Introducing caramel baked oats that taste so much like dessert you won’t believe it’s actually healthy! Think vanilla cinnamon baked oats swirled through with homemade date caramel. Sounds good right?

Inspired by sticky date pudding, I wanted to take this classic dessert and make it super healthy and acceptable to eat for breakfast. So now this vegan sticky date pudding baked oats is:

Easy and super quick to make/meal prep
Super healthy unlike an actual date pudding
Tons of protein and nutrients
Makes the perfect balanced breakfast

Oh, and did I mention that these vegan baked oats have no banana – unlike so many other vegan baked oats recipes out there! This healthy caramel baked oats recipe is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth in the morning!

Caramel Baked Oats Ingredients

I’ll leave the full list of ingredients for this cinnamon roll baked oats recipe here, along with substitutions for certain ingredients and what you can use instead!

Rolled Oats/Oat Flour: you can use either rolled oats and grind them into flour yourself or use oat flour. I recommend grinding your own oat flour, since it’s so much cheaper and super easy. Simply pop the rolled oats into a dry blender or spice grinder and blend until it becomes a fine flour.
Protein powder: protein powder is absolutely not necessary, but it makes these waffles more balanced by adding a protein boost. I’ll link my favorite protein powder right here. It’s so good! If you’d like to leave out the protein powder, you can replace it with 2 tbsp spelt flour.
Dates: are essential to make this healthy date caramel. The caramel not only sweetens the oatmeal but also serves as a nice little topping once the oatmeal is done baking.
Almond milk: I personally like using cashew or almond milk, but any kind of plant milk will work well.
Lemon juice: is essential to making sure this batter gets fluffy and silky smooth. However, any type of acid will work, like apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.

Can I Substitute…

Oat flour: substitute this with any type of flour you like, such as spelt, all-purpose or whole wheat flour. Keep in mind that alternative flours like almond and coconut will not work with this recipe.
Protein powder: You can replace it with 3 tbsp spelt flour. However, any protein powder brand will work!
Almond milk: Any kind of plant milk will work well.
Lemon juice: if you’re using a super tangy yogurt you can omit the lemon juice, otherwise substitute with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.

How to Make these Caramel Baked Oats

I get it! You’re in a hurry, it’s getting late and you want to make this baked oats recipe as fast as possible. So I’ll outline my strategy for making this cinnamon roll oatmeal as quickly as possible.

Begin by making the date caramel. While it doesn’t take long to whip up, I recommend making the caramel on the weekend, and then use it throughout the week as a sweetener, spread syrup etc. To make the date caramel, add the gooey dates into a blender along with the boiling water, salt and vanilla extract. Let this sit for 10 minutes. If your dates are super dry you can dump everything out of the blender and into a pot and boil it together for 10 minutes. The goal is to make sure the dates are super tender and almost falling apart.
Once the 10 minutes is up, blend the mixture together on high speed for 2-3 minutes until super thick, creamy and slightly frothy. That’s it! Store it in a jar in the fridge.
Now on to making the baked oats. Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F and greasing a ramekin with cooking spray.
In a bowl, add the ground oats (or oat flour), protein powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Then pour in the almond milk and lemon juice and whisk well. The batter should look like thick pancake batter. If the batter seems too dry, add in a dash more almond milk. If the batter looks too runny, add in some more oat flour or protein powder.
Pour the batter into the prepared ramekin and place the 2 tbsp of date caramel in the middle. Then, using a knife or spoon, swirl the filling around into the batter, make sure it’s evenly spread out in the batter. Just don’t overmix! Then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Let cool for 2 minutes, top with an additional 2 tbsp of date caramel and enjoy!

