This German Chocolate Cake Baked Oatmeal is deceptively decadent and delicious, featuring shredded coconut, pecans and bittersweet chocolate. It's perfect for a brunch with family and friends yet wholesome enough to serve to kids on a busy school day.
Breakfast is certainly one of the busiest meals in our household. Someone is always rushing, late for work or school, getting the dog out for a walk, making sure lunches are packed and getting ourselves dressed and out the door. Who has time for a hearty breakfast? That is where meal prep comes in handy!
Baked oatmeal is one of our favorite meal prep breakfasts. It is simple to make (and difficult to mess up), versatile, and tastes delicious warm, at room temperature or cold. I like to make one on Sunday then cut into portions, store in the refrigerator, and enjoy throughout the first part of the week. This German Chocolate Cake Baked Oatmeal takes everything we love about German Chocolate Cake (the coconut, pecans and chocolate), and brings it to our breakfast table in a hearty baked oat. If you are looking for more baked oatmeal recipes, try our Peanut Butter and Jam Baked Oatmeal or our Chocolate Baked Oatmeal.
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Ingredients that Matter
Like most baked oatmeal, this recipe features a handful of pantry ingredients. Here are the ingredients you'll need for this recipe:
- Rolled Oats. Simple old fashioned rolled oats are the main ingredient of this recipe. Be sure to purchase a gluten-free oat if you are making this recipe gluten free.
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. German chocolate cake is defined largely by the combination of coconut and pecans along with chocolate, of course. I recommend using unsweetened coconut to avoid an overly sweet baked oatmeal.
- Pecans. Chopped pecans add a nutty and savory element to the recipe. I like to keep a bag of whole pecans in the freezer and chop them myself for the freshest flavor.
- Cocoa Powder. Using cocoa powder adds tons of chocolate flavor to the baked oatmeal without adding more sugar. Cocoa powder is intensely chocolatey, so a little goes a long way.
- Maple Syrup. The baked oatmeal gets much of its sweetness from maple syrup. You could swap in honey, granulated sugar, or even brown sugar if you prefer.
- Eggs. Adding a couple eggs binds the baked oatmeal into a cohesive casserole. Swap in a couple vegan (chia or flax) eggs to make this recipe vegan.
- Coconut Milk. To emphasize the coconut flavor, the recipe uses coconut milk as the main liquid. You can use regular milk or a plant-based milk of your choice.
- Coconut Oil. Like the coconut milk, coconut oil adds a distinct coconut flavor. If you want a tamer coconut flavor, use regular oil or even melted butter.
- Vanilla Extract. A splash of vanilla extract adds a pleasant flavor to the baked oatmeal. You won't necessarily notice a strong vanilla flavor, but you would likely miss it if you leave it out.
- Baking Powder. Adding a bit of baking powder gives baked oatmeal a light and airy texture. It's not quite cake, of course, but without baking powder the baked oats would be pretty dense.
- Bittersweet Chocolate. A couple ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate sprinkled over the top of the baked oatmeal provides little pockets of gooey, delicious melted chocolate. Use a vegan chocolate to make this recipe dairy-free or vegan.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This German Chocolate Cake Baked Oatmeal comes together in just a few minutes. Here is how you make this recipe.
Stir together the oats, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
Whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, maple, vanilla and coconut milk in a medium bowl or measuring cup until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients to the baking dish. Stir in shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
Sprinkle the chopped chocolate on top of the oats. Bake in a 350F oven until firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the oats comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with more shredded coconut. Cool at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with more coconut and chopped pecans.
Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the baked oatmeal to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also cut it into portions after it cools and place into individual containers.
Substitutions
This recipe is quite simple to adjust based on your dietary needs and restrictions:
- Gluten-Free - To make this recipe gluten-free be sure to use gluten free rolled oats. Not all rolled oats are gluten free (as they may be packaged in a facility that also processes wheat products). While the other ingredients are already gluten-free, double check the labels of the coconut milk and chocolate to ensure they are also gluten-free.
- Dairy-Free - This recipe is easy to make dairy-free! Simply use a plant-based chocolate bar or chips. The other ingredients are already dairy-free.
- Vegan - To make this recipe vegan, swap out the eggs for a couple chia or flax eggs. And be sure you use a plant-based chocolate bar or chips.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is delicious as is, but it also tastes wonderful with the addition of berries. Here are some other serving suggestions:
- Yogurt - Add a big spoonful of plain yogurt on top of the baked oatmeal. Be sure to use a plant-based yogurt if making this recipe vegan. To make the yogurt extra special, stir in some extra shredded coconut and cocoa powder.
- Whipped Cream - Sometimes for special occasions I like to serve this recipe with whipped cream. Add a splash of coconut milk to the cream to make a coconut scented whipped cream.
- Banana - Serve the baked oatmeal with some slices of fresh banana to balance the rich flavor of the chocolate.
Equipment
This recipe only requires some mixing bowls and a whisk, plus a baking vessel. I suggest an 8-inch square baking dish, like this beautiful blue dish (pictured) from Bennington Potters or this Le Creuset Stoneware Heritage Square Baking Dish.
Storage
This recipe is great for meal prep! Simply store leftover baked oatmeal in an airtight container and enjoy for breakfast for up to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing this baked oatmeal.
Consider doubling this recipe and baking in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish if you want bigger portions or are feeding more people.
Fun Fact
Did you know German Chocolate Cake does NOT originate from Germany? It actually originates from America and is named after the baker Samuel German, who developed a coconut, pecan and chocolate cake.
FAQ
Baked oatmeal can be a very healthy breakfast, so long as it's not loaded with added sugar. The benefit of making homemade baked oatmeal is you can control the added sugar and fat.
Baked oats (or baked oatmeal) is a casserole-style dish made with rolled oats, eggs, milk and various flavorings. The dish is baked until set and enjoyed warm, cold, or room temperature. Oatmeal is a cereal-style grain consisting of oats cooked in water or milk until tender.
Related
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Dinner Ideas
Need something to make for dinner? Try these recipes:
Print
Recipe
German Chocolate Cake Baked Oatmeal
- Total Time: 45 min.
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
This German Chocolate Cake Baked Oatmeal is deceptively decadent and delicious, featuring shredded coconut, pecans and bittersweet chocolate. It's perfect for a brunch with family and friends yet wholesome enough to serve to kids on a busy school day.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for serving
- ½ cup chopped pecans, plus more for serving
- 2 large eggs
- â…“ cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (or melted butter, regular oil, etc.)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk (or regular milk or plant-based milk alternative)
- 2 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
- Stir together oats, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the prepared baking dish and stir in coconut and pecans.
- Whisk together eggs, maple, coconut oil and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Slowly add in coconut milk while continuing to whisk. Pour mixture over oats and stir to combine. Sprinkle bittersweet chocolate on top and bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle more coconut on top. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with more coconut and pecans.
Notes
- Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To make this recipe vegan, swap out the eggs for a couple flax or chia eggs and ensure the chocolate is plant-based.
- Make this recipe dairy-free by using a plant-based chocolate bar or chips.
- If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free rolled oats.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 25 min.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Cynthia says
Hi Adam,
this recipe sounds delicious (GCC is my favorite dessert). I will make as written, but if I wanted to swap out the maple syrup for sugar would it be the same measurement?
Thank-you,
Cynthia
Adam Dolge says
Hi Cynthia!
You should be able to substitute regular sugar on a 1 to 1 ratio, so 1/3 cup of sugar will work. You could also cut it down to 1/4 cup of regular sugar if you want it slightly less sweet. Let me know how it turns out!