Gluten-Free Baked Oatmeal (Dairy-Free with Vegan Option)
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Looking for an easy, healthy breakfast that you can make ahead? This gluten-free baked oatmeal is soft, lightly sweet, and incredibly satisfying. It’s naturally dairy-free and can easily be made vegan or with eggs depending on what you prefer.
Unlike traditional oatmeal, this version bakes up into a tender, sliceable dish—almost like an oatmeal cake—making it perfect for busy mornings, meal prep, or even a wholesome snack.
Whether you’re feeding a family or just want something nourishing ready to go, this baked oatmeal is a simple recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Breakfast is a tough meal of the day for families on the go who are trying to be healthy. It's easy to lean on convenience foods so that everyone can grab something fast when they're headed out the door, and that can mean some not so good decisions, you know?
My Childhood Unhealthy Breakfasts
When I was little, we had a lot of those “not so good for you” type breakfasts.
Some of the breakfast “foods” that I remember us having were:
- Thomas' English Muffins
- Thomas' Corn Toast-R-Cakes
- Homemade Cinnamon Toast (made with margarine and white bread and granulated white sugar—yikes!)
- Ka-Boom Cereal (my sister's favorite)
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- Life Cereal
- Cream of Wheat
Yikes.
Now that I've woken up to how important it is to have real food, things have changed.
A Healthier Breakfast Option
Breakfast can be one of the hardest meals to get right—especially when life is busy. It’s easy to fall back on convenience foods that don’t keep you full or energized for long.
That’s one of the reasons I love this baked oatmeal. It’s made with simple, whole-food ingredients and keeps well, so you can make it ahead and have a nourishing option ready whenever you need it.
We’ve even been known to enjoy less “traditional” breakfasts around here (like chia pudding or even leftovers or healthy fudge), but this recipe is a great middle ground—it feels familiar, comforting, and just a little special.
Why This Baked Oatmeal Is So Good
This recipe has a slightly unique twist that makes it stand out.
Instead of baking the oats right away, you can soak them first. This does two things:
- Improves digestibility
- Creates a softer, more cake-like texture
If you soak the oats longer (even up to 24 hours), the result is surprisingly light and fluffy—almost like a true oatmeal cake.
If you skip soaking, the texture will be more like classic baked oatmeal: a little denser and more hearty.
Both versions are delicious—it just depends on what you’re in the mood for.
The Origin of this Cake
Our Baked Oatmeal Cake obsession all started when our dear friend, Beckie, shared some baked oatmeal with us at her home one night after a homeschooling family gathering. I'd heard of baked oatmeal, but had never made it nor tried it.
Well, my kids gobbled it up, and when gobbling like that happens, I go on a mission. This time on a quest for the best Baked Oatmeal recipe that I could find.
I came home with Beckie's recipe in hand and poked around on the internet a bit. I found a few recipes that intrigued me and made a combination of Becky's and another one that looked great.
The resulting success story is what you see pictured above.
A Kitchen Mistake Gone Right
The funny thing about this recipe is it basically became a “cake” by mistake.
I knew it was important to soak grains (especially oats) so when I set out to try out my version of the cake, I set the oats out to soak overnight.
The next day ended up being a flurry of too many things to do and so I didn't get around to baking the cake until about 24 hours later. The result? A delicious not-too-sweet-at-all cake that is so light, you won't believe that it is made from whole rolled oats.
In fact, when I took the 24-hour-soaked version over to Beckie's house for her to try, she said, “You added flour to this, didn't you?”
Nope—the oats just turned out that way. See how much soaking your grains can change the grains themselves?
Side note–for another “mistake turned family favorite, see my post on Chaat Masala.)
So you can make this recipe just like a regular baked oatmeal by not soaking, or soak for 24 hours for the oatmeal cake-ish version, or soak overnight only for a dense baked oatmeal bottom and a cake-like top.
Either way it's baked oatmeal yumminess.
The photos in this post are of the “soaked for 24 hour” option.
Don't know about soaking grains? I never had heard of this until a few years ago and I didn't really understand. The basic reason is that grains (and especially oats) contain phytic acid and other anti-nutrients that make digestion difficult. You can read more about this in my post on how and why to soak grains.
We like this recipe both ways, but I personally think the cake version is a bit nicer.
If you try it both ways, I would love to hear what you think!
Either way, this cake tastes special—especially topped with whipped cream, coconut whipped cream, or yogurt–and lots of fruit.
Won't the Cake Spoil If It's Left Out Overnight?
I get this question often.
The answer is no, it won't, if you are using an acidic medium (like cultured milk, whey, or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice).
If you are using regular dairy, then you MUST use an acidic medium to prevent spoilage. If you are not using dairy, you should be able to soak the mixture on the counter overnight with no problem.
Recipe Notes
- Topping Options: I make this regularly with walnuts and dehydrated dried apples, but bananas and walnuts, fresh apples and pecans are other great options. Anything goes. For the cake in these photos we used berries and walnuts. We even once just blended shredded coconut (about 1/3 cup) into the batter and sprinkled both cinnamon sugar and extra coconut on top. Mmmmm…..
