Tis’ the season for all things gingerbread! This Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal is lightly sweetened, easy to make, and full of holiday flavor that only takes a few minutes to throw together!
When you are craving all things gingerbread, make this baked oatmeal for breakfast. Or also consider trying our Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls, Gingerbread Cupcakes, or Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies!
Nothing makes a home smell like the holidays more than the aroma of gingerbread spices! Well, except for maybe the fresh pine scent of a Christmas tree. But cinnamon and ginger and brown sugar come in a close second in my book.
And while oatmeal won’t always be my breakfast of choice (although I finally learned how to make oatmeal so I don’t hate it), this baked version is something I love! It’s more like oatmeal cookies meats French toast casserole with plenty of comforting spices and just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy it all winter long!
Why this recipe works
- The center is soft and the edges deliciously crispy and buttery, basically like a good oatmeal!
- This recipe can easily be made gluten free simply by using gluten free oats!
- It easily doubles or triples to feed a crowd.
Ingredient Notes
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats work best for baked oatmeal because they have a chewier texture, but you could use quick oats if you wanted. The only real difference is that quick oats are chopped smaller so they absorb liquid quicker than rolled oats.
- Spices: A trio of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg help give this baked oatmeal recipe that classic gingerbread flavor.
- Molasses: This ingredient adds wonderful depth and sweetness and goes perfectly with the gingerbread spices.
- Chia seeds: These are optional and can be omitted if you don’t have any on hand, but they add a nice little texture and they are good for you too!
How to Make This Recipe
- Get your oven to preheating to 350°F. The actual work of making the oatmeal mixture to go into the oven takes way less time than it actually takes for most ovens to preheat. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with baking spray. Or you could portion this into individual ramekins and bake them that way if you prefer.
- Meanwhile, combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, chia seeds, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl and mix them up to evenly disperse the spices so you don’t end up with a clump of cinnamon or ginger in one square of baked oatmeal.
- Add in the water, cream, melted butter, and molasses, then mix until well-combined and the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish or divide it evenly between ramekins set on a baking sheet so it’s easy to transfer them in and out of the oven.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQ’s
You can serve this gingerbread baked oatmeal plain, or take it to the next level with a drizzle of maple or buttermilk syrup. For sides, you can’t go wrong with some eggs and bacon and a cold glass of homemade eggnog or cold milk!
I think of baked oatmeal as a fairly wholesome breakfast. There are plenty of health benefits from chia seeds, oats, and eggs, and the sugar that is used to sweeten the baked oatmeal isn’t a ton. It is richer than plain oatmeal though, thanks to the added cream and melted butter that give it a rich, buttery flavor and wonderful texture.
Recipe Tips
- Storage: This baked oatmeal casserole reheats well, so this is a good one to make ahead and enjoy as leftovers for a quick and easy breakfast on busy days.
- Freezing: You can double the batch and freeze leftovers to have on hand when you just want to pop something in the microwave to reheat. I recommend freezing individual slices for easier reheating.
- Gingerbread man decoration: To make a gingerbread man design on the top, cut a gingerbread man shape out of a piece of paper, then use it as a stencil while dusting powdered sugar on top of the baked oatmeal. If the oatmeal is hot the sugar will dissolve fairly quickly, so either wait until the oatmeal has cooled a bit to sift the powdered sugar, or serve immediately after dusting. Use little cinnamon candies, sprinkles, or mini M&M’s as buttons for a fun presentation.
- Variation: Try adding ¾ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a little additional crunch. Or you could add the same amount of raisins or dried cranberries instead.
More Breakfast Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons molasses
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 8×8-inch baking dish or individual ramekins with baking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the oatmeal, brown sugar, chia seeds, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar,, 2 teaspoons chia seeds, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Mix in the eggs, water, cream, melted butter, and molasses until well-combined and the eggs are fully incorporated.3 large eggs, ½ cup water, ⅓ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup salted butter,, 3 tablespoons molasses
- Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish or ramekins.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Can be served plain or with any of your preferred toppings like powdered sugar, maple syrup, cream, or nuts.
Notes
- Storage: This baked oatmeal casserole reheats well, so this is a good one to make ahead and enjoy as leftovers for a quick and easy breakfast on busy days.
- Freezing: You can double the batch and freeze leftovers to have on hand when you just want to pop something in the microwave to reheat. I recommend freezing individual slices for easier reheating.
- Doubling the recipe: You can easily double the recipe and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Or even triple it for a 9×13-inch pan and thicker slices. Just allow an additional 5-10 minutes to bake if tripling the recipe.
- Gingerbread man decoration: To make a gingerbread man design on the top, cut a gingerbread man shape out of a piece of paper, then use it as a stencil while dusting powdered sugar on top of the baked oatmeal. If the oatmeal is hot the sugar will dissolve fairly quickly, so either wait until the oatmeal has cooled a bit to sift the powdered sugar, or serve immediately after dusting. Use little cinnamon candies, sprinkles, or mini M&M’s as buttons for a fun presentation.
- Variation: Try adding ¾ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a little additional crunch. Or you could add the same amount of raisins or dried cranberries instead.
Can I substitute a non dairy milk for heavy cream?
Yes, that will work just fine.