Healthy Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal (Gluten Free, Vegan, No Added Sugar)

This healthy baked oatmeal is super creamy, delicious, and the perfect way to start your day! It's vegan, gluten free, and has no added sugar, and tastes like eating apple pie for breakfast!

Oatmeal is one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast, but sometimes (and by that I mean 90% of the time🙈), I'm too tired and lazy to make anything that will take more than 2 minutes. And that's how my baked oatmeal obsession started!

Not too long ago, I posted this Healthy Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal and have been making it on repeat ever since. But then fall came and it became clear that I needed to incorporate some of those flavors...and this Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal was born!

Let me tell you, these flavors are SO GOOD together. It actually tastes like eating apple crisp or pie for breakfast! But better, because you also got the creamy texture and flavor of oatmeal 🙂

So back to the part about my lazy mornings...baked oatmeal is seriously a lifesaver when you want a delicious, nutritious, and filling breakfast but don't have time or don't feel like it. I make a large batch on Sunday, and enjoy throughout the week. You might also catch me eating this for lunch as well😂

I think I should also mention that this recipe is vegan, gluten free, oil free, and has no added sugar. The best way to start the day imo! And the entire recipe is made in the food processor--no bowls required!

Let's get into the recipe 🙂

This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. These funds help me keep this blog running for free! Please note that I only recommend tools that I personally use and love and I always have my reader’s best interest at heart.

This recipe is adapted from the Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal that I mentioned before, but I had to make some changes to transform it to Apple Pie flavor. Overall the recipe is very simple...let's walk through it!

How to Replace Added Sugar

Just to clarify, when I say there's no added sugar, I do not mean there is no sugar. That just wouldn't taste good. "No added sugar" means that it's sweetened with whole-food ingredients, usually fruits.

Although sweetened naturally, this is not to be confused with unrefined sweeteners like maple syrup and coconut sugar. Although they contain more nutritional value than refined white sugar, they are still considered added sugars by the FDA (because it's just the sugar extracted from the whole fruit).

So the sweetener we're using here is medjool dates! Medjool dates are seriously one of my favorite ingredients ever, and I think there is a good reason for that. Not to be confused with regular dates, which have much less flavor and sweetness, medjool dates are a dried (but not dehydrated) fruit with a super sweet, caramel-like flavor that honestly tastes better than regular sugar. For real.

Medjool dates provide many health benefits like fiber, potassium, and a variety of vitamins and antioxidants. This is my favorite brand because they are always super soft and sweet (many brands tend to have dry dates, which aren't as good). They also make for a good snack!

Dates alone are sweet enough to sweeten the entire dish, so you won't need any added sugars 🙂

How to Make Super Creamy Oats

No dairy, eggs, or oil needed to make the creamiest oats! You just need a few simple and nutrient-dense ingredients.

The first, and most important, is plant-based milk. Oat milk is my favorite, but I've also had success with almond milk. However, the type of milk doesn't really matter, just use whatever you have on hand! Any time of nondairy milk will make your oats super creamy and delicious.

But of course, milk alone won't do the job. As I always say, you need some fat to make it work! Almond butter is the main ingredient that adds that creaminess.

Almond butter is not only super creamy and delicious, it’s also super nutrient-dense! Fiber, protein, and healthy fats are just a few of the numerous health benefits it provides.

However, not all almond butters are created equal. The best kind you can get are the ones with no added oils or sugars, as many do. That’s why I love this brand–it only has two ingredients: dry roasted almonds and salt. It's also cheaper than most!

If almond butter isn’t your favorite, or you have an allergy, feel free to substitute for cashew, or go completely nut free with sunflower butter.

And of course, we can't forget the applesauce! Applesauce acts as that oil substitute but with no fat and with all the apple flavor! Be sure to get one that is unsweetened (like this one), as many have added sugars.

I must say that this oatmeal is a bit rich, so if you'd like it to be lighter, you can either a) replace half of the milk with water, and/or b) replace the nut butter with additional applesauce. The texture won't be the same, but it will be lighter if that's what you like. 😉

Steps to Make Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

It doesn’t get much easier than this–the entire thing is made in a food processor! You can also use a blender, but the directions are slightly different.

This is the food processor that I own and love. It’s the perfect size so it fits the size of a normal batter, and it’s powerful enough to blend the dates into a smooth paste.

Anyways, here are the few simple steps to making your healthy baked oatmeal:

1. Process the dates with half the applesauce, and almond butter (add all the wet ingredients at once if using a blender).
2. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients and process until smooth.
3. Fold in the dry ingredients, plus diced apples.
4. Bake, serve, and store to eat for days in advance!

It really doesn’t get much simpler than this!

>>Click here to PIN this recipe and save it for later!<<

I really hope you like this recipe! If you decide to make it, be sure to post a picture/story and tag me @nutritiousdelights on Instagram--I'd love to see!💗

More recipes you might love:

Healthy Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal (Gluten Free, Vegan, No Added Sugar)

Healthy Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes (Gluten Free, No Added Sugar)

Gluten Free Apple Crisp (Healthy, Vegan)