Healthy Berry Baked Oatmeal

Healthy Berry Baked Oatmeal is perfect for busy mornings. Made with healthy ingredients, it can be made ahead as a meal prep option. Just warm, add toppings, and enjoy!

The best berry oatmeal breakfast

When the weekend comes to an end and Monday rolls back around, one of my favorite ways to reset and get ready for the week ahead is with a healthy, filling breakfast. Made with protein-rich oats and heaps of strawberries, this healthy berry baked oatmeal is one of my go-tos! It just makes me feel like I'm getting started on the right foot.

This oatmeal idea popped up when I was trying to transform typical oat and berry dishes into something more exciting. Thanks to the addition of eggs, it leaves you feeling full until lunch (protein + carbs = satiety)! The berries baked into the oatmeal make each bite that much better.

We're starting off with a base of oats and cinnamon. Then, we're topping it with strawberries and a peanut butter drizzle, because who doesn't want that?! Believe me, this berry baked oatmeal will have even the biggest savory breakfast lovers asking for seconds!

Ingredients in this strawberry oatmeal bake

Start off with the dry ingredients (oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt), followed by the wet ingredients (milk, eggs, syrup, oil, vanilla, and berries). Together, these ingredients create a batter-like mixture that bakes to berry-filled perfection!

• Oats: Start with 2 cups of old fashioned oats. These will form the base of the bake.
• Cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for a flavor upgrade.
• Baking powder: Include 1 teaspoon of baking powder to help the bake rise properly.
• Salt: Include ¼ teaspoon of salt for taste.
• Almond milk: From there, 1 and ¾ cup of room temperature almond milk will thicken up the batter while also subtly contributing to the flavor.
• Eggs: Throw in 2 eggs. They need to be room temperature so that the coconut oil stays melted.
• Maple syrup: ⅓ cup of maple syrup will sweeten things up without adding processed sugar.
• Coconut oil: Include 2 tablespoon of coconut oil to help the ingredients bind together properly.
• Vanilla: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla for flavor.
• Berries: Finally, 2 ½ cups of berries complete the dish! You can use either fresh or frozen.

Tools needed to create this breakfast

To make baked oatmeal with berries, you will need a 9x9 inch baking dish, nonstick spray, a large mixing bowl, a stirring utensil, a small mixing bowl, and a whisk.

For measuring you will need the following sized cups: ¼ tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, ⅓ cup, ½ cup, ¾ cup, and 1 cup.

How to make healthy berry baked oatmeal

If you have five minutes to spare for recipe prep, you have time to create this meal! After prepping, it's a hands-off baking situation.

To begin, preheat the oven to 375ºF and prepare a 9x9 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Combine the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 eggs.

Add the almond milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla to the bowl with the eggs.

Pour the wet ingredietns into the bowl with the dry, and stir until combined.

Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and add the fruit on top. Some may sink, which is fine!

Bake for 45-48 minutes or until golden brown.

Finally, top with peanut butter, maple syrup, more fruit, whipped cream, or any other desired toppings, and enjoy!

Throughout this strawberry oatmeal bake recipe, there are a few ingredients swaps that you can make. To preserve the texture and flavors of the dish, I recommend swapping no more than two items.

• Almond milk: First, you can use regular milk or any nut milk in place of the almond milk. Use the same amount (1 and ¾ cup).
• Eggs: To veganize the dish, you can replace the eggs with imitation plant-based eggs (like Just Egg), or make chia seed "eggs." To do so, mix 2 tablespoon of chia seeds with 6 tablespoon of water.
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup can be replaced with other natural sweeteners like molasses or honey.
• Coconut oil: As far as the oil goes, you can use vegetable or canola oil in place of coconut.
• Strawberries: Finally, strawberries can be swapped with any other berry! Feel free to mix it up as you please. Other fruits can work too!

How this recipe is healthier

I love a good recipe that uses healthier, amped up ingredients for added benefits! Though baked oats are always a good idea thanks to the nutrients that oats provide, there are a few ways that this recipe is healthier than most.

Almond milk
First, I removed dairy milk and replaced it with almond milk. This is one of the easiest swaps to make because it uses a 1:1 ratio and tastes delicious!

Maple syrup
Next, I skipped the regular granulated sugar and used maple syrup instead. This syrup works as a fantastic all-natural sweetener.

Coconut oil
Finally, I used coconut oil rather than vegetable or canola oil, as it contains just a bit more benefits.

Can I used rolled oats instead?
You can use rolled oats! Old-fashioned and rolled oats are actually the same thing.

Can I used a different sized baking dish?
Absolutely! Any sized dish will work. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

How should this be stored?
Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container and keep them refrigerated — not at room temperature. You can enjoy for up to 2-3 days.

If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!

Need some more berry goodness in your life? Here are five more delicious recipes featuring blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries!

• Blueberry Crumble Yogurt Muffin
• Healthy Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Healthy Raspberry Oat Bars
• Strawberry Banana Overnight Oats
• Healthy Strawberry Crisp (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Photos by Moriah Sawtelle and recipe by Erin Antoniak.