Easy Baked Chocolate Oatmeal – Gluten Free

Baked chocolate oatmeal is so easy to make, great for meal prep and the perfect breakfast or healthy snack recipe. Chocolate baked oatmeal is ready in about 1 hour and only uses one bowl and one baking dish.  

Baked oatmeal with chocolate is soft and chewy and can even be cut into bars for a quick on the go breakfast!

Why you will love this recipe

• So easy to make – all you need is one bowl to mix the ingredients for this baked chocolate oatmeal. This would be a great recipe for beginner chefs or for your kids to help you in the kitchen with. It’s so easy to make – just measure and stir.
• Simple ingredients – you probably have all the ingredients to make chocolate baked oats in the pantry or fridge right now! If you are missing an ingredient or two, check the substitutions below (they are also pantry ingredients) so you don’t’ haven’t run out to the store to make these.
• Great anytime! These chocolate baked oats are perfect for breakfast or an easy make ahead afterschool snack. These healthy baked chocolate oats are also a great way to satisfy your chocolate cravings in the afternoon or evening (add some whipped cream on top to make them extra special).
• Perfect for company! Made with no eggs, this baked chocolate oatmeal is vegan, gluten free, and dairy free and would satisfy just about anyone for breakfast. Perfect for holiday breakfast (you can make it in advance) or breakfast potlucks in the office.
• Meal prep friendly – this make ahead breakfast is perfect for meal prep. Once the chocolate baked oats cool, they can be cut into individual squares and stored in the fridge for a quick to grab breakfast. They are like really big, soft granola bars once cooled.

Ingredients

• Dairy free milk – use you favorite dairy free milk (almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, coconut milk (from the carton), rice milk, flax milk, etc.). If you are not dairy free or vegan, you could also use regular milk.
• Maple Syrup – maple syrup naturally sweetens the chocolate baked oatmeal, helping it get that “just enough” sweetness. The maple syrup pairs really well with the chocolate, giving the baked oats a deep, rich flavor.
• Ground Flax – ground flax replaces the eggs in this recipe (making it egg free and vegan). Ground flax is also a great source of fiber and can help the baked oatmeal be more filling. If you don’t have ground flax you can use chia seeds!
• Rolled oats (sometimes called old fashion oats) – rolled oats create the perfect texture for baked oatmeal. You can also use quick oats if you have those on hand instead.
• Cacao powder (or cocoa powder) – raw cacao powder gives the chocolate baked oats the chocolate flavor in every bite. You can also use cocoa powder if you don’t have cacao powder, but it’s a little more bitter so you may need to add 1-2 more tablespoons of maple syrup to offset the bitterness.  
• Baking powder – baking powder help the baked oats rise when cooking.
• Chocolate chips – you can use chocolate chips or chocolate chunks to give these baked chocolate oats that gooey, rich chocolate you are probably looking for when you hear “chocolate oatmeal”. Use your favorite chocolate (make sure it’s dairy free for dairy free and vegan recipes). My favorites include Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chips, Enjoy Life Brand Chocolate chips and Pascha Chocolate.

How to make baked chocolate oatmeal

Top tips

• Be sure to use a dairy free chocolate chips if you are serving this to vegans or anyone with a dairy intolerance or that avoids dairy. Dairy free chocolate chips are easier to find than ever in the local grocery store. Enjoy Life Brand is in most stores and available online. Trader Joe’s also came out with a 72% dark chocolate chip that is dairy free and has no added soy.
• If you need this recipe to be certified gluten free, be sure to buy certified gluten free oats. Oats are naturally gluten free but can get contaminated with wheat and gluten in the processing of the oats.
• Make these into chocolate baked oatmeal bars. Let the baked oats cool completely then cut them into squares. The texture when cooled is like a giant soft granola bar.
• If you tend to have some trouble digesting oats, I highly recommend trying sprouted oats. We use these exclusively in our home and I notice the difference between using sprouted oats and regular oats in my digestion.
• To double the recipe, use a larger casserole dish. If you want to double the recipe, use a 9X13 casserole dish and bake it for 5-10 more minutes to ensure it cooks through.

Other mix in ideas

• Chopped nuts or seeds: pecans, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
• Fruit: Strawberries, raspberries, cherries (pitted) Note: add 5 minutes to the baking time if you add any fruit).
• Extracts: Make this mint chocolate oatmeal by adding about 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Make this chocolate coconut baked oats by adding up to ½ teaspoon coconut extract and about ¼ cup shredded coconut flakes. Make this an almond chocolate baked oatmeal by adding up to ½ teaspoon of almond extract and about ¼ cup of chopped slivered almonds.
• Coffee: Use 1 cup brewed, cooled coffee in place of some of the dairy free milk or add 1-2 tablespoons espresso powder or instant coffee.
• Crunch: Shredded coconut flakes, cacao nibs
• Protein: hemp hearts, collagen peptides (not vegan or vegetarian), vegan protein powder (add an additional 1/3 cup of dairy free milk per serving of vegan protein powder).

