Date Caramel Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

It’s here, Date Caramel Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal and so much better than the one I teased you with on my Instagram that people were wanting the recipe for. Oatmeal continues to be a staple and baked oatmeal and oatmeal cake is up at the top since Baby G wants oatmeal just as much as his mama! Making baked oatmeal is much easier than giving him a bowl of oatmeal, well usually but when it’s not it’s worth it.

A couple weeks ago I set out to make one inspired by one of my favorite snacks, nut butter stuffed dates. I got a lot of messages and requests but I just wasn’t 100% feeling it. I mean don’t get me wrong what I posted was good but it wasn’t exactly as I hoped. I had blended the dates in that batch and while it made for delicious date sweetened oatmeal the nut butter inside got lost. Than I omitted the dates and topped it with nut butter but it still wasn’t hitting me with the date flavor I was hoping for.

I decided I needed to add my date caramel and I honestly thought the first batch was a bit messy, well if you want to take on the go, but my husband and A said they loved it and not to change it. I was like I’ll keep it all the same but I think I’ll swirl in the date caramel in the middle and I was told NO. Well than I guess I have no choice but to listen. I mean it was delicious I was just trying to make it easier to take on the go. Only that really doesn’t happen and I guess I’m ok with that.

Unlike my oatmeal cakes I’ve been sharing this is made with ground oats and whole oats and is very dense and thick! There are a few ways I like to enjoy it, one being warmed up with warm milk poured over and it brings back memories of grandma’s bread pudding. It’s so good, thick and dense but not dry. I also like to enjoy it with a little nut butter over top, and sometimes I do both. I just can’t get enough and that’s ok because after getting the girls to school Baby G and I finally sit down for breakfast and it’s something we can both enjoy so lately I make a couple batches a week. Then we’re back to waffles and pancakes on the weekends, but I don’t know if I should have said that out loud as I don’t want to jinx it.

Even sourdough has taken a backseat this month to baked oatmeal, yep you know it’s real love! Or maybe just that things have been a little crazy or I keep forgetting to feed sourdough or start it in the morning.

Baked oatmeal is suppose to be an easier and cleaner way for Baby G to eat oatmeal, only in this case not so much. It’s ok it’s worth a little mess and I figure he’s just getting ready for his smash cake (all the tears just thinking it’s less than 2 months away) since his both of his sisters wanted nothing to do with theirs.

Even with the date caramel this baked oatmeal is really simple to make, not to mention healthy and delicious! The date caramel is really easy to make, you just blend it up. It really takes this Date Caramel Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal to the next level. The baked oatmeal isn’t sweet, only a little banana (don’t worry if you aren’t a banana fan you don’t really taste it) and not added sugar. I do add chocolate chips but I use Lily’s No Sugar Added (Stevia Sweetened) Dark Chocolate Chips or Hu Simply Dark Chocolate which uses no refined sugar. Both are dairy free and vegan and can be found at Whole Foods and Amazon. You can also shop on the Hu website and use code MISSWHISK to save 15% (affiliated link/code). So all the sweetness is in the date caramel, trust me it’s worth it and really sweetens the morning.

Like I said still packed with whole sum goodness! I feel like a broken record talking about how good oats are, and flax seed, and all the other ingredients packed in this pan but for good reason. Even when I’m done breastfeeding these will be staple foods in our every day lives just like they have been for years.

Not that it’s just for breakfast because when we have a pan of Date Caramel Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal in the house I eat a piece for a snack before heading to barre in the afternoon/evening.

If you missed it I shared a couple changes that might be coming to A Whisk and Two Wands and would love to hear what kind of recipes you want to see or what you come looking for. I’m hoping to share more of the families recipes, some of Baby G’s recipes I keep getting requests for, and of course Meatless Monday recipes. If you’re looking for smoothies (use to post at least one a week), quick breakfasts, customizable family meals, whatever it is I’d love to hear drop it below! If it’s something we make in our house or I can help with I’ll make sure to add it to our list. Making so many things I only post a small percentage but if there’s something people want to see I’ll get it here instead of just over on Instagram Stories which I’m going to try to get back to keeping up.

Thank you for joining Deborah and me, I hope you join us and look forward to what’s cooking in your kitchen!

Print Recipe

Date Caramel Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Date Caramel Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal is simple yet an indulging healthy treat and great to make ahead to make mornings easier, and a little sweeter! Simple whole food ingredients it's gluten free, with a vegan option, that the whole family will love.

Course

Breakfast, Snacks

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Servings

servings (8x8 or 9x9 pan)

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

• 3 c rolled oats
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed (omit if using flax eggs)
• 2 1/4 c unsweetened non dairy milk (Good Karama Unsweetened Flaxmilk)
• 1 medium banana mashed (about 1/3-1/2c mashed)
• 2 large eggs, or sub flax eggs*
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 oz chopped chocolate, 1/3c chocolate chips plus more for topping, optional (Hu Simple Dark Chocolate Bar, Lily's Dark Chocolate Chips)

Date Caramel

• 8 Medjool dates, (soaked hot water for 10 minutes)
• 1/3 c dairy free creamer, or Rebbl* (see notes)
• 3 TBSP coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 c pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBSP hot water

Course Breakfast, Snacks Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Servings servings (8x8 or 9x9 pan) Ingredients Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal 3 c rolled oats 2 TBSP ground flaxseed (omit if using flax eggs) 2 1/4 c unsweetened non dairy milk (Good Karama Unsweetened Flaxmilk) 1 medium banana mashed (about 1/3-1/2c mashed) 2 large eggs, or sub flax eggs* 1 tsp cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 2 oz chopped chocolate, 1/3c chocolate chips plus more for topping, optional (Hu Simple Dark Chocolate Bar, Lily's Dark Chocolate Chips) Date Caramel 8 Medjool dates, (soaked hot water for 10 minutes) 1/3 c dairy free creamer, or Rebbl* (see notes) 3 TBSP coconut palm sugar 1/4 c pure maple syrup 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste 3/4 tsp cinnamon 2 TBSP hot water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven the 350F.
2. Soak dates in very hot, or boil, water for 10 minutes while preparing the baked oatmeal.
3. If using flax eggs also prepare them now.
4. Grind half, 1 1/2 cups, of oats to a flour texture.
5. Pulse in ground flaxseed (unless using flax eggs), cinnamon, baking powder, salt with the oats.
6. Stir in the remaining whole oats with the dry mixture.
7. In a large bowl mash bananas with a fork, or you can add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and blend the banana and other wet ingredients.
8. Add non dairy milk and eggs to the banana.
9. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together and add in chocolate.
10. Set aside while preparing the date caramel.
11. Reserve 2 tablespoons of hot water before drain the dates and remove pits.
12. In a blender, or food processor, add pitted dates, creamer, coconut palm sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and hot water until smooth.
13. Spray an 8x8 or 9x9 with non stick spray (coconut oil) and line with parchment paper (optional).
14. Give the oatmeal one last stir and pour into the prepared pan.
15. Spoon and spread date mixture over the top of the oats.
16. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, 30-35 mins for a 9x9 pan and 35-38 minutes for a 8x8 pan.
17. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little additional chocolate if desired.
18. Let cool at least 15 minutes before enjoying!
19. Enjoy warm or cold, topped with nut butter and or warm milk.

Recipe Notes

*I like to use Silk Oatmilk Snickerdoodle Creamer or REBBL Vanilla Spice Protein Elixir
Brown sugar can be used in place of coconut sugar.

The Date Caramel, and chocolate, add the sweetness but if you'd like the oatmeal base sweeter or want to add protein I like to use Ripple Vanilla Plantbased Protein Milk (what I use when not adding the date topping).

You can purchase coconut sugar at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Target, your local supermarket, or online.

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