How to Make the Healthy Date Caramel

While it doesn’t take long to whip up, I recommend making the caramel on the weekend, and then use it throughout the week as a sweetener, spread syrup etc.
To make the date caramel, add the gooey dates into a blender along with the boiling water, salt and vanilla extract. Let this sit for 10 minutes. If your dates are super dry you can dump everything out of the blender and into a pot and boil it together for 10 minutes. The goal is to make sure the dates are super tender and almost falling apart.
Once the 10 minutes is up, blend the mixture together on high speed for 2-3 minutes until super thick, creamy and slightly frothy. That’s it! Store it in a jar in the fridge.

If you’re at any point in the recipe and feeling lost or have a question, DM me on Instagram – I’ll try to respond as soon as I can and help you out!

healthy date caramel baked oats with a gold spoon next to plates and spoons

FAQ’s for Caramel Baked Oats

Why do baked oats take so long to cook? Most often this is because you’ve used too much liquid – so too much water or plant milk. Different types of flours or even the humidity can determine if the baked oats batter is too runny. Ideally, you want a thick pancake batter consistency in order for the baked oats to cook in less than 20 minutes.
Are baked oats healthy? I’ve outlined in detail why these baked oats are so healthy. However, since baked oats have oatmeal, cashew milk, date syrup and other whole-foods ingredients, these all combine to make this breakfast packed with protein, whole grains and tons of nutrients. See below for even more details on why baked oats are so healthy!
Can baked oats be reheated? You can definitely reheat these baked oats. Simply pop them in the microwave for 2 minutes, covered with foil. Or reheat them in the oven at 350° for 15 minutes covered with foil. Make sure to cover the top of the oats with foil otherwise the top will burn. Also, as a side note, since baked oats are so easy to reheat you can easily make these at night time and then reheat them in the morning for a quick and decadent breakfast!

Why these Caramel Baked Oats are Healthy

Fluffy, sticky, date caramel baked oats with a rich and gooey date caramel…you might be wondering if this baked oatmeal is even healthy. The answer is YES!

These date caramel baked oats are packed with protein, date syrup, oats and cinnamon which are all linked to a host of benefits. I’ll leave a few benefits of each of these ingredients down below:

Oats: Have been linked to lowering blood sugar levels and lowering risk of heart disease. Oatmeal is also rich in antioxidants and avenanthramides. Avenanthramides have been shown to help lower blood pressure by producing nitric oxide which helps dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow. Additionally, avenanthramides and antioxidants. are also anti-inflammatory. Furthermore, oatmeal also contains a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan that can increase growth of good bacteria in the gut!
Cinnamon: has a compound called cinnamaldehyde which is antiviral and anto-bacetrial as well. In fact, cinnamon has been shown to reduce the growth of e-coli in food items and also help keep your teeth clean and prevent decay! Additionally, cinnamon has tons of antioxidants which are great for skin health and help in strengthening your immune system. Lastly, cinnamon has been connected with helping improve blood sugar control. Which is great since the cinnamon will help mitigate any sugar spike from the date sugar in the cinnamon roll baked oats – that’s what I call a win!
Date Syrup/Dates: Where to begin – dates have so many benefits, such as antioxidants, antibacterial properties, and a host of vitamins and minerals that are essential. Dates have a compound called phenolic that have shown to be effective in reducing bacteria growth. This means that dates will help you strengthen your immune system. Lastly, dates have vitamins X, B6, and A which are essential to the body!
Sun Warrior Protein Power: unlike any other protein powders, this protein powder is not only packed with plant-based protein from peas, brown rice and quinoa, it’s also sprouted. Sprouting foods, especially grains, makes them more bioavailable, meaning that it’s easier for your body to absorb nutrients and it’s easier to digest. If you want to get the same protein powder I use, click the link here – use code MWM10 for a discount.

Bottom line, these cinnamon roll baked oats are the best thing you can start your day with! Balanced, nutritious and delicious!

gingerbread baked oats with chocolate ganache and cacao nibs on top

More Delicious Baked Oatmeal Recipes

If you make this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment or rating below. Your feedback is so helpful for the MWM team and community! Also, don’t forget to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @munchingwithmariyah – I love seeing your recreations!

Healthy Caramel Baked Oats