Topping ideas for chocolate baked oatmeal

• Nut butter: Almond butter, sunbutter, peanut butter, tahini, coconut butter
• Jelly: Strawberry jelly, raspberry jelly, mixed berry jelly
• Fruit: Raspberry, strawberries, cherries (pitted), sliced bananas
• Sweetness: Maple syrup or honey drizzled over top makes this like a yummy breakfast casserole.
• Yogurt frosting: combine about ¼ cup dairy free yogurt with 1 tbsp. maple syrup (you can also use regular yogurt if you can tolerate it).
• Maple cashew frosting – this blends up in about 5 minutes and leftovers are great on Air Fryer Baked Apples or stuffed inside a pitted date for a simple snack.
• Chocolate Tahini Sauce – I love Soom brand tahini and I typically buy this on Thrive Market. It’s so good and such a great way to take dishes like this to the next level.
• Dairy free whipped cream (or make your own whipped coconut cream)

How to serve baked oatmeal with chocolate

• Right out of the oven on a plate with a drizzle of maple syrup and sliced fruit
• Cooled and cut into squares for breakfast on-the-go all week long
• Covered in almond butter and sliced fruit for a fun twist on pb&j

Common questions

What are the best oats for baked oatmeal

Rolled oats (sometimes called old fashioned oats) give the baked oatmeal the best texture. You can also use quick oats (or quick cooking oats). Quick oats are rolled oats that have been cut into smaller pieces so the texture will be slightly different but will still work well.

I do not recommend using steel cut oats since they take longer to soften when baking.

Quick note on gluten free oats. If you want this recipe to be gluten free because you are making it for someone that is sensitive or allergic to gluten, be sure to use certified gluten free oats. Oats are naturally gluten free but can get contaminated during processing, so the only way to ensure they are gluten free is to look for the label on the package.

What size baking dish do you need to make baked oats

This recipe for baked chocolate oatmeal uses a 8X8 pan. If you don’t have one exactly this size, the recipe is very forgiving, so just use what you have. If you only have a large lasagna pan, double the recipe before baking.

How to tell the chocolate baked oats are done baking?

The oatmeal bake will be darker on top then when you put it in the oven and should not jiggle in the center when you take it out of the oven. Since this is made without eggs, it will be soft right out of the oven but will firm up as it cools.

Can you double the recipe?

Yes, however you will want to use a larger 9×13 pan and add 5-10 minutes to the baking time to ensure it’s cooked through in the center.

Can you make this in advance?

Yes, chocolate baked oatmeal is great for meal prep or to prepare in advance for breakfast (like holiday breakfast). It can be enjoyed up to 5 days after baking when kept in the refrigerator.

Reheat individual servings it in the microwave, toaster oven or air fryer (350F for 3-4 minutes).

Reheat the entire baked chocolate oatmeal in the oven 350F for 15-20 minutes covered with foil or a lid, until warmed through.

What is the difference between cacao powder and cocoa powder?

Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cacao beans (the cocoa butter is removed, thus leaving behind the cacao powder). Cacao powder is raw and doesn’t go through much processing and keeps many of its minerals and vitamins intact.

Cocoa powder is made by grinding down roasted cacao beans. Sometimes you will see alkalized cocoa powder, which means the cocoa powder was processed with alkali to make it less acidic (which is often needed in baking).

Raw cacao powder tends to have a better flavor (not as bitter) when compared to cocoa powder. You can use the two interchangeably in this recipe, however you may want to add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup if you are using cocoa powder to offset some of the bitterness.

Do you need a blender to make baked oats

No, this recipe for chocolate baked oatmeal is made without a blender. All you need is a bowl, a spoon and a baking dish to make this baked oatmeal.

Many of the single serve baked oats recipes use a blender to create more of a cake like texture. This keeps the oats whole and is more of a soft and chewy texture.

Can you freeze baked oatmeal?

Yes, baked oatmeal freezes very well. Allow the chocolate baked oats to cool completely, then cut into squares. I recommend that you place a piece of parchment paper between the squares when freezing.

Defrost individual servings in the fridge overnight or in the microwave or toaster oven.

You can also freeze the entire casserole dish full of baked oats. Cover with plastic wrap then foil. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven the next day, covered.

Storing leftovers

Fridge: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container. I recommend putting parchment paper between the slices of vegan chocolate oatmeal bars to make it easy to get single servings out of the freezer.

Substitutions

• Dairy free milk – use whatever dairy free milk you have on hand. If you don’t have any on hand, you can blend 2 cups of water and 1-2 tablespoon of your favorite nut butter in a high-speed blender and use this in place of the dairy free milk. Alternatively, you can use water, but the oats won’t have the same exact creamy texture with just water.
• Maple syrup – Maple syrup adds sweetness and moisture to the baked oatmeal. You could replace it with date syrup, honey or your favorite lower calorie liquid sweetener. I do not recommend using sugar (coconut sugar, brown sugar, white sugar) in place of the maple syrup, as the dish won’t have enough moisture.
• Ground flax – the ground flax replaces the eggs in the recipe. You could also use chia seeds (or ground chia seeds) in place of the ground flax. You can also use 1 egg in place of the ground flax if you are not
• vegan.
• Rolled oats – you can also use quick cooking oats in place of rolled oats. I do not recommend using steel cut oats though.
• Cacao powder – use cacao or cocoa powder interchangeably. If you don’t have cacao powder, check out my chocolate chip baked oatmeal instead.
• Chocolate chips – if you don’t have chocolate chips on hand, you can also chop up a chocolate bar into chocolate chunks. If you prefer not to add more chocolate, you can use any of the mix-in ideas above.

More baked oatmeal recipes

Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal

Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

More vegan breakfast recipes

Air Fryer Oatmeal

Single Serve Baked Oatmeal

High Protein Oatmeal 4 Ways

Mocha Overnight Oats

Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins