Keto oatmeal is the perfect breakfast for chilly mornings! This easy baked “oatmeal” is hearty and delicious, and doesn’t contain a single grain of oats or sugar. Best of all, it has only 2.7g of net carbs per serving!
So how long do you think it will take someone to freak out over this keto oatmeal recipe, and start yelling at me that oatmeal isn’t keto?
3…. 2…. 1….
Regular oatmeal certainly isn’t keto friendly. So it’s a good thing that this keto oatmeal recipe doesn’t contain a single flake of oats. No, not even the most minuscule amount. As with all of my keto breakfast recipes, this one is completely grain-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free.
And yet it has the perfect oatmeal-like texture and a rich, hearty maple flavor. You have to try it to believe it!
Why you will love this recipe
Oatmeal by its very definition should contain oats. But oats are quite high in carbs and not something generally recommended on a keto diet.
Still, a warm bowl of oatmeal on a chilly winter morning is hard to beat for comfort food. So I have invented my own way of making a delicious oatmeal substitute that tastes like the real deal.
I use a combination of flaked coconut and sliced almonds, ground to the size of oats. It works like a dream and it’s a trick I’ve used in other recipes as well, most notably my Keto Oatmeal Cookies. Those are a fan favorite!
If this recipe looks a little familiar to some of you, then you probably own a copy of my cookbook, Easy Keto Breakfasts. There are a lot of tasty recipes in that book, but this maple keto oatmeal is one of my favorites. It’s the ultimate breakfast comfort food!
Reader Testimonials
“Oh how I love this oatmeal! I missed oatmeal more than anything when I went keto. Nothing satisfies like a bowl of hot cereal to start the day.” — Annie
“My family LOVES this “oatmeal”. My daughter just informed me that I’m going to have to make it forever now, so don’t lose the recipe! I love your ideas, thanks for sharing them with the rest of us! ❤” — Cathy
“I have made a couple of different versions of Low carb baked oatmeal. This recipe of Carolyn’s is by far the best ever!!! My daughter and granddaughter who don’t follow low carb prefer this over regular oatmeal!” — Lois
Ingredients you need
- Coconut: Use unsweetened flaked coconut, such as Let’s Do Organic. Shredded coconut doesn’t work as well, since it’s smaller to begin with. If that’s all you can find, don’t process it with the almonds. Simply add it in along with the other dry ingredients.
- Almonds: When coarsely ground, sliced almonds have a similar texture to oats. Make sure you aren’t using slivered almonds, as they are much thicker and won’t provide the same consistency.
- Brown sugar replacement: I always prefer Swerve Brown, as it tastes the most like real brown sugar. You can also use granulated erythritol and 2 teaspoons of molasses. This will add only 1g carbs per serving.
- Collagen: Collagen protein, or collagen peptides, is integral to the consistency of this keto oatmeal. It provides a thicker, gooier consistency. Unfortunately, other protein powders like whey or egg white won’t do the same thing.
- Flavoring: I really love maple extract for this baked oatmeal, but you can do other extracts as well. Try vanilla or caramel.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, heavy cream, eggs, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Step-by-step directions
1. Make the “oatmeal”: In a food processor, grind the coconut and almonds until they resemble flakes of oatmeal. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the dry ingredients: Whisk in the sweetener, collagen, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Stir in the wet ingredients: Add the butter, cream, egg, and maple extract and stir until well combined.
4. Bake the oatmeal: Spread the mixture in a greased 1-quart glass or ceramic baking dish and bake at 325ºF 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and the center is mostly set. It should jiggle just slightly when shaken. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe tips and FAQs
Creating your “oatmeal” out of coconut and almonds is the first step, but there are a few other tricks in this recipe to get that soft, gooey baked oatmeal consistency.
Use a food processor
A food processor is the best way to grind the coconut flakes and sliced almonds because you can pulse it quickly. I find that just 3 or 4 pulses are sufficient. I have tried this in my good blender and it works, but tends to get them too fine very quickly.
Use your favorite sweetener
This is a recipe that should work with just about any sweetener. That said, I’ve only used Swerve Granular and Swerve Brown, but it doesn’t rely on those for texture or consistency so it should work with what you prefer most.
Add the collagen
I know I will be asked for substitutes but I have to say, it’s a pretty critical ingredient. It aids in that gooey, creamy consistency that baked oatmeal should have. You can try other protein powders but I honestly cannot say how well they will work.
The baking dish
An important note here: ceramic and metal bake VERY differently. Metal heats up quickly and cools down quickly. Ceramic (and glass) heat up slowly and hold their heat for quite some time out of the oven.
In this case, you want a glass or ceramic baking dish that holds about 1 quart (4 cups) in volume.
Look for the jiggle
This is a recipe you definitely do not want to over-bake. So look for the jiggle in the center. You will have a beautiful golden brown top and the sides should be set. But if you shake the baking dish, the middle should still jiggle slightly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Real oatmeal, made with oats, is not appropriate for keto diets. A a bowl of cooked oatmeal has 27g of carbs and only 4g of fiber. And most people with diabetes see a significant blood sugar spike from consuming it. So you want to avoid oatmeal on keto and low carb diets.
While oats are a big no-no for keto diets, you can enjoy hot cereal that has a similar taste and texture to oatmeal. These are usually made with nuts, coconut, and seeds, and are much lower in carbs and higher in fiber.
This keto baked oatmeal has 5.2g of carbs and 2.5g of fiber. So each ½ cup serving has 2.7g net carbs.
More delicious keto “oatmeal” recipes
- Carmelitas
- Keto Breakfast Cookies
- Keto Do-si-Dos Cookies
- Butterscotch Oatmeal Bars
- Keto Breakfast Bars
Easy Keto Oatmeal Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup flaked coconut unsweetened
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup Swerve Brown
- ¼ cup collagen peptides
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon maple extract or vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F and grease a 1 quart glass or ceramic baking dish.
- In a food processor, grind the coconut and almonds until they resemble flakes of oatmeal. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Whisk in the sweetener, collagen, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter, cream, egg, and maple extract and stir until well combined.
- Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and the center is mostly set. It should jiggle just slightly when shaken.
- Remove and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Amanda McKinnon says
Just put this in the oven, smells AMAZING. I’m not sure I can’t until breakfast!
Lauri Howe says
I have been wanting to try this recipe and I finally did! It is ABSOLUTELY delicious! I have to hold myself back because I could eat a lot of this at once. I added around 1 cup of hemp hearts to the mixture but didn’t change anything else. While the oatmeal was baking, I also roasted some zucchini with swerve and cinnamon in another pan. It is like dessert. I adore your recipes. Thank you so much!
Carolyn says
Sounds delicious!
Heather says
This is really good. My only complaint is I had to bake it much longer than the recipe indicates — about 40 minutes. Mine was still super runny after 25. But I won’t let that get in the way of making it again. It was hard not to eat all of it instead of 1 serving. Thanks for the recipe!
Carolyn says
What kind of pan did you bake it in? Also.. what sweetener did you use?
Kat says
Love this recipie. Made it twice because it was to salty the first time so only used a pinch of salt for the second one. I also enjoyed it more without putting the nuts and coconut into the food processor. I cut the butter to a 1/4 cup for the second one and it was perfection.
Carolyn says
Salty? What brand of collagen are you using???
Liz Brown says
I have made this keto oatmeal and it is delicious. I was wondering if I replace the butter and heavy cream with ghee would this be backpacker friendly, meaning keep without refrigeration. Any thoughts??
Carolyn says
I think you might be better off with my granola bars. Not sure how well this would travel no matter what you use… https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-granola-bars/
Cathy P. says
My family LOVES this “oatmeal”. My daughter just informed me that I’m going to have to make it forever now, so don’t lose the recipe! I love your ideas, thanks for sharing them with the rest of us! ❤
Carolyn says
That’s so lovely to hear, thank you!
