This wholesome lemon blueberry baked oatmeal is the perfect way to start your day! It’s the best combination of sweet and tart flavors and is perfect for lazy Sunday mornings or meal prep during the week.
The Midwest winters are LONG, and I’m always in the market for warm and cozy breakfast recipes that are both nutritious and good for storing in the fridge for the week to make our mornings easier. We’ll often prep an egg bake (like my broccoli, cheese, and chicken sausage egg casserole) for the week, but sometimes you just want something sweet.
And while I’d love to enjoy a slice of brioche French toast bake everyday, I like to keep that for special occasions. So I created this lemon blueberry baked oatmeal recipe! The classic combination of lemon and blueberry is a winner with the oatmeal and this recipe is ridiculously easy to make. The result? A lemon blueberry oatmeal bake that’s fluffy yet slightly chewy with a golden brown top.
This delicious blueberry lemon baked oatmeal will definitely be in our family’s breakfast rotation often, and I hope it will be in yours too!
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Why You’ll Love This Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Recipe
Perfect make-ahead breakfast. This lemon and blueberry baked oats recipe is fantastic for those who love meal prep because it stays fresh in the fridge all week! Reheat it in the microwave for a quick, easy, and seriously filling breakfast.
Packed with nutrition. Baked berry oatmeal is high in fiber and filled with antioxidant-rich blueberries, and my recipe contains no refined sugar! I stick with natural sources of sugar, from maple syrup and applesauce.
Full of flavor. Light, tangy citrus and fresh, juicy blueberries give you a taste of summer during the long, cold winter.
Made with simple ingredients. You don’t need anything fancy to make this delicious sweet breakfast recipe! Most items include are likely already in your pantry.
Allergen friendly. This recipe works for vegetarian and gluten free diets. A few easy substitutions make it vegan and dairy free as well.
What is Baked Oatmeal?
Baked oatmeal combines rolled oats with milk, eggs, and sweeteners such as fruit, brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. Instead of having a porridge-like consistency like regular stovetop oatmeal, baked oatmeal has a firm texture, similar to a cake. It’s sliced into squares and served on a plate.
Ingredients Needed
Milk. I use skim or 2% dairy milk. But you can also use your non-dairy milk of choice. Using milk makes our baked oatmeal seriously creamy and delicious.
Eggs. The eggs act as a binder in our recipe, holding the baked oatmeal together like a cake or a loaf. Plus, they add a little boost of protein to our breakfast bake too!
Pure maple syrup. No icky fake stuff allowed! Look for 100% pure maple syrup. Maple syrup sweetens the blueberry baked oatmeal, adding a rich and warm sweetness.
Salted butter. Melt the butter and make sure it’s slightly cooled. Butter adds moisture and savory flavor.
Unsweetened applesauce. Applesauce provides a natural source of sugar and adds more moisture to the oatmeal. Like the eggs, it also acts like a binder for our baked oatmeal.
Lemon juice and lemon zest. The combination of fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest produces a wonderfully bright lemon flavor. To obtain lemon zest, use the smallest holes on your grater or microplane to grate the lemon skin. Stop grating once you reach the bitter white pith.
Old-fashioned oats (aka rolled oats). Stick with old fashioned rolled oats, and don’t try to substitute them with steel cut oats or quick oats. This recipe’s texture and cooking time would change drastically if you tried to make any oat substitutions. If you’re confused, reference my post on everything you need to know about oats.
Baking powder. Baking powder is a crucial leavening agent, making the baked oatmeal light and fluffy.
Vanilla extract. Like maple syrup, 100% pure is best! Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the baked blueberry lemon oatmeal.
Salt. A pinch of salt is all you need to balance out the sweetness in this recipe.
Fresh or frozen blueberries. Fresh blueberries are a great option when they’re in season, but when the fresh berries at the store aren’t looking so great frozen blueberries are the perfect option. I personally love and use frozen wild blueberries for this recipe! Frozen wild blueberries, also known as high-bush blueberries, are smaller and usually have a more intense blueberry flavor. I often prefer frozen because I can always have them on hand and they don’t even need to be thawed beforehand! So convenient!
Optional toppings. Top lemon blueberry baked oatmeal with extra maple syrup, a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt, chia seeds, or chopped nuts (I like to use pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds). You can also toss on some additional blueberries if you’d like!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Use banana instead of applesauce. You can substitute the applesauce with ¼ cup of mashed, ripe banana. Please note, banana has a pretty strong flavor, but is a lovely complement to both lemon and blueberry for this recipe.
- Add poppy seeds. If desired, mix 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds into the dry ingredients. Poppy seeds add a slightly nutty flavor.
- Try raspberries in place of blueberries. Raspberries are a common substitute for blueberries and have a similar, slightly sweet flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Add the milk, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, applesauce, vanilla extract, and lemon juice to a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add the lemon zest, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.
Step 4: Add the oats to the bowl.
Step 5: And stir to combine.
Step 6: Gently mix in the blueberries (it’s ok if it turns a little purple – this happens more often with frozen blueberries).
