Wake up to a warm, comforting breakfast of Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal. This make-ahead healthy breakfast recipe for pumpkin-spiced baked oatmeal is made with rolled oats, pumpkin purée, applesauce cranberries, and warm spices. A gluten-free recipe made as baked oatmeal cups or squares.
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Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups have been on my breakfast table all week! Cozy fall mornings should definitely begin with a hearty breakfast, and what could be cozier than warm baked oatmeal with pumpkin spice?
I love having overnight oats in the fridge for busy mornings. At this time of year, these Creamy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats are a favourite choice. This week, however, I'm loving this pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe filled with a combination of cranberries, apples and pumpkin!
This has been such a popular wholesome breakfast recipe that I've updated it with new photos and information.
❤️Why you'll love this pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe
- Grab-and-Go: While it's nice to have a leisurely sit-down breakfast, these Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups are ideal for a grab-and-go breakfast, too. If they're cold, they're like a healthy pumpkin oatmeal muffin. They remind me of these Grab-and-Go Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins.
- Make ahead and freeze: You can make these oatmeal cups or squares ahead of time! Refrigerate or freeze, then warm them just before serving.
- Work smarter, not harder: Assemble the ingredients the night before, then combine and bake in the morning.
I adapted this recipe from my Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal Cups with Chia that I make year-round. They're filled with antioxidant-rich fresh berries like blueberries, strawberries and raspberries!
If you love experimenting with other baked oatmeal flavours, try this Chocolate Espresso Baked Oatmeal or this incredibly popular Cherry Vanilla Baked Oatmeal with Chia and Hemp.
Fun flavour combinations to start your day on a healthy note!
🛒 Ingredients for pumpkin apple baked oatmeal cups
Before we get to the full recipe for this healthy pumpkin baked oatmeal with cranberries and apples, here are a few notes about some of the ingredients.
- rolled oats: Old-fashioned oats are best for this recipe. Use certified gluten-free oats if necessary.
- chia seeds: These are tasteless, but once mixed with the milk in this recipe, they swell and absorb the liquid. Chia seeds are full of protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals.
- sweetener: coconut sugar, brown sugar, or 0-calorie sweetener.
- pumpkin pie spice: It's easy to make your own and I've described how to make it in the recipe card below.
- eggs: 3 large eggs at room temperature
- milk: any kind will work, plant-based like unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk (or whole milk if you don't need this recipe to be dairy-free.)
- coconut oil: or butter, melted, then slightly cooled
- pumpkin purée: canned or homemade, not pumpkin pie filling
- applesauce: homemade or store-bought
- cranberries: fresh or frozen and thawed. You can also use tart, dried cranberries. Some researchers have called cranberries the new "superfood." If you'd like to read more about the health benefits of cranberries, or if you're wondering if they really can prevent UTI's, check this review of the research.
- baking powder: gluten-free, if necessary
🥄 Instructions
Here's an overview of what you'll do. Complete instructions are in the recipe card below.
Bake this Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal in muffin cups or in an 8-inch square baking dish or casserole dish. Your choice!
First, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs, milk, coconut oil, pumpkin and applesauce in another bowl, then combine the two. Gently stir in fresh chopped cranberries or dried cranberries.
Fill muffin cups. I use a large cookie scoop for this task. This handy tool makes it so much easier (and less messy) than using a spoon.
Or if you'd prefer squares, spread the batter in an 8-inch square pan and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out almost clean. This baked oatmeal makes a delicious brunch for a crowd!
🍽 Serving suggestions
When I serve it warm, I like to have it with a dollop of Greek yogurt, homemade applesauce or apple slices on the side, sometimes with a drizzle of pure maple syrup to sweeten the yogurt.
Try a smear of almond butter or peanut butter or other nut butter for extra protein.
If you're on a sugar-free diet, you can make this apple pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe without sugar, using Monkfruit Sweetener, but it's delicious with coconut sugar or brown sugar, too.
⏱ Top tip: make ahead of time
The best part about this pumpkin spice baked oatmeal? It's ready when you are! You can assemble all the ingredients the night before.
Stir the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another, refrigerate the wet ingredients. Combine and bake in the oven in the morning while your coffee is brewing! A warm, healthy pumpkin breakfast bake!
Make it today, refrigerate or freeze and have breakfast choices all week long!
🗓 How to store baked oatmeal
Enjoy these from the fridge for up to five days.
Freeze extra muffin cups or squares for longer storage. Line an airtight container with a piece of paper towel, add the baked oatmeal cups, and seal tightly.
You can also wrap baked muffin cups or squares individually in plastic wrap. Unwrap, then reheat in the microwave for a quick, warm healthy breakfast.
❓What to do with leftover canned pumpkin
This recipe uses ¾ cup of canned or puréed pumpkin. Make more pumpkin treats with the leftover pumpkin! The first two listed here are no-bake recipes!
- Grain-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Energy Balls
- Creamy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Spice Bread - Gluten-Free
- Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
I love that sweet and tart apple-cranberry flavor combination! If you do too, try this Puff Pastry Cranberry Apple Galette, (you can make it with gluten-free puff pastry, too) or Skillet Cranberry Apple Crisp (an easy dessert.)
🗒 More healthy breakfast recipes
If you love cooking with oatmeal, see this collection of over 30 healthy oatmeal recipes, all gluten-free!
- Delicious Keto Egg Bites
- 30-Minute Gingerbread Spiced Granola
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie (without banana)
- Mini Crustless Smoked Salmon Quiches
📖 Recipe
Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats, old-fashioned, certified gluten-free if necessary
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ cup coconut sugar, brown sugar, OR 0-calorie sweetener like Monkfruit Sweetener
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, *see note 1
- 2 teaspoon baking powder, gluten-free, if necessary
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk of your choice, plant-based or dairy milk
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée, not pie filling
- ¼ cup coconut oil or butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ⅔ cup applesauce, unsweetened
- ½ cup cranberries, fresh or dried
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment paper liners, OR grease an 8-inch square baking dish with coconut oil or butter.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin, melted coconut oil (or butter) and applesauce.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Gently add chopped fresh cranberries or dried cranberries. Stir to distribute evenly. Fill each muffin cup or spread evenly in an 8-inch baking pan.
- Optional, but good: Combine 1 tablespoon coconut sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top of each muffin cup.
- Bake muffin cups for 22 - 24 minutes, an 8-inch square pan for 35-40minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 - 10 minutes before removing muffins and transferring to a cooling rack. This time allows them to set up and makes it easy to remove the paper liners.
- Serve warm, plain or with maple syrup, yogurt, kefir, applesauce or sliced apples.Freeze extra muffins cups or squares in an airtight container. Reheat in a microwave for a quick breakfast.
Video
Notes
- To make Pumpkin Pie Spice, combine 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
- If you don't have applesauce, you can substitute 1 cup finely chopped apple. No need to peel it.
- Depending on the size of your muffin cups, this recipe may make 12 -15 cups.
Lorilei
Definitely worth 5 stars! I like it with a little maple syrup on top. So moist and delish!
Elaine
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Appreciated!
Desi
We had this for breakfast this morning. I made them in square pan. We just had them with a little maple syrup on top. Excellent! Loved every bite.
Marie
These oatmeal cups are perfect for fall! What an awesome combination of flavours. Great to take on the go. l love your idea of serving it with yogurt and applesauce too.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much, Marie!
Jillian
Tasty & Easy - my favorite everything!
Flavour & Savour
Mine too, Jillian!
Giangi
These are perfect for a grab n go breakfast!!!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Giangi,
They really are--I love having them in the freezer, ready to quickly reheat.
Tisha
These sounds like the perfect breakfast!! So delicious
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Tisha!
Juli
These look very delicious! What a great breakfast! I need to make these for my family!!!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Juli, It's always great to have breakfast pre-made!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Love how hearty these are! And the combination is just lovely. Pinning these and trying soon...I know that between hubby and I they won't last long 🙂 Just what my morning coffee needs!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Dawn! I made yet snother batch last night! Enjoy 😊