This classic Amish Baked Oatmeal is sweet, crumbly, and super hearty, like eating a warm oatmeal cookie for breakfast. It’s made with a mix of old-fashioned and quick oats, butter, brown sugar, eggs, and milk, bakes in one 9 x 13 pan, and can feed a crowd (or be popped in the freezer for quick breakfasts!). Mix it the night before, bake it in the morning, and enjoy leftovers all week!
Classic Amish Baked Oatmeal
Long before baked oatmeal became a Pinterest sensation, I was eating it around a crowded cafeteria table at the Mennonite summer camp I attended every year from 6th through 12th grade. Baked oatmeal morning was every camper’s favorite morning of the week, including mine!
At the time, I didn’t even like oatmeal, so that was really saying something.I mean, any recipe that can get a camp full of angsty, eye-rolling teenagers excited for breakfast must be pretty special.
I’ve shared a similar recipe for Apple, Pear, and Almond Baked Oatmeal in the past, but this Amish Baked Oatmeal is the original. It’s what inspired my love of this hearty breakfast, and it continues to be the recipe I crave throughout the fall and winter months.
I’ll tell you right up front this isn’t the healthiest baked oatmeal recipe you’ll find on the internet. I’ll also tell you I’ve tried some of those healthy baked oatmeal recipes, and they don’t hold a candle to this classic Amish version. The batter is rich with milk, butter, and eggs, and a combination of rolled oats and quick oats creates the perfect texture, a just-right blend between crumbly and cakey.
Like our Amish Breakfast Casserole, this baked oatmeal can feed a whole gaggle of people. One pan gives at least 12 people a thick, hearty slice, which makes it perfect for holiday mornings or meal prep. We love to serve it with fresh or dried fruits, nuts, a drizzle of milk. I think you all will love this one as much as my teenage (and grown up) self does!
Courtney
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Oats– I like to use a combination of quick-cooking and old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. The rolled oats bring heartiness and chew, and the quick oats soak up the milk so the slices hold together. The oatmeal will turn out fine if you use just one or the other (we’ve tested both), but skip steel-cut oats and instant oatmeal packets.
- Butter– Butter is what makes this baked oatmeal so delicious! I use unsalted butter, melted. If you’re looking for the healthiest baked oatmeal, this might not be it, but it is absolutely the most delicious.
- Brown sugar– Gives this baked oatmeal its cozy, caramel-y, oatmeal cookie flavor. Light or dark brown sugar both work.
- Eggs– Bind everything together and make the oatmeal sliceable.
- Milk– You can use any milk in this recipe. We typically use 2% dairy milk, but nut milks work as well.
- Baking powder– Gives the oatmeal a little lift so it’s tender instead of dense. Make sure yours is fresh.
- Vanilla, salt, and cinnamo – Vanilla and salt round out the sweetness. The cinnamon is optional, but I almost always add it.
- Dried fruit (optional) – Raisins are classic, and if you’re a lover of oatmeal raisin cookies I’d definitely recommend them. Soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to plump if they’re dried out.
How to Make Amish Baked Oatmeal
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients and milk. Add the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Stir gently until the mixture starts to come together. Add the milk and beat on low speed until combined. The batter will look loose and a little soupy, and that’s exactly right. Stir in the dried fruit, if using.
Step 3: Bake. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 28 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center looks set and doesn’t jiggle.
Step 4: Rest and serve. Let the baked oatmeal sit for about 10 minutes so it’s easier to slice. Serve warm with milk, fruit, nuts, and any other toppings you love.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Use both kinds of oats. Quick oats on their own make a softer, more cake-like baked oatmeal, and old-fashioned oats on their own make it chewier and a little looser. Half and half gives you the best of both worlds.
- Check your pan. Metal pans bake faster than glass or ceramic, so start checking at the low end of the bake time if you’re using metal.
- Let it rest before slicing. Ten minutes on the counter helps it set up so you get neat squares instead of a crumbly scoop. (Although a crumbly scoop in a bowl with milk is pretty great, too.)
- Pour on the milk. This is how we always ate it at camp! A splash of cold or warm milk over a warm slice is the classic way to serve Amish baked oatmeal.
- Halve the recipe. Cut every ingredient in half and bake it in an 8×8-inch pan. Start checking a few minutes early.
