4.7 14 Published Jul 11, 2022, Updated Sep 18, 2024 Cherries are one of my favorite summer fruits. Besides tasting amazing, they’re portable, perfectly bite-sized and packed with lots of nutritional health benefits. I made this baked oatmeal with frozen cherries for ease but using fresh cherries when in season would also be delicious. Nothing is better than a fresh cherry, am I right?!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Cherries are filled with naturally sweet flavor and loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. It’s made in one bowl so fewer dishes to clean! It can be meal-prepped for healthy breakfasts all week long or made for a fancy brunch.
Ingredients Needed
ripe bananas – to help naturally sweeten and add moisture to this recipe. Make sure your bananas are ripe with some brown spots on them! If you’re not a fan of bananas or don’t have any ripe ones on hand 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce will work as a substitute. old fashioned rolled oats – my fave brand is Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old fashioned rolled oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often cross-contaminated so make sure you’re grabbing certified gluten-free oats if you have a gluten intolerance. flaxseed – instead of an egg we’re using ground flaxseed to help bind the dish together. If you don’t need this recipe to be vegan, you can swap the flaxseed for 1 regular egg. baking powder – helps the baked oatmeal rise. cinnamon – for just a hint of spice. sea salt – to bring all the flavors together. unsweetened vanilla almond milk – any dairy-free milk works but I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk. You can make your own following my homemade almond milk recipe. vanilla extract – a flavor enhancer almond extract – for more flavor. Almond extract and cherries pair well together. cherries – the star of this baked oatmeal! I used frozen but, when in season, fresh would work (just a little extra work to remove the pits!). toppings of choice – I love topping this baked oatmeal with fresh, chopped cherries, some maple syrup and/or a little nut butter, but feel free to use your favorite toppings!
How to Make
In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Add in the rolled oats, flaxseed, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, almond milk, vanilla extract and almond extract and stir to combine. Fold in 1 cup of frozen cherries and top with additional ½ cup frozen cherries. Pour the mixture into a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 375ºF for 45-55 minutes or until the middle of the oatmeal is set and the top is golden brown. Allow the baked oatmeal to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
What to Serve With Cherry Baked Oatmeal
I find that I either make baked oatmeal for a fancy brunch or just as meal prep for healthy breakfasts all week long! Either way, it could be a meal on its own but if you want to serve it with some sides, here are some ideas that pair well:
A savory egg dish – baked egg muffins, egg white bites, dairy-free spinach quiche or kale and feta crustless quiche A fresh fruit salad – easy fruit salad or fruit salad with mint Meat – regular bacon, tempeh bacon, chicken sausage, breakfast sausage or veggie sausage. Beverages – the perfect mimosas, cold brew coffee or iced matcha latte
How to Store and Reheat
This baked oatmeal is a great meal prep recipe. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When freezing, I recommend cutting the oatmeal into portions, wrapping each in plastic wrap and placing the portions in a large freezer bag. The individual servings make it easier for reheating. To reheat the entire pan of baked oatmeal: cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes or until warm. To reheat individual portions: set oven or toaster oven to 350ºF and bake for 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave for 1 minute. Once warm, add your toppings and enjoy!
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