Healthy Almond Joy Baked Oatmeal

This healthy almond joy baked oatmeal is vegan, gluten free, easy to make, and downright delicious. Filled with nutritious ingredients, it’s a perfect make ahead breakfast option.

This healthy almond joy baked oatmeal recipe is such a breakfast treat. Filled with almonds, coconut, and chocolate chips, the flavor is reminiscent of one of my favorite candies – Almond Joy! It’s not too sweet, filling, and satisfying, plus easy to make and perfect for meal prepping.

As a Registered Dietitian, I love to create healthy breakfast recipes because there are so many benefits to eating breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast in the morning can increase your energy levels, improve concentration, and aid with weight management.

An ideal breakfast will have both dietary fiber and protein to keep you full for at least a few hours. This healthy almond joy baked oatmeal has both, plus plenty of healthy fats for the ultimate filling and satisfying morning meal. It’s vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and soy free, so it’s suitable for those with many dietary restrictions. It tastes great on it’s own, but is the perfect vehicle for Greek yogurt or a drizzle of your favorite nut butter.

Ingredients in healthy almond joy baked oatmeal

Here are all the ingredients you will need to make this baked oatmeal recipe:

• Ground flaxseed– mixed with water, ground flax seed works as a vegan egg replacement to bind this baked oatmeal recipe.
• Old fashioned rolled oats
• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• Dark chocolate chips
• Toasted almonds
• Maple syrup
• Banana or applesauce
• Almond milk
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Baking powder

Ingredient substitutions and tips

I do not recommend using steel cut oats in place of old fashioned oats, because it will change the texture and cook time. You may have success using quick oats, although the texture may change a bit.

I made this baked oatmeal with mashed banana to add natural sweetness and binding properties to the recipe. It does have a very slight banana flavor, so if you do not like the taste of banana, you can use half a cup of applesauce instead.

You can use regular egg instead of the ground flaxseed egg replacement in this recipe, but it will no longer be vegan.

You can use a different liquid sweetener instead of maple syrup, such as honey or agave. The flavor may change slightly but won’t affect the recipe significantly.

Oats nutrition benefits

Oats are a very healthy whole grain food to include in your diet with various health benefits. One cup of cooked oatmeal provides:

• 4 grams of dietary fiber
• 6 grams of plant-based protein
• An excellent source of iron, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B-6
• A good source of magnesium

About half of the fiber in oats comes from soluble fiber. This type of fiber is particularly beneficial because it can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. Aim to get at least 5-10 grams of soluble fiber a day to reap these cholesterol-lowering benefits. Other good food sources of soluble fiber include beans, avocado, pears, and apples.

Almonds nutrition benefits

Almonds are a highly nutrient dense food with many health benefits. One ounce of almonds (about 24 whole almonds) has:

• 3.5 grams of dietary fiber
• 6 grams of plant-based protein
• 14 grams of fat
• An excellent source of Vitamin E

It’s important to note that while almonds are a high-fat food, most of the fat in almonds is healthy monounsaturated fat. A diet high in monounsaturated fat can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as it specifically can lower LDL cholesterol.

Flax nutrition benefits

Flaxseeds pack a big nutrition punch! Just one tablespoon of ground flax has:

• 1.3 grams of plant-based protein
• 2 grams of dietary fiber
• 1,597 mg of omega-3 fatty acids

Flaxseeds are one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat is essential in our diets because human bodies are unable to make it ourselves. Omega-3 fatty acids help fight inflammation and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Flaxseed nutrition tip: When eating flaxseeds, it’s best to grind them up because our bodies are better able to absorb the nutrients in ground flax. You can use a food processor, blender, or spice grinder to grind flax.

How to make healthy almond joy baked oatmeal

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ground flax and warm water to form a flax egg replacement. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken up to a gel like consistency.
2. Add the other wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir it all up to combine. Then, add the dry ingredients and mix again.
3. Stir in the chocolate chips and toasted almonds. Transfer the mixture to a 7×10 ceramic baking dish sprayed with oil.
4. Bake in the oven until just set. Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice into 6 baked oatmeal squares. Serve right away or store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
5. You can enjoy this healthy baked oatmeal recipe warm or cold – it tastes great either way! To reheat, just pop a baked oatmeal square in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

More healthy baked oatmeal recipes to try

• Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
• Banana Baked Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips
• Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal with Chocolate Chips
• Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cups

Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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