Baked Oatmeal Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

Why is my baked oatmeal gummy? ›

Oats absorb moisture as they sit—so if you let your batter sit before you bake, you'll run the risk of making a dense, thick, gummy baked oatmeal (when you really want a light, fluffy one), she explains.

One of the main reasons that your baked oatmeal isn't rising is because you're not using leaveners, ie. baking powder and baking soda. If you've made any of my baked oats recipe, you'll see that I use a mixture of both baking powder and baking soda.

"Baked oats are similar to standard oats," says Rachel Fine, RRD and owner of To The Pointe Nutrition. Fine points out that because oats are a naturally gluten-free whole grain, they have plenty of health benefits that won't bake-off. Oats are a "fabulous source of carbohydrates and soluble fiber," says Fine.

The key to getting a creamy, not-gluey bowl of oatmeal is using enough water. Notice we said water—cooking oatmeal in milk tends to make a stickier, thicker oatmeal. Follow the directions on the canister using H2O, then add a splash of milk or almond milk in the bowl.

Mashed banana is my favorite natural thickener and sweetener. I love mashing a ripe banana and mix it into this single serving serving baked oatmeal because it mixes well to thicken the oats and also adds natural sweetness.

Whatever you do, steer clear of the worst offenders: dried fruit with added sugars, like Craisins or dried pineapple. "These are almost always made with added sugar, if not also an artificial sweetener, says Pennsylvania-based RD Gina Consalvo. "Always choose a fresh fruit instead." Need hard proof?

Add different spices, such as nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or cloves. Add different sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar. Top your oatmeal with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or fresh fruit. Add a dollop of yogurt or Greek yogurt to your oatmeal for extra creaminess and protein.

Old Fashioned: Also called rolled oats, old fashioned oats are flat and flakey. They absorb more water and cook faster than steel-cut oats — usually in about 5 minutes — and are the oat of choice for granola bars, cookies, and muffins.

Boiling too long will cause the cookies to be dry and crumbly. However, if you don't boil long enough the cookies will not set and will be runny. Some folks say bring the mixture to a rolling boil and then count to 60, while others swear by counting to 90.

Can you use old-fashioned oats in baking? ›

All oats start out the same: as oat groats. The difference lies in how much they've been processed: old-fashioned oats have been steamed and flattened. They hold their shape and texture well, making them popular choices for cookies and baked goods.

Oatmeal's high fiber content and prebiotic qualities may benefit your body in more ways than one. Making oatmeal a regular part of your menu can potentially lower your disease risk, help your gut health thrive, make bowel movements easier and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Soaking the oats overnight reduces the phytic acid content present in the oats better than cooking them. Phytic acid is an antioxidant naturally present in grains, legumes, tubers and certain vegetables.

Steel-cut oats, also called Irish oatmeal, are the whole oat kernel that has been cut into two or three pieces using steel disks. This type of oats contains the highest amount of fiber, as it is least processed. Steel-cut oats take a little longer to cook, and result in a creamy and chewy porridge.

Adding too many eggs can result in gummy, cake-like cookies. Adding too few eggs can result in dry, crumbly cookies. Beat each one in separately and thoroughly. If you run out of eggs while baking and find that you need more, you can add 1/4 cup vegetable oil for each egg required.

Protein powder: for soft and fluffy baked oats, I recommend vegan protein powder, casein or a mix of casein and whey. If you only use whey, instead, the texture will be pretty dry and rubbery.

Stirring oats too much can cause them to get chewy

According to Kitchn, continually stirring your oats while they're cooking might seem like a good idea, but it isn't necessary. It could contribute to gluey and chewy oats instead of the smooth and creamy dish you intended to make.

Why does my cake have a gummy streak in the center? Developing too much of the flour's gluten can make the cake rise beautifully in the oven, but sink as soon as you pull it out. The sinking part is what makes the dense and gluey streaks. This can be result of over-creaming the eggs, butter and sugar.