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Baked Oatmeal with Cranberries and Orange

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Hot baked oatmeal with tart cranberries and fresh orange zest is the kind of breakfast that tastes like the holidays.

This is one fall breakfast idea you won’t be able to resist making all year long.

small bowl of baked oatmeal with fresh cranberries mixed in

We’ve all had our share of traditionally cooked oatmeal and overnight oats; and while those are terrific breakfast options, baked oatmeal takes the classic breakfast ingredient up a notch.

Plus, making baked oatmeal is super simple. It’s one of those recipes that comes together in one bowl, gets transferred into the oven, and turns into magic!

Watch this video to see how to bake oatmeal at home:

Baked oatmeal has a way of warming you up without making you feel weighed down, which is why I feel good about serving it for breakfast on a regular basis. 

For the best texture and taste for this recipe, I used old-fashioned oats. The large flakes provide the perfect texture for thick baked oatmeal.

Each ½ cup serving of baked oatmeal is a good source of fiber, and some essential vitamins and minerals including thiamin, phosphorus, and magnesium

Read More: Health Benefits of Oatmeal

Oats are super versatile for all sorts of recipes such as Protein Oats and Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Bites. You can even use them to make breakfast for dinner with these Bacon & Cheddar Savory Oats. 

You can see why I keep them stocked in the pantry at all times, and it’s a good thing because today, I’m using them in one of my favorite recipes, Cranberry & Orange Baked Oatmeal.

Baked Oatmeal

I’m sure you’ve had your fair share of oatmeal for breakfast, but baked oatmeal is in a league of its own. It tastes like a treat that’s good for you, and these recipes are always a winner for both the kids and me. 

It has a bread pudding-like texture, and the cranberries give it a burst of tart goodness. I like to top my baked oats with a little unsweetened almond milk; making the combination of hot oats and cold milk divine. 

fresh milk being poured into a bowl of baked oatmeal. Cranberries scattered across table

This recipe is so good, I even included it in my Thanksgiving menu as a wholesome and delicious breakfast to hold you over until the feast is ready.

It has the holiday flavors of fresh cranberry, orange, and cinnamon so you can fill up on something good while the turkey bakes in the oven and you start on the rest of the menu.

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This digital download is like hiring a kitchen assistant to plan out an incredibly delicious menu for your family.

thanksgiving menu in ipad
I Need This!

Baked Oatmeal Ingredients

Scroll down the ingredient list, and I’m positive you have most of these items on hand. Maybe not the cranberries, but those can be swapped for blueberries, strawberries- even diced apples! 

oats being stirred in large mixing bowl with oranges, honey and cranberries on the side of the image

As simple as the recipe is, it’s just as easy to make. Essentially, everything is combined in one bowl, transferred to a baking dish, and baked until the oats are set and the top turns a gorgeous golden brown. 

Check out the simple baked oatmeal ingredients:

  • Old fashioned oats
  • Cinnamon
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Milk 
  • Egg
  • Melted butter
  • Honey
  • Fresh orange juice
  • Orange zest
  • Cranberries
oatmeal in a large mixing bowl with cranberries poured on top. Other ingredients in photo: honey, oranges and cinnamon

Thanks to the cinnamon, cranberries, orange juice, and zest, this recipe doesn’t need a whole lot of added sugar. I found that a touch of honey gives this baked oatmeal the right amount of sweetness.

For the milk, I used unsweetened almond milk, and if you want to make the recipe fully
dairy-free, swap the melted butter for a vegan alternative.

If you’ve been dreaming about buying more cranberries now that they are in season, this recipe is the excuse you need to stock up!

How to Make Baked Oatmeal

Here’s how to make this Cranberry Baked Oatmeal recipe for a hearty, delicious breakfast.

Get the oven hot
Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9 x 9-inch square baking dish or a 9×13-inch oval.

Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk the honey with the almond milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice. Add the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt

Toss in the cranberries
Use a spatula to fold the cranberries into the batter.

Bake
Pour the oat and cranberry mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with additional cranberries. Bake 35 minutes until the top is golden and the oat mixture is set.

Serve
Remove the baked oatmeal from the oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Oatmeal Baking Tips

It’s hard to mess up baked oatmeal, but it is possible mostly due to overcooking. Here’s how to make sure that doesn’t happen: 

Use enough liquid
Don’t skimp on the milk! The oats need every bit of it to create that delicious texture. While water works too, I’ve found that it lacks the flavor and density this recipe needs.

Dish of baked oatmeal with whole cranberries on top, one portion has been cut out of dish.

Use the right oats
For best results, I use old-fashioned oats. The flakes are large enough to soak up the liquid without drying out, which makes them a perfect option for cooking, baking, and even no-bake treats like Baked Oatmeal Bites.

Make it ahead of time
You can make this ahead of time by combining the wet ingredients in a large jar or airtight dish and refrigerating overnight. In the morning, stir everything together and bake! Those few minutes save time, and while you get everyone ready for the day, breakfast is baking.

More Baked Oatmeal Flavors

Another great thing about this baked oatmeal recipe- it’s highly adaptable. You can add and swap the flavors and ingredients to create an entirely new recipe. 

Swap the cranberries and orange for cinnamon, dried cherries, and almonds. Don’t worry about getting bored, here are easy add-in ideas for more epic baked oatmeal recipes:

  • Pumpkin pie spice + pumpkin puree
  • Cinnamon + raisins + slivered almonds
  • Raspberries + vanilla extract + lemon zest
  • Blueberries + vanilla extract + sliced bananas
  • Chocolate chips + trail mix
large baking dish of cranberry baked oatmeal

If you’re an oat fanatic, welcome to the club! I’ve got a TON of incredible oat recipes to keep you covered for breakfast a long time.

Print

Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal

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★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

This baked oatmeal recipe is a new way to enjoy the regular bowl of oats. Made with old-fashioned oats, cranberries, orange zest, and cinnamon, it’s a cozy, breakfast for the holidays.

  • Author: Laura Fuentes
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cup fresh cranberries, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9 x 9-inch square baking dish or a 9×13-inch oval.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the honey with the almond milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice until combined.
  3. Add the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to the liquid mixture and stir to form a thick batter. Add 1 cup cranberries to the batter and fold with a spatula to combine.
  4. Pour oat and cranberry mixture into the prepared baking dish. Arrange cranberries to make sure they are evenly distributed throughout. Top with additional cranberries.
  5. Bake 35 minutes in the preheated oven until the top is golden and the oat mixture is set. Remove from oven and allow mixture to cool slightly prior to serving.  

Equipment

thanksgiving menu in ipad

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu

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Notes

If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, replace 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 teaspoon liquid stevia. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 153
  • Sugar: 9g
  • Sodium: 130mg
  • Fat: 2.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 26g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 27mg

Keywords: baked oatmeal, oatmeal

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Reader Interactions

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Jessica

    December 09, 2022 at 6:43 am

    Hi there! Thank you for this recipe. I love cranberries and was excited to incorporate them into my baked oats. I made this with honey and the tartness of the cranberries overpowered the other flavors for me. It seems like this was maybe originally made with Stevia – can you tell me how much you used? I’d like to try the recipe again just with adjusted sweetness. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      December 13, 2022 at 3:18 pm

      In the video I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of stevia, which is much stronger than honey by itself.

      Reply
  2. DiDi

    November 18, 2021 at 7:10 am

    This recipe looks amazing! But I don’t want to use stevia. Do you have a suggestion for how and how much to sweeten with agave, honey, or real sugar?

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      November 18, 2021 at 3:11 pm

      Hi Didi! I would omit the stevia completely and use 1/4 cup honey -or sugar or agave. Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Alicia

    December 06, 2020 at 6:01 pm

    How do you suggest I adjust the cranberries if I used dried ones instead of fresh? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      December 10, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      I suggest you take 2/3 cup of dried cranberries and soak them in hot/boiling water for 10 minutes and allow them to re-constitute some of their moisture. Then, add those to the oatmeal base and bake. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. GRACE

    July 30, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    My toddler likes baked oatmeal so I’m looking forward to making this. One question: I know this seems silly but your directions say “13x9in square baking dish” but that’s not right. Is it a 13×9 or square? Just wanting to make sure so I have the cook time right! Your photos are a rectangle dish but looks smaller than 9×13 so thinking square 9in might be more equivalent. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      August 01, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      You are correct, I’ll clarify. It can be done in a 9×13, a square, or as you see in the video oval. The larger the baking dish, the less “height” and it will cook faster.

      Reply
  5. C. Lewellyn

    December 28, 2019 at 12:20 pm

    This looks great, but in step 4 it says to arrange the blueberries to make sure they are evenly distributed. I saw no blueberries in the recipe. Was it supposed to say cranberries?

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      January 12, 2020 at 8:59 am

      You are correct. Cranberries. typo!

      Reply
  6. Ann

    November 26, 2019 at 4:08 pm

    Hello Laura!
    I made this oatmeal with tart cranberries and fresh orange zest over the weekend. I followed your recipe precisely, and this turned out AMAZING. It definitely tastes like the holidays. Plus, it’s super easy to make. I think I’ll serve it for breakfast on a regular basis. Highly recommend everyone to give this recipe a try. Believe me, there’s no need to wait for a special occasion.
    Thank you so much for sharing this brilliant idea and all of your useful tips. They helped me a lot. Look forward to your new awesome recipes. You put so much love into what you’re doing. I’m your fan!

    Best wishes,
    Ann

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      December 02, 2019 at 12:44 pm

      Thank you for trying and sharing how much you enjoyed my recipe, Ann!

      Reply
  7. Janice

    November 18, 2019 at 7:30 am

    I made this baked oatmeal over the weekend. It was perfect. Guess who’s buying extra cranberries after Thanksgiving? This gal.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Sandra

    November 16, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    I’m going to try this version of baked oatmeal. I’m a fan of your blueberry one and I have a feeling I’m going to love this cranberry orange version.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Jenna Marie

    November 16, 2019 at 11:11 am

    Cranberry Orange is my favorite fall flavor combination. When I saw this recipe for cranberry baked oatmeal this morning…. I had to make it!! It came out of the oven 10 minutes ago and I suck a couple of bites in…. OMG it TASTES LIKE CAKE!! Thank you for another nutritious breakfast idea, Laura! Yes, I used the cranberries I had in my fridge saved for Thanksgiving but…. I’ll be going back for more!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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