This pumpkin baked oatmeal with delicious fall flavors and no added sugar is a healthy breakfast that's great for baby led weaning and babies in the finger food stage! Make it ahead for quick BLW morning meals. (gluten-free)

When it comes to breakfast for little ones, I think we can all agree that easy, nutritious, and something they will actually eat are all important most days. This pumpkin baked oatmeal checks all the boxes - it is easy to make ahead and prefect for baby led weaning with it's soft texture and no added sugar. Plus it's made with wholesome ingredients, so you can feel good about feeding it to the smallest of eaters!
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Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Pumpkin baked oatmeal is a delicious make-ahead breakfast that's appropriate for baby led weaning babies and babies in the finger food stage. It's also great for toddlers and adults - a big win when you're feeding a family! It is full of delicious fall spices and loaded with healthy ingredients like vitamin A rich pumpkin, rolled oatmeal and egg. All with no added sugar! If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, you can drizzle a little pure maple syrup on top of your own before eating so that baby's portion stays sugar-free.
What You'll Need
- Canned pumpkin puree - make sure it is pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling
- 100% orange juice - adds natural sweetness
- Milk of your choice - dairy or nondairy work fine, just make sure any nondairy milk is unsweetened
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Spices - pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Rolled oats - also called old fashioned oatmeal, certified gluten-free if necessary
- Pecans or walnuts - optional, for increased allergen exposure (and because they're tasty and nutritious!)
How To Make It
Here is a quick rundown of the recipe. For the full instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Whisk the pumpkin, orange juice, milk, egg and vanilla in a large bowl until well combined.
- Add the oats, spices and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment.
- If using them, chop the walnuts or pecans very finely. You want crumb size pieces. Sprinkle on top of the pumpkin mixture.
- Bake the oatmeal for 25 minutes at 350°F, or until it is set. If you're making muffins, bake for about 20 minutes.
- Let the oatmeal cool to set up before cutting into strips the length of your finger for baby.
Note: The nuts should not be a problem for BLW babies as long as they are chopped VERY finely. You can easily chop them up to crumb size in a food processor. If they make you nervous or you don't like them, simply leave them off.
Recipe Variations
- Muffins: You can make this oatmeal into muffins using a regular-sized muffin tin and silicone muffin liners. Fill about ⅔ full and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Flatter 'fingers': If you want your oatmeal fingers to be flat more like a pancake, you can use a square 8x8 inch dish. Decrease the bake time, starting to check for doneness around 15 minutes.
- Dairy-free: Simply use your favorite non-dairy milk in place of regular milk.
- Egg-free: This recipe should work just fine with a flax or chia "egg."
- No pumpkin pie spice? Use an extra ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, plus ¼ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and ginger.
Storage and Reheating
Store baked oatmeal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simply microwave a couple of pieces for 30-45 seconds on a microwave-safe plate. You can also reheat in the oven or toaster oven if you'd like. Always check the temperature before serving to baby! You can also serve cold, if you prefer.
How To Serve Baked Oatmeal for Baby Led Weaning
Serve this baked oatmeal in 'fingers' the length and width of an adult finger or two for easy grasping by the youngest of BLW-ers. If your little one has a pincer grasp, you can cut it into small, bite-sized pieces and let baby pick it up or practice with a baby fork. Add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt for extra protein and you've got a super easy breakfast!
For more recipe ideas and ways to serve pumpkin, check out: How To Serve Pumpkin For Baby Led Weaning
Track your baby's journey through starting solids! Get my 100 First Foods Checklist and Allergen Checklist Bundle today!
Baby Led Weaning Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal (No Added Sugar)
This pumpkin baked oatmeal with delicious fall flavors and no added sugar is a healthy breakfast that's great for baby led weaning and babies in the finger food stage! Make it ahead for quick BLW morning meals. (gluten-free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: about 7 oatmeal 'fingers' 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- ⅓ cup 100% orange juice
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten free if necessary)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp pecans or walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan 9x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, orange juice, milk, egg and vanilla until well combined.
- Add oats, spices and baking powder and whisk until combined.
- Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan.
- If using pecans or walnuts, finely chop them until they are the size of crumbs or smaller. You can easily do this with a food processor if you're doing a large amount at once. Sprinkle on top of the pumpkin mixture.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until the center is set.
- Remove from the oven and cool to set up before lifting the parchment to remove from the pan.
- Once cooled, cut into 'fingers' the length and width of 1-2 adult fingers.
Notes
- Muffins: You can make this oatmeal into muffins using a regular-sized muffin tin and silicone muffin liners. Fill about ⅔ full and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Flatter 'fingers': If you want your oatmeal fingers to be flat more like a pancake, you can use a square 8x8 inch dish. Decrease the bake time, starting to check for doneness around 15 minutes.
- Dairy-free: Simply use your favorite non-dairy milk in place of regular milk.
- Egg-free: This recipe should work just fine with a flax or chia "egg."
- No pumpkin pie spice? Use an extra ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, plus ¼ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and ginger.
- Extra sweetness: For adults and older kiddos, feel free to add a drizzle of pure maple syrup before eating.
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