Vegan Baked Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats

Healthy, make-ahead, vegan baked pumpkin steel cut oats, made in convenient muffin form! They are gluten-free, oil-free, and perfect for breakfast on the go!

For those of us who love pumpkin, the first cool breezes and changing leaves of autumn are reason to rejoice.

This year, I refuse to wait. It won’t be cool around these parts for another two months, anyway, and last year I was seriously lax with my pumpkin posts. So, full disclosure: I’m getting into my pumpkin mojo, post-haste. For starters, I offer these ever-so-easy spiced, baked portable pumpkin steel cut oats.

I just ate two these spiced, baked oatmeal wonders following  my early morning spin class. It is going to be a happy day.

These portable oats are a riff on the apple-cranberry steel-cut oats I posted a few weeks ago. Just like those, I’ve simplified the process and slashed the cooking time by pre-soaking the oats; you can do this overnight, or even soak and leave them in the refrigerator for several days before completing the assembly.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Easy to make
• Make-ahead breakfast
• Portable breakfast
• High in fiber
• Oil-free

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

• uncooked steel cut oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• water for soaking
• unsweetened pumpkin purée
• nondairy milk (e.g., oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk)
• coconut sugar (or sweetener of choice)
• whole psyllium husks (see notes for using psyllium powder)
• pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
• salt
• Optional: 1/4 cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)

Step by Step Directions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

• The day before, place the oats in a bowl or container and fill with water to cover the oats by about 1/2 an inch. Refrigerate at least 12 hours. (you can also quick-soak the oats in boiling water for 30 minutes. Notes for doing so are in the recipe card).
• When ready to proceed, drain the oats, discarding water.
• Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Grease or spray all 12 cups of a standard size muffin tin (or line with silicone or foil liners for easier removal; paper liners do not hold up well).
• In a medium bowl, stir together the drained oats, pumpkin, dairy-free milk, sugar, psyllium, pumpkin spice, and salt until blended.
• Divide mixture evenly between cups (cups will be nearly full). If desired, sprinkle with pepitas.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until tops are golden brown and centers are set.
• Cool completely in tin before removing. Serve room temperature, chilled, or re-warmed (microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds).

I decided to add some pepitas on top before baking to add crunch and a bit more protein. Other seeds, nuts, or chocolate chips can take their place, or sweeten these naturally by adding some chopped fresh or dried fruit to the batter before baking.

Storage

Store the cooled baked oats in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator / fridge for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Add-In Suggestions

Consider one, or a combination of several, of the following options to customize the baked oats to your tastes.

• Dried Fruit: Add up to 1/2 cup of chopped dried fruit, such as raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries. dried cranberries, dried blueberries, or dried figs.
• Chocolate: Add up to 1/2 cup of your favorite chocolate chips or chunks. 
• Nuts or Seeds: Add up to 1/2 cup chopped nuts or seeds, such as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pepitas, or sunflower seeds.

FAQ

• Can I substitute another ingredient for the psyllium husks? Possibly. I have not tested it, but you may be able to use flaxseed meal or ground chia seeds. Use 1/4 cup of the flax or chia in place of the psyllium husks.
• What can I use in place of the coconut sugar? An equal amount of brown sugar, natural cane sugar, maple syrup, date sugar, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, date syrup, or honey (if you do not need these to be vegan) can be used in place of the coconut sugar.
• Can I bake these in a pan and cut into bars or squares, instead of using a muffin tin? Yes! I recommend dividing the batter into an 8-inch (20 cm). Bake for the same amount of time, add more time, as needed. Cool completely, then, cut into bars or squares.
• Can I use regular rolled oats instead of steel cut oats? No, not for this particular recipe.
• Can I use psyllium husk powder instead of whole husks? Yes, but adjust the measurements as follows. Psyllium powder is just ground whole psyllium husks, so you need to use the same weight of powder as husks, not the same volume, as I mention in the notes. If measuring with standard measures, not weights, 1 teaspoon of powder (5 grams) is equal to 1 tablespoon of whole husks (5 grams).

Here’s to a pumpkin-rich season ahead! Let me know if you give these a try 🙂

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• Vegan Baked Steel Cut Oats (oil-free, GF)
• Steel Cut Oats Pilaf {4 ingredients, vegan, gluten-free}
• No-Cook, Overnight Steel Cut Oats