Apricot-Almond Baked Oatmeal Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Serves a Crowd

by: Erin Jeanne McDowell

March27,2021

4.5

19 Ratings

  • Makes 6 servings

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Because winter is coming, and I need my oven on about as much as I need my radiator on. —Erin Jeanne McDowell

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Erinmcdowell is Food52’s test kitchen manager and resident pie expert.
WHAT: Your new favorite way to make oatmeal.
HOW: Mix together oats, spices, and chopped apricots and almonds. Put everything in a baking dish and pour over a sweet mixture of milk and cream. Bake your oatmeal while you get ready for the day. Once you’ve showered and dressed, your hot breakfast will be waiting for you.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Oatmeal is nice, but we always crave something to break up all that mush. Enter baked oatmeal: It’s got the creamy softness we love, but with a crust that gives us something to chew on. This one is full of dried fruit and chopped nuts -- fuel for the chilly day ahead (coffee will help, too). —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cupsoats
  • 1 teaspoonbaking powder
  • 2 teaspoonscinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoonground ginger
  • 1 teaspoonsalt
  • 1 1/2 cupswhole almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cupsdried apricots, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/3 cupswhole milk
  • 2/3 cupheavy cream
  • 1/4 cuphoney
  • 1/3 cupbrown sugar, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cupbutter, divided (2 tablespoons melted, 2 tablespoons room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoonvanilla
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and generously butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Stir in the almonds and apricots. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, cream, honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla to combine. Pour over the oats. Dollop with remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar.
  4. Bake until the oatmeal has absorbed the liquid and is golden brown on the surface, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Tags:

  • American
  • Almond
  • Apricot
  • Honey
  • Oatmeal
  • Milk/Cream
  • Dried Fruit
  • Grains
  • Oat
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Fall
  • Christmas

Recipe by: Erin Jeanne McDowell

I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!

Popular on Food52

14 Reviews

steenholcomb August 22, 2022

This was a great recipe and easily adaptable. I love the apricot almond combo of tangy and nutty flavors. Combined with a nice amount of sweetness. I have even adapted the recipe to be dairy free for a friend my changing the milk to coconut milk, and the cream to coconut cream, and added 1/3 cup of almond butter. It was delicious. And you can make it the night before and leave it in the fridge before baking, which makes it great for entertaining. Highly recommend.

Molly May 14, 2021

This was amazing, but really sweet. Loved the texture and would definitely make again with less sugar.

Remy1234 March 27, 2021

Sorry to be a hater, but since so many 5 star reviews were given by folks who didn't even make this, I'm rating at the other end to try to level out the overall score so folks will actually review the comments before making. I've been making a SL baked oatmeal that I love throughout the pandemic and apricots/almonds looked like a nice change from the apples/dried cranberries recipe. As an experienced cook, shame on me to not realize that this recipe actually calls for more fruit/nuts than oatmeal, and roughly chopped almonds were nothing but a serious jaw workout! Another reviewer said it was way too salty. I had the same issue, but it's due to the directions. So, if I were to make this again, which I doubt I'd do, here are the changes that would make this recipe much better - cut the amount of dried fruit and nuts in HALF. Also, instead of whole almonds, I'd probably used toasted slivered almonds. Instead of just pouring the liquid ingredients over the dry, it should all be mixed together thoroughly (that's why it tasted salty). The "dollops" of butter were unnecessary (my butter was unsalted and I think that added to the salty flavor). Finally, I'm a fan of peach/apricot with almond flavoring, so I would probably substitute the vanilla with a smidge of almond extract. Even though my mom brought me up to clean my plate and never waste food, I'm actually throwing the rest out, because my jaws hurt! My hunt for baked oatmeal varieties continues...

Akuna M. December 6, 2020

Delicious! Even though I didn’t have enough almonds, I just used pecans as well. I also lacked the dried apricots and substituted Fresh raspberries and blackberries. It was so good.

Laura February 24, 2020

Man, I just didn't have luck with this. Mine was way too salty...maybe it just didn't get mixed in as well as it should have? No one else had this problem?

Clover88 December 25, 2018

When I’m responsible for a quarterly early morning meeting, I bribe attendees by making this. Delicious, great texture, acceptable to most eaters.

janet V. December 26, 2014

There are so many kinds of oats. What kind did you use to achieve the best results?

Deborah R. November 9, 2014

I made this yesterday and, while it was undoubtedly delicious, next time I will radically reduce the amount of sugar and butter, and I think it will taste just as good. It's very decadent and rich and I could only eat a few spoonfuls even though it tasted great. The dried fruit (I used dried blueberries) is sweet enough so next time I think I'll only include the 1/4 cup of honey to the milk/egg mixture and sprinkle a small amount of the brown sugar on top for texture. Likewise, for texture, I will add some specks of butter to the top but omit the melted butter from the liquid mixture. I would make this without cream on a regular morning and save the cream for a special occasion brunch.

Kathryn P. November 4, 2014

Sounds delicious, but would like to cut the calories in the whole milk and cream. Anybody tried substitutes?

Eryn November 4, 2014

Looks delicious! Any suggestions for replacing the whole milk and cream with, say, almond milk, for those with intolerances? Thank you!

Jean November 4, 2014

Sounds yummy. Do steel cut oats work as well?

WhiskyMead November 3, 2014

Hello! This sounds delicious. Wondering how best to make it stretch over the week - would it be to pre-mix the ingredients and bake single servings each morning, or bake the whole thing and simply re-heat?

