1 ¾cupswhole milk(can substitute non-dairy milk if preferred)
2large eggs, beaten
6tbspmelted butter(3 oz)
2tspvanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
3cupsold-fashioned rolled oats
2cupsfresh apples, cored and chopped
½cuppacked brown sugar
½cupwalnuts, chopped
½cupdried cranberries
1tspground cinnamon
¼tspground nutmeg
¼tspground allspice
⅛tspground cloves
½tspsalt
Oatmeal Crumble Topping
½cuprolled oats
½cupchopped walnuts (sub pecans, almonds, or other nuts)
¼cuppacked brown sugar
3tbspbutter, softened(1.5 oz)
½tspground cinnamon
¼tspsalt
Garnish
¼cupdried cranberries
Instructions
Oatmeal Bake Base:
Butter an 8″ casserole or square baking dish. Wash, core, and chop your apples and assemble the other ingredients. If you are baking the oatmeal immediately, begin preheating the oven to 350 ℉.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
Add the spices, salt, oats, chopped nuts, and fruit to the mixed wet ingredients in the large mixing bowl.
Stir everything (except for the crumble top and garnish ingredients) and mix well to combine.
Pour the oatmeal mixture into the buttered baking dish. If you are making this the night before baking it, wrap or cover the dish well and refrigerate it at this point. Otherwise, set it aside while you make the topping.
Crumble Topping:
Make the crispy crumble topping. Combine all the dry ingredients (oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, & salt) in a small to medium mixing bowl. Pour the melted butter over the top and mix until the oats are well coated. You can also make this the night before… cover and refrigerate it as well.
Assemble & Bake:
Gently stir the oatmeal and fruit base mixture. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the surface of the dish.
Bake the oatmeal at 350 ℉ for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly and hot all the way through.
Garnish the top with the rest of the dried cranberries. Let cool for a few minutes and then serve warm.
Notes
Note on Substitutions: You can substitute apple or pumpkin pie spice for the nutmeg, allspice, & cloves.