With gooey bits of sweet, liquid gold, this caramel baked oatmeal will liven up your morning routine with heart-healthy, whole grains!
Growing up, our neighbors had dogs named Cookie and Caramel (well they pronounced it car-mel.) Another family friend had a dog named Oreo. Personally, I loved naming pets after delicious desserts! I guess there’s no mystery as to why I may have been a few pounds overweight… So, guess who named their Guinea pig, Brownie?!?
Whether you pronounce it Car-a-mel or car-mel, I think we can all agree that sweet concoction can make anything better! Years ago I created Caramel Apple Baked Oatmeal. Actually, I created two of them- Caramel Apple Baked Oatmeal 2. This time I decided caramel is more than enough to stand on its own.
And while a little extra sweetness is great, don’t go crazy with the caramel! It packs a lot of calories and grams of sugar, as that is the main ingredient. Basically, I wouldn’t recommend making this variety of oatmeal every week- change it up!
BAKED OATMEAL TIPS
- There are so many possible flavor combinations! Add some chopped pecans, almonds, or a diced apple or pear.
- Adding a bit of oil (butter or coconut oil) provides some healthy fat. It also means there will be no sticking to paper cupcake liners.
- Both applesauce AND yogurt work well. Choose your favorite or whatever you find in the pantry/fridge. I use Greek yogurt for some added protein. Non-dairy varieties also work well.
- Gluten free as long as the oats are certified gluten free and you use gluten free flour. I use oat flour.
- Serve right out of the oven or make ahead and store in the fridge. Baked oatmeal will last for 4-5 days. I prefer re-heating in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Ingredients in Caramel Baked Oatmeal
Caramel Bits and/or Sauce
Butter
Applesauce
Brown Sugar
Maple Syrup or Caramel Sauce
Vanilla
Eggs
Baking Powder
Milk
Flour
Old-Fashioned or Rolled Oats
Optional: Gluten Free Pretzels
Optional: Protein Powder
Caramel v. Butterscotch
Traditionally, caramel is made by slowly heating white granulated sugar to a certain temperature- 340 degrees. While heating, the sugar is broken down to create a deeper color and rich flavor! Butterscotch uses brown sugar. So, the difference between butterscotch and caramel is…molasses.
CAN I ADD PROTEIN POWDER TO MY BAKED OATMEAL?
Absolutely! I usually do. If you’re not going to serve the oatmeal with a protein (eggs, yogurt, etc.) than I would definitely add some protein to help balance the carbs. For a baked version, you may want to slightly reduce the flour as well. I will only use 1/4 cup of flour.
40 minutes
Caramel Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 1/2 c. applesauce
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. caramel sauce or maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. flour (I used oat flour)
- 1 c. milk (can use dairy free)
- 2 c. old-fashioned or rolled oats
- 1/3 c. caramel bits
- Optional: 1/2 c. gluten free pretzels, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, caramel sauce/maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, baking powder, salt, and flour. Carefully whisk in the milk. Then, stir in the oats and caramel bits (and pretzel bits.) Next, pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish or 12 lined-muffin cups. Bake for 30 minutes.