Pumpkin Baked Oats

I am so excited to share today's Pumpkin Baked Oats. This vegan oatmeal recipe is chocolatey, buttery, and protein packed! It's the perfect cozy fall breakfast, and a perfect way to sneak extra veggies into your diet!

Best Organic Vegan Protein Powder For Baked Oatmeal:

I love adding vegan protein powder to my baked oatmeal recipes, because it's such an easy way to make a more filling healthy breakfast. My go-to brand for all things vegan protein powder and supplements is PlantFusion. PlantFusion makes high quality plant based protein blends and supplements. I love their products for multiple reasons.

Superior Flavor:

First, and most importantly, is because they taste amazing. I find that a lot of healthy vegan protein blends have quite a chalky texture, and bland taste. For the longest time I avoided vegan protein powders, because I hate the taste so much. However I can assure you that every single flavor of protein from PlantFusion is top notch.

For example I used their Complete Organic Vanilla Chai protein for this Pumpkin Baked Oats recipe, and it added the perfect amount of sweetness, creaminess, and spice. This is my go-to flavor for fall, because it is super rich, and warming. It is one of their more expensive proteins, because it is 100% organic, however any of their vanilla flavored protein powders will work perfectly in this recipe.

Quality Ingredients:

The second most important factor when choosing a protein powder for me is the ingredients. It's not only important that the protein powder is free of all the bad stuff, but that it is full of health promoting ingredients. I can always count on PlantFusion for nutrient dense protein powders that are made with clean ingredients.

PlantFusion has their Purity Promise, which means that they are: committed to being free of dairy, soy, rice, eggs, nuts, fish, tree nuts, shellfish, artificial flavors and colors, and all their products are: certified Non-GMO, Gluten Free and Vegan. This makes the shopping process so easy!

Flexibility:

When I am choosing a protein powder, it is important that I can use it for a variety of recipes. I am not a fan of protein shakes, so the protein powder I use needs to be able to be used in a variety of ways. The good news is that PlantFusion passes the test.

I use their protein blends in all kinds of recipes from desserts to breakfasts. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness and flavor to every dish.

If you're interested in trying out PlantFusion products, you can use my code: "NATURALVEGAN" for 25% off your purchase!

Ingredients For These Pumpkin Baked Oats:

Dry Ingredients:

• Oat Flour - Oat flour is just oats ground into flour. There's no need to buy pre-made oat flour, because you can easily make it yourself with regular oats and a blender.
• Baking Powder - Helps to make the oats fluffy and cake like. In my opinion mushy baked oats are the worst. I like my baked oatmeal to fluffy!
• PlantFusion Complete Organic Vanilla Chai - The best protein powder flavor for fall. It's super creamy and flavorful, and it's made with 100% organic ingredients. If you're looking for a quality organic vegan protein powder, this one is for you! My PlantFusion discount code: "NATURALVEGAN" gets you 25% off your entire purchase!
• Plant Based Chocolate Chips - Any plant based chocolate bar, or chocolate chips will work perfectly. I always opt for a naturally sweetened variety.

Wet Ingredients:

• Pumpkin Puree - Make sure that you get a 100% pumpkin puree and not a pumpkin pie mix.
• Plant Based Milk - Any plant based milk will work for this recipe. I always opt for soy milk when baking, because it has a slightly higher fat content and creamier texture.
• Vanilla Extract - I always recommend using Mexican Vanilla, because I think it deepens the flavor so much.
• Date Syrup - Any plant based sweetener will work. I personally love using date syrup, because it's natural and lower in sugar/higher in nutrients.

How To Make Pumpkin Baked Oats:

These Pumpkin Baked Oats are super easy to make and filled with nutritious ingredients.

Begin by blending the oats into a flour if you have not already done so. Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour into greased oven safe containers and place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Once the top has begun to crack,. remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are Baked Oats Good For You?

If you're looking for a healthy and filling new breakfast recipe, these Pumpkin Baked Oats are for you! Baked oats are high in fiber naturally because of the oatmeal. However if they're made correctly, they can be high protein and full of vitamins and minerals.

I typically like adding protein powder to my baked oats, because it helps to make them more filling. I like to start my day out with a protein packed breakfast, because it keeps me full for my morning workout and errands. It also increases the flavor, sweetness, and texture.

My second favorite thing to add to baked oats is fruit and vegetables. For example adding pumpkin puree to these Pumpkin Baked Oats is a great way to add vitamin A, C, beta carotene, antioxidants, fiber, and more! This works in more recipes than just this one. Make sure to check out my other baked oats recipes for more healthy vegan breakfast inspo!

Why Are My Baked Oats Mushy?

A common issue I see people run into with baked oatmeal is they are super mushy. In my opinion the only oatmeal that should be mushy is stovetop oats. Baked oats are supposed to be fluffy and cake like. How do you achieve fluffy baked oats?

In order to make sure these Pumpkin Baked Oats turn out fluffy and not mushy, there are three things you should keep in mind. First, make sure not to add too much liquid. Second, make sure to measure the pumpkin puree and not eyeball it. It's very easy to overdo it. Lastly, make sure that you bake the oats long enough. You want the top of the oats to begin to crack on top. You'll know it's done when you can poke it with a fork and it comes out clean.

Should Baked Oatmeal Be Refrigerated?

If your mornings are super busy, and you don't have a lot of time to prepare a proper breakfast everyday, but still want a healthy vegan breakfast these Pumpkin Baked Oats are perfect for you! Baked oats are actually super easy to meal prep, because they can be refrigerated. It's just important to make sure that you store that oats correctly.

To store this baked oatmeal, all you need is oven safe containers and aluminum foil. I like to make 4 servings at once and store them for the week. To ensure that the oatmeal stays moist, make sure to cover with aluminum foil immediately. This helps to trap the moisture in the container and keep the oats moist and cake like. Place in the fridge and store overnight!

Related Recipes:

• Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding
• Strawberry Shortcake Baked Oats
• Lemon Poppy Seed Baked Oats
• Cinnamon Raisin Baked Oats