Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats in this oatmeal bake?

You can, but the texture changes: quick oats drink more liquid and bake into a softer, more uniform crumb, closer to cake than to baked oatmeal. If quick oats are what you have, reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons and check the pan 5 minutes early. Steel cut oats do not work here.

Should I use blackstrap or regular molasses for gingerbread oatmeal?

Regular unsulphured molasses gives the classic gingerbread flavor: dark, warm and rounded. Blackstrap is more bitter and mineral, so if it is what you own, cut it to 2 tablespoons and add 1 extra tablespoon of maple syrup to keep the balance.

Can I bake this healthy gingerbread oatmeal bake straight from the fridge?

Yes, that is the Christmas morning plan. Assemble the dish the night before, cover and refrigerate it, then bake it cold the next day, adding 10 to 15 minutes and tenting the top with foil for the first 20 minutes if it browns quickly. The center should feel set when the pan is nudged.

How do I freeze and reheat individual squares?

Wrap cooled squares individually and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw a square overnight in the fridge, then reheat it in a 300 degree oven for about 12 minutes or in the microwave for about 1 minute. Add the yogurt topping after reheating, never before.

How can I make this oatmeal bake dairy free?

Swap the 2 percent milk for barista style oat milk, cup for cup, and use a thick coconut based yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt in both the batter and the topping. The bake sets the same way and the spice profile is unchanged.

Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal Bake with Molasses and Spice

Ingredients

Scale

3 cups (270 g) old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 3/4 cups (420 ml) 2 percent milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt, 2 percent
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons regular molasses
1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest, plus more for serving
For the topping: 3/4 cup (180 g) plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon orange zest
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans, for the top

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
Whisk the oats, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt together in a large bowl, so the spices coat the oats evenly before any liquid arrives.
In a second bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, Greek yogurt, applesauce, molasses, maple syrup, vanilla and orange zest until completely smooth and dark.
Pour the wet mixture over the oats and stir until every flake is wet. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so the oats begin to drink.
Scrape the batter into the dish and smooth the top. Scatter the pecans over the surface if you are using them.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is set, the edges pull slightly from the sides, and the top has turned a deep mahogany brown.
Rest the pan for 10 minutes. The crumb finishes setting as it stands, and the slices will cut cleanly instead of crumbling.
Stir the topping yogurt with its maple and zest. Serve the squares warm, each with a generous spoonful of topping and a little extra orange zest.

Author: Nora Ellis
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes