Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon (High Protein)
This apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is the ultimate cozy make-ahead breakfast. With just 10 minutes of hands-on prep and a handful of simple ingredients including oats, apple sauce, Greek yogurt, egg whites, and of course cinnamon, you’ll have a warm, soft-baked oatmeal that’s packed with 15g of protein and 6 grams of fiber per slice. Perfect for meal prep (it makes 9 servings) you can store in the fridge or freezer for quick, nourishing breakfasts the whole family will love!

I’ve tried my fair share of baked oatmeal recipes over the years, and while they’re often delicious, many turn out dense and a bit dry—and don’t always keep you full for long.
The dietitian in me wanted something different: a baked oatmeal that’s tender and satisfying, with everything you need for a filling and balanced breakfast in one pan. Like many of my other nourishing breakfast recipes, I made sure to include my signature PFF combo (protein, fiber, and nourishing fats), while keeping delicious cozy flavor top of mind, of course. This trio works together to keep you feeling full, help balance blood sugars, and sustain your energy so there’s no mid morning crash.
And for those of you that aren’t huge banana lovers, I used apple sauce for extra moisture here, no banana required!)
Sound good? Let’s quickly chat about a couple key ingredients.

How to give these oats a boost of protein (no protein powder required)
Through my (many) rounds of testing, I found that this combo works perfectly to up the protein without that chalky aftertaste (just like in my baked blackberry protein oatmeal!).
Egg Whites: Normally I’m an eat-the-whole-egg kind of gal (there is tons of nutrition in the egg yolk!) but to keep the texture fluffy in these oats, I found that using just egg whites was key. I used the egg whites from a carton for this recipe so I didn’t have to waste those beautiful yolks!
Greek Yogurt: Not only does Greek yogurt add protein (about 3 grams per slice here), it also keeps these oats nice and moist so don’t skip it!
Hemp Hearts: On top of adding an extra 26 grams of protein per ½ cup used in this recipe, they also boost the fiber content and provide a great source of anti-inflammatory Omega-3s!
Mix in those apples with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, a touch of vanilla and maple syrup and we get apple pie vibes to start the day.
Let’s Get Baking

Toss everything right into the same bowl

Mix until combined, then let it sit for 5 minutes or so to allow the milk to soak up a bit.

Don’t forget to add your toppings!

Bake until the top is golden and the center is set.
Enjoy warm as is, or take it up a notch with a dollop of my whipped Greek yogurt!

While you may think of this as a more fall friendly breakfast, it’s truly one of my favorites all year round! I hope you enjoy it as much as we have been!
Watch How to Make It Here

