Lemon blueberry baked oatmeal is sweet, tart and super flavorful. This blueberry baked oatmeal with lemon yogurt frosting is gluten free, dairy free and so easy to make. Perfect for spring or summer, this blueberry lemon oatmeal is made with simple ingredients and so satisfying.

Why you will love this recipe

• Simple ingredients – this lemon blueberry baked oatmeal is made with super simple ingredients that you can find in any grocery store. This vegan baked oats recipe is egg free, dairy free and gluten free.
• Easy to make – baked oatmeal is so easy to make, all you have to do is stir together the ingredients and pour into a casserole dish to bake.
• Great for meal prep – this blueberry lemon baked oats recipe is perfect to make at the beginning of the week to enjoy for breakfast or snacking. You can easily double the recipe to make a large batch to enjoy.

Ingredients

• Ground flax – ground flax seeds are used to replace the eggs in this recipe (along with the dairy free milk). Ground flax is a great source of fiber, which helps to make this blueberry lemon ng to make this baked oatmeal more filling. You can also use chia seeds (or regular or ground chia seeds).
• Dairy free milk – use whatever your favorite dairy free milk is – almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, coconut milk (regular or canned), flax milk, etc. If you are not dairy free, you can use regular milk. You can also use water in place of the dairy free milk.
• Maple syrup – maple syrup is used to naturally sweeten the baked oatmeal. You can also use honey in place of the maple syrup.
• Vanilla extract (optional) – vanilla extract helps to make this taste a little more like a dessert. I like adding it but it is optional.
• Rolled oats (sometimes called old fashioned oats) – rolled oats are best for baked oatmeal. They give the baked oats a chewy texture and are easy to find.
• Baking powder – baking powder is used to help the baked oats rise slightly when baking. If you don’t have baking powder, you can omit it.
• Lemon zest – lemon zest adds a deep lemon flavor. I don’t love adding lemon juice to baked goods as it can create a bit of a sour flavor. Instead use the lemon juice to make the frosting instead.
• Blueberries (fresh or frozen) – blueberries are bursting with flavor and are super juicy. You can use frozen blueberries or fresh blueberries to make this oatmeal. If you are using frozen blueberries, don’t defrost them before adding to the oats.

Lemon Yogurt Topping

• Yogurt (regular or dairy free) – the yogurt dressing is tangy and adds a wonderful topping to the oats. To make the frosting thicker, you can use Greek yogurt (or Greek style dairy free yogurt).
• Lemon juice – you will need the juice of one of the lemons to add a bright, tart flavor to the frosting.
• Maple syrup – maple syrup adds a sweetness to the frosting. If you are not using a sweetened frosting, the maple syrup creates the perfect topping flavor.

How to make lemon blueberry baked oatmeal

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine the ground flax, dairy free milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

Add the rolled oats, lemon zest and baking powder to the bowl with the liquid ingredients. Stir well.

To the oatmeal mixture, add the blueberries. Stir well.

Pour the oatmeal mixture into a casserole dish that has been sprayed with olive oil or avocado oil spray. Add the blueberry oatmeal mixture to the dish and bake in a 350F oven for 45 minutes.

While the oatmeal is baking, make the lemon yogurt topping. Combine the yogurt, maple syrup and lemon juice in a bowl.  

After baking, you can serve the baked oatmeal immediately or allow it to cool so it can be sliced into squares.  

Serve the lemon blueberry baked oats with the lemon yogurt topping.

Top tips

• The baked oats will look runny before baking, but the oats will absorb all the liquid when baking.
• Make this with fresh or frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries will turn the oat mixture blue/purple. It’s best if you don’t defrost frozen blueberries
• Allowing the baked oatmeal to cool changes the texture. Serve this hot right out of the oven for a soft, oatmeal texture. You can allow this to cool completely and slice into squares.
• Use rolled oats for the best texture. You can also use quick cooking oats in a pinch.
• Easy to double – this lemon blueberry baked oatmeal is easy to double for feeding a crowd or prepping breakfast for the week. Bake the baked oatmeal in a 9X13 pan for an additional 10 minutes.
• To make this gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten free oats. Oats are naturally gluten free but can be contaminated when processing, so to ensure the oats are gluten free, be sure to check the bag.

Mix in ingredients

• Poppy seeds
• Chopped nuts: walnuts, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds would all be great in this recipe.
• Coconut flakes – you can use shredded flakes or toasted coconut flakes.
• Spices: ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom would all be great in this recipe.
• Dried fruit – you can use dried blueberries, dried cranberries, dried cherries or chopped dates

Other toppings

• If you don’t want to add lemon yogurt topping, you can use:
• Maple cashew frosting
• Nut butter – almond butter, cashew butter, sunbutter, tahini
• Maple syrup
• Coconut butter
• Ghee or butter

Common questions

Can you make this into blueberry lemon oatmeal muffins?

Yes you can make this baked oatmeal into muffins. Divide the batter between 10-12 muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350F.

Can you use other berries instead of blueberries?

Yes, you could easily substitute the blueberries for raspberries, blackberries, strawberries (sliced) or dark sweet cherries (pitted and chopped).

What size casserole dish to use?

You can use a 9×6 or 8×8 inch baking dish or use a 9X13 dish to double the recipe.

What are the best oats to use for lemon blueberry baked oats

This recipes for baked oats is best with rolled oats (sometimes called old fashioned oats). If you don’t have rolled oats on hand, you can use quick oats (which are just finely chopped rolled oats).

I don’t recommend using steel cut oats since they require a different amount of liquid and a longer cooking time. If you want to make steel cut oatmeal, check out this recipe from I Heart Veggies.

Is this lemon blueberry oatmeal gluten free?

Oats are naturally gluten free but often get cross contaminated during the processing process. Because of this, you should use certified gluten free oats in this recipe.

Can you double this recipe?

The lemon blueberry baked oatmeal recipe can easily be doubled. If you decide to double the recipe, use a 9X13 casserole dish and be sure to cook the oats for about 10 more minutes (55 minutes) to help ensure that the oatmeal sets.

Can you make baked oats in advance?

This blueberry lemon baked oatmeal recipe can be made in advance, it’s a great recipe for meal prep. If you want to make this in advance there are a few ways you can go about it:

• Bake the entire oatmeal dish in advance. Allow the baked oats to cool then store in the fridge covered until you are ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove the cover and bake in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes or microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes on high. Once reheated, add the lemon yogurt topping and serve.
  • Note: You can also freeze the entire dish once it has cooled. To put the entire casserole dish in the freezer, cover it with plastic wrap then foil. Freeze for up to a month in advance. When ready to serve, allow the oats to defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as instructed above (be sure to remove the plastic wrap).
• You can also prepare the dish in advance by combining the wet ingredients in one bowl (ground flax, dairy free milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and lemon zest) and the dry ingredients (oats, baking powder) in a second bowl. Store the wet ingredients in the fridge. When you are ready to make the baked oats, add the dry ingredients to the wet, add the blueberries and bake as instructed. Top with the lemon yogurt topping and serve.

Storing leftovers

• Fridge: You can store leftover blueberry lemon baked oatmeal in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. I would recommend waiting to add the lemon yogurt topping until right before serving if possible. Store that in a separate container in the fridge.
• Reheating leftovers: There are a few different ways you can reheat a single serving of leftover baked oats:
  • Microwave – microwave on high for about 1-1:30 until warmed through.
  • Toaster oven – toast like you would a breakfast pastry or waffle.
  • Air fryer – put in a 350F air fryer for 3-5 minutes until warmed through
• Freezer: Allow the baked oats to cool completely then cut into squares. Wrap each square in parchment paper then put in a freezer safe bag (I love Stasher bags for this). Freeze for up to 3 months this way. Defrost  in the fridge then reheat in the microwave, air fryer or toaster (see above).

Substitutions

• Ground flax – chia seeds can be used as a substitute for ground flax. I actually prefer ground chia seeds but either will work). You can also replace the flax with 1 egg.
• Dairy free milk – use whatever milk you have on hand (dairy free or regular). If you don’t have dairy free milk on hand, you can make your own by combining about 1 tablespoon of your favorite nut butter (almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, sunbutter) with 2 cups of water in a high speed blender. This makes your own dairy free milk in seconds. You can also use water in place of the milk if needed.
• Maple syrup – use whatever liquid sweetener you have on hand. Honey would be a great alternative. You could also try date syrup, agave or brown rice syrup.
• Vanilla extract – this is 100% optional. If you don’t have it, just omit it.
• Rolled oats – if you don’t have rolled oats, you can use quick cooking oats in a pinch.
• Baking powder – this helps the baked oats rise slightly. If you don’t have it, simple omit it.
• Lemons – lemon zest and juice really packs a punch in this recipe. You could also use lime or orange juice. You will want about 2 tablespoons of lemon, lime or orange juice for the yogurt topping.
• Blueberries – use fresh or frozen blueberries. You can also use raspbereries, blackberries, sliced strawberries or pitted and chopped dark sweet cherries.
• Yogurt – if you don’t have yogurt on hand (regular or dairy free), you can instead make this creamy maple cashew frosting and add the lemon juice to that or simply top with nut butter or coconut butter.

If you love baked oats, you should try these other recipes:

Banana Bread Baked Oats

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Air Fryer Baked Oats

Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal