I’m always looking for ways to mix up breakfast, and this lemon & cherry baked oatmeal has been a welcomed breath of fresh air. It’s tart and sweet, fruity, and so tasty – I truly look forward to it each morning! It’s also a great make ahead recipe – I throw it together at the beginning of the week and enjoy a slice each day.
This recipe is also gluten free, vegan, and just about foolproof.
Making Lemon & Cherry Baked Oatmeal
This oatmeal comes together quickly and easy – two bowls, an 8×8 pan, and an oven are all you need. You’ll need:
- Bananas, the riper the better. Yes, I’m talking about those brown mushy ones. They’ll be super sweet and perfect for this recipe!
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Agave nectar or maple syrup to sweeten
- Lemon extract to bump up the lemon flavor, but you can use vanilla extract instead for a less pronounced taste
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Zest of a lemon
- Almond milk, or any milk you have on hand
- Old fashioned oats
- Cherries, pitted and cut in half. You can use fresh or frozen.
- (Optional): Confectioners sugar (or substitute) + lemon juice for a lemon glaze topping
Preheat oven to 350F, prepare an 8×8 pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, mash bananas well until no chunks remain. Then add agave, lemon zest, applesauce, lemon extract, milk and stir together. In another bowl, combine oats, baking powder, salt. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in half of the cherries and spread batter into your (greased or parchment lined) pan. Top with additional cherries and bake for 35-45 minutes, until edges are golden brown and oatmeal has solidified.
Let cool before slicing. If glazing, mix confectioners sugar with fresh lemon juice 1/2 tsp at a time, mixing until the consistency just starts to become runny. Drizzle over oatmeal bake and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Lemon & Cherry Baked Oatmeal
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 8×8 Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 bananas overripe, mashed
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups oats
- 1.5 cups cherries pitted and cut in half
- 1/4 cup confectioners sugar or sugar replacement
- 2 tsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 8×8 pan well.
- Mash bananas and combine with applesauce, agave, lemon zest, lemon extract, almond milk and stir together.
- In another bowl, combine oats, salt, baking powder and stir together.
- Stir wet into dry ingredients and mix well. Gently fold 1 cup of cherries into the batter. Spread evenly into pan and top with additional 1/2 cup cherries.
- Bake for 35-45 min, until edges are golden brown and oatmeal is solid. Let cool, then slice and serve! Store leftovers in the fridge.
- If adding glaze, add lemon juice to confectioners sugar 1/2 tsp at a time and stir until you get a runny yet thick consistency. Drizzle over oatmeal and enjoy!
