Cranberry Ginger Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal

And so it begins. Holiday Season. The time of year that I become profoundly aware that my children will never again be the ages that they are.

“This is the last Christmas she will be two… or twelve…or one day, 20.”

It warms me and chills me all at once.

“ENJOY THIS,” I whisper to myself as we move through the rituals that this time of year brings, trying to soak in every drop.

The “staying in the moment” part is hard. I’m tugged, sometimes without even knowing it, into the demands of the season and the close of another year.

Among the many obligations, making gifts in my kitchen is one that I rather enjoy. Pulling up my shirtsleeves to put love and creativity into something (hopefully) wonderful for someone who touches my life? I can make time for that. Especially when it’s not a whole lot of time as with these Cranberry Ginger Baked Oatmeal “Kits.”

Holiday Food Gifts: Baked Oatmeal in a Jar / momskitchenhandbook.com

All that’s needed is a handful of ingredients, a few spices, and a quart-size jar. Once assembled, pass them along to friends and family, teachers and coaches, or anyone else to whom you want to express care and gratitude. They in turn, can transform the contents of the jar into a warm and wintry breakfast with the addition of milk, a couple of eggs, and about a half hour in the oven. They take just minutes  to assemble, are non-perishable, perfectly transportable, delicious, and super wholesome. And because they are so effortless, making them (hopefully) won’t feel like an obligation at all.

Below you will find the recipe so you can make this oatmeal at home, but first you’ll find  instructions Baked Oatmeal Kits.

To Assemble Baked Oatmeal Kits For Gift Giving

For each jar, you will need:

1 quart-size jar with a lid
2 cups rolled oats, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Dash nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

To assemble the jars:

  1. Pour 1 cup of the oats into the jar.
  2. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and baking powder and pour over the oats in the jar
  3. Top the oats and spices with the brown sugar, doing your best to keep the layers distinct.
  4. Add the remaining cup of oats to the jar.
  5. Top the oats with the dried cranberries
  6. Top the dried cranberries with the walnuts. Screw on the lid and decorate with any embellishments you like.
  7. Print out the instructions below and include with each jar.

Instructions for Making the Oatmeal:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
  2. Pour contents of the jar into a medium bowl, stir well, and add to the baking pan, shaking it so the oats distribute evenly across the bottom of the pan.Pour 2 cups milk, 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, and 2 eggs into a medium bowl and whisk until blended.
  3. Pour milk mixture over the oats, being sure the oats are fully covered with liquid.
  4. Bake until the milk is absorbed, the oats are firm, and the top is lightly golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
  5.  Serve hot or warm with milk or a generous spoonful of plain or vanilla yogurt.

Cranberry Ginger Baked Oatmeal

For a variation on a theme, use fresh cranberries or chopped apple in place of the dried cranberries.
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • Butter or oil for greasing the pan
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like your oatmeal)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or one cup fresh, chopped)
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups milk (cow's milk or plant milk)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan with butter.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, cranberries, walnuts, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking powder, and salt.

  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, and eggs until blended. Pour over the oats and stir until evenly mixed together.
  4. Pour into the baking pan and bake until the milk is absorbed, the oats are firm, and the top is lightly golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
  5. Serve warm with milk or a generous spoonful of yogurt.

To Assemble Baked Oatmeal “Kits” For Gift Giving

For each jar, you will need:

1 quart-size jar with a lid
2 cups rolled oats, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Dash nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

To assemble the jars:

  1. Pour 1 cup of the oats into the jar.
  2. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and baking powder and pour over the oats in the jar
  3. Top the oats and spices with the brown sugar, doing your best to keep the layers distinct.
  4. Add the remaining cup of oats to the jar.
  5. Top the oats with the dried cranberries
  6. Top the dried cranberries with the walnuts. Screw on the lid and decorate with any embellishments you like.
  7. Print out the instructions below and include with each jar.

Instructions for Making the Oatmeal:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
  2. Pour contents of the jar into a medium bowl, stir well, and add to the baking pan, shaking it so the oats distribute evenly across the bottom of the pan.Pour 2 cups milk, 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, and 2 eggs into a medium bowl and whisk until blended.
  3. Pour milk mixture over the oats, being sure the oats are fully covered with liquid.
  4. Bake until the milk is absorbed, the oats are firm, and the top is lightly golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
  5.  Serve hot or warm with milk or a generous spoonful of plain or vanilla yogurt.

Adapted from Supernatural Everyday by Heidi Swanson; Baked oatmeal photo credit: Shutterstock

Comments

12.02.2013 at11:32 PM #

Lisa [With Style & Grace]

I love this idea!! Definitely doing this for some friends and family this holiday season.

12.02.2013 at11:32 PM #

Katie Morford

Yes…It’s a good one for gluten-free folks!

12.03.2013 at11:37 AM #

Kelly

the ingredients calls for baking soda but the instructions refer to baking powder. which is correct?

12.03.2013 at11:37 AM #

Katie Morford

Yikes. Good catch. Thank you. It’s baking powder.

12.03.2013 at8:20 PM #

Nicole Sommerfeld

Thanks for the great idea – I plan to make it for neighbors, teachers, coworkers! The kids said we should bake one and leave it out for Santa 🙂

12.03.2013 at8:20 PM #

Katie Morford

Cute…yes make it for Santa and then everyone can have leftovers for Christmas morning. It is tasty with a little fresh cranberry compote on the side, too.

12.04.2013 at10:01 AM #

Leslie

Katie — I love this! Can you recommend a place (local or online) to get a number of these quart-sized jars reasonably priced? Leslie

12.04.2013 at10:01 AM #

Katie Morford

I have good luck at the hardware store for Mason Jars. Cole Hardware on Mission Street might be worth a peek. Craft stores such as Michaels is a good bet, too.

12.12.2013 at12:21 PM #

Kate

What a great idea! I love baked oatmeal but never thought about making it as a kit for gifts. You smart!

12.13.2013 at1:11 PM #

Maria

Hi! I love the idea and the recipe-
I have everything ready to put them together for the teachers-
But just a quick question… How far in advance can I put them together?
Thanks, Maria.

12.13.2013 at1:11 PM #

Katie Morford

These should keep beautifully for a very long time since all are dry ingredients, as long as you have a tight seal on the jars.

12.17.2013 at11:05 AM #

Aida Mollenkamp

Such a great idea!

12.24.2014 at3:09 PM #

Nicole Sommerfeld

Merry Christmas Katie to you and your family! We are making this great recipe for Xmas morning breakfast.

12.24.2014 at3:09 PM #

Katie Morford

One of my faves! Merry Christmas!

01.07.2015 at6:16 AM #

Rebecca

The Cranberry Ginger Oatmeal Gift kits were really fun to put together, in jars for local friends and neighbors, and in Christmassy ziplocs and cellophane bags with ribbons for co-workers, and gifts that we took by plane in our suitcase. We made 23 – all on faith that it was going to be good when it was mixed and baked. We finally got to try one for ourselves after all our traveling, and it was delicious! I am a gluten free celiac, so I made them with certified GF oats, several of our friends are GF also, and I imagine that it could be made with coconut milk and egg replacer as a vegan breakfast, too.
Thank you for this great recipe!

01.07.2015 at6:16 AM #

Katie Morford

Oh my goodness, I’m so glad, especially with such an investment of time and ingredients. And I so appreciate the comment. Makes me want to do up a batch myself this morning!

09.21.2015 at7:44 PM #

Joni Aspengren

I’m making this recipe without the jar 😀 I’m wondering if you’ve ever doubled it? How long do you bake it if you’ve done so? Thanks!

09.21.2015 at7:44 PM #

Katie Morford

I haven’t doubled it, but if I did, I’d probably bake it in a 9×13-inch pan and just keep an eye on the baking. It may not be much longer. Let me know how it goes! P.S. Just reading your comment and the arrival of fall is making me want to pull this one out again!

12.07.2015 at12:32 PM #

Lauren Harris-Pincus

This is THE BEST idea! I’ve not been crafty like this before but I’m definitely giving out some of these this year!

12.20.2015 at3:21 PM #

Sue

I made 7 of these with my 3.5 year old. Such a great gift!

12.20.2015 at3:21 PM #

Katie Morford

That is such a cute image of you and your little one.
Thanks for sharing!

01.13.2016 at10:45 PM #

Ellen

Any changes in the recipe if you use steel cut oats?

01.13.2016 at10:45 PM #

Katie Morford

Hmmm….steel cut oats take longer to cook than rolled oats and require more liquid, so it would be a bit of trial and error. I’d probably double the amount of milk. That said, we won’t know if it works until we try it. If you do, report back!

12.08.2016 at10:58 AM #

Annette

Hello,

I’m new to your site. Your recipes are amazing. I’d like to try this one but was wondering if it’s possible to freeze the end product (cooked version) and then reheat later after defrosting?

12.08.2016 at10:58 AM #

Katie Morford

Hi Annette, and welcome! I have not tried freezing this, but my guess is it would work. The texture might be a little different, but I think the taste would be good. If it’s a little dry, you could always drizzle with a little warm milk and maple syrup.

Post Your Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating