Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

My typical week morning is pretty hectic... it usually involves too much sleeping in and a lot of rushing around. Breakfast is always an afterthought, so I grab a banana, granola bar, or whatever else is lying around as I walk out the door (don't think I won't grab a brownie or a piece of cake. I've done it before. I'll do it again.)

On the weekends, I usually have time to make a heartier breakfast. Sometimes I'll bake banana bread or make pancakes, or I'll make myself fruit and toast or oatmeal. This morning I thought I'd try my hand at baked oatmeal, mixed with pumpkin and spices, topped with brown sugar and walnuts. Hello, perfect autumn breakfast.

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal
Recipe adapted from Good Life Eats

Serves 3-4

1 heaping cup old fashioned oats, not quick cook
3 Tbs brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp butter, softened
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup milk

For the topping:
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
4 tsp butter, softened
2 Tbs brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a medium sized baking pan and set aside.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and salt. Mix in oats until fully blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together vanilla, butter, pumpkin, and milk. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the oats and stir until combined. 

Pour the mixture into baking pan, place in oven, and bake for 10 minutes.

While the oatmeal is baking, combine walnuts, butter, and brown sugar for the topping. Remove oatmeal from oven after 10 minutes and sprinkle nut topping over pan. Return to oven and bake for another 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before eating. 

Chris isn't a big oatmeal fan, but I thought he would like this because of the pumpkin pie flavor. However, it pretty much has the same texture (described by Mr. Ross as "crap") as regular stovetop oatmeal. He liked the bites with nut topping, but couldn't get past the soft texture of the oatmeal. Be warned if you're not typically an oatmeal fan.

I can be pretty picky about oatmeal, too -- I hate when it's too mushy or not sweet enough. Normally, I pour boiling water over mine so the oats retain their shape, and top with brown sugar and a splash of vanilla. Cafeteria style buttery mush? Not for me. This stuff was great, though. It really did taste like a warm slice of pumpkin pie, the texture wasn't bad, and it was really quick and simple to make. Perfect for a lazy Saturday morning.

Even kitty liked it. Success.