Blueberry & Almond Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is the brunch dish that rewrites the category. Regular stovetop oatmeal is fine — it's nourishing and it's warm, but it's not something guests get excited about. Baked oatmeal is different: it sets into a sliceable, almost custard-like cake, the edges caramelize in the oven, the blueberries burst and stain the top purple and gold, and the almond and vanilla filling smells like something genuinely worth waking up for.

It's also almost entirely make-ahead. Assemble it the night before, refrigerate, and bake it in the morning while coffee brews. Serve it warm from the dish with cold crème fraîche or a drizzle of honey, and it holds at room temperature for hours — which makes it the rare brunch dish that doesn't punish you for a late start.

Ingredients (serves 8–10 in a 9×13-inch baking dish): - 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking — they turn to mush) - ½ cup (1 ¾ oz) sliced almonds, plus extra for topping - 1 teaspoon baking powder - 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon - ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt - 2 large eggs - 2½ cups (2 ½ cups) whole milk - ⅓ cup (⅓ cup) pure maple syrup, plus extra for serving - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - 2 cups fresh blueberries (or a mix of blueberries and raspberries), divided - Zest of 1 lemon

To Serve: - Crème fraîche or full-fat Greek yogurt - Additional maple syrup - A handful of fresh blueberries

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish or a roughly 3-quart shallow baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to distribute evenly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and lemon zest.

Scatter half the blueberries across the base of the prepared baking dish. Pour the dry oat mixture over the blueberries and spread evenly. Pour the liquid mixture slowly and evenly over the oats. Scatter the remaining blueberries and extra almonds over the top.

At this point, the dish can be covered and refrigerated overnight. The oats will absorb some of the liquid, which is fine — the final texture will actually be better for the rest.

Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is golden, the edges are set and slightly crisp, and the center is just barely trembling when the dish is nudged. If the top colors too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

Rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, directly from the dish, with crème fraîche or yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, and fresh blueberries.

Variations: Replace blueberries with sliced peaches or nectarines in summer. Add 2 tablespoons of tahini to the wet ingredients for a nutty, more complex flavor. A tablespoon of cardamom instead of cinnamon produces a Scandinavian-influenced version that pairs beautifully with orange blossom honey.

Reference Links: - Baked oatmeal technique: Cookie and Kate - Rolled oat varieties: King Arthur Baking

Pro Tips: Old-fashioned rolled oats are non-negotiable — quick oats become mushy and structureless in the oven. If making ahead overnight, the oats will have absorbed much of the liquid by morning; this is correct and produces a denser, more cake-like result. Pull from the oven when the center still has a very slight wobble — it continues setting from residual heat and is far better than a fully firm, dry baked oatmeal.