Name: Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 cups milk (dairy or nondairy); 2 large eggs; ⅓ cup maple syrup; ¼ cup melted butter; 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ cup light brown sugar; ⅓ cup powdered sugar (for glaze); 1–2 tablespoon milk (for glaze)

The Tale of Saturday Morning Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal

So I’ll just say it—sometimes I like breakfast to taste like dessert. Especially if it means I don’t have to stand at the stove flipping pancakes for an hour while my coffee gets cold. This Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal is what I make when I want to feel a little fancy but also, honestly, don’t really want to do much work. The first time I baked this, I was trying to recreate that gooey, cinnamon bun vibe without, you know, actually having to roll sticky dough at 7am. (Besides, who has the patience? Not me on a chilly weekend morning.) Now my kids request “the oatmeal cake” and, yes, that’s my cue to bust it out, even though last time it nearly overflowed in the oven because I forgot the old trick with the baking sheet underneath... But hey, still delicious.

Why You’re Gonna Love This Oatmeal (In My Experience)

I make this when I want breakfast to feel a bit special but can’t face another round of burnt toast, or when I’m low on eggs (it happens more than I’d like). My family basically demolishes the dish before it’s even cool, although, if I’m brutally honest, I think it’s actually even better the next day. There’s something about the way the cinnamon kind of settles in (you get these swirly pockets—so good). Oh, and cleanup’s not too bad either, unless you forget to grease the pan. Not that I’m speaking from recent experience or anything...

What Goes In? (And What Can You Swap?)

2 cups rolled oats (mine says ‘old-fashioned’—but honestly I’ve grabbed quick oats in a pinch and it’s fine)
⅓ cup brown sugar (I sometimes mix in a little maple syrup for extra gooey-ness)
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon (I've doubled this before... I have no regrets)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (I just use whatever’s in the cupboard—it doesn’t matter)
2 cups milk (oat milk, almond milk, or the last of the carton—up to you)
2 eggs, lightly beaten (I ran out once and used 1 egg and a bit of applesauce—it actually worked okay!)
2 tablespoons melted butter (my grandmother insisted on unsalted, but I sneak in salted sometimes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup raisins or chopped pecans (totally optional—my kids pick them out, but I pile them in for texture)
For the swirl: Mix 2 tablespoons soft butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the glaze (optional, but really, why not?): ½ cup powdered sugar, splash of milk, drop of vanilla

How To Put It All Together (With a Little Wiggle Room)

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). And really, do grease your 8×8 inch baking dish well. I’ve scraped oatmeal off a pan before. Live and learn.
In a big bowl, toss your oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. It looks like a mess but smells amazing already. (This is where I usually sneak a taste—don’t tell.)
In another bowl—or honestly, just a big measuring jug—whisk together your milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour this over your dry stuff. Mix until it’s sort of like a thick porridge. Lumpy is fine!
Fold in raisins or pecans if you’re into that sort of thing. Or don’t—totally up to you. Pour everything into your baking dish and give it a little jiggle to sort of level it out.
Now, for the cinnamon swirl: Mix up your swirl ingredients and dot little blobs all over the top. Take a butterknife and swirl it around—don’t overthink it. Blobs are totally fine.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Sometimes mine is done a tad early so I always check at 30 minutes. The middle shouldn’t look soupy but if it’s a bit moist, it’ll set as it cools. (If the kitchen smells like a holiday candle, you’re on the right track.)
Let it cool for, well, as long as you can stand to wait. And then whip up a quick glaze—just stir the sugar, milk, and vanilla in a cup and drizzle over the warm oatmeal. (If it’s runny, add more sugar; if it’s stiff, add milk. You get the idea!)

My Notes (a.k.a. Stuff I Learned the Hard Way)

Don’t use steel-cut oats for this. I tried once and ended up with sort of cinnamon-scented gravel.
If you’re worried about sweetness, cut the sugar back a smidge. I do sometimes, especially if the kids are already bouncy.
Sometimes, reheating in the oven gives it a slightly crispy crust on top that’s unfairly good.
If you forget the glaze, just sprinkle with a bit more brown sugar and call it rustic. No one minds.

Other Things I’ve Tried (And Which Ones Worked... or Didn’t)

Chopped apples stirred in? Yes, do it—tastes like pie for breakfast.
Frozen blueberries: mixed results. The color gets a bit odd but flavor is nice.
Chocolate chips: Fine for dessert, but I didn’t love them for breakfast. (Maybe that’s just me—try it if you’re braver!)
Swapping in coconut oil for butter: Actually, not bad—if you like a subtle tropical vibe.

Equipment (and How to Fudge It If You Don’t Have Something)

You’ll want an 8×8 inch baking dish; any sturdy ovenproof dish works honestly. If you only have a 9-inch round pan, go for it—the bake time might be a smidge shorter. And if you’re missing a whisk, a fork is honestly just fine. In a pinch, you can mix the batter in a big saucepan and just dump it into whatever you’ve got—done that more than once. (The fancy stand mixer can skip this one, give it a rest.)

How To Store This Stuff (If You Even Need To)

Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container; it’ll last about 3 days. But honestly, in my house, it rarely gets through the first afternoon. I ate cold leftovers once and thought they were even better—the flavors get cozy together overnight. If you want to warm it up, a quick zap in the microwave does it.

Serving Ideas (Or, How I Actually Eat It)

This tastes great with a splash of cold milk—or Greek yogurt on the side if you’re going for that high-protein thing. My youngest likes it with a dollop of cream cheese frosting (I mean, technically that’s just more breakfast dessert, right?). Sometimes I eat it cold, standing at the fridge, but if my parents are around, I heat it up and act civilized. Oh, and a drizzle of maple syrup over the top is never a bad idea (Canadian friend swears by it).

Pro Tips (a.k.a. Embarrassing Mistakes I’ve Made So You Don’t Have To)

I once tried to use a glass dish in a really hot oven—don’t do that unless you want mystery oatmeal chunks stuck to the bottom (learned that the messy way).
If you try to rush the cooling and cut it while it’s steaming hot, it’ll fall apart. Ask me how I know.
And, double-check you’ve added the baking powder—I left it out once and the whole thing was as flat as a pancake.
Actually, I find it works better if you let it sit for five minutes before baking. Seems to help the oats soak up all those tasty liquids.

Q&A (Stuff People Actually Ask Me—Plus One That Made Me Laugh)

Can I make this vegan? You totally can—swap almond or oat milk for regular milk, flax eggs for eggs, and coconut oil instead of butter. It’s, like, basically the same thing.
Does it freeze well? Yes, but I’m just going to warn you: the texture might be a little less dreamy. Still works for meal prep though.
Can I halve this? For sure—just use a smaller dish and check it a bit sooner. It’ll bake faster.
What if I don’t have brown sugar? White sugar with a dab of molasses works. Or just use white and pretend it’s on purpose (I won’t judge!).
Where’d you get those cinnamon rolls in the photo? Ha! This is baked oatmeal, not actual cinnamon rolls. But if you’re looking for the real deal, Sally’s Baking Addiction has a good recipe, and if breakfast meal prep’s your thing, I sometimes steal ideas from Minimalist Baker too.

Oh, and speaking of things that don’t quite fit—has anyone else noticed baked oatmeal is having its 15 minutes of fame lately? I saw it on three food blogs in one week. Frankly, I’m just glad it’s easy enough for real-life, semi-chaotic kitchens like mine. Give it a go, let me know how it turns out, or just tell me your best oatmeal disaster story—misery loves company, right?

Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal