Baked Ginger Oatmeal with Dried Fruit

Change up your breakfast routine with this easy baked oatmeal with ginger and dried fruit. Reheat and top with a splash of milk.

My inherent distrust of hot cereal began in Grade 9 home economics class. Partway through the semester, our teacher (sorry, Miss T.) prepared a hot cereal sampling smorgasbord. From cream of wheat and oatmeal to grits and rice cereal, those steaming bowls of wallpaper paste (or so they looked to me) were laid in front of us. With no fruit, brown sugar, or maple syrup to mask the flavor and texture, my melodramatic teenaged self felt as though she was facing the proverbial firing squad. Of course, this was right on the heels of the ground pork roll (made with school district-budget pork) stuffed with applesauce. To say that I was a little leery of Miss T.'s culinary intentions would be an understatement.

Now, I have read all of the studies touting oatmeal's health benefits. Up until now, however, consuming oats in treats such as Chewy Nutella Oatmeal Bars and Oatmeal Chocolate Fudge Layer Bars has been my only option for enjoying the high-fiber grains. Somehow I don't think this is what the American Heart Association had in mind when they recommended consuming oatmeal as part of a healthy breakfast.

I was certain that all hope was lost for a reconciliation with hot cereal until I came across my friend Maria's (of Two Peas and Their Pod) post about baked oatmeal. This sounded suspiciously like a dessert, but after looking closely at the ingredients list, I realized this recipe could be the answer to my lifelong prejudice against hot cereal. I made several tweaks to Maria's original recipe - increased the oats and brown sugar, used a whole egg, changed the spices and the fruit - but I was thrilled to find that, with a splash of warm milk poured over top, the once-mushy protagonist of my breakfast nightmares became something to look forward to at mealtime. Brown sugar and dried apricots and cherries add a touch of sweetness, while cinnamon, ginger and almonds lend a complementary savory note.

If you do not have a family of eight to polish this off in one sitting, no need to fret. The baked oatmeal can be stored in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, and reheated on another day.

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8- by 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, applesauce, butter and vanilla.

Pour the milk mixture into the oat mixture and stir to combine. Stir in dried cherries and apricots, and slivered almonds.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden brown and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve. The oatmeal can be served on its in or in a bowl, with a little warm milk poured over top.

Other baked oatmeal recipes:

Joy the Baker's Baked Oatmeal with Fresh Raspberries & Pistachios
Two Peas and Their Pod's Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
A Year of Slow Cooking's CrockPot Baked Oatmeal

A couple of reminders:

(Don't forget to head over to my giveaway blog for a chance to win a prize from General Electric.)

(For a chance to win a gift pack from Cache Valley Cheese, including a Dutch oven, head to my giveaway blog.)

Baked Ginger Oatmeal with Apricot, Cherry & Almond

3 cups old-fashioned oats
⅓ cup (packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups skim milk
1 egg
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
½ cup chopped dried apricots (about 8)
½ cup dried cherries
⅓ cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8- by 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, applesauce, butter and vanilla.

Pour the milk mixture into the oat mixture and stir to combine. Stir in dried cherries and apricots, and slivered almonds.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden brown and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve. The oatmeal can be served on its in or in a bowl, with a little warm milk poured over top.

Serves 6 to 8.

Printable recipe