Eggless Berry Baked Oatmeal
- 15 min prep
- 65 min
- Bake
- Serves 6
- 255 kcal
- 7.5 g protein
One bowl, one dish, six breakfasts. Rolled oats, milk, banana and berries bake into a soft, sliceable oatmeal that reheats in a minute all week.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (180 g) rolled oats
- 1 tbsp (7 g) ground flaxseed
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) water, for the flax
- 1½ cups (360 ml) milk
- ½ cup (120 g) mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
- 3 tbsp (60 g) maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ cups (220 g) mixed berries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw)
- ¼ cup (30 g) walnuts, chopped
- 1 tsp (5 g) butter, for the dish
Method
- 1Heat the oven to 180°C. Butter a 20 cm square baking dish (or a similar 1.5-litre dish).
- 2In a large bowl, stir the ground flaxseed with the water and leave for 5 minutes until it turns thick and gel-like.
- 3Whisk the mashed banana, milk, maple syrup and vanilla into the flax mixture until smooth.
- 4Add the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and stir until no dry pockets remain. Fold in most of the berries and walnuts, keeping a handful of each for the top.
- 5Pour into the dish, level it, and scatter the reserved berries and walnuts over the surface.
- 6Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are golden and pulling away from the dish and the centre no longer wobbles when you shake it gently. Frozen berries need the longer time.
- 7Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 6 squares. It firms as it cools, so slices hold their shape better once warm rather than hot.
Notes from the Department
- Use frozen berries straight from the freezer; thawed ones bleed purple through the whole bake.
- For a firmer, bar-like slice, use quick oats instead of rolled oats.
- Bake it on Sunday evening and you have breakfast sorted until Friday.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 255 kcal
- Protein
- 7.5 g
- Carbohydrate
- 40 g
- Fat
- 7.7 g
- Fibre
- 5.7 g
- Sugars
- 15 g
Why this works
Baked oatmeal sits somewhere between porridge and cake. The oats soak up the milk as they bake, setting into a soft, spoonable slab that you can cut into squares. Most recipes bind it with eggs; we use a flax egg and mashed banana, which together hold the bake firmly enough to slice and add their own sweetness.
Baking powder is a small amount but important: it lifts the mixture just enough to keep it tender instead of dense.
Berries in India
Frozen mixed berries from the supermarket are the easiest choice year round. In winter, Mahabaleshwar strawberries, quartered, are excellent. Mulberries, chopped apple with cinnamon, or diced mango in summer all work too; just keep the total fruit at about 220 g.
Swaps
For a vegan bake, use oat or almond milk, maple syrup and coconut oil for the dish. Swap walnuts for almonds or pumpkin seeds. For less sweetness, cut the maple syrup to 1 tbsp; the banana carries most of the flavour.
To keep it gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats and a gluten-free baking powder.
Storage and reheating
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze individual squares for 2 months. Reheat a square for 45 seconds in the microwave, or 8 minutes in a 160°C oven. Serve with a spoon of curd or a splash of warm milk.
Questions people ask
- Can I make baked oatmeal without eggs?
- Yes, that is how this recipe is written. A flax egg plus mashed banana binds the oats, and the bake sets firm enough to slice once it has cooled for 10 minutes.
- Can I use quick oats for baked oatmeal?
- Yes. Quick oats give a smoother, more uniform, bar-like texture and may need 5 minutes less in the oven. Steel-cut oats do not soften enough and are not a good swap.
- Can I make baked oatmeal in an air fryer?
- Halve the recipe and bake it in a small dish that fits your basket at 160°C for 20 to 25 minutes. Cover with foil for the first 10 minutes so the top does not brown before the centre sets.
Inspired by Three Little Chickpeas. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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