Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal (Dairy-Free and Oil-Free)

The vegan oat recipe is for soft baked oatmeal bars that combines canned pumpkin puree with hearty rolled oats, rich maple syrup, and warm spices.  The plant based recipe is easy to make, oil-free, and only uses one bowl.  For a different version try adding chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or dried cranberries.  For breakfast serve it with fresh fruit or enjoy it as a healthier dessert with dairy-free whip topping.

For more vegan baked oat recipes try chocolate-baked oatmeal, vegan berry baked oatmeal, or vegan baked apple oatmeal.  For more recipes with pumpkin try vegan pumpkin overnight oats or pumpkin steel cut oats.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

This vegan pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe calls for simple ingredients to make a wholesome breakfast.  Please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

Old-fashioned oats - The main ingredient is rolled oats for the best texture, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.

Ground flaxseed - This is used as a binding agent to make baked oatmeal without eggs.  Be sure to use ground flaxseeds not whole flaxseeds.  For leftover ground flaxseeds, try dairy-free overnight oats or flaxseed pudding with strawberries.

I didn’t test with chia seeds so I can’t say for sure how well they would work.

Pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon - Pumpkin pie spice is usually made of a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and sometimes allspice.  Recipes can vary from different brands and from different homemade recipes.  For a slightly stronger flavor use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and skip the ground cinnamon.

Baking powder - The baking powder helps the baked oatmeal rise in the oven.

Salt - Just a little to enhance the overall flavors.

Non-dairy milk - Any plant-based milk can be used to keep the oats dairy-free.  Try it with unsweetened almond, cashew, soy, or oat milk.

Canned pumpkin puree - For convenience the recipe calls for canned pumpkin.  Be sure that you’re not using canned pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.  Some brands of canned pumpkin are much thinner than others, the cooking time may need to be adjusted if it is too runny. To check for the oats to be done look for the edges to have firmed up and the middle to be set.

Maple syrup- Adds sweetness and can be substituted with agave syrup.  If you find the oats too sweet, the maple syrup can also be reduced to 3-4 tablespoons.  If you leave it out completely the cooking time may be less.  After baking, if the plant-based oatmeal isn’t sweet enough try drizzling maple syrup on top.

Tips

• Be sure to use ground flax seed not whole flaxseeds.
• If you don’t use a glass baking dish, then lightly grease the baking tray with non stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.  In my case, the oats came out fine whether I greased the glass baking dish or not.  Both ways the pan needed to be soaked before being cleaned.  So if you want to prevent that, use parchment paper.

How to make vegan pumpkin baked oatmeal

The recipe is easy to make and requires just one bowl. First, preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C).  You can lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish, or not. 

The cooked oats don’t normally stick for me when using a glass baking dish.  If you use a metal baking pan, I suggest spraying it with non-stick cooking spray or line the baking pan with parchment paper.

Mix the rolled oats, ground flax seeds, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Next, mix in the dairy-free milk, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup into the oat mixture.

Pour the mixture into an 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish and spread the mixture out so it’s even.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the middle is set and the edges have firmed up.  Let the dairy-free baked oatmeal cool for 10-20 minutes before serving. It’s soft right out of the oven but firms up as it cools. Enjoy it warm or cold. 

Topping ideas

The pumpkin oatmeal can be made without toppings or try a different variation.

• Sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans on top of the batter before baking.
• Dot the top with dairy free chocolate chips before baking (during testing dairy-free chocolate morsels would sink to the bottom of the oat mixture, so sprinkle them on top before placing the oat mixture in the oven).
• Mix in dried cranberries or raisins before baking.

Serving suggestions

The vegan baked oatmeal can be eaten warm, cold, or at room temperature (my personal favorite).  The oatmeal will be a little soft while still warm.  Once completely cooled they firm up, especially after being refrigerated.

• We enjoy the oatmeal with dairy-free yogurt, banana slices, and fresh berries.  
• Serve it with stewed or baked apples.
• Add a drizzle of maple syrup if it’s not sweet enough.
• Top it with almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, or sunflower seed butter. 
• Make it into a dessert with fresh fruit, a drizzle of vegan nutella, and/or coconut whip.
• Serve the baked oatmeal by itself or serve it with vegan fruit salad with lime juice or summer berry salad.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerator: Cool the baked oatmeal completely and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  

To freeze: They can also be frozen; let the oats cool, then store them in the refrigerator for them to firm up (this makes it easier to get nice slices).  

Slice the baked oats, then line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Place the slices on the lined cookie sheet and freeze.  They’re now frozen separately and can be placed in a freezer-safe container.  Alternatively to freezing separately, layer parchment paper between slices so they don’t freeze together.  Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating:  The baked oatmeal can be eaten warm, room temperature, or cold.  Heat refrigerated oatmeal in the microwave just until warmed through.  If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then heat in the microwave until warmed through.

Frequently asked questions

Related recipes

• Raisin oatmeal bars
• Pumpkin steel cut oats

I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you did feel free to rate and leave a comment.