Apple Cinnamon Baked Oats

Baked oats sit somewhere between porridge and a soft breakfast cake. Apples turn jammy around the edges while pecans add enough crunch to make every spoonful interesting.

Assemble the dish the night before for a slow weekend breakfast. Keep it chilled, then bake it while the coffee brews.

Ingredients

• 2 crisp apples
• 220 g rolled oats
• 60 g pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 500 ml milk or unsweetened oat milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more to serve
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Plain yogurt, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C. Butter a 22 cm baking dish.
2. Core the apples. Dice one apple and cut the other into thin slices.
3. Combine the oats, diced apple, half the pecans, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in the dish. Whisk the milk, egg, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla in a jug, then pour it evenly over the oats.
4. Arrange the sliced apple on top and scatter over the remaining pecans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the centre has set and the edges are golden.
5. Rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with yogurt and an extra thread of maple syrup.

Keep the leftovers

Cover and refrigerate the baked oats for up to three days. Reheat individual portions with a splash of milk so the oats stay creamy.