This flavorful cranberry orange baked oatmeal with cream cheese frosting is healthy yet decadent and perfect for Thanksgiving morning!
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In my mostly humble opinion, I strongly believe that the cranberry orange flavor profile is vastly underrated, and I’m on a mission to change that. Enter this gorgeous Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal with Cream Cheese Frosting. Not only is it fabulously delicious and nutritious, but it’s decadent enough to serve on a warm and cozy Thanksgiving morning.
Wet Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal
Milk of Choice: Truly, use whatever you have on hand. I used unsweetened almond milk.
Butter or Vegan Butter: Either works! My favorite vegan butter is Miyoko’s.
Maple Syrup: 2-3 tablespoons depending on how sweet you like it. Honey also works if you’re not trying to keep it vegan.
Orange Juice and Zest: The fresh-squeezed juice and zest really make this baked oatmeal fantastic. Make sure you wash your citrus before you zest it.
Flaxseed: A tablespoon to give the baked oatmeal structure without using an egg.
Vanilla Extract: To enhance all our different ingredients.
Dry Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal
Rolled Oats: Also known as Old-Fashioned Oats and not to be confused with Steel Cut Oats or Instant Oats.
Baking Powder: So our baked oatmeal rises just a bit.
Cinnamon: Just a dash.
Sea Salt: To bring out the sweetness of the whole dish.
Mix-Ins
Fresh Cranberries: Frozen works too, just know your oatmeal may turn pink.
Walnuts: Optional, but highly recommended.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
Cream Cheese: Dairy or plant-based work! Miyoko’s is my favorite vegan cream cheese.
Greek Yogurt: To keep things healthy-ish. Dairy or plant-based work here as well. Siggi’s is the best vegan yogurt in my opinion because its texture and flavor is spot-on and it has plenty of protein!
Maple Syrup: A splash for sweetness.
Vanilla Extract: Just a dash for vanilla flavor.
Cinnamon: To really amp up the coziness of this dish.
Ideas for Completing Your Holiday Breakfast Spread
- Serve a festive fruit salad alongside the baked oatmeal!
- Scramble up some eggs for extra protein!
- Make sure you have plenty of coffee and tea on hand for everyone! I mean, let’s be serious. Coffee is the best part of Thanksgiving morning, and every morning really.
If you make this cranberry orange baked oatmeal with cream cheese frosting, be sure to leave a rating and review! This encourages others to give it a try. You can also find me on Pinterest and Instagram. I love hearing from you!
More Thanksgiving Breakfast Ideas
- Gluten-Free Brown Butter Cinnamon Apple Bread
- Vegan Tahini Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
- Arugula Goat Cheese Frittata with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 8×8 Baking Dish
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1½ cups milk of choice (I used almond milk!)
- 2 tbsp melted butter (dairy or plant-based)
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
- juice of two navel oranges
- zest of one navel orange
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Mix-Ins:
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup raw walnut pieces
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened (dairy or plant-based)
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt (dairy or plant-based)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and grease an 8×8 baking dish with oil, butter, or cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together all wet ingredients until well-combined. Add all dry ingredients and mix again until well-combined. Add cranberries and walnuts and give everything one more stir to ensure everything is well-distributed.
- Pour mixture into baking dish and smooth until well-distributed. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a tester or fork comes out clean or with only a few crumbs and the edges are golden brown.
- While the oatmeal is baking, make your cream cheese frosting! Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and top individual slices with cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
Photography by Hope Agresti
