A sweet and tangy baked oatmeal that’s perfect for Fall & Winter breakfast meal prepping.

This is one of our favorite winter breakfasts. We make it often when we travel to visit family or host friends around the holidays. Photos feature my mom’s country kitchen!

Just the Recipe | 6 Single Servings

Ingredients

3 + 1 Tbs. Butter

1 Large Apple

1 tsp + a sprinkle of Pie Spice or Cinnamon

2 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/2 + 1/4 Cup Slivered or Sliced Almonds

1/3 Cup + 1 Tbs. Brown Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Kosher or Sea Salt

2 Cups Milk

1 Large Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Fresh Cranberries

Oven Temp: 350° | Dish: 8 x 8 Pan

Steps

Preheat the oven.
Grease the pan with non-stick spray.
Prep the fruit:
- Peel, core, and dice the apple. Sauté in a pan with 1 Tbs. butter, 1 Tbs. brown sugar, and 1 generous tsp. Pie Spice for about 3 minutes, until apples are starting to soften. Set aside.
- Wash the cranberries (picking out any very dry or very squishy berries). Set aside.
Mix dry ingredients. Stir together the oats, 1/2 C. of almonds, 1/3 C. sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Prep the wet ingredients.
- Melt the butter and allow to cool slightly.
- In a large measuring cup, measure the milk. Add the egg and 1 tsp. vanilla to the milk. Whisk together.
Add the cranberries and apple to the greased dish. Layer the dry ingredients on top.
Add the butter to the wet ingredients and stir. Immediately pour over the dry ingredients. Using a fork, gently stir the wet ingredients in to make sure all oats are covered. The cranberries may pop up to the top, that’s ok.
Top with the 1/4 cup of almonds and a light sprinkle of pie spice or cinnamon (optional).
Bake for 40 minutes. The edges should be set and the top lightly browned. Lightly shake the pan to make sure the center has set, it should be firm (a little jiggle is ok) and not wet.

Serve with syrup and a little sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.

Meal Block Plan | 6 Breakfasts

Cool and cover; store in fridge.
Slice into 6 even pieces.
To reheat, add a serving of oatmeal and a tablespoon of milk to a bowl, cover and microwave for 75-90 seconds.
Top with syrup and extra spices if desired. Enjoy 6 breakfasts!
You can freeze slices individually (Cool in fridge overnight. Then, slice and wrap slices individually in plastic wrap or foil. Add to a freezer bag, label, and freeze). Defrost slices overnight in the fridge, then microwave as above.

Set out non-refrigerated ingredients the night before!

Additional tips below. #busyfoodiecooks

Why We Eat Breakfast at Home on Workdays

Starting the day off right with a healthy meal is so important. It helps us to achieve our healthy eating goals and to cut out unnecessary snacking during the day. When I’ve eaten breakfast and walk into the office to a box of donuts, it’s so much easier for me to say no to the empty calories of the free donut. If I skip breakfast and try to fast until lunch, I will always reach for that free donut. Or, I’ll make a really unhealthy choice for lunch.

Breakfast for the week is made on Sunday afternoon or evening. Meal prepping on the weekend affords Joe and I the ability to enjoy a few sweet moments of sharing a meal together Mon - Fri before we head off to work. It’s become a treasured part of our morning routine. By making breakfast a part of meal prep, it only takes about 10-15 minutes for us to have breakfast together in the morning. We don’t even really have to change our schedules to fit in breakfast!

The recipes have to be good enough for us to enjoy eating them a few days in a row and easy enough for me to also meal prep for lunches and dinner (without spending all weekend in the kitchen). Or, simple enough that I can make on a Monday or Tuesday evening if we’re away all weekend. This is one of those recipes!

Kitchen Acumen Tips:

Feel free to substitute for almond milk, oat milk, or another non-dairy alternative.
This is a great recipe when you’re cooking for one. Instead of 6 servings, you can easily adjust the serving size to be 5, one for each work day. Use the same logic for if you’re cooking for two but want to eat this all week: double the recipe and bake in 2 - 8 x 8 pans. Adjust to be 10 servings or freeze any extra portions you don’t eat within 5-7 days.
Use 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg if you don’t have Pie Spice on hand.
If you don’t have fresh cranberries, you can use dried craisins. Rehydrate 3/4 cup of craisins in 1 cup of boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Drain, pat dry with a paper towel, and add to the bottom of the dish.
Try using other fruit combinations with the same base:
- Blueberry Almond (view the recipe to make a 9 x 13 dish, 8 servings)
- Blueberry Banana:
  - Substitute 1 Cup of Blueberries for the Cranberries.
  - Skip the apple. Instead, layer slices of banana in with the dry ingredients and sprinkle with some cinnamon.
  - Use chopped walnuts instead of almonds.
- Pumpkin Pecan:
  - Skip the apple. Keep the cranberries, if you wish. (I love pumpkin and cranberry together!)
  - Stir 1 cup of pumpkin puree into the wet ingredients.
  - Use pecans instead of almonds.
- Swirl in spoonfuls of jam or preservatives.
Cook time may vary if you add some more or a little less fruit, so learn how to tell if the oatmeal is set. Shake the pan and look at the center. Does it look liquidy? Or is it pretty well congealed? The last place the eggs will set is the very center.