- Milk Options: Use any type of milk you prefer. I recommend healthy raw milk if you use dairy. Otherwise, any non-dairy alternative will work great like Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, or Rice Milk, etcetera.
- Bake In Bulk: As with any tried and true recipe, I recommend baking in bulk to save time and money. I typically mix up and soak 4 batches of this cake at time. Make a bunch and freeze for on-the-go breakfasts or snacks anytime you need them.
- Gluten-free Oats: If necessary, use gluten-free oats. Here is a great brand. I've heard that the GF Harvest Company's oats are very reliably gluten-free and they test for glyphosate too.
- Oil / Fat Options: You can use any other healthy fat for the coconut oil, or use applesauce for a fat-free option.
- Sweetener Options: Although xylitol is a good candida-friendly sweetener, organic erythritol is as well. Or sub a liquid sweetener using my guidelines in Substituting Sweeteners. You can use an additional 1/3 cup of a healthy granulated sweetener instead of stevia. If using stevia, here is a great brand of stevia scoops.
- Egg Alternatives: This is the egg substitute we used for years. See my Powdered Egg Substitute for a homemade option. This cake turns out great with either option.
- Baking Powder Option: If you would like to make your own baking powder, or need a corn-free or grain-free option, see this Grain-free Baking Powder.
- Cinnamon Sugar Substitute: See this Healthier Cinnamon Sugar for a homemade cinnamon sugar alternative.
- Soaking Notes – typically an acid medium is recommended for soaking grains, but there are mixed thoughts on this. You may add the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to the oats before soaking if you like, but you will end up with a slightly acidic taste.
Other Healthy Baked Goods to Try:
If you're a fan of whole-grain baking, here are some other recipes to try:
- Whole-Grain Doughnuts
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Super Quick Whole Grain Biscuits
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Frosted Chocolate Mint Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Buckwheat Crepes
Gluten-free Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 4 cups coconut milk (see Recipe Notes for alternatives)
- 6 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or other sweetener as desired)
- 3/32 teaspoon stevia extract (or other sweetener as desired–see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 egg equivalents (I use this Egg Replacer Powder – you can also use eggs if you like)
- 1 cup nuts (optional)
- 1 cup fresh or dried fruit (optional)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice; optional for soaking)
- cinnamon "sugar" (optional – for topping–see my post on Healthier Cinnamon "Sugar")
Instructions
- Mix oats, milk, and sweetener(s) in a large bowl. Combine well.
- If soaking to remove phytates, add acid medium (apple cider vinegar or lemon juice).
- Soak either overnight (for a more baked oatmeal-type dish) or for at least 24 hours (for an Oatmeal Cake) at room temperature. Make sure to read the instructions about How to Soak Grains.
- Add remaining ingredients, saving baking powder and egg substitute (if using) until last.
- Mix well.
- If using nuts and/or dried or fresh fruit, put half of the nuts and fruit in the bottom of a greased 8×8 square baking dish.
- Pour the batter onto the nuts and fruit (or directly into the prepared dish if not using the nuts and fruit).
- Top with the remaining nuts and/or fruit if desired.
- Top with cinnamon sugar if desired.
- Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the middle of the cake is set.
- Serve either warm, with additional cinnamon sugar, nuts, fruit and milk, whipped cream or yogurt. Alternatively, eat at room temperature like a regular cake.
- Store in the refrigerator in a closed container or freeze for a longer shelf life.
Notes
- Topping Options: Use any combination of fruit and nuts. Try berries and walnuts, apples and pecans, or banana and coconut.
- Milk Options: Any dairy or non-dairy milk works. Almond, coconut, and rice milk are great choices.
- Sweetener Options: Use your preferred sweetener. For stevia, adjust carefully. You can also use honey, maple syrup, or a granulated sweetener.
- Egg Options: Works with eggs or egg replacers. See post for tested options.
- Make Ahead: Prepare and soak overnight, then bake in the morning. You can also freeze baked portions.
- Soaking Tip: Soaking improves texture and digestibility. For best results, soak 12–24 hours.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
I'd love to hear how you like this Baked Oatmeal Cake once you've tried it!
I’m so glad you talked about alternate foods for breakfast. Why do we relegate certain foods to certain meals, anyway? I love pizza for breakfast, whether it’s leftover from the night before or made in the morning. I make apple crisp but I eat for breakfast not as dessert.
I agree, Paula! When I first started working with a practitioner on my health, she wasn’t great, but she recommended hamburger for breakfast :).
I was really skeptical about this recipe. I didn’t like the idea of soaking overnight with coconut milk. I used full fat canned coconut milk because I like it. Also the recipe just seemed weird. Then when I saw how much the oatmeal expanded in the bowl I knew it would not fit into an 8×8 pan. So I baked it in my large cast iron pan. Turned out great. It will be nice to have as a breakfast with my tea.
I’m so glad you liked it! That’s interesting – you’re saying it definitely wouldn’t fit in your 8×8?
Maybe the ‘full fat’ coconut milk made it expand so much because last night I soaked 2 cups oats and used water instead of coconut milk adding 2 Tbsp of lemon juice and it didn’t seem like it expanded much.
