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 8x8-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
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Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons molasses
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 8x8-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.
- Mix in the water, cream, melted butter, and molasses until well-combined and the eggs are fully incorporated.
- 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 9x13-inch pan. Or even triple it for a 9x13-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.
