round stoneware I bought from Pampered Chef ages ago.
I love this! Thank you SO much for sharing, and with such beautiful photos! XOXO
Thank you so much, Christi!