Did you add lemon juice to both?
The first time with the coconut milk I did not add lemon.
Hmmm…sounds like you’re not sure if it expanded less or not, am I correct?
The 2nd one I made with 2 cups oats and water AND 2 tblsp lemon juice, did not expand. I’m using it as just a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. I put some in the freezer since I don’t want to eat oatmeal every day. It’s ok. I loved the cake though. I’ll make it like that again.
Got it! Sounds like a lovely breakfast. I’m checking to see if I can find an explanation but so glad you’re enjoying it!
This sounds interesting. I’m hoping this will fit the bill for a quick protein rich breakfast when in a hurry. I’m gonna try this with a few more eggs and a TBS gelatin powder. How much more milk do you think I should add also?
Also, if I start with sprouted oats, would I need to still soak it?
When you say, 3/32 teaspoon stevia extract, would that basically equate to 1/10th tsp? I don’t have any measurement to make 3/32. Thanks.
Hi Michele! Can you tell me more about the milk and why you think you should add more? Not sure how to answer that. You don’t need to soak it if you are starting w/ sprouted oats – but it might make the finished product lighter.
Yes, that’s about 1/10 of a teaspoon. Typically stevia is measured in “scoops” that are 1/32 of a teaspoon – I talk about that and have links to the spoons in this post: https://wholenewmom.com/stevia-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it/
Thanx for your reply. Ok, now I remember that powdered stevia is measured in mini 1/32 scoops. Silly me, I was thinking of liquid stevia.
I’ll clarify: If I add a few more eggs and a TBS gelatin powder, will it come out too dense? If so, should I increase amount of liquid? Thanx
Of course – so you are thinking about adding the eggs and gelatin for the purpose of adding more protein – is that the main reason?
Yes. A quick, healthy protein- rich snack. We get tired of meat sticks and the healthy ones are getting more expensive 😉
I get it. I would think you could get away with 1 egg but more than that will likely be too much. You could try it but I don’t know that it will work well. Same with the gelatin.
Might be a good idea to add more protein as you are able and consider other things like these Homemade Gummies for more added protein. Thoughts? This Homemade “JELLO” would work well too.
I soaked over night with juice from 1/2 a lemon. I added 1/2 cup ground flax/chia, used 1/2 cup monk fruit, almond milk, no fruit/nuts because my family won’t eat it then, but used the cinnamon sugar topping. Baked it 50 minutes and it was too dense for my liking. Next time I’ll try it in a bigger dish.
Hi there! Did you add in liquid for the flax / chia egg?
https://wholenewmom.com/chia-egg/
https://wholenewmom.com/how-to-make-a-flax-egg/
Did you try it again by chance?
I made this cake for Easter morning, and it was a huge hit! It’s so tough to find a truly-delicious, healthy, easy breakfast recipe that is dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, and nut free, so I had to try this one. I’m thrilled with it and I’ll be making it again soon!
Oh wow – you seriously made my night. Thank you for taking the time to come and comment. SO glad you enjoyed it! I am working hard to bring new recipes and new information to help others on their journey…..thanks in advance for your patience :). And thank you again. I’m sitting here w/ a huge smile on my face. 🙂
This looks so good! Question: what is the volume/amount of oats after they’ve been soaked? In other words, if I wanted to make this with leftover oatmeal that’s already been cooked (thus skipping the soaking part) how much should I use?
Thanks, I can’t wait to try it!
Gosh I have no idea! I’ve never measured. I would try to do one batch and then see…then you can apply that to how you would like to make it. Hope you like it! Interesting question!
I do think that cooking is going to expand them more, btw.
Hi! How can I leave milk on the counter to soak for 24 hours…..
Wouldn’t the milk be growing bacteria? I get soaking overnight in water.
Should I put oats soaking in milk in the fridge instead? Thanks!!
So eager to try this recipie
Great question! I just clarified in the post. Hope that helps!
Can I do it without egg or egg substitute
You mean using neither of them? I would not do that.
I’m planning my son’s 4th birthday cake, and I really love the look of this recipe! I’m wondering, do you think this would work if I made this into two smaller, round cakes and layered one on top with a cream cheese frosting? Or would the cake collapse / be too crumbly? Thanks
Oh what a LOVELY idea!! I think it would work. I don’t feel that the cake is that crumbly as oats tend to be quite gummy. I hope it works out! Might want to make a small cake first to see the texture for yourself, but I think you’ll be happy with it! Do let me know!
I tried it using a cream cheese frosting and it was GREAT! Held up fantastically. Even grandma commented on how nice the cake was. Will definitely be making this in the future.
Oh my that sounds amazing! Did you do a lower carb version? We don’t do much dairy but wow I would love to try a vegan version maybe!
I’m not sure what the carb count would have been – mixed about 750g cream cheese with half a stick of butter, lime juice, vanilla and honey to taste (perhaps 2tbs?). Definitely wasn’t as sweet as conventional icing, but I wouldn’t call it low carb either 🙂
I’m sure a vegan version would work out nicely as well!
Sounds amazing!!!