Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Two of my favorite things come together in one: pumpkin & oats. As someone who's been enjoying baked oats for years, I knew it was time for a festive fall flavor. Pumpkin baked oatmeal is better than any other flavor; the warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves swirl together with cozy pumpkin, rich maple, and comforting vanilla. What really sets it apart is the maple yogurt drizzle — a tangy-sweet topping that acts like a "healthier frosting" and adds balanced creaminess to the spiced flavors. Unlike others, this recipe is also egg-free, oil-free, and dairy-free (but can be altered for your preferences).
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 131kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or 1½ tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp nutmeg + pinch ginger/cloves
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 1.5 cups unsweetened soy or almond milk or other milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey, if not vegan
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts or chocolate chips optional
Maple Yogurt Frosting (Healthy) - optional
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt (unsweetened, plain) choose a thicker dairy-free version if vegan (I love Kite Hill Greek yogurt)
- 1.5-2 tbsp maple syrup adjust to sweetness preference
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1-2 tsp soy milk (if needed to thin) or milk of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease an 8x8 glass pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, chia seeds and salt.2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tbsp chia seeds, ¼ tsp salt
- Add wet ingredients: pumpkin puree, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add nuts or chocolate chips at this time, if desired. (I highly recommend chocolate chips!) FYI - your mixture will seem fairly wet, but it will thicken more within minutes and in the oven.1 cup pumpkin purée, 1.5 cups unsweetened soy or almond milk, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Transfer to your prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the top is golden. Tip: Don't cut it right away. Let it set for at least 15 minutes so you get clean slices. Make the maple yogurt drizzle while you wait!
- Optional: Make a maple yogurt drizzle by combining yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, & cinnamon in a small bowl. Adjust sweetness to your preference and add a small amount of milk if needed to thin.1/3 cup Greek yogurt (unsweetened, plain), 1.5-2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract , 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1-2 tsp soy milk (if needed to thin)
- Drizzle the healthy "frosting" over individual slices of baked oatmeal. Top with pecans, dried fruit, or whatever you enjoy (optional).Enjoy! These bars are best stored in the fridge. I love to reheat them by the slice each morning. You can also enjoy them chilled too.
Notes
Storage & Tips:
- Make sure to store baked oatmeal in the fridge. It will last up to 4/5 days so you can enjoy it all week long!
- Enjoy these bars warm or chilled (I personally prefer warm).
- One of my other favorite toppings is a drizzle of peanut butter.
- These bars are not extremely sweet. The addition of chocolate chips creates the perfect sweetness level in my opinion. If you want them to be sweeter without the addition of chocolate chips, add 1/3 cup maple syrup.
Nutrition
Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4393IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg