Air Fryer Baked Oats

Yes, you can make your baked oats in the air fryer! They turn out deliciously fluffy and cake-like, have a slightly crispy top and work whether you prefer blended or unblended baked oats. Use the chocolate, vanilla or cinnamon base recipes to make all sorts of variations.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers and Storage
• Make it Your Own
• Blended vs Unblended Air Fryer Oatmeal
• What to Serve with Air Fryer Baked Oatmeal
• Tips for the Best Air Fryer Baked Oatmeal
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

Although I was late to jump on the air fryer train, ever since we got one, I've been making up for lost time!

From using it for roasted red peppers, vegetable chips and more, it gets used multiple times each week.

So it only made sense that I would use it for my week day breakfast.

I've been on a baked oats kick lately (chocolate and cinnamon are my faves!) and while I love them, I don't love waiting for the oven to preheat in the morning.

Which got me thinking about using the air fryer instead. And what a game-changer!

I'm sure you'll love these air fried "baked" oats as much as me because they're:

• Quick and Easy. No need to preheat the oven! Simply mix or blend all of the ingredients, pour into a ramekin and then pop them in the air fryer. (For an even quicker option, try these Microwave Baked Oats).
• Fluffy, Cake-like Texture. Reminiscent of cake, these oats turn out moist and fluffy for an exciting breakfast or satisfying snack.
• Wholesome. With how decadent they seem, you'll be surprised that they are made with wholesome ingredients, naturally sweetened with maple syrup, gluten-free (if using certified gluten free oats), dairy-free and contain 22 grams of protein.
• Customizable. I've included base recipes for vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate baked oats which you can further customize with nut butter, mix-ins and extracts for all sorts of variations.
• Single Serving. This recipe makes just one serving for a convenient, quick and easy meal for one (as do most of these upgraded oatmeal recipes).

The Ingredients

• Rolled Oats- Large flake or quick oats will work for this recipe. Use certified gluten-free if you need the recipe to be GF. Steel cut oats will not work.
• Protein Powder- I like to include a bit of pea protein isolate or brown rice protein (those are the ones that I have tested this with) to make this recipe more filling. If you'd prefer, you can replace it with additional oats instead.
• Water or Milk- Only a quarter cup of liquid provides enough moisture. It is imperative that you don't add too much of the oats won't turn out cakey. I usually use water since it is such a small amount but any milk of choice will work as well.
• Egg- Adds some extra protein and helps to bind the baked oats. For vegan air fryer oats, you can replace with an additional ¼ cup of water.
• Maple Syrup- Adjust to your desired sweetness. If needed, you can replace with any sweetener of choice (see this list of Maple Syrup Substitutes).
• Baking Powder- The key ingredients for giving the oats lift in order to have a light, cakey texture. For best results, make sure that yours is fresh.
• Sea Salt- Just a touch balances out the flavors.
• Vanilla Extract, Ground Cinnamon or Cocoa- Depending on the flavor that you are making, you'll use one of these.

The Method

1. Mix. Add all of the ingredients to a high powered blended and blend on high until smooth.

Or, for unblended oats, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined.

2. Bake. Pour the oat mixture into a lightly greased 10-12 ounce air fryer safe ramekin. Mix in any add-ins if using.

Place the ramekin in the center of your air fryer basket. Air fry at 300 F for 12-18 minutes until set on top. (The bake time will vary depending on your ramekin- a wider ramekin will bake faster. For reference, my 3 inch diameter ramekin took 16 minutes in my Ninja Foodie Air Fryer.)

If yours are browning too fast on the top, you can loosely tent them with tin foil.

3. Rest. Allow the oats to cool for 5 minutes to set.

4. Enjoy!

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Allow air fryer baked oatmeal to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Rewarm in the microwave, in the oven at 325 F for 8-10 minutes or in the air fryer at 300 F for 5-8 minutes.

Make it Your Own

• Include a Nut Butter Center- Spoon a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter into the center of the oatmeal batter before baking for a lava cake-like middle.
• Skip the protein powder- Omit the protein powder and increase the oats to ½ cup for a simpler version.
• Include mix-ins- After blending, stir in 2 tablespoons of your choice of mix-ins such as:
  • chocolate chips
  • chopped nuts
  • berries
  • dried fruit
  • shredded coconut
• Add extracts- Experiment by replacing the vanilla with different extracts such as lemon, almond, or maple for different flavors.

Blended vs Unblended Air Fryer Oatmeal

If you don't have a high powered blended or simply don't want to dirty an extra dish, these air fryer oats can be made without blending as well.

If you decide to skip the blending, you have two options:

1. You can use rolled oats and simply stir everything together. They still turn out pretty cake-y with a bit more oat texture.
2. You can use oat flour (you need ¼ cup packed to replace the ⅓ cup of oats). This will result in oats that look more fluffy as though they have been blended.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Baked Oatmeal

• Greek Yogurt: Use a couple of dollops on top for "frosting" or have a bowl alongside.
• Fruit: Top your air fried oats with sliced bananas, mixed berries or applesauce. Or serve it with a side of fruit salad.
• Nut or Seed Butter: Drizzle some of your favorite nut or seed butter, such as peanut, macadamia or pepita over the oats.
• Seeds and Nuts: Add some texture by sprinkling some roasted nuts or seeds overtop.

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Baked Oatmeal

• Check them Early. Every air fryer is a little different so the first time that you make these, I would check them at the 10 minute mark to get an idea of how fast they are cooking. If the top is starting to brown, you can tent them with aluminum foil.
• But Don't Underbake. The oats should bounce back similar to a muffin when they are done. Underbaking can result in a mushy texture.
• Bake Immediately. Once the ingredients are mixed, air fry the oats immediately. Because the oats soak up liquid as it sits, allowing the mixture to sit for too long before cooking can affect the texture.

And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Chocolate Oatmeal
• Protein Baked Oatmeal Cups
• Flourless Blender Oatmeal Pancakes

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