Like fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt, but different!
Fruit on the bottom…fruit on the top…fruit in the middle…fruit on the side…oatmeal is always better when fruit’s involved. I always loved a sweet jammy surprise at the bottom of my yogurt cup, especially when strawberries or blueberries or raspberries awaited my spoon underneath that tangy cream. I applied that same surprise factor to oatmeal.
And even though it’s technically fruit-on-the-bottom baked oatmeal, I couldn’t resist sneaking a few (or a lot) of plump blueberries on the top too.
Truthfully I have never made or eaten baked oatmeal. I’m not very patient when it comes to breakfast, so waiting 30 minutes doesn’t usually happen in the morning. But who said baked oatmeal had to be for breakfast? I baked up this loaf pan of loveliness in the middle of the afternoon, and the sweet satisfying snack was well worth the half-hour wait.
And I must say, the leftovers are pretty good the next day straight from the fridge.
There are 3 layers to this casserole-like breakfast.
- Blueberry jam: I used my 3-Ingredient Blueberry Fig Jam, but you can use any jam or jelly you like. I recommend one that is sweetened with fruit juice only. I really like Crofters Organic Just Fruit spreads for a store-bought alternative.
- Oatmeal: Sweetened with dates and flavored with cinnamon + vanilla, this layer is simple and has no added sugar. If you use my Blueberry Fig Jam, then the entire recipe is free of added sugar.
- Blueberry dots: Sprinkled on the top like colorful decor, they plump up perfectly when baked adding even more natural sugar to this fruity bake.
The word blueberry is no where to be found in the name of this dish, and that’s because you could sub in any fruit + fruit spread combo you like.
- Raspberries + raspberry jam
- Strawberries + strawberry jam
- Raisins + grape jam
- Apples + apple butter
- Or even mix and match!
Blueberry Fig Baked Oatmeal {no added sugar}
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 10–12 pitted medjool dates
- 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup blueberry jam (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a blender, blend the non-dairy milk, vanilla extract, and dates until smooth.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, cinnamon, and baking powder.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Spread the jam into the bottom of the pan evenly.
- Add the oat mixture on top of the jam.
- Top with fresh blueberries.
- Bake for 30-32 minutes at 375F until the edges are slightly browned.
- Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Are you a fan of baked oatmeal, or a newbie like me?
Yum yum yummy! I am not a newbie to the glory of baked oatmeal! But yea, I always make it the day before! No one has time in the morning for that!
So smart! Haha I’m so impatient I’ve been known to buy quick cooking oats…but don’t tell anyone 😉
This looks amazing! Delicious recipe and I just love blueberries! Such a healthy dish, thanks!
Thanks Heather! I’m a big blueberry fan too 🙂
Made this today and it was awesome. I did a raspberry “jam” out of pureed dates, chia seeds, and raspberries, then mixed in some whole ones as well. When I poured on the oats it looked so runny that I was sure it wouldn’t work, but it did and it was delicious! My brain nearly exploded with all the fun variations I can do with this recipe. Thank you so much!
Oooh I bet it was a gorgeous color with the pretty pink raspberries! And I love the chunky addition of the whole berries too! I’m so glad it worked and you liked it, thank you so much for taking the time to comment, I love hearing from you 🙂 And yes, so many possibilities…
Is it correct to say that it fits in a 9×5 in loaf pan? In all the pictures it looks more like a casserole dish. I just tried baking it and after 35 min the center still looks runny.
Yep that’s a 9×5″ loaf pan for sure. I can see why it looks bigger though, especially in that before and after shot. So sorry it didn’t bake up right, try decreasing the amount of non-dairy milk (by a half cup or so) and see if that works.
How absolutely delicious, I made it Wednesday night, it’s Saturday at 2pm and I’ve already made another one;. The fact that it can be mixed and matched with any variety of fruits just makes it even better. Genius!
Ha that’s awesome! Twice in one week means it must have been a success 🙂 I am so happy you liked it Loretta, and yes so versatile!