Vegan Apple Spice Baked Oatmeal [gluten-free]

An easy and comforting breakfast, this vegan apple spice baked oatmeal is made from basic pantry ingredients yet tastes decadent with notes sweet apples, caramel and warming spices.

This post is sponsored by Cosmic Crisp® Washington state apples however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love This
• Ingredients
• Substitutes and Add-ons
• Step by Step
• Good Apple Varieties for this Recipe
• Cosmic Crisp Washington state apples: a stellar new apple variety
• Cosmic Crisps are Slow to Brown
• Where to Find Cosmic Crisp® apples
• Helpful Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• Notes About Gluten
• More Apple Recipes
• Vegan Apple Spice Baked Oatmeal [gluten-free]

Why You Will Love This

Baked oatmeal is a wonderful way to savour a slow morning. This recipe comes together quickly, involves little preparation, and you can relax with a coffee or tea while its baking, filling your home with the most amazing aroma.

This version of baked oatmeal is basically apple pie meets oatmeal; it's so good. This recipe is also fairly versatile and can be served with yogurt, milk, or totally on its own (see below notes for optional add-ons and substitutions).

This Vegan Apple Spice Baked Oatmeal is:

• Gluten free (if you use certified gluten free ingredients)
• Dairy-free
• Comforting and aromatic
• Sweet and cake-like
• Made from everyday staple ingredients
• Able to be made ahead
• Easy to make and store

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and amounts of each, please see the recipe card.

• Rolled oats
• Flax meal
• Almond flour
• Brown sugar or coconut sugar
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon and nutmeg
• Salt
• Almond milk
• Maple syrup or honey
• Olive oil
• Diced apples

Substitutes and Add-ons

• Any plant-based milk or regular dairy milk will work in this recipe.
• Use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar in equal measure.
• Use coconut oil or any neutral flavoured oil instead of olive oil in equal measure.
• Swap liquid honey for maple syrup in equal measure.
• Peel the apples if you like.
• Grate the apples instead of dicing them.
• Add raisins, dried cranberries or chopped nut or seeds.
• Add about ¼-½ teaspoon ground ginger for some additional spice.

Step by Step

For the full set of instructions, please see the recipe card. The below is a brief outline of the steps involved in this recipe.

STEP 1: preheat the oven and grease the baking dish.

STEP 2: combine the flax meal and water and let stand until thickened.

STEP 3: add the oats, almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix to combine.

STEP 4: add in the almond milk, maple syrup, olive oil, flax mixture and diced apples and stir well.

STEP 5: pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly in the dish. Add optional apple rings or slices to the top

STEP 6: bake the oatmeal in the preheated oven and then allow it to cool in the dish before slicing and serving.

Good Apple Varieties for this Recipe

Not all apples are equal. Some apples are better for baking and cooking, while others should be for snacking only. There are quite a few apple varieties that don't bake well and, as such, shouldn't be used for this recipe.

Bottom line, mushy grainy apples are not a pleasant mouthfeel and will make your baked goods less than great. There are many apples varieties that work for baking and in order for an apple to be suitable for baking, they should be:

• Firm in order to hold their shape
• Sweet so they add additional flavour
• Juicy so they don't dry out.

Cosmic Crisp Washington state apples: a stellar new apple variety

So what makes a perfect apple in my book? Foremost, it has to be sweet. It also has to be firm and crisp with a skin that yields to my bite. And because apples are one of my favourite fruits to bake with, it also needs withstand heat without becoming mushy. Cosmic Crisp® apples are all of the above, and then some.

Cosmic Crisp apples are a non-GMO, classically bred apple grown in the Pacific Northwest. They are are a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp apples and were naturally bred over a period of 20 years at Washington State University to create a beautiful, tasty, natural, and all around perfect apple.   

Cosmic Crisp® Washington state apples are crispier and sweeter than other varieties. They're also large and juicy with a remarkably crunchy texture - they almost *snap* when you bite into them. Moreover, these apples are great for baking—they withstand the heat of my oven and hold their shape well. They also impart natural sweetness to baked goods.

Cosmic Crisps are Slow to Brown

Another noteworthy quality, Cosmic Crisp® apples are slow to brown. If you have a little kiddo like mine that takes a few bites of an apple and leaves it, well, their slow browning nature means I can salvage those half eaten apples when I find them lying around the house.  

Furthermore, when it comes to baking and cooking, the slow browning quality means I can slice them without needing to rush through the rest of my prep- unlike regular apples, they'll stay fresh looking longer. Side note: as a food stylist and photographer, I love this trait.

Overall, Cosmic Crisp apples are a perfect combination of taste, texture, and usability- they are easily my new favourite apple.

Where to Find Cosmic Crisp® apples

Cosmic Crisp® apples are available across Canada at most major grocery stores. Ask for them at your local grocer or look for the Cosmic Crisp stand in the fresh produce section. You can also check them out on Facebook @CosmicCrisp or Instagram @thecosmiccrisp or hashtag #AppleOfBigDreams #CosmicCrisp

Helpful Tips

Overall, baked oatmeal with apples is very easy to make. However, there are some key points worth nothing to make sure you get stellar results:

• Use Rolled oats - quick oats can make baked oatmeal mushy and somewhat unappealing
• Use Fresh, unblemished apples- see the next paragraph on how to keep apples fresh; they are infinitely better
• Use an apple variety suitable for baking-as noted above, Cosmic Crisp® apples are a great baking apple and work perfectly in this recipe (peeled or unpeeled).
• Cool in the pan for minimum 20 minutes -this makes for easy serving and cutting and helps the oatmeal hold its shape.
• Use fresh grated nutmeg for better flavour.
• Keep Apples Fresh with Refrigeration- Apples are best when you keep them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. When stored at room temperature, apples ripen 6-7x faster. Store apples at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) in a breathable produce bag to help keep them at peak freshness.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

MAKE AHEAD: This recipe can be made in advance; simply keep it at room temperature for up to a few hours before serving. Baked oatmeal is best served warm, so be sure to pop it in the oven at low temperature for about ten minutes before serving.

STORAGE: This recipe should be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Portion and reheat until heated throughout.

Notes About Gluten

Oats are naturally gluten free, however, be sure to source certified gluten free oats to ensure there is no cross contamination which can happen during the processing period before they arrive on store shelves.  Also, be sure to double check all your ingredients to ensure they are certified gluten free if there is a gluten sensitivity, intolerance or allergy.

More Apple Recipes

If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other recipes featuring my favourite fruit to bake with:

Vegan German Apple Cake

Vegan Apple Spice Bundt Cake

Vegan French Apple Tart [Tarte Normade]

If you made my Vegan Apple Spice Baked Oatmeal please leave me a comment below with a star rating; it really helps others who are interested in making the recipe. For more from The Simple Green, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Consider becoming a subscriber to receive emails of new recipes and posts.