Cozy baked oatmeal meets apple crisp: tender spiced apples folded into creamy cinnamon oats, crowned with a buttery oat streusel and finished with a maple drizzle. It tastes like fall in a bowl.
1Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
2Brown 4 tablespoons of the butter: melt it in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling, until foamy and golden-brown with a nutty smell, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl to stop the cooking and let cool for 5 minutes.
3In a large bowl, whisk the milk, applesauce, eggs, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Stir in 2 cups of the oats, the diced apples, and the cooled brown butter until combined.
4Make the crisp topping: in a small bowl, toss the remaining 1/2 cup oats, the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter with your fingers until crumbly, then toss in the pecans.
5Pour the oat mixture into the dish and spread it even; sprinkle the topping over it. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until deeply golden and the center is set (a knife inserted in the center comes out clean).
6Rest for 10 minutes, then drizzle with maple syrup and serve warm. Leftovers reheat beautifully — a splash of milk wakes them right up.
Recipe Lineage
The family tree of this recipe — trace every fork back to the original.