Deborah R. November 9, 2014

I baked the whole thing yesterday and reheated some in the microwave this morning. It wasn't quite as moist as the oats absorbed even more of the milk/cream in the fridge overnight - but it still tasted good, just a slightly different texture. If I was making it for company, I would want it straight from the oven but was fine reheated just for me :)

Danielle O. November 3, 2014

Hi, can this recipe be made a day before? Does it store well?

Apricot-Almond Baked Oatmeal Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between baked oats and oatmeal? ›

Tips for making baked oats

The difference between baked oatmeal and baked oats is all in the texture. And getting that cake-like texture comes from adding the egg, but also blending the ingredients well.

Why is my baked oatmeal gummy? ›

Oatmeal may become gummy or have a dry texture if the combined oat mixture sits for a prolonged time before it is baked. Once the wet ingredients are mixed with the oatmeal, the oatmeal will begin absorbing moisture. If it sits for too long, it will become dry or gummy when baked due to inadequate moisture.

How many days is baked oatmeal good for? ›

Refrigerate leftover baked oatmeal for 5 to 7 days, either wrapped in the baking pan or in an airtight container. To Reheat. Bake the oatmeal in a 350 degree F oven until it's warmed through, or simply heat it up in the microwave.

Why eat baked oats? ›

Oats are a "fabulous source of carbohydrates and soluble fiber," says Fine. Fine also explains how the carbohydrates and the fiber combined in baked oats help to create that key sensation you want after eating a meal: fullness.

What is the healthiest type of oatmeal to eat? ›

Steel-cut oats, also called Irish oatmeal, are the whole oat kernel that has been cut into two or three pieces using steel disks. This type of oats contains the highest amount of fiber, as it is least processed. Steel-cut oats take a little longer to cook, and result in a creamy and chewy porridge.

Is oatmeal better for you than potatoes? ›

Compare 100 calories of baked potato to 100 calories of oatmeal, and you find a bit less protein (3 grams vs. 4), a bit more starch (18 grams vs. 16) and a similar mineral profile (potatoes have more potassium, but oats have more selenium). But potatoes beat out oats in just about every vitamin, as well as fiber.

Why do my baked oats taste bitter? ›

If the dry ingredients are not well mixed, there can be pockets or lumps of ingredients (especially leavening) that can lead to bitter or off flavors.

Why does my oatmeal taste weird? ›

Not Cooking It Properly

"Not cooking them long enough might get you dry unchewy oats that are not as palatable to enjoy," says Maggie Michalczyk, Chicago-based RDN and author of The Great Big Pumpkin Cookbook. Plus, you want to sit down and enjoy your bowl of oats, not deal with messy clean up.

Can I use water instead of milk for baked oats? ›

It doesn't even have to be a milk—you can just use water, or a mix of yogurt and water, or applesauce and water, or keifer or whatever liquid you want to infuse your baked oatmeal with.

Is oatmeal good for diabetics? ›

A cup of cooked oatmeal (1/2 cup of dried oats) contains approximately 30 grams of carbs, which can fit into a nutritious meal plan for people with diabetes. Oatmeal is high in fiber and nutrients but low in saturated and trans fats and sugar and can help you maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

Can I leave baked oatmeal out overnight? ›

Store your baked oatmeal in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. While you can leave your baked oatmeal out overnight, they will last much longer in the fridge.

Should you refrigerate cooked oatmeal? ›

Cooked oatmeal can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, extending its shelf life and ensuring it remains safe to eat. The United States Department of Agriculture's general directives for leftovers are that they will remain fresh for up to four days in the fridge or as long as four months in the freezer.

Is it okay to eat oatmeal every day? ›

Yes, it is good to eat oatmeal every day considering its nutritional profile and health benefits, including weight control and heart-healthy effect. As a breakfast food and mid-meal snack, oatmeal is potentially a better option than the majority of foods available in the market.

Is oatmeal good for constipation? ›

Oatmeal is a good source of fiber, particularly soluble fiber. As a result, it helps add moisture to the stool, which makes it softer and easier to pass. Other high-fiber foods like fruits, nuts and seeds pair well with oatmeal and could increase the meal's or snack's constipation-relieving benefits.

What are the pros and cons of oatmeal? ›

Benefits of eating oatmeal in the morning include its high fiber content promoting digestive health, providing sustained energy, and potential cholesterol reduction. Drawbacks may include added sugars in flavored varieties and the need for variety to ensure a balanced diet.

Which is better, oats or oatmeal? ›

A: Great question, and one that we get a lot. There aren't any major differences in the nutrition benefits of the three types of oats. All forms of oats are 100% whole grain, a good source of fiber and have the same nutritional information – same calories, fiber and protein per serving.

Is there a difference between oatmeal and oats? ›

Speaking of, what is the difference between oats and oatmeal? Technically, oats refers to the whole grains themselves, and oatmeal to the porridge-like dish often made from them, and/or to the processed form of the whole grains—but now, the terms are often used interchangeably.

Are baked oats or overnight oats healthier? ›

Soaking the oats overnight reduces the phytic acid content present in the oats better than cooking them. Phytic acid is an antioxidant naturally present in grains, legumes, tubers and certain vegetables.

Are rolled oats the same as quick oats for baking? ›

Rolled oats are much chewier while quick oats are much creamier and smooth. The difference in texture might help you decide which type of oat you should use in a recipe. Rolled oats hold their shape well and give things a nice chew. This makes them perfect for baked goods and cookies.

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