Last summer I hosted a big intergenerational brunch for family. Tired of strata (and with a niece trying to avoid gluten and dairy), I decided to try something different. What came of that challenge was Baked Blueberry Oatmeal with Streusel Topping. I knew it was a success when we all kept spooning a little more into our bowls until the pan was scraped clean.
Oatmeal is good any time of year, but fall and winter is its season. And as much as I liked the oatmeal with blueberries, I couldn’t wait to try it with cranberries.
So here it is again—Baked Cranberry Oatmeal, which will be a regular for us this winter. Come spring I’m betting I’ll try it with strawberries.
Baked Cranberry Oatmeal
Serve with a splash of milk, either coconut or dairy. *To make this oatmeal completely gluten-free, substitute white or brown rice flour for the all-purpose in the crumble, and to make it dairy-free, substitute coconut oil for the butter. If you want to substitute regular milk for the almond milk, use 1½ cups whole milk and 1½ cups of water.
by: Three Many Cooks
Serves: 8 to 12
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
- 1½ cups brown sugar, divided
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (zest of about 1 orange)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
- 3 cups almond milk*
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, divided
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour*
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted but not hot*
- ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix oatmeal, 1 cup brown sugar, baking powder, salt, orange zest and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl whisk milk, vanilla, and eggs. Stir milk mixture, then 1 cup of cranberries into oatmeal mixture; turn into a 13- by 9-inch pan; Bake until oatmeal is just starting to set, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix flour, butter, walnuts, and remaining brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Crumble mixture over just set oatmeal, scatter remaining cranberries, and continue to bake until oatmeal is just set and crumble is golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. Serve warm.
That looks amazing. I’ve been trying to find breakfast oatmeal recipes that I would like. This one is going on my to do list!
Every time you make a dish of baked oatmeal I cannot stop eating it. I loved the blueberry one, but the tartness of cranberries in this version makes it my favorite.
I am an oatmeal eater. I love cranberries and NOW they are back. So this is a winning
breakfast dish in my book.
I’ve never gotten to eat this, but it looks amazing! We are really embracing cranberries on the blog this year! I love all the possible ways to make it dairy and gluten-free for visiting family and friends with food issues. Anthony and I, along with some friends, are going on our annual holiday/anniversary getaway, and I usually make waffles for breakfast…but this looks so good (and so much less fussy!), that I think I might give it a whirl. Plus, one of our friends is lactose intolerant, so almond milk and coconut oil it is!
This looks fabulous! I love the addition of the streusel topping… I’ve never added that to any of my baked oatmeal. Can’t wait to make this for the holidays (or any day, really).
I’m a fan of oatmeal for breakfast and this recipe would be a nice new way to eat oatmeal. Will give it a try. Tx for sharing.
I love baked oatmeal and I too often rely on it for having company over for brunches. I usually use whatever fruit I have on hand and/or in the freezer, but I’m not sure I would have thought of cranberries! Sounds great.
This was so delicious. I assembled the wet and dry ingredients separately the night before and then tossed them together the next morning just before baking. It was a warm, toasty way to start a busy workday.
Thanks Tina! We love this recipe too. I’m impressed that you were able to pull it off on a busy work day!
This was great! Thank you. I did reduce the sugar in the oatmeal by half and it was still great. No complaints at all from the 4 year olds 😉 I also reduced the entire recipe by half and baked it in an 8×8 pan. I’ve already moved this recipe to the keeper file.
Thanks, Nicole. Glad you liked the oatmeal, and I totally approve of cutting the sugar. If it’s not sweet enough for some they can always drizzle on a little extra honey or maple syrup!
I am thinking of baking this the day before and reheating to serve. Does it keep/reheat well?
Hey Kara, I wouldn’t bake it ahead, it’s much better fresh out of the oven. But, you can make both the casserole and topping the day before. Thanks for checking in.
Hello,
This is an incredible recipe and has quickly become one of my family’s favorites. Thank you!!
My daughter-in-law introduced me to baked oatmeal, and I was wondering how to avoid eating it until I found out I loved it. I have made this recipe at least a dozen times. Thank you!