Simple Baked Oatmeal
The simple baked oatmeal recipe is the basic recipe you’ll make over and over again. It’s low cost, nourishing, and hearty. What makes it unique? It’s topped generously with steamed milk.
My #1 tip for saving money on food is to identify low-cost foods you enjoy, and to start incorporating more of them into your diet in unique ways.
This recipe for baked oatmeal is the epitome of that advice: Oatmeal is one of the most budget-friendly foods out there. And this is a unique way to prepare it that’s delicious in its simplicity yet completely customizable.
Money-saving tip: Try this recipe and if you like it, start adding it to your breakfast rotation.
Simple Baked Oatmeal: What You’ll Need
The basic ingredients for this baked oatmeal are easy to find and low cost:
- Old-fashioned oats (Quick oats will work in a pinch, but avoid steel cut oats)
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon (Or pumpkin pie spice)
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Milk (Use 2% or whole milk for the best flavor. Plant-based milks will also work.)
- Butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
These simple ingredients come together beautifully in a dense, lightly sweetened baked oatmeal.
Customize Your Baked Oatmeal
You can add additional ingredients like chopped nuts, berries, bananas or chocolate chips to customize.
But the magic happens when you serve this, warm from the oven, with steamed milk on top. This brings it from a good breakfast to something that’s nearly dessert-worthy. Trust me on the steamed milk!
(See recipe, below, for instructions on how to make frothy steamed milk at home.)
The Cost: $3.75 Recipe/$.46 Per Serving
This is such an affordable recipe. The basic ingredients (minus any add-ins you might choose to add) costs just $3.75 for 8 servings.
If you choose to add berries, nuts, chocolate chips, or another add in – or if you choose to add lots of toppings for serving – the cost will increase.
But no matter how you cut it, this is a very budget-friendly breakfast recipe.
A Great Make-Ahead Breakfast
Make a batch of this baked oatmeal and eat it throughout the week.
You can reheat it in the oven or microwave, or eat it cold. It’s delicious either way.
More Cheap Oatmeal Breakfast Ideas
This is one recipe to help you start incorporating more low-cost, delicious oatmeal into your diet. Here are some other affordable oatmeal breakfast recipes you might want to try:
- How to make steel cut oats in a slow cooker
- Baked oatmeal cups
- Berry baked oatmeal
- Slow cooker apple oatmeal
- Applesauce overnight oatmeal
- Muesli breakfast cereal
Props to Cottonwood Coffee in Brookings, South Dakota, for introducing me to the idea of topping baked oatmeal with steamed milk.
Simple Baked Oatmeal
There are a couple of easy methods to make steamed milk at home:
1: Place desired amount of milk into a glass jar, cover, and shake until milk is foamy. Then, take off the lid and microwave until milk is warm. The froth will remain.
2: Warm milk in the microwave and use a frothing wand to foam the milk.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups milk (2% or whole)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or pumpkin pie/apple pie spice)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups old fashioned oats (or quick oats)
- Steamed milk, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray non-stick cooking spray into an 8x8-inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add oats to liquid mixture. Pour into prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Top with steamed milk and fresh fruit, if desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy
Wow, looks interesting. I’ll have to give it a try! Thanks for another cheap recipe- I am trying to do just what you say- inexpensive dishes on a regular basis… Keep ’em coming, please. I also love the banana pancakes with egg- really tasty and filling. 🙂