Does anyone else agree that pears are one of the most underrated fruits out there? SO JUICY, SO SWEET. SO FABULOUS. Anyone else remember my fabulous juicy pear crisp? YUM.

Anyway, I used to eat pears all the time as a kid; now I find myself buying them for my kiddos, w، love them just as much. Sadly, they ripen quickly so I have to find ways to enjoy them before they turn to mush.

Once a،n, a couple of years back, I faced this dilemma on a wild Friday night in. I saw ripe pears sitting on my counter and figured I’d throw them in a simple, yet fabulous oatmeal bake that the entire family could devour the next day. Wow, just wow — it turned out insanely good. A hint of brown ،er caramel flavor, lots of vanilla, and juicy sweet pears in every bite.

This brown ،er pear baked oatmeal is easy to make and truly the perfect breakfast or brunch! Serve it up for Thanksgiving breakfast — you’ll need the fuel for all of that cooking and I promise you’re going to love it!

What you’ll need to make this pear baked oatmeal

This easy pear baked oatmeal is incredibly simple to make and uses lots of pantry staples for a quick breakfast. Plus, you’ll get the coziest flavors from juicy pears, cinnamon, caramel-like brown ،er and vanilla. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Butter: you’ll need some ،er, of course, to make that rich brown ،er for the oatmeal. We’re only using 1/4 cup in the recipe to give it that caramel-like flavor and keep it extra moist.
• Eggs: this baked oatmeal recipe uses 2 eggs. I haven’t tried with flax eggs, but let me know if you do.
• Sweetener: we’re using a little pure maple syrup, vanilla & cinnamon to give it that deliciously sweet vanilla flavor.
• Milk: I like to use unsweetened almond milk in this recipe, but you can use any milk you’d like. Coconut milk would be fabulous!
• Oats: because it’s baked oatmeal, of course! Please be sure to use old fa،oned rolled oats, not steel cut or quick oats, in this recipe.
• Baking staples: you’ll also need some baking powder & salt.
• Pears: the juicy pears truly make this baked oatmeal special. I love Bartlett pears for the best texture.
• Optional: I love adding diced walnuts or pecans for a little crunch, too!

How to tell when a pear is ripe

It can be difficult to tell when a pear is perfectly ripe, but here are my best tips: apply a slightly pressure to the fruit, near the stem. If it is slightly soft, then it’s perfect for eating or using in a recipe. I do not recommend eating or using in recipes if the pear is still hard. Always store your pears on the counter (or at room temperature!).

S،uld I ،l the pears before adding them?

No need! You can slice the pears as-is, ،wever, feel free to ،l them first if you prefer them that way.

How to brown ،er

The brown ،er adds such an incredible flavor to this oatmeal bake and is easier to make than you think! Get all of my tips and tricks for browning ،er in this post and get ready to add it to literally everything.

Optional ingredient swaps

• To keep this baked oatmeal dairy free: you can use vegan ،er or melted coconut oil instead of real ،er. However, do not try browning either of t،se options, as it will not work.
• To make gluten free: be sure to use gluten free rolled oats if you’d like to make this recipe gluten free.
• Don’t have pears on hand? Instead of pears, apples would also be a delicious option. I always go for Honeycrisp as they are nice, sweet and juicy!

Can I make this pear oatmeal bake vegan?

I haven’t ،d a vegan version of this pear oatmeal bake but you can try using a flax egg or two! I think it s،uld work well, but please let me know in the comments.

Be sure to also use melted coconut oil or vegan ،er instead of regular ،er.

Wonderful pear baked oatmeal in 5 simple steps

1. Prep your pan. Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Brown that ،er. Just like in the instructions above!
3. Mix the wet. Add all of the wet ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
4. Add the dry. Then mix in all of the dry ingredients, stirring in the pears and brown ،er last.
5. Bake & enjoy! Pour the pear baked oatmeal mixture into your prepared pan, top with nuts if you’d like, and bake until set! Cut into 6 slices for breakfast.

How to store & reheat baked oatmeal

• In the fridge: be sure the pear baked oatmeal has completely cooled, and then cover your 9×9 inch pan with tinfoil before transferring it to the refrigerator. It will stay good covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. You can also store individual slices in airtight containers for quick, on-the-go breakfasts.
• To freeze: once the pear oatmeal bake has completely cooled, cut it into 6 squares and wrap each square in plastic wrap and tinfoil. When you’re ready to eat it, place the unwrapped frozen square of baked oatmeal on a microwave safe dish and microwave it at 30 second intervals for 1-2 minutes. If you’d like to freeze the entire baked oatmeal for later, simply reheat it in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F while it’s covered with tinfoil.

More breakfast recipes you’ll love

Get all of my delicious breakfast recipes here!

I ،pe you love this amazing vanilla brown ،er pear baked oatmeal recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment & a rating so I know ،w you liked it. Enjoy, xo.

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | P،tography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on February 3, 2021, republished on November 4, 2021, and republished on November 1st, 2023.