Baking with cranberries is a post-Thanksgiving tradition, mostly because I usually buy a 2/$7 pack and then stare at the pounds of unused cranberries in my fridge. This year, I didn’t buy two packs, but I still had leftover cranberries after making an apple cranberry crisp for dessert. I considered making muffins, as I have done several times in years past, but this morning, I decided to take a different route and make this cranberry orange baked oatmeal.

I’m sooooo happy I pivoted. Don’t get me wrong: Muffins are great, and they’ve served me well in years past. But this year, it snowed the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and I woke up today (Sunday) and craved something warm and comforting, especially before I go outside and brush the snow and ice off my car, which is maybe in my top .003% most hated activities of all time.

This is the kind of dish I love baking because it comes together super quickly, so if you stumble out of bed, make coffee, and attempt to start things half awake, it still turns out okay. Actually, it turns out better than okay, because with minimal effort, you can eat something that tastes like a rustic bed and breakfast in the woods made it for you with cranberries they harvested two days ago. Maybe that’s a stretch, but that’s how it felt to me.

If you’re a fan of super sweet baked oatmeal, you could dial up the sugar in this a little, but I found 1/2 cup of maple syrup to be plenty. You can also add more to the mix like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even cacao nibs, if you’re feeling so inclined. I tend to be a purist when it comes to combining fruit in baked goods, but I’m all for getting creative if you want.

I can’t wait to enjoy this for the next few days for breakfast with bottomless cups of coffee. Until then, I’ll leave you with this song, and the recipe.

Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups milk (any kind)
1 large egg
3 Tbsp melted butter or neutral oil (I used avocado oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 whole orange
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8×8 pan.

Combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the milk, egg, oil/butter, vanilla extract, orange zest, and maple syrup. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the cranberries with a spatula.

Pour the mixture in your prepared baking dish and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the top is set, slightly bounces back to the touch, and is golden brown. Serve with more maple syrup, some yogurt, or just by itself. Enjoy!