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Fuel your day with these delicious and nutritious 3 ingredient coconut baked oatmeal squares! They are vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free, making them the perfect guilt-free breakfast or snack option.
Hello, everyone!
Mornings are busy and rushed. You need something ready to heat and eat in an instant. Better yet, make that something delicious, nourishing, and super-simple to prepare ahead of time.
Consider my easy 3 Ingredient Coconut Baked Oatmeal.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Made with only 3 ingredients
- Gluten-free
- Oil-free (no olive oil, avocado oil, or vegan butter)
- Nut-free
- No binders (e.g., no starches, chia seeds, or flaxseed)
- High in fiber
- No leavening (e.g., no baking soda , baking powder, or yeast)
- No refined sugar (see recipe notes for other options, such as maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey, if you are not following a vegan diet )
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.
- Rolled oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- Lite coconut milk
- Coconut sugar
Confession: the recipe calls for water and salt, too. But IMHO, thee do not count towards total number of ingredients :).
Baked Oatmeal, Made Super-Simple
I wanted to make another super-simple, make-ahead, healthy, handheld, breakfast-on-the-go option.
What about a new version of baked oatmeal? I knew I could make a batch without eggs; flax eggs and chia eggs work beautifully for baked oatmeal. But did I need either? Oats have plenty of sticking power without any additional support. If you have ever witnessed a half-eaten bowl of oatmeal in the sink, you know this is true.
So, out with the flax and chia.
Oil-Free Baked Oatmeal
I’ve made baked oatmeal without any fat; it was passable, both as baked oatmeal and rubber eraser. I could add milk and some coconut oil, but why not make it one step and add milk that has the coconut oil (as well as tropical flavor) built in? Specifically, a can of coconut milk. Done.
Coconut Sugar for Natural Sweetness
Last up, sweetener. Coconut palm sugar, to complement the coconut milk, sounded right to me (although, you can use any sweetener you like). Also, the aforementioned water and salt.
Sometimes you get lucky on the first go. This is one of those times!
Step by Step Directions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) square baking dish with foil.
- In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup of the oats with the coconut milk, water, sugar and salt until smooth.
- Arrange the remaining oats in an even layer in the prepared pan; slowly pour in the wet ingredients (coconut milk-oat mixture). Use a spatula to gently combine and evenly distribute the batter in the pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 43 to 45 minutes until set at the center, crispy at the edges and golden brown. For extra crispy edges/golden color, turn the oven to broil (high) and broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan and cutting into 9 squares.
- Serve warm (plain or with any toppings you like, such as nut butter, jam, fruit, or in a bowl with milk) or cool completely!
Variations
Although I took the minimalist route for the basic baked oats recipe, add-ons and add-ins are always a great idea. Here are some options to add to the oats mixture before baking::
- Dried fruit: e.g., raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots or chopped dried apples
- Fresh fruit: e.g., chopped pineapple, fresh berries (e.g., raspberries, blueberries, blackberries), diced banana, or chopped fresh apples
- Chocolate: e.g., chocolate chips, cacao nibs, chopped chocolate, or 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Shredded coconut: unsweetened shredded coconut, flake coconut or desiccated coconut
- Nuts or seeds: e.g., chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, chia seeds, green pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds kernels
- Extracts or zests: e.g., vanilla extract, almond extract, lime zest, lemon zest or orange zest
- Protein powder: Stir in a generous scoop of your favorite protein powder
- Spices: e.g., a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, or 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- Nut or seed butter: swirl in or stir in some peanut butter, almond butter, pumpkin seed butter or sunflower seed butter before baking.
For add-ons, I cannot say enough good things about some peanut butter & jam on top. We all need to keep up our strength, so slather away like you are frosting a cake!
Stay warm, eat well, and let me know if you give this recipe a try (especially if you like it!). Cheers!
FAQ
- How should I store the Easy 3 Ingredient Coconut Baked Oatmeal Square? Store the completely cooled bake oatmeal squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to six months. Re-warm for 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave or enjoy cold!
- Can I use quick oats in the recipe? Yes. I prefer the toothsome texture of the bars when made with old-fashioned rolled oats, but quick-cooking oats will work well too.
- Is there a substitute for the coconut milk? Yes. Other varieties of milk can be used in place of the lite coconut milk. For example, almond milk, hemp milk, soy milk, or oat milk. However, if the milk is low in fat, you may want to add about 2 tablespoons or more of the fat of your choice (e.g., coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil) to the blender in step 2 to make up for the missing fat.
- What can I use in place of the coconut sugar? An equal amount of brown sugar, maple syrup or agave nectra can be used in place of the coconut sugar. If you do not follow a vegan diet, you can also use 1/4 cup honey as a substitute.
- What can I use in place of oats in the recipe? An equal volume of quinoa flakes or millet flakes can be used in place of the oats. Look for both options from online retail sources. Millet flakes can also be found in Indian and Middle Eastern grocery stores.
- Can I use steel cut oats in place of rolled oats? No, steel cut oats are very thick and will not work in place of rolled oats.
More Vegan Baked Oatmeal Recipes to Try:
- Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal {vegan, oil-free, GF}
- Vegan Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups {oil-free, gluten-free}
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal {vegan, oil-free, GF}
- Vegan Baked Oatmeal Cups {oil-free, GF)
- Overnight Oatmeal Cookies {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}
- Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Protein Cakes {oil-free, gluten-free}
- Banana Chia Overnight Oats (vegan, gluten-free)
Coconut Baked Oatmeal (3 Ingredients, V, GF, Oil-Free)
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided use, (certified GF, as needed)
- 1 can (13.5 oz) lite coconut milk, (or full fat coconut milk)
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar, or sweetener of choice (see notes)
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) square baking pan with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray or lightly oil/grease.
- In a blender or food processor, process 1 cup of the oats with the coconut milk, water, sugar and salt until smooth.
- Arrange the remaining oats in an even layer in the prepared pan; slowly pour in the coconut milk-oat mixture. Use a spatula to gently combine and evenly distribute the batter in the pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 43 to 45 minutes until set at the center, crispy at the edges and golden brown. For extra crispy edges/golden color, turn the oven to broil (high) and broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan and cutting into 9 squares.
- Serve warm (plain or with any toppings you like, such as nut butter, jam, fruit, or in a bowl with milk) or cool completely!
Hi Camilla,
I made this today with a blend of oat flakes and quinoa flakes and it was a success! I used full fat coconut milk and it was very tasty. Thank you for this simple recipe, I am going to add some berries next time I make it.
Thank you for this wonderfully simple yet delicious recipe!
I made it twice in a week as the first batch disappeared in less than 24hrs!!
Oh, That’s fantastic, Ellie!!! 🙂
Ok, first off I have to applaud you on ingenuity. I’ve tried many oat bar recipes. I decided I wanted something even healthier for me with no mashed banana, applesauce or nut butters. That was definitely it!
However I do have to comment on the preparation. I thought it was bizarre that after you make the blended mixture you just pour it over the raw oats and combine it inside the pan you’ll use for baking. It doesn’t seem like it serves any specific purpose. It’s best to mix them in separate bowl. I only use parchment for my baking, so first I ran the risk of tearing it, as I combined them and even though I thought I combined them well I still got a few patches of raw oats on the bottom.
Other than that it’s a good recipe and I think I might make it again creating an actual batter before it goes in the pan.
Thanks
Love the simplicity of these! Very pleased with the results.
Yay! This is a longtime favorite at our house 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have finally found a recipe that is as close to a stovetop recipe as possible and uses the same ingredients.. I could literally put the batter in a pot on the stovetop or in the oven which is awesome! I made this with a 6-cup large muffin tin and it came out really well. I just kept sticking it with a fork to determine when it was done and it was about the same cooking time as you have listed in the recipe. I didn’t use muffin cup liners but I oiled the pan fairly well and they just popped right out (with some effort and shaking!) after letting them cool for about an hour.
Also, I added chia seeds and a dash of baking soda which I usually add to muffins but I don’t think it made that much of a difference as far as rising, density, or crumbliness. I filled them up to about 3/4ths and they didn’t rise much. I think that sticking to this exact recipe would yield the exact same results.
I seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. I am excited to try all of my oatmeal flavors with this new recipe!
Anna, I am so happy to hear that this worked so well for you! And thanks for sharing that you made this in a muffin tin, sounds great (as do your spice additions–YUM!)
If you use a liquid sweetener like maple or honey do you need to change the milk amount? Will there be too much liquid?
These sound great!
Hi Ali! Good question–sorry I did not address this in the notes for the recipe. You do not need to make any adjustments; dry sweeteners become part of the liquid volume when blended with the coconut milk & water, so total volume of the blended coconut milk +1 cup oats+sweetener will be relatively equal whether you are using a dry or liquid sweetener here.
However, while I am covering sweeteners: if anyone out there decides to use a sugar-free sweetener (such as stevia, monkfruit, etc), you WILL need to adjust the liquid measurements slightly (add about 3-4 tablespoons more milk or water). 🙂