Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal (Gluten Free and Vegan)

By: The Real Food Dietitians Posted: 4/7/23

This lemon blueberry baked oatmeal recipe is 100% plant based and features the delicious flavor combination of lemon and blueberries. Elevate your next batch of baked oats with this super flavorful version that is perfect for make-ahead breakfasts, breakfast meal preps, taking to a brunch or breakfast potluck, as well as for serving to guests.

Baked Oats With Blueberries And Lemon

Baked oatmeal recipes are something we’ve been making for years and are one of our favorite breakfast recipes to share. If you’ve never tried baked oatmeal, think of it as a bowl of oatmeal, but baked into a more sturdy form, like a soft bar. We love to serve pieces of an oatmeal bake in bowls along with a dollop of yogurt or nut butter, or a drizzle of maple syrup or honey and some fresh fruit on top.

Ingredients To Make Blueberry Lemon Baked Oatmeal

Here are the ingredients (and substitutions) you’ll need to make this baked oats recipe: 

• Flaxseed meal – if you don’t want vegan baked oats, you may use 1 large eggs instead, and omit the flaxseed meal and water
• Water
• Old-fashioned rolled oats – if gluten-free is needed, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. For the best outcome, always use old-fashioned oats to make baked oatmeal, and not steel cut oats or quick oats, as they will not provide the best texture
• Chia seeds
• Baking powder
• Maple syrup – we prefer maple syrup, but you may use honey, if vegan oats are not needed
• Lemon – you’ll use both the zest and juice of a fresh lemon
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Non-dairy milk of choice – to keep this recipe dairy-free, use any favorite non-dairy milk such as unsweetened almond milk or oat milk; however if plant-based is not needed, you can substitute any preferred dairy milk
• Avocado oil – may substitute melted butter, olive oil, or coconut oil
• Blueberries – you can use frozen or fresh blueberries, or use another type of fresh berries or swap in frozen wild blueberries for extra nutrition and great taste
• White chocolate chips – these are optional, but they make a yummy addition

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make This Baked Oatmeal Recipe

Get this lemon blueberry baked oats recipe baking right away by following these easy steps: 

1. Make the flax meal mixture: Preheat oven to 375℉. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed meal with water. Stir well and set aside at least 5 minutes to thicken. 
2. Stir the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the oats, chia seeds, baking powder, and salt; stir to combine. 
3. Add the wet ingredients: Make a well in the center of the oat mixture in the bowl, and add the flax meal mixture, maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, applesauce, 1 ½ cups milk, and oil. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Add the mix-ins: Gently fold in the blueberries and, if using, the white chocolate chips.
5. Bake the oat mixture: Pour the oat mixture into a 9-inch baking dish that has been misted with cooking spray. Bake until the recipe is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Garnish and serve: Remove the baked oatmeal from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold with desired toppings (see topping suggestions below).

For the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, sodium, and more per serving.

Healthy Ingredients in this Baked Oatmeal recipe

This recipe is loaded with nutritious ingredients, and here are some stand-outs:

• Blueberries – these antioxidant-rich berries are a good source of fiber and vitamins, but for even more nutrition, opt for wild blueberries instead
• Oats – a cholesterol-fighting powerhouse, oats are also a great source of insoluble fiber, as well as important minerals like manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium; use old fashioned rolled oats instead of quick oats or steel cut oats for the best texture and outcome 
• Lemons – you’ll use both lemon juice and grated lemon peel (lemon zest) in this recipe, which provides a pop of flavor as well as antioxidant vitamin C
• Chia seeds and Flax meal – these nutritious seeds boost the fiber and healthy fats in any dish, including this lemon blueberry baked oatmeal recipe

How to meal prep lemon blueberry baked oatmeal

Our weekend meal preps will often include a baked oatmeal recipe like this one. Because the entire recipe can be made ahead and it stores well, this is a great one to include in a breakfast meal prep. Bake the recipe from start to finish and then store individual servings in containers for easy grab-and-go healthy breakfasts. They can be enjoyed cold or reheated.

The Best toppings for Baked Oatmeal

A delicious and flavorful lemon blueberry baked oatmeal really doesn’t need any toppings at all. You can enjoy it cold or reheated (in a microwave or toaster oven). However, you can insert even more nutrition and great taste by adding one of more of these toppings: 

• A dollop of plain or Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt to keep it vegan) 
• A drizzle of maple syrup or honey or another favorite sweetener 
• A smear of peanut butter or another favorite nut butter
• Some milk or plant-based milk, such as unsweetened almond milk (to help soften the oats, if desired)

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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel of Half Acre House

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