These Easy Pumpkin Baked Oats (without banana) are a healthy make-ahead breakfast for busy weekday mornings. Made with oats, pumpkin puree, honey, brown sugar, and warm spices, these baked oats are made entirely in a blender and have a soft, cake-like texture. Pair them with a cup of coffee or tea for a cozy fall breakfast treat.
Fall is a busy time of year. Summer vacations are winding down and school is back in session. There's homework to be done and fun fall festivities to attend each weekend. So often, having a healthy and nutritious breakfast in the morning gets put on the back burner.
However, with these fluffy, moist, and delicious pumpkin oatmeal bars, you can get breakfast back on the table. Not only are they freezer-friendly, but they're also the perfect make-ahead breakfast meal prep. Just make a big batch over the weekend to enjoy all week long.
This pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe is warmly spiced, lightly sweetened, and filled with cozy fall flavors. Each pumpkin chocolate chip oat square has 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein to help you stay full throughout the morning. Pair with some Greek yogurt for a tasty and satisfying grab-and-go breakfast.
Plus, unlike your typical classic baked oatmeal recipe, these pumpkin baked oats are made without banana. So, if you've always been hesitant to try baked oatmeal because of the banana flavor, then this recipe is for you.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Healthy- Made using whole grain oats and fiber-packed pumpkin, these pumpkin baked oats boast 3 grams of fiber per serving. Pair with Greek yogurt or some nut butter for a little extra protein, and you have yourself a balanced breakfast.
- Fall Flavors- Warm spices, brown sugar, honey, and pumpkin come together to make a fall-inspired breakfast treat that will have you cozied up with a blanket and a cup of hot coffee or tea.
- Make-Ahead Breakfast- Baked oats are a wonderful make-ahead breakfast option. You can make a batch on Sunday to enjoy all week long. They're perfect for those busy weekday mornings.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Oats- Since we're blending the oats in a blender, it doesn't matter much if you use quick oats or rolled oats. Just don't use steel cut oats - they don't break down in the same way other oats do.
- Pumpkin Puree- I use canned pumpkin puree because this is meant to be a quick and easy breakfast recipe. However, if you're feeling ambitious, make your own pumpkin puree.
- Eggs- The eggs provide structure and moisture to these baked oats, creating an almost cake-like texture.
- Milk- A little liquid is necessary for this recipe to help hydrate the oats and bring moisture to the baked oatmeal. I've used both regular 1% milk and unsweetened almond milk with great results.
- Canola Oil- Just a ½ cup of neutral-flavored oil gives these baked oats a soft, fluffy texture.
- Honey- I love the flavor of honey paired with oats and pumpkin. It helps contribute to the soft, cake-like texture of these pumpkin baked oats.
- Brown Sugar- The molasses in brown sugar lend a warm, caramelized sweetness.
- Spices- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice are classic spices used in pumpkin pie and other pumpkin desserts.
- Chocolate Chips- A little chocolate makes everything better, doesn't it? I like to use mini chocolate chips and just sprinkle them on top right before baking.
Step by Step Instructions
Here is how to make this pumpkin baked oats recipe.
Step 1: Blend the dry ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8-inch by 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add the oats, baking powder, salt, and spices to a blender and pulse a few times to break up the oats.
Step 2: Blend in the wet ingredients. Add the pumpkin puree, canola oil, eggs, honey, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to the blender and blend on high until a smooth, thin batter forms. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Step 3: Pour batter into baking dish and bake. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the oats comes out clean. Allow the baked oats to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting.
Tips and Tricks
- Use the right size baking dish. I recommend using an 8-inch by 11-inch baking dish or an 8-inch by 8-inch square. Any larger and your baked oats will be too thin.
- Let the oats hydrate. Oatmeal can take a few minutes to fully hydrate. For best results, allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes before baking. This will allow the oats to absorb some of the liquid, leading to a moister end product.
Substitutions and Additions
Here are a few ways you can customize these pumpkin baked oats to fit your diet and taste preferences.
Substitutions
- Oats- While I haven't tried it personally, you can try making this baked pumpkin oatmeal with oat flour. Use 2 ⅔ cups of oat flour in place of the 3 cups of rolled oats. Additionally, you can skip the blender and just mix the batter using a mixing bowl and rubber spatula.