Step 7: Carefully pour the blueberry oat mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 8: Spread the mixture into an even layer.
Step 9: Bake for 35 minutes, or until the center appears to be almost set and the edges are golden brown.
Step 10: Let the lemon and blueberry baked oatmeal cool for 5 minutes before serving. Then, spoon or slice the baked berry oatmeal and serve it with your desired toppings.
Possible Dietary Restrictions?
This recipe is vegetarian, as written. Oats are naturally gluten free but have a high likelihood of gluten contamination during processing. It’s always best to ensure the oats you’re using are certified gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.
A few substitutions are required to make this into a dairy free and vegan option. To do so, replace the dairy-based milk with unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. You’ll also need to replace the eggs with flax eggs and the melted butter with coconut oil or plant-based butter. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with 2 ½ tablespoons of water until smooth to make a flax egg. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
Expert Tips
Ensure you’re choosing the correct oats. There are a lot of choices when it comes to oats, and the type of oats you use in this baked oatmeal recipe matters. You must use old-fashioned oats, also known as rolled oats.
Gently mix the blueberries. Lightly fold the blueberries into the batter, being cautious not to crush them while you’re mixing them in.
Choose the correct-sized baking pan. I recommend using a square, 8×8 or 9×9-inch glass baking pan. You’ll need to adjust the baking time accordingly if you’re using a different-sized pan.
Add a splash of milk while reheating. If your baked berry oatmeal starts to dry out while it’s reheating, pour 1-2 tablespoons of milk over it. The milk will rehydrate the oats back to a creamy, moist texture.
Storage and Reheating
To Store: Let the lemon blueberry baked oats cool to room temperature, then wrap leftovers tightly with plastic wrap or transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge all week long, up to 5 days.
To Reheat: The microwave is the quickest and easiest way to reheat baked oats. Heat in short intervals until your desired warmth is reached.
To Freeze: Lemon blueberry baked oatmeal is freezer-friendly! Cut leftover oats into individual portions, wrap them tightly in plastic, then place in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and let thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
Why are my baked oats soggy?
Your baked oats should have a hearty, creamy, slightly chewy texture. If they’re soggy or mushy, you likely didn’t bake them for long enough. Continue baking the oats until the center is set, and a toothpick comes out clean.
What’s the difference between baked oats and oatmeal?
Traditional oatmeal is made on the stovetop or in the microwave using oats, water, or milk. The oats are cooked until soft, into a hot cereal or porridge-like consistency. Baked oatmeal is cooked in the oven using baking ingredients like eggs, butter, milk, baking powder, and sugar. This results in a cake-like oatmeal that can be cut into slices.
What to serve with baked oatmeal?
Serve baked oatmeal with bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, yogurt, and a piping-hot mug of maple cinnamon coffee! This post lists ideas for what to serve with French toast casserole, all of which complement lemon blueberry baked oatmeal too!
Is baked oatmeal eaten hot or cold?
Baked oatmeal is delicious when it’s hot and fresh from the oven and also straight from the fridge! Whether you eat it hot or cold is based on your personal preference.
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📖 Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs
- ½ Cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ Cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ Cup lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (approximately the amount from 1 medium lemon)
- 1 + ½ Cups milk of choice (I use skim or 2% dairy milk, you can also used plant-based milk if preferred)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 Cups old fashioned oats (also called rolled oats)
- 1 + ½ Cups blueberries* (fresh or frozen)
- Optional toppings. Top your lemon blueberry baked oatmeal with extra maple syrup, a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt, chia seeds, or chopped nuts (like pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds). You can also toss on some additional blueberries if you'd like!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. This includes the milk, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, applesauce, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. This includes the lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and oats.
- Gently stir in the blueberries to the oatmeal mixture.
- Carefully pour the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out in an even layer.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until the center appears to be almost set and the edges are golden brown.
- Let the lemon blueberry baked oatmeal cool for 5 minutes before serving. Then, spoon or slice the oatmeal and serve it with your favorite toppings.
- After serving, cover cooled leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use banana instead of applesauce. Option to replace the applesauce one-for-one with mashed banana. Please note, banana has a pretty strong flavor, but is a lovely complement to both lemon and blueberry for this recipe.
- Add poppy seeds. If desired, mix 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds into the dry ingredients. Poppy seeds add a slightly nutty flavor.
- Try raspberries in place of blueberries. Raspberries are a common substitute for blueberries and have a similar, slightly sweet flavor.
- To Store: Let the lemon blueberry baked oats cool to room temperature, then wrap leftovers tightly with plastic wrap or transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge all week long, up to 5 days.
- To Reheat: The microwave is the quickest and easiest way to reheat baked oats. Heat in short intervals until your desired warmth is reached.
- To Freeze: Lemon blueberry baked oatmeal is freezer-friendly! Cut leftover oats into individual portions, wrap them tightly in plastic, then place in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and let thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
David says
So stinking good! I ate all the test batches and am going to eat more right now.
Meredith says
You’re the best!