Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal is soft, chewy, and loaded with melty chocolate, tasting like an oatmeal cookie baked into a warm, sliceable breakfast.
Author’s Notes
The Dessert-for-Breakfast Bake I’m Obsessed With
People are always shocked to hear that I’d pick an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie over a plain chocolate chip cookie. (Does that make me boring?!) I just truly love the texture of oats mixed with melty chocolate. It’s my perfect combo.
Although if we’re talking cookies in general, animal circus cookies are my forever favorite.
But I digress. This berry oatmeal bake has been a go-to in my house for breakfast and even dessert when I add a scoop of ice cream. After making the berry version so many times, I thought it would be fun to switch things up. Naturally, my mind went straight to chocolate…
If you’ve never tried baked oatmeal, it’s soft, chewy, rich, and slightly custardy.
I prefer baked oatmeal on the chewier side instead of super creamy, so this recipe uses less milk than most. If you like a creamier texture, serve the squares in bowls with a drizzle of milk on top. It’s so good!
Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Ingredients
| Ingredient Group | Ingredient Tips |
|---|---|
| Milk | Any milk works here. Almond milk keeps it lighter, while dairy milk adds a richer flavor. |
| Egg & Egg Yolk | The extra yolk adds richness and helps give the oatmeal a softer, more tender texture. Save the whites for an egg wrap! |
| Maple Syrup & Vanilla | Use pure maple syrup for natural sweetness and real vanilla for better flavor. |
| Old-Fashioned Oats, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Salt | Old-fashioned oats give the best chew. Quick or steel-cut oats will change the texture and won’t soften correctly. |
| Chocolate Chips & Sugar Topping | Mini chips melt more evenly and spread chocolate throughout. The sugar on top adds a light crunch. |
How To Make Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
- Prep: Heat oven to 350°F and line or grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
- Mix wet: Whisk everything in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add dry: Stir in remaining ingredients just until combined.
- Bake: Spread evenly in the pan and bake until set and lightly golden.
- Serve: Cool slightly, slice, and enjoy plain or with a splash of milk or maple syrup.
Quick Tip
Bake immediately: Don’t let the batter sit, or the oats will absorb the liquid and bake up dry. Mix and bake right away.
Chelsea’s Tip
Make It Your Own!
Bake less for softer oats or longer for firmer ones. Let them cool 5–10 mins for easier cutting. Adjust syrup to make it sweeter or less sweet.
Storage
Leftover Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal stores well! Cool completely, store in an airtight container, and enjoy within 4 days. Reheat portions in a bowl, adding milk, creamer, or syrup for extra creaminess.
More Breakfast Recipes To Love:
Breakfast
Chocolate Chip Pancake Recipe
Beverages
Oatmeal Smoothie
Breakfast
Dutch Baby Recipe (German Pancakes)
Breakfast
Oatmeal Bars Recipe
Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk see note 1
- 1/3 cup maple syrup see note 2
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or melted butter
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats see note 3
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1-1/2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°F). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or grease with nonstick spray.
- Add the milk, egg, egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and coconut oil or melted butter to a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix until smooth. Add in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and mini chocolate chips (see note 4). Stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Use a spatula to scrape every bit of batter from the bowl into the prepared pan. Using the back of the spatula, smooth in an even layer. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar, turbinado sugar, or brown sugar on top. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until lightly golden on top and the middle is set. The longer it bakes, the firmer the oatmeal is. Remove sooner for softer baked oatmeal.
- Remove and allow to cool slightly. Cut and serve in bowls. If desired, pour a drizzle of milk and maple syrup over the bars.
Recipe Notes
Let baked oatmeal cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave and add milk, coffee creamer, or maple syrup if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If I double the recipe can I use a larger baking dish? I know the recipe specifically states using a 8X8 pan. I am making this for a large group and prefer to make it in one pan.
Unfortunately there isn’t a pan that is exactly double an 8×8. So while I think it should be okay in a 9×13 (I haven’t personally tested), it will be thicker and take longer to bake (maybe end up a bit more moist).
Love all the variety you have on your Blog
Thanks so much Jan! 🙂
I made this today and idk what happened but it ended up being wayyyy too many chocolate chips. Still delicious obviously, but I might half the amount of chocolate next time
I am so glad you enjoyed! You can definitely half the chocolate chips next time! 🙂
I made this for our Sunday brunch today and it was a bit with my hubby! I was craving oatmeal chocolate chip cookies last night and wanted something sweet this morning so this was perfect. I really appreciated that it was just made of oats and didn’t include flour.
I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much Asha! 🙂
Can you make this ahead of time for the next morning ? Do it keep well in the fridge ? Have you tried freezing it?
I’m sorry I haven’t experimented with freezing!
This really is the most delicious recipe that I have found for baked oatmeal! It’s my go to.
I love pumpkin chocolate chip things too. How could I make this into a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie baked oatmeal?
Yay!! That makes my day to hear that 🙂 Thank you! I’m not completely sure how to recommend turning it into pumpkin without personally testing it, but I think you could replace the oil with pumpkin and then add a few teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and maybe a teaspoon of cinnamon 🙂
These are so delicious! I have always loved oats with chocolate and have been looking for a new recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this with everyone!
Made this recipe this morning and I’ve got to say – WOW! Very good, but it is VERY rich! I even used almond milk…I can’t imagine using regular milk! Also, for my family, I think less chocolate chips (which is surprising because we all have a major sweet tooth) BUT we will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing!
So happy you enjoyed this! 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
I love Oatmeal bars! These bars make the perfect breakfast !
These look so soft and delicious! Oatmeal chocolate chip is one of my very favorite cookies – so I know I would love this! Have a great weekend Chelsea!