Enjoy your baked oatmeal with a fall twist by trying my Pumpkin Pecan Baked Oatmeal recipe. It’s a perfectly delicious, easy breakfast treat!
I’ve never eaten a lot of oatmeal. Growing up, grits was the breakfast staple in our household. It wasn’t that I didn’t like oatmeal. It was more about the fact that my mom didn’t really make oatmeal much.
As a result, I’ve never been a big oatmeal eater as an adult. I guess it’s all about what you’re used to. That all changed once I tried baked oatmeal while working on a promotion for my first cookbook.
I wanted to include some recipes in an e-book I was offering as an incentive for preorders. And that’s when my love for oatmeal came to be when I attempted my very first baked oatmeal recipe.
Baked oatmeal is nothing like the gummy, sticky instant oatmeal I remember as a child. This stuff is amazing. One of my favorite adaptations of baked oatmeal is this Pumpkin Pecan Baked Oatmeal. It very well might be my favorite! It almost comes out cake-like with a nutty flavor that combines with the classic pumpkin spice and pecan flavors to create a delicious fall treat.
Not to mention, this is super easy to make with basically a dump-and-stir approach. It also reheats well and is great as leftovers! Add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey on top for an added boost of sweetness! Yum!
What are the different types of oatmeal?
When it comes to oatmeal, there are lots of variations out there for you to choose from. Here are the most popular oatmeal options out there and how they are different from each other:
- Steel-Cut Oats: Steel-cut oats are the least processed oats. They are whole oat groats that have been chopped into pieces, resulting in a chewy texture. Cook time is usually around 20-30 minutes making it the longest oatmeal to cook. Generally, they have a nuttier flavor and authentic, natural texture.
- Old-Fashioned (Rolled) Oats: Old-fashioned oats, the oats we are using in this particular recipe, are whole oat groats that have been steamed and then flattened with large rollers. The typical cook time for these is about 5-10 minutes. They have a slightly softer texture compared to steel-cut oats.
- Quick-Cook Oats: Quick-cook oats are similar to old-fashioned oats but are rolled thinner and steamed longer, making them cook even faster, usually in 1-5 minutes. They have a softer texture and can be a bit mushy when overcooked.
- Instant Oats: Instant oats are the most processed. They are pre-cooked and then dried, so they require the least amount of cooking time, typically 1-2 minutes. They are often found in single-serve packets and can become quite mushy when prepared.
Ingredients Needed to Make Pumpkin Pecan Baked Oatmeal:
Old Fashioned Oats – While there are many different kinds of oatmeal as I shared above, I highly recommend sticking with old fashioned oats for this recipe. Any brand will do!
Baking Powder – You need 2 teaspoons for this recipe.
Pumpkin Pie Spice – Any brand of pumpkin pie spice will do, but if you can not find this spice in your grocery store you could substitute it with apple pie spice for a close but slightly different flavor. You could also make your own pumpkin pie spice by combining 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice and ground cloves.
Light Brown Sugar – Unlike flour, you really want to pack in your brown sugar when you measure it out. So, when you scoop up the 1 cup of light brown sugar that’s called for in this recipe, make sure it’s firmly packed.
Milk – You will need 1/2 cup of milk for this recipe. Nothing fancy here, whatever you have on hand should do the trick!
Canned Pumpkin – You will want to make sure you grab canned pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree, but not pumpkin pie mix. This is an easy mistake to make. Pumpkin Pie Mix has added seasonings that are not needed for this recipe.
Vanilla Extract – Any vanilla extract will work for this recipe. You could even use vanilla flavoring instead.
Eggs – You need 2 eggs for this recipe. I recommend allowing them to reach room temperature before you combine them with your ingredients. It evenly mix more easily that way!
Chopped Pecans – Go ahead and save yourself time and a little money, and grab the pre-chopped pecans. If you can only find the whole pecans or halves, you can chop them yourself. If pecans aren’t available at all, you could use almonds or walnuts as a substitute. Really almost any nut will do! Or, if you want to leave out the nuts, it’s still delicious as just a baked pumpkin oatmeal recipe.
Recipe Card
Pumpkin Pecan Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, milk, pumpkin, vanilla extract, and eggs. Mix well.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry just enough to get it moistened. Fold in the pecans, reserving a tablespoon or so for the top. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the reserved pecans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and set.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Karen Maynard
Has anyone ever made this by substituting dates, honey, or maple syrup in place of the sugar?
I’ve not tried that, but maybe someone else has and can chime in to help…
Martha
Good recipe. I doubled the pumpkin pie spice and added 2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Glad it turned out great for you!
Penney from Texas
I made the baked pumpkin pecan oatmeal today. I followed the recipe exactly. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it had so much flavor. It was easy to make and my husband and I enjoyed it. I’m curious to see how it will taste as a leftover tomorrow morning. Thanks for the recipe Stacey! We watch you on Simply Southern and have made several of the delicious recipes you had on the show.
Thanks so much, Penney! And thanks for watching! I’m glad to hear y’all enjoyed the oatmeal!
Emily
Do you have a baked oatmeal recipe with apples and spices?
I don’t have one with apples, but I need to, right!?!?
Emily
Yes! Especially since fall is “supposed” to be around the corner. Lol. Here in Muscle Shoals, AL it’s still feeling like summer! Course we don’t get cooler weather till end of October usually…☹
I know. SO ready for some cooler temps! I’ll have to get right on that new recipe!
Jean Pe
Have you ever doubled this and baked I need a 9 X13 pan? How long would you bake it?
I haven’t done that. If you try it, the cook time shouldn’t be too much longer. You’ll just need to check it frequently.
Kathi
There is only one of me usually. Is this something I could make and freeze individual servings to be reheated?
Absolutely! This works perfectly like that!
Stacey English
Looks yummy and sounds easy to make! Can’t wait to try it with some maple bacon!
Yum! Hope you enjoy!
Kris
This looks incredible…but… do you just cut and eat it hot?? You said it reheats well so I assume that it is a hot dish? I’ve never been big on oatmeal either but this sounds really good just not sure how to eat it??????
Yes! You can take a big scoop and eat it fresh out of the oven or cut it into squares after it’s cooled and reheat for busy mornings. Regardless, I prefer it better warm.
Sandra Duffy
My husband loves steel-cut oats. Have you tried adapting it to those?
I’ve not done that, but I’m sure it would be delicious. The cook time would be a bit longer. The next time I make this, I’ll try them in it.
Rosie
Could I use the one minute old oats?
Thanks Rosie
Hi Rosie! Old fashioned oats generally work best in this one.