- Make it fruity. Stir in raisins or dried cranberries, or fold in a chopped apple or a cup of blueberries before baking. I usually keep mine plain and add fresh fruit on top instead.
- Add toppings: This pairs well with anything that goes with oatmeal: apples, berries, pecans and walnuts, a scoop of peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut flakes are all lovely toppings for baked oatmeal.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Make ahead: Mix up the baked oatmeal the night before, cover, and refrigerate. In the morning, let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. It may need a few extra minutes since it’s starting cold.
- Storing: Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheating: Warm individual slices in the microwave for about 1 minute, adding 30 to 60 seconds if needed. To reheat the whole pan, warm it in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Freezing the whole pan: Bake, let it cool, then cover tightly and freeze. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm it in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes in the morning.
- Freezing single slices: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap then tuck them in freezer-safe containers for grab-and-go breakfasts. Unwrap, place in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute, adding 30 to 60 seconds if needed. Frozen baked oatmeal is best within 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Amish baked oatmeal is an old-fashioned breakfast casserole made with oats, butter, brown sugar, eggs, and milk, all baked together in one pan. It’s richer than most baked oatmeal recipes and has a crumbly, cake-like texture that’s a lot like an oatmeal cookie. It’s a staple in Amish and Mennonite communities because one pan feeds a big family.
Regular oatmeal is cooked on the stove and has a creamy, spoonable texture. Baked oatmeal has eggs and baking powder, so it bakes up firm enough to slice, almost like a soft oatmeal bar.
Yes! All quick oats will give you a softer, more cake-like baked oatmeal. All old-fashioned oats will be chewier and slightly looser. We liked this best with a mix of both! I don’t recommend steel-cut oats, which won’t soften in this bake time.
The top and edges should be golden brown, and the center should look set and not jiggle when you gently shake the pan. It will firm up more as it cools.
Usually it just needs a few more minutes in the oven, or it was cut before it had time to rest. Glass and ceramic pans can also take a little longer than metal pans.
Yes. We typically use cow’s milk, but almond milk and other nut milks work as well.
This recipe is naturally gluten free as long as you use oats that are labeled certified gluten free.
What to Serve with Amish Baked Oatmeal
Many people like to add dried fruits, fresh berries, or nuts right into their baked oatmeal batter. That’s absolutely an option, but I prefer to keep my baked oatmeal plain and serve it with different toppings depending on my mood and the season.
In the spring and summer, I gravitate towards blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and peaches. In the fall, I love to serve this with cut-up apples and pears. Winter has me reaching for sliced bananas, maple pecans, and toasted coconut. No matter the season, I make sure to have plenty of milk on hand for drizzling on top.
This Amish baked oatmeal is also great crumbled over a bowl of Greek yogurt. I find it’s sweet enough on its own, but you can set out maple syrup or brown sugar for anyone who likes it a little sweeter.
For a savory companion, serve it alongside Cottage Cheese Egg Bites, Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Bacon, Ham and Cheese Frittata, or my gluten-free Crustless Quiche Lorraine.
If you love old fashioned, family style cooking, you’re going to love our collection of Amish recipes.
Try our Amish White Bread, Amish Peanut Butter, Amish Chicken and Noodles, Amish Potato Salad, and Amish Apple Fried Pies!
Have you tried this Baked Oatmeal recipe? I want to hear from you! Leave a star review in the recipe card, and leave a comment below!
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks )
- 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (optional)
- 2 cups milk (dairy or non dairy)
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
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In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
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Add the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon if using and gently stir until the mixture starts to come together. Add the milk and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in the dried fruit if using.
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Pour into the prepared pan. It’s okay if the batter looks a bit soupy. Bake for 30-36 minutes or until the mixture is golden brown and no longer wobbles in the middle.
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Rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm with milk, fruits, nuts, and toppings of your choice.
- You can sub all old fashioned or all quick oats for this recipe, but we preferred a mixture for the best texture.
- This baked oatmeal can be mixed up in advance, refrigerated overnight, and baked in a hot oven in the morning.
- Individual slices of baked oatmeal can also be wrapped in saran wrap and frozen. When you’re ready to eat, unwrap, place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. If needed, microwave for another 30-60 seconds.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free, but you’ll want to make sure your oats are certified gluten free.
- Store the baked oatmeal at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 574mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 871IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 5mg