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Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon (High Protein)
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This apple cinnamon baked oatmeal is the ultimate cozy make-ahead breakfast. With just 10 minutes of hands-on prep and a handful of simple ingredients including oats, hemp hearts, Greek yogurt, egg whites, and of course cinnamon, you’ll have a warm, soft-baked oatmeal that’s packed with 15g of protein and 6 grams of fiber per piece. Perfect for meal prep (it makes 9 servings) you can store in the fridge or freezer for quick, nourishing breakfasts the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 cup egg whites
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts
- 2 ½ tsp cinnamon, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 cups apple, divided
- ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
- Optional topping: Greek yogurt whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the apple sauce, egg whites, Greek yogurt, milk, male syrup, vanilla, oats, hemp hearts, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda and 2 cups of the apple. Stir until combined. Let sit 5 minutes or so to allow some of the milk to soak up
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle with remaining apple and cinnamon, pecans, and brown sugar if using. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the center is set (a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle) and the top is golden. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut into 9 pieces. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup and Greek yogurt whip if desired.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months (cool completely before freezing). Reheat in the microwave for 30–60 seconds, or enjoy cold.
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This was my first attempt at baked oatmeal and it was amazing!! I had to make this recipe as soon as I saw it, as the mornings are starting to be a bit cooler, and this turned out to be the perfect breakfast. I didn’t have quick oats, so I used sprouted oats(that I blended a bit first), which made the centre turn out a bit underbaked, but I actually liked it that way.
Kinda like a bowl of oatmeal, but much more satisfying. I love that it hardly used any sweetener in it. Thankyou for taking the time to perfect this new breakfast favourite.
You are so welcome Lionda! I’m so happy to hear it was a great first experience for you with baked oats! That’s great you were able to substitute for what you had on hand. Enjoy!
Saw the video on Facebook and had to run to make right away. So delicious. Pinned it & will make again. Thank you
Amazing!! I’m so happy it had you this excited and glad it lived up to the expectations!🥰 Hope you enjoy for many easy brekkies to come Desiree! xo
These tasted great! I upped the spice a bit, but they’re perfect for the season 😋
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed these Meghan! Can never hurt to add some extra spice 🙂 Enjoy! xo
Make this on repeat. So good and easy!
Makes me so happy to know it’s a regular in the rotation for you Pam! Glad you’re enjoying it. Thanks for sharing 🥰
This is everything I want in a breakfast recipe: portable with fiber and protein. I am NOT a morning person so I’m always on the lookout for recipes I can eat in the car. This was perfect. It was super tasty and kept me full way past when I’d normally take minute to eat lunch. I mostly ate it plain, but did add some maple syrup on my days off. Disclosure: I cut it into 8 as I wasn’t sure I could pull off 9.
My second batch is in the oven as we speak and I added a bit more cinnamon. I’m planning on trying it with pears as soon which I think will be spectacular.
Yayy! So happy to hear it’s hitting the spot and making mornings a liiiitle bit more bearable. haha I love the sound of the pears with the upped cinnamon addition. Enjoy!
This looks amazing! I don’t have hemp hearts- can I make it without them?
Hi Brittany! Yes you can totally make without! This will change the dry to wet ingredient ratio though – I haven’t tested this way so can’t say for sure but I’d suggest maybe adding an extra 1/3 cup oats (they’ll soak up more liquid than the hemp hearts so I wouldn’t add an exact 1/2 cup replacement). Let me know how it goes it you try it out this way!
I tried it without the hemp hearts and didn’t change anything else and it was great!
I have gestational diabetes so breakfast has been SO tough and this was amazing. My blood sugar numbers were totally fine after. Thank you!!!
Oh I’m so glad this one was good for the blood sugars! And thanks for sharing your update with the hemp hearts! Great to know that works as a substitution. Enjoy Brittany!
Hi Lindsay,
I was wondering what were the nutritional factswere, like calories, fat, fiber, protein, carbs per piece.
Hi Michelle! Here’s a rough estimate per piece: 295 cals, 15 grams protein, 6 grams fiber, 33 grams carbs, 10 grams fat. I hope you enjoy it!
I made these to take on a trip where we just had a small fridge and microwave to cook in. They were the perfect breakfast and easy to pack into a cooler to take. I made a batch of the Greek Yogurt Whip to go with it and they were the perfect combo.
We enjoyed them so much, I made another batch when we got home. Great to have in the freezer
I’m so glad you’re loving these Pippa! I love that you made these AND the whip to bring with you! Now that is some organization. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your review! xo
Hi Lindsay!!
What can I substitute for hemp hearts? 🙂 Would regular hemp seeds work of flaxseed?
Thanks Xx
Hi Kenzie! Yes, if they are “hulled” hemp seeds these would be the same thing as hemp hearts! Is this what you have? Otherwise I’m not sure how whole hemp seeds would be as they have a hard outer shell vs the soft texture of the hemp hearts or hulled seeds. I haven’t tried with flax but I think this should work! Otherwise you should be able to replace with more oats (likely just 1/3 cup as they will soak up more liquid) I hope this helps! I’d love to know if you end up trying an alternative!
Another keeper, Lindsay. Wouldn’t change a thing about it. I’m looking forward to breakfast tomorrow!
Yayyy! This makes me so happy Amy! So glad it was a hit. Enjoy that ready to go breakfast! xo
Amazing recipe! So moist and delicious. The pecans and apple added at the end make it even better! I served with maple syrup drizzle but honestly it doesn’t even need it. Tomorrow I will try it with yogurt.
I’m so glad you’re loving it Michelle! Topping are always a good idea. haha Would love to hear what you think of it with the yogurt. Enjoy and thank you so much for taking the time to leave your review!
Portable, nutrition-packed, low sugar, high protein, feels like a treat.. WHAT MORE COULD YA WANT?! This is so, so good. I like it warm, sitting in a little milk puddle 🙂 but cold is good too! THANK YOU for another banger!
Ok this comment just made my mornings. haha and I think I need to try this milk puddle?! So glad you’re loving it Jill! Thanks so much for taking the time to share! 🥰