Wholesome, tasty, and easy, this vegan pear baked oatmeal includes rolled oats, pecans, maple syrup, and sweet spices like cinnamon. Most baked oatmeal recipes contain eggs but flax seed is a great substitute for an egg-free option. Essentially a Speculaas cookie-spiced dish, this vegan baked oatmeal leans heavy on cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, clove, and white pepper, all used in the famous Dutch cookies. Chopped pear adds natural sweetness, fibre, and winter-fruit flavour.
This is a great make-ahead recipe. The dish can be assembled the night before, kept in the fridge overnight, then baked in the morning for a fuss-free breakfast. Leftovers can be reheated in either a microwave or in a pot with a little splash of dairy-free milk and maple syrup.
If you like starting your day off with oats, try my antioxidant-rich turmeric oatmeal, sweet brown sugar maple oatmeal, or vegan savoury porridge made with steel cut oats if you don't have such a sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Oats: be sure to use rolled oats for this recipe. Quick-cook oats made for a mushier baked oatmeal and steel-cut don't work.
- Coconut oil: substitute dairy-free butter if you'd like.
- Milk: use any dairy-free milk you like or have on hand. I like hemp milk for this recipe. Note that sweetened milk will make the oatmeal too sweet, so if that's all you have, reduce the maple syrup by about half.
- Pecans: walnuts are the best sub, but any nut or seed can be used instead (or omit altogether).
Step by Step
Step 1: mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Step 2: in another bowl, make the flax egg, then mix with the maple syrup and milk.
Step 3: layer the oat mixture and pears in a baking dish.
Step 4: top with the milk mixture, pecans, and coconut oil, and bake.
Top Tips
- Don't skip the flax: this is a flax egg and helps to thicken the oatmeal. If you leave it out, the dish will be runny.
- Bake immediately: if the oatmeal sits for a long time before baking, it will be soggy. Bake it right away after mixing and don't let it rest in the fridge beforehand.
- Sweeten to taste: the oatmeal isn't very sweet, but it'll depend on the type and ripeness of the pear used. Top with some extra maple syrup when serving if you'd like it to be sweeter.
How to Store
Storage: transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to four days. To reheat, simply top with a little milk of your choice, then heat in a small pot on low-medium heat, or in the microwave on half power until heated through.
Freezing: freeze in individual portions and thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat as outlined above for a quick make-ahead breakfast option.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes
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Recipe
Maple Pear Baked Oatmeal
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 9 inch (23 cm) baking dish
- 2 mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons solid coconut oil divided
- 5 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 pinch ground ginger
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch white pepper optional
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 ¼ cups hemp milk or any non-dairy milk
- 1 pear ripe and somewhat soft, sliced into ¼-inch (½-cm) pieces
- ¾ cup raw pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Grease a 9-inch (23-cm) square, round, or oval baking dish with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.2 tablespoons solid coconut oil
- In a bowl, stir together the water and flax meal. Let it sit for five minutes to thicken.5 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons flax meal
- Mix together the oats, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large bowl.2 cups rolled oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom, 1 pinch ground ginger, 1 pinch ground cloves, 1 pinch white pepper, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Combine the maple syrup and the thickened flax meal mixture, stirring well to incorporate.¼ cup maple syrup
- Pour the milk into the maple syrup bowl and whisk to combine.2 ¼ cups hemp milk
- Spoon half of the oats into the prepared baking dish, top with all of the sliced pear, and finish with the remaining oats.1 pear
- Pour the milk mixture over the oats, then top with the chopped pecans. Dot the top of the oatmeal with chunks of the remaining coconut oil.¾ cup raw pecans, 2 tablespoons solid coconut oil
- Bake the oatmeal for 25-30 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm drizzled with maple syrup, a splash of milk, and a pinch of cinnamon.