This chocolate chip baked oatmeal is a hearty breakfast or snack filled with old-fashioned oats. Lightly sweetened with brown sugar and with extra moisture from applesauce, this baked oatmeal is both soft and chewy. The chocolate chips of your choice add a little something extra for that perfect bite.
What is baked oatmeal?
Baked oatmeal is an easy make-ahead breakfast with lots of options for different varieties. It starts with old-fashioned oats combined with a light custard of milk and eggs.
Baked oatmeal is not mushy or as soft as regular oatmeal made on the stove and has a nice chew to it. It can also be customized to many different tastes with add-ins like berries, apples, or nuts.
It also lasts for about a week in the refrigerator so is a great grab-and-go snack or breakfast.
Ingredient Highlights
- Old-Fashioned Oats- Old-fashioned oats are used for their chewiness and structure. Instant oats will get too mushy so it's best to use old-fashioned.
- Brown Sugar- Brown sugar is used as a sweetner for this chocolate chip baked oatmeal. Only a half of a cup is sufficient for a lightly sweetened oatmeal. Light or brown sugar will work for this recipe.
- Baking Powder- A teaspoon of baking powder provides a little lift in the oatmeal so that it's not so dense.
- Salt- Salt accents the other ingredients in sweet dishes and provides some balance to the sweetness. I always use kosher salt, specifically Diamond Crystal salt. If you are using regular table salt, use half the amount as it is saltier.
- Eggs- Eggs are the binder of all the ingredients in the baked oatmeal.
- Unsalted Butter- Butter is used for flavor and moisture. I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. If you only have salted butter just use that and omit the salt.
- Milk- Milk provides the majority of moisture to the oatmeal. You can use whatever milk you have on hand or a dairy milk alternative like almond or oat milk.
- Applesauce- Applesauce is used to add extra moisture in a healthier way. It doesn't leave an apple taste in the oatmeal.
- Chocolate Chips- I used a combination of semisweet and milk chocolate chips in the oatmeal and sprinkled a few dark chocolate chips on top before baking. Use whatever chocolate you prefer or have available!
FAQs
The oatmeal is better when made right after mixing the ingredients. The oats will soak up all the moisture in the recipe if you let it sit overnight so it is best to bake it right away. The great part of the recipe is that it lasts for up to a week in the refrigerator so you can snack on it all week long.
The chocolate chip baked oatmeal can be frozen after baking. Cool it completely and then wrap the container in plastic wrap and then foil and it will last for a couple of months. You can also slice the pieces and wrap each individually in plastic wrap and foil and then just remove them one at a time or for however many servings you need. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight for the whole dish or for a few hours for individual slices. It tastes best slightly warm so pop each slice in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before serving.
The texture will be altered if you use quick oats so old-fashioned oats are the best choice for a soft but chewy texture. The quick oats can dry it out. I haven't tested this with steel-cut oats but suspect they would need more moisture or would need to soak before baking.
You can use an 8 x 8 pan instead. The slices will be slightly thicker and the bake time is about 30 minutes. If you would like to use a 9 x 13 pan, double the recipe and add about 8-12 minutes of bake time.
These can be made into muffins. Just divide the batter evenly between muffin cups sprayed with baking spray or lined with liners. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.
How to tell when it's done baking
The oatmeal takes about 30 to 35 minutes to bake. Look for a center that is almost fully set and doesn't jiggle when shaken for moist baked oatmeal bars.
How to store the baked oatmeal
To store the chocolate chip baked oatmeal, you can leave it in the pan and cover it with plastic wrap or foil. Place it in the refrigerator and it will keep for about 1 week.
When you are ready to serve the oatmeal, warm up individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. If warming the whole pan, place it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
How to serve the oatmeal
There are so many options for serving the baked oatmeal. It's best slightly warm, so allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Read on for more serving ideas!
- warm with a drizzle of maple syrup
- a dollop of plain or flavored greek yogurt
- berries on the side
- a drizzle of warmed peanut butter
- in a bowl with a little milk poured over top
For more breakfast recipe ideas, check out:
- Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
- Brioche Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Apple French Toast Casserole
- Chocolate Cherry Almond Scones
Tag me on Instagram @themarblekitchenblog if you make this and leave a star rating and comment below! Thank you and enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ cups milk any type
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet, bittersweet or milk + more for sprinkling on top if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9 x 9 pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper with an overhang on two sides.
- Mix the oats, brown sugar, salt and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- In another medium bowl, mix together the eggs, melted butter, milk, applesauce and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the oats and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the oatmeal into the prepared pan and sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the middle is just set and the sides are beginning to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares.
Notes
- Store the leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat before serving by microwaving individual pieces for 15-20 seconds. The entire pan can be reheated in a 350 degrees oven for 10 minutes.
- Alternative milks can be subbed for the dairy milk if desired.
- This can also be made in an 8 x 8 pan. Baking time is about the same but begin checking just before 30 minutes.
- Double the recipe to make it in a 9 x 13 pan and add 8-10 minutes of bake time.
Kate says
Can I divide this into 9 cupcakes and bake in a cupcake tin?
Tara Kringlen says
Hi Kate. I haven’t baked this particular recipe in muffin cups but they should work well! I’m not exactly sure how many they would fill but I would fill the cups about 3/4 full.