Vegan Baked Oatmeal with Cherries

This Vegan Baked Oatmeal with Cherries is a delicious breakfast or snack. It's healthy but my kids think it's a dessert. This easy recipe is sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar. It's perfect to make any time of year since frozen cherries work very well in this recipe. This is also a great way to get your kids to eat their fiber. We like to eat this vegan baked oatmeal by itself but it's also delicious with a little peanut butter or almond butter on top.

Making the Vegan Baked Oatmeal

To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray your 9"x9" baking dish with nonstick oil spray. Then, prepare your fruit. Mash up your very ripe bananas and set aside. Next, chop up your cherries. While I usually prefer baking with fresh fruit, it's easier to use frozen cherries instead of fresh cherries as the pits are already removed. I chop each cherry in half or in fourths if it's large.

Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine the unsweetened dairy-free milk, oil, maple syrup, almond extract and mashed bananas and mix very well. I use soy milk but almond milk or oat milk would be delicious. As for the oil, I use vegetable oil but melted coconut oil would be great in this as well.

Next, add all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add in the oats, chia seeds, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix well. If you don't have chia seeds, you can use ground flax seeds instead.

Stir in the chopped cherries into the oat mixture and pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes.

Take the baked oatmeal out of the oven and let it rest for about 10-20 minutes. If it doesn't get to rest, it won't be as solid as you're cutting it. (We don't mind if it's piping hot but falling apart a little.) Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Fruit Options

Yes, this recipe if very versatile and can be made many different ways. You can substitute your favorite fruit or berry for the cherries. I love fresh blueberries in this. If you change the fruit, you might also want to substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract depending on the flavor you're looking for.

FAQ

Can I add nuts to this recipe?

Yes! Slivered almonds would be the perfect nut to use in this baked oatmeal. But chopped pecans or walnuts would work well too.

Can I add chocolate chips?

Cherries and chocolate are perfect together! Sure, go ahead and add some vegan chocolate chips. You probably don't need more than ½ a cup.

Can I make this oil-free?

Yes. You can just leave out the oil if you prefer to make this oil-free.

Can I use coconut milk in this?

Yes, but it will give the baked oatmeal a coconut flavor. You can use any kind of plant milk in this recipe.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! Just check the packaging on your oats to ensure they are gluten-free.

Do I have to use regular old fashioned oats?

For best texture, use old fashioned oats. Steel cut oats make this very chewy and quick oats don't give enough texture.

Is traditional baked oatmeal vegan?

No, traditional baked oatmeal contains eggs and regular milk. But it's very easy to make baked oatmeal vegan with a few substitutions.

Summary

This healthy baked oatmeal is one that the whole family loves. While they aren't always in the mood for regular oatmeal or overnight oats, they are always excited for this baked oatmeal. It's quick to put together and it can be baking while everyone is getting ready in the morning. We love it as an afternoon snack or even a healthy dessert with an extra drizzle of maple syrup. Try out this vegan baked oatmeal recipe for yourself and let me know what you think.

Looking for other recipes using oats? Check out:

• Simple Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Easy Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies