This gingerbread oatmeal combines all of the holiday flavors you love, into a wholesome Christmas morning breakfast!
Just so everyone is aware and prepared, I am about to go H.A.M. on holiday recipes. This is my absolute favorite time of year, and my absolute favorite season for cooking. So YEAH. DEAL WITH IT. Just kidding, but seriously…
Let’s talk about tradition.
As I have grown over the past 23 years (soon to be 24, ~*holla*~), I have partaken in my family’s holiday traditions. Now that I am in my early twenties, my sister is married, my cousins are growing up, I am witnessing our traditions evolve. All of our lives are changing, but we have not let go of what we cherish the most, and that’s the time we spend together. It may be at a different location, for a different amount of time, a different meal, a different sequence of events, as long as we have the opportunity to be together, I will always chalk that up as W.
Our usual tradition, for 20+ years, has been as follows: me, my parents, and my sister drive down to Miami to stay at my grandparents’ house. Everybody gathers at their house on Christmas Eve for a big Nochebuena celebration (Christmas Eve in many Hispanic cultures, we happen to be of Cuban descent) which features a giant feast (including a whole roasted pig), great music, dancing, Christmas cookie decorating, and lots of laughter. It has always been the most-looked-forward-to event in my years. Last year was a bit different, as I was only allowed Christmas Day off from work. I didn’t get to see my family for either Thanksgiving nor Christmas, so this holiday season has been very much anticipated.
On Christmas Day, we wake up early to exchange gifts at my grandparents’ house. Just me, my sister, parents and grandparents. Then, we get dressed up and go to Christmas morning mass. Every single year. This means that I have to scarf down something for breakfast before church, or else I just may pass out and die. Dramatic, yes. True, probably.
That’s when baked oatmeal comes into the picture.
Anything that you can make the night before, whip out the morning of, heat up while you open gifts, eat before church, or whatever your Christmas morning tradition entails, is perfection in my book.
One flavor that is synonymous with this time of year is gingerbread. My sister, cousins and I used to always decorate gingerbread houses during Nochebuena. This year, I’m using it in a completely different way: encompassing it into a breakfast dish that I so wholeheartedly love. It’s almost like eating pie for breakfast. Except it’s oatmeal… and it’s healthy and not pie.
[Tweet “Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal. It’s like a gingerbread house but not.”]
- 2 cups oats (whichever cute you prefer)
- 1 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (or coconut sugar, refined sugar, your choice)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a small baking dish. I used 7×9 dish.
- Add ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes. Check after 30 minutes – insert a knife into the oatmeal. If it comes out clean, it is finished.
- Enjoy sprinkled with cinnamon and sprinkles, because WHY NOT!
[Tweet “Your favorite holiday cookie, in baked oatmeal”]
Pin it for later!
Join the conversation:
What is your family’s holiday tradition?
What is your favorite food to indulge in during this season?
Amanda Elizabeth - Meet at the Barre says
Not only does that look delicious and pretty but I love the family story behind the recipe. It makes it that much more special 😉
The Blissful Balance says
Aww thanks Amanda! I will cherish these memories forever.
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen says
Aw your fam traditions sound like the best!! As my brothers and sisters and parents gets older, I find now more than ever I want to create traditions that last a lifetime. I definitely cherish our family time around the holidays too. It is definitely that one time of year where we set a side the excuses, and we JUST GET TOGETHER, no matter what. Can’t wait to be back home with them in a few weeks
The Blissful Balance says
Exactly! It’s such a special time, I look forward to it all year
Emily Weir says
I love hearing about family traditions! Decorating Christmas cookies is one of my favorite traditions in our family as well, it’s just getting more and more difficult to find a time to do it now that we’re older and so busy. This recipe looks delicious though! Can’t wait to see the other holiday recipes you post in the next month too.
The Blissful Balance says
I know it’s definitely something to get used to!! Thanks Emily <3
Beverley Cheng says
the sprinkles are the BEST part of this breakfast fo sho. also that is a massive jar of ground ginger hahaha. you could make 100 of these if you wanted.
sadly this is the first year i wont be spending christmas with my family back home!! I will miss everything including opening presents with them and making christmas dinner with my mom
The Blissful Balance says
LOL I know. Target really went for it with the ginger. Oh no you’ll just have to make your own tradition!! Also – FaceTime
Natalie @ A Fit Philosophy says
So festive and looks delicious!! PS, loving that marble slab in the background! Your food photography is on point girl!
Kristin says
This looks delicious!!!! Thank you for sharing!
Kristen says
Ummm this looks amazing! I’m so trying this out!
Pragati // Simple Medicine says
My bff is Cuban and your people know how to party! I grew up celebrating everything with her and the holidays were some of my favorite times
She Rocks Fitness says
I am so grateful for all the food that we have during the holidays and I enjoy it all! We seriously have the same Christmas dinner every year and I look forward to it every year. It is such a beautiful time of year and I cannot wait to do it all over again in a couple of weeks…Where the heck did Thanksgiving go??? XOXO
Sara@ Oats & Rows says
I love learning about other families’ holiday traditions! It sounds like you and your family have such a great time. We do a big Christmas Eve dinner at my parents house and Christmas Day is usually more low key. Ugh, not getting more time off around Christmas is no fun. I have to work Christmas Eve then drive to Maryland right after. It will be a long day, but I can’t wait!
rachel at athletic avocado says
Family traditions and spending quality time with loved ones are what make Christmas so special! My family is big on make-ahead breakfasts too for Christmas morning so we usually make monkey bread the night before and bake it while everyone is opening gifts! This oatmeal would be perfect for Christmas morning, or any morning really! This just feeds into my gingerbread obsession even more!!
Georgie says
Omgosh I can’t believe you were only given Christmas day off?! Cray. As I’ve gotten older I kind of enjoy breaking traditions. Last year I visited my dad and had my first ever Christmas with both him and my sister in London. It might be one of my favorites.
The Blissful Balance says
That’s retail for ya. I was given Thanksgiving day and Christmas day, but was living elsewhere and didn’t have time to travel so that’s why. That sounds like a wonderful time!! <3
Jess @hellotofit says
Over the holidays I indulge in anything that has an ounce of sugar in it 😛 pie, cookies, you name it! This oatmeal would be a nice way to start Christmas Day, or ANY day!!
P.S. I learned what “HAM” stood for a few weeks ago, and I giggled so hard
The Blissful Balance says
Hahah you’re too funny. I indulge in that stuff before during and after the holidays haha oopsss
Serena says
My kids will be so happy when I make this for their lunch! Pinning now!
Marsha says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Elaine @ FoodParsed says
My family never really celebrated the holidays, and I think the most we ever did was go out to Applebess. Baked oatmeal makes such a convenient breakfast, and I look forward to trying the recipe this weekend!
As a side note, I think there’s a typo in the recipe. The Ingredients say “2 cups oats (whichever cute you prefer).”