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Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

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Cozy autumn spices and rich velvety pumpkin make this Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal a delicious and satisfying breakfast packed with fiber, vitamins and flavor!

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Sometimes kids will eat a food prepared in a specific way, but not another even though it has the same ingredients! Texture, flavor and visual presentation all have a big impact on kids acceptance of a food. This baked pumpkin oatmeal is similar to pumpkin oatmeal, but just ‘packaged’ differently.. as a bar that is familiar for kids to eat and taste delicious!

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the health differences of bake oatmeal vs oatmeal. And the truth is, they are essentially the same. Boiling oats or baking them doesn’t change the nutrition profile very much at all and so it comes down to taste preferences, and then what you are adding to the oats.

Ingredients to Make Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

  • Rolled oats – Rolled oats have the perfect texture for this recipe. Quick oats may make the baked oatmeal too mushy.
  • Pumpkin pie spice – I made pumpkin pie spice with 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
  • Baking powder
  • Salt – I always use sea salt in my recipes.
  • Pumpkin Puree – I used Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree. Make sure you are using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs – Room temperature is ideal so all of the ingredients are at the same temperature when they are baking.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Pure Maple syrup
  • Milk– I used 2% milk.
  • Chopped pecans – optional but adds some nice crunchy texture on top.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Use 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice instead of pumpkin pie spice.
  • You can use honey instead of maple syrup.
  • Dark brown sugar can be used instead of light brown sugar.
  • You can use almond milk or oatmeal in place of regular milk and it turns out just great!

Baking Tips

  • For a less crumbly baked oatmeal that sticks together easier, use 2 cups of rolled oats and 1/2 cup of quick oats.
  • You’ll want the baked oatmeal to cool for 20-30 minutes so it’s easier to slice.
  • You can top these with pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds, and serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or plain Greek yogurt.

Storage Instructions

  • Refrigerator: Store the baked oatmeal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave before serving.
  • Freezer: Cover the baked oatmeal with both plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat it in the microwave or oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a deep orange color which tells us it is rich in nutrients and a great thing for kids to eat to get nutrition packed in a small amount of food.

  1. Vision-  Pumpkin is a really good source of beta-carotene which converts to Vitamin A and is really important for good eye health and vision.
  2. Immunity-  Because there is a large shot of Vitamin A in pumpkin, it can help boost your kids’ immune system and ability to fight infections and viruses.
  3. Skin-  Vitamin A and C really help give you a boost in skin health.  Carotenoids which pumpkin is high in have been shown to help prevent cell damage, premature skin aging and other skin diseases.
  4.  Besides Vitamin A, pumpkin is also a great source of Vitamin C.  Vitamin C helps form and repair red blood cells, bones, and tissues. It helps your child’s gums stay healthy and strengthens your child’s blood vessels, minimizing bruising from falls and scrapes. In addition, vitamin C helps cuts and wounds heal, boosts the immune system, and can help your child’s body get an infection . It also can help your child absorb iron.

Breakfast on the Go

These pumpkin bars make a great grab and go breakfast and can be made ahead and stored for an even quicker option!  We love the chewy texture of baked oats, and combined with nutrient packed pumpkin they are soft and easy to chew even for little toddlers who don’t have a lot of teeth!   The oats and pumpkin both provide a really nutrient dense bar that is a great portable breakfast option when you have those mornings where you are in a big hurry. There are only a few ingredients which make it a great option if you have food allergies in your home.  

Give these a try for breakfast or even to pack in a lunch or an after school snack!  You can also include other add-ins like dried fruit, coconut, or chopped nuts.  Yum!

More of Our Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

a square of baked pumpkin oatmeal on a white plate with a piece taken out with a fork
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4.2 from 41 votes

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Cozy autumn spices and rich velvety pumpkin make this Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal a delicious and satisfying breakfast packed with fiber, vitamins and flavor!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 244kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8 square baking dish or pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
  • Mix the rolled oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
  • In a separate large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and milk and s9r un9l the eggs are fully mixed in. Fold in the dry ingredients, then pour everything into the greased baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the pecans on top, if desired, and bake for 45-50 minutes or un9l the dessert is set and it starts to pull away from the edges of the dish.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes until the top is golden and it is firm to the touch.
  • Let the baked oatmeal cool for 20 minutes, then serve warm with Greek yogurt or whipped cream.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 7471IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 2mg
Keyword : Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

www.superhealthykids.com

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

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50 Comments

I added raisins, a few tablespoons of chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and sesame seeds. They are baking right now, so we’ll see… Hope they’re yummy!!!! 🙂

What would you substitute instead of the honey? I work in a childcare center and so honey is not allowed via our food program until they are over 2yrs.

I have trouble when I see a recipe that asks for oats determining the kind..is this recipe quick cook oats or thick rolled oats? I have actually ruined recipes by just guessing. Really want to try this out for my super picky 5 year old.
Thanks

I followed the directions you provided to the letter and I am sorry to say the bars were inedible. The oats were still partially raw even though I left the bars in the oven a bit longer than the time you suggested.

Hi. So do old fashioned rolled oats work in this recipe or does it have to be quick oats? I plan to bake these tomorrow afternoon so would love to know the type of oats used. Thank you!

You can use either, but old fashioned are just much more chewy. We found we liked the consistency better with quick oats.

Thanks! I did make them with old fashioned oats & they turned out pretty good but did buy quick oats too so I will make the next batch with them! I added some chopped pecans & walnuts (1/2 cup) & a handful of chocolate chips. Yummy!

These are definitely more baked oatmeal than bar. If you’re thinking of making them as a grab and go snack, it won’t work, unless you cut them into 16 small bars. I cut them into 8ths and it fell apart on me.

5 stars
Great taste and very soft/chewy. The only modification I made was to use some corn syrup for about half the honey because I’ve had bad experiences in the past of honey not holding a snack together very well.

This recipe looks so delicious. But I have a question, if it’s healthy for my child who is struggling with weight. The carbs that turn to sugar are so high compared to protein. Thoughts?

Thank you in advance.

Kids still need carbs – it is a really good idea to balance with something that has protein has well so they will stay fuller longer.

We cannot eat tree nuts/peanuts. Could I substitute pumpkin seeds for the walnuts? Or something else? Thanks

Hi Monica, if you cut the pan into six bars, each bar has 17 grams of sugar. You could also cut it into 9 bars and each one would have 11 grams.

These were tasty but they fell apart and didnt stick well at all. Is there something I did wrong?

Hi Alicia, this can be a tricky issue with granola bars! It often helps to press them down REALLY well in the pan. I like to use a piece of parchment paper between the top of he bars and my hands, so I can press really hard and evenly without my hands sticking. (I take the paper off to bake.) I hope this helps!

5 stars
These are absolutely delicious! I left the walnuts out because I wanted them to go to school. Definitely will make them again.

4 stars
I made the pumpkin baked oatmeal this morning. I think putting a whole can of pumpkin is to much. It is so moist and some spots have to much pumpkin. The recipe I followed only showed 1 1/2 tsps of pumpkin pie spice not 1 Tbsp. Did I miss something? Does it make I difference if I used almond milk instead of 2%?

Hi Nancy! I’m sorry to hear that! It is moist, but it shouldn’t be overly moist. You can definitely bump up the spices! It shouldn’t make a difference what kind of milk you use.