Description
This Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal with Walnut Streusel is a warm, comforting breakfast dish that combines cozy spices like ginger, cinnamon, and allspice with hearty oats and a crunchy walnut topping. Sweetened naturally with banana, maple syrup, molasses, and brown sugar, it offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures. Baked to golden perfection, this oatmeal is both nourishing and delicious—ideal for chilly mornings or an inviting brunch treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Oatmeal Base
- 1 medium ripe banana
- 2 cups unsweetened, non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper (or a pinch)
- ¼ tsp salt
Walnut Streusel Topping
- ½ cup whole walnuts
- â…“ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8×8 inch baking dish unless it’s non-stick to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix the oatmeal base: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe banana mostly smooth, leaving some lumps if you like. Whisk in the non-dairy milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add the oats and spices—ground ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, black pepper, and salt—and gently fold everything together just until evenly mixed, avoiding over-mixing.
- Transfer to baking dish: Pour the oatmeal mixture into the greased baking dish and spread it evenly, making sure the surface is flat for consistent cooking.
- Make the walnut streusel: Place the walnuts and oats in a food processor and pulse a few times until they resemble coarse flour. Add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted coconut oil, then pulse again until the streusel mixture looks like wet sand with a crumbly texture.
- Top the oatmeal: Evenly sprinkle the walnut streusel mixture over the oatmeal in the baking dish to create a crunchy and flavorful topping.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 28-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal is firm, showing no jiggle when you gently shake the dish.
- Cool and serve: Allow the baked oatmeal to cool for about 5 minutes to set. Optionally, drizzle with powdered sugar icing or serve with yogurt thinned with a bit of milk for extra creaminess. Enjoy your gingerbread baked oatmeal warm.
Notes
- You can substitute the walnuts with pecans for a different nutty flavor.
- Use any plant-based milk such as almond, oat, or soy milk depending on your preference.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure your oats and flour are certified gluten-free.
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less maple syrup or brown sugar to taste.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and reheated in the microwave.
- For a vegan version, confirm your brown sugar is vegan-friendly and use non-dairy milk.
