From cookie oatmeal with chunks of melting chocolate to a blueberry muffin version with jammy berries and a lemony drizzle - baked oats have been going viral online for their decadent appeal and nutritional value.
Oatmeal is a pretty dependable breakfast option. Often served with a pat of butter and a pool of milk, it’s certainly tasty but can also become rather boring, especially if you eat it every morning. However, in a turn of events, this superfood that is packed with important vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants, has been rediscovered and reinvented by top chefs from around the globe.
If you have social media, by now you must have seen the video of people digging into a freshly baked bowl of oats. With delicious toppings like nut butters and freshly sliced or caramelised fruit, they could almost be mistaken for a dessert.
So what exactly are baked oats? In essence, they’re a super easy to make breakfast option made similarly to a cake. Instead, in place of traditional flour, oats are blended in a food processor until fine and powdery. This will result in a very smooth batter once all the other ingredients are added. Most recipes call for baking powder and baking soda resulting in a moist, yet airy texture that’s just like cake, just slightly denser.
Three baked oats recipes to try:
Chocolate chip and banana baked oats
By @realizing_fitness
Buttery pan grilled bananas with caramelised edges, chunks of dark chocolate paired with a soft baked oat cake, breakfast truly couldn’t get any more delicious than this.
Ingredients
50g quick oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
125ml plant-based milk
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
Pinch of sea salt
Dark chocolate chunks (for on top)
Instructions
Blend all dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse flour.
Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Pour into an oven safe bowl or ramekin and top with chocolate chunks.
Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees.
Top with caramelised banana, peanut butter and cacao nibs.
PB & J baked oats
By @shirasbites
Served warm with a pool of melted peanut butter and dollops of tart raspberry jam, this version of baked oats turns two classics into one ultimate breakfast food.
Ingredients
½ cup oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp chia seeds
½ mashed banana
½ cup milk
½ tbs vanilla
1 tbsp peanut butter powder
½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Add all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until combined and smooth.
Pour into greased ramekin.
Bake at 200 degrees for 15 min or until browned on edges.
Top with blueberry chia compote and peanut butter.
Apple pie baked oats
By @_ahealthybite
Warm cinnamon, sweet apples, this version of baked oats is a twist on the traditional apple pie dessert. Served straight out the oven, in place of scoops of ice cream, try a spoonful of Greek yoghurt instead.
Ingredients
40g oats
15g maple syrup
200ml almond milk
1 apple
1tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp baking powder
Sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°c.
Blend oats and mix with the help the cinnamon and all the baking powder and some sea salt.
Cut up the apple and add 10g maple syrup.
Mix wet and dry ingredients.
Add apple to mixture.
put in oven safe bowl and cook for 30 minutes.