Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal

Warm, gooey, & unbelievably bready—this healthy cinnamon roll oatmeal bake tastes like the center of a slightly-undercooked cinnamon bun! Incredibly comforting but not overly sweet, even with that crave-able glaze drizzled on top. Customize with walnuts, raisins, or your favorite mix-ins! Learn how to make cinnamon roll baked oatmeal with rolled oats & a simple cream cheese glaze.

Check out more of the Best Baked Oatmeal Recipes, or try my Easy No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls!

What is a cinnamon roll oatmeal bake?

Cinnamon roll baked oatmeal is like a fluffy oatmeal casserole filled with cinnamon roll-inspired flavors. Rich cream cheese, brown sugar, and plenty of cinnamon—with crunchy raisins & walnuts mixed in. And of course, topped with a sweet glaze! Unlike a cinnamon roll pastry, this healthy oatmeal bake is more like a bowl of oatmeal, baked in the oven. An easy, low-stress breakfast made with nutritious whole grains!

Healthy Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal Ingredients

• Rolled Oats. In this or any oatmeal bake recipe, you can’t use quick-cooking oats instead of rolled oats—because quick oats will turn to mush. Steel cut oats also aren’t a suitable substitute in this recipe because they require longer to cook.
• Baking Powder. Adds a bready, pastry-like fluffiness!
• Cinnamon & Salt. A classically comforting flavor combo for this cinnamon roll oatmeal bake.
• Egg. Use 1 egg to bind the batter together, or 1 flax egg to keep the recipe eggless.
• Cream Cheese. Softened cream cheese adds some rich, tangy, creamy goodness to this breakfast bake—much like a classic cinnamon roll! If needed, substitute for cream cheese with 1 additional egg.
• Milk of Choice. I like to use dairy milk in this recipe, but any non-dairy milk will work as well.
• Light Brown Sugar. Adds a crave-able, caramelized sweetness that’s reminiscent of a baked pastry! If needed, substitute with coconut sugar, maple syrup, or honey.
• Butter. Butter (or coconut oil) has saturated fats that help to create a light, tender texture—plus it adds some comforting flavor. You can omit this and the recipe will still work, although the texture won’t be as fluffy.
• Vanilla Extract. Tie all these flavors together by adding a dash of vanilla.
• Walnuts & Raisins. A lovable crunchy-chewy combo! Feel free to customize your baked oats with your favorite mix-ins—or try another flavor altogether, like carrot cake or peanut butter banana baked oatmeal!
• Cream Cheese Glaze. Optional, but highly recommended. Drizzle your cinnamon roll baked oatmeal with a simple glaze, and you’ll be amazed at how much it tastes like an ACTUAL cinnamon roll! All you need to make the glaze is cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk.

Substitutions for Vegan Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal

Making this recipe vegan requires a number of substitutions, but it is possible! Instead of butter in the casserole, use coconut oil. Substitute for the 1 egg + 2oz cream cheese with 2 flax eggs, or with ½ cup mashed banana, applesauce, pumpkin puree, or sweet potato puree. Finally, either skip the cream cheese glaze or try making a vegan version using non-dairy cream cheese.

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Baked Oats

1. Use a 1.5-quart or 2-quart baking dish. Either an 8-inch round baking dish or 9×9-inch square pan can work for this cinnamon roll oatmeal bake, which yields 5-6 servings. For a larger 9×13 casserole that yields 10-12 servings, double the recipe amounts and bake 10-15 additional minutes.
2. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine and bake. It’s important to wait to add the dry oat mixture into the wet milk mixture until just before baking. Soaking the raw oats in the liquid too long beforehand can lead to a mushy texture after baking! Either bake the dish straightaway, or keep the dry and wet mixtures separate until you’re ready to do so.
3. Bake cinnamon roll oatmeal at 350°F (180°C) for 40-50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and crisp. You’ll know it’s done baking when a knife comes out mostly clean—it shouldn’t be soggy.
4. Drizzle on glaze before serving. After cooling for about 10 minutes, finish your cinnamon roll casserole with a sweet cream cheese glaze for maximum deliciousness! The glaze is highly recommended but totally optional, and your breakfast bake will be scrumptious with or without it.

How to Make Cream Cheese Glaze

This glaze is like an easy DIY icing you can whip up in under 5 minutes! Just add softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla to a bowl and beat with a hand mixer. Once smooth, beat in powdered sugar until it’s integrated, then beat in a splash of milk at a time. When the texture is thick but drizzle-able to your liking, glaze your cinnamon roll oatmeal bake and enjoy! I used a squeeze bottle, or you can drizzle it on with a spoon.

Watch how to make this cinnamon roll oatmeal bake & glaze in my Baked Oatmeal 7 Ways video!

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

• Storage: Refrigerate cinnamon roll baked oatmeal for 4-7 days. Once it’s completely cooled, you can cover and store the whole casserole in its dish. Or, cut it into smaller portions and store them in airtight containers or wrapped in plastic.
• Freezing: You can also freeze baked oats for 3 months! If you plan to freeze this cinnamon roll oatmeal bake, I would skip the glaze and wait to add it until the time of reheating. Whether you’re freezing an entire casserole or individual portions, make sure your storage containers are freezer-safe.
• Reheating: To reheat a whole casserole, bake it in the oven for 15-20 minutes (or longer if frozen) at 350°F (180°C). With individual portions, you can reheat in the oven or toaster oven for 5-10 minutes, or in the microwave for 1-1½ minutes. (For the best texture, I recommend thawing frozen individual portions in the fridge overnight before reheating.)

How can I make cinnamon roll baked oats ahead of time?

For meal prep, you have two options: (1) Bake the casserole, let it cool, then store as desired in the fridge or freezer. (2) Store the dry ingredients in a sealed container, and the wet ingredients in separate container in the fridge—then wait to combine them, fold in mix-ins, and bake the next morning.