- Pumpkin Puree- Butternut squash, acorn squash, or even sweet potato puree could be used in place of the pumpkin puree. Alternatively, use mashed banana or applesauce in a one-to-one ratio.
- Canola Oil- Any neutral-flavored oil or butter can work in this recipe. If using butter, you'll need to increase the amount to ½ cup (butter contains some water, which evaporates during cooking).
- Milk- I've used both almond milk and 1% milk to make this recipe. Any type of milk, water, or even juice can be used as the liquid here.
- Eggs- Try using a flax egg or chia egg in place of the regular eggs. One flax egg or chia egg is made by mixing 2 ½ tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of either ground flaxseed or whole chia seeds.
- Spices- If you don't have all of the individual spices, 2 ½ teaspoons of a pumpkin pie spice blend can be used instead.
- Honey- Swap the honey with maple syrup, additional brown sugar, or granulated sugar in a one-to-one ratio.
- Chocolate Chips- White chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, or dried cranberries would also be delicious sprinkled on top.
Additions
- Nuts- Chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts, or almonds would add a nice crunch to these baked oats. Try toasting them before adding them to the batter for even more flavor.
- Seeds- Try pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, and hemp seeds for a boost of fiber and healthy fats.
- Dried Fruit- Dried cranberries, raisins, figs, plums, or dates would add a bit of texture and sweetness.
Variations
- Gluten-Free- Pumpkin baked oats are naturally gluten-free, as long as you use certified gluten-free oats. Always double-check the ingredient label of any ingredient you use in this recipe to ensure it is actually gluten-free. The Celiac Disease Foundation has a guide to help you learn how to check food labels.
- Dairy-Free- To make this recipe dairy-free, make sure you use dairy-free milk in place of regular milk.
- Vegan- For a vegan version, use dairy-free milk and swap the honey for maple syrup or additional brown sugar.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Baked Oats
- Fresh Fruit
- Greek Yogurt
- Peanut Butter
- Butter or Margarine
- Jam, Jelly, or Compote
- Hot Coffee or Tea
Storage and Reheating
How to Store
- Room Temperature- Store baked oats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator- If you need to store the baked oats all week, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator. They should stay good in the refrigerator for 4-7 days.
- Freezer- Baked oats are the perfect freezer-friendly, make-ahead meal prep recipe. Simply allow the baked oats to cool completely, they wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
- Oven- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover the leftover pumpkin baked oats with aluminum foil and heat for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
- Microwave- Wrap individual portions of baked oats with a damp paper towel and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Certainly. You will just need to use quick-cook oats or oat flour instead of rolled oats.
No, steel-cut oats won't work in this recipe. Because of how they're processed, old fashioned oats and quick oats can be ground into a flour-like substance. Steel cut oats, on the other hand, are less processed and cannot be ground in the same manner as rolled oats or quick oats.
Yes! Baked oats are made with whole grains, healthy fats, and, in this case, pumpkin (a vegetable). Pumpkin baked oats are a healthy, satisfying make-ahead breakfast you can feel good about eating.
Yes, you can make individual portions of pumpkin baked oats in a muffin tin or individual ramekins. However, remember that the bake time will have to be adjusted. I recommend checking them around the 15 to 20-minute mark.
More Recipes You May Enjoy
Pumpkin Baked Oats
Equipment
- Blender
- 8"x11" baking dish
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 3 cups oats quick or old-fashioned
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8-inch by 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add the oats, baking powder, salt, and spices to a blender and pulse a few times to break up the oats.Cooking spray, 3 cups oats, ½ tablespoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- Add the pumpkin puree, canola oil, eggs, honey, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to the blender and blend on high until a smooth, thin batter forms. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.¾ cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup canola oil, 2 eggs, ⅓ cup honey, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 ½ cups milk
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the oats comes out clean. Allow the baked oats to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting.2-4 tablespoons chocolate chips
Notes
- If using a different size baking dish, muffin tins, or ramekins, remember that the baked oats may take more or less time to cook.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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