Melanie Gardner says
Such a warm cozy treat! Absolute perfection!
Lois Moore says
I have made a couple of different versions of Low carb baked oatmeal. This recipe of Carolyn’s is by far the best ever!!! My daughter and granddaughter who don’t follow low carb prefer this over regular oatmeal!
Susan says
I have successfully tweaked this to my personal taste profile and wow. I find I almost always need to reduce the sweetener, so here I cut it to 3 1/2 Tbs and I used 1/2 t maple flavoring plus 1/4 t vanilla* and perfecto! Yummy and it smells so good while it’s baking and the baking time is just right to run and take my shower while it cooks so all the morning wins!
I’ve scrolled through a lot (but not all) of the comments and found a reference to portioning this out for single servings, and I do that with the baked leftovers, but do you think I could portion it out before baking and store the uncooked servings in the fridge for a few days or would that ruin the texture?
Thanks so much for all you do! I always tell people I’m your fan girl til I die because I’m pretty sure you’ve saved my life.
*I love maple but this little change up makes the leftovers more flexible for “stir ins’” speaking of which, a handful of toasted pecans is swoonworthy.
Carolyn says
I think you will need to try it and see what happens. I am not sure about freezing before baking.
Susan says
I’m sorry I wasn’t clearer in my previous comment! I wasn’t thinking of freezing, just prepping to bake another day as I do with some egg dishes in pint canning jars. And I found success here too!
I portioned the uncooked “oatmeal” into wide mouth pint jars and stored them in the refrigerator for several days and they each baked up beautifully, even after a couple of days.
I didn’t measure but I’d guess I put about 1/2 – 2/3 cup of the mixture in each jar and the baking time was about 20 minutes for that just browning up but still slightly jiggly oatmeal finish.
Marla says
What an awesome recipe! I make this and eat it for dessert with some sf whipped cream! Yum!!
Marla says
I bake mine in silicone baking cups when I want individual servings. (Makes 11 for me) Cooks a little faster. I store in the refrigerator in a large ziploc and microwave for about 30 secs before serving.
Susan says
Great idea!
Jan says
I was wondering about storage because there is only me eating it. Thank for that hint!
Ann says
Can almond milk replace heavy cream,and protein powder instead of collegen peptide
Carolyn says
No it won’t set properly that way.
Ryan says
Wow! I didn’t have the collagen peptides but couldn’t wait to try it. It was phenomenal without them but once I got some it COMPLETELY changed the game, another winner!!
Mary says
Made the Oatmeal today for our Sunday meal. Wow it was delicious!
My husband enjoyed it immensely. Yes tasted like a big oatmeal cookie.
Next time I want to add fresh fruit on the bottom, Berries of course!
We use to eat the Bake Apple Oatmeal but it’s not keto.
It’s a good change for me. I get drained out on eggs and bacon, etc.
I need to try a muffin recipe also. Like your Blueberry one.
Thank you
Mary
Kristin Olson says
Why did I wait so long to try this? Very tasty breakfast and even better than my favorite-oatmeal raisin cookies.
Constance says
OK, sorry for my previous question that you answered in the write-up, however are collagen peptides the same as grass fed collagen. Do I need to order both or are they interchangeable?
Carolyn says
They are exactly the same thing! It’s just marketing…
Constance says
Once again I am caught without a strange ingredient. What is collagen peptide and what is its purpose in the recipe? Is there something more readily available one can use as a substitute?
Tiara says
I’ve been craving oatmeal all winter! Can’t wait to try this. I’m ordering the collagen peptides now. Do you use the cinnamon flavored collagen in this? Or the vanilla or unflavored? Thank you for all the wonderful keto recipes! Your creations never spike my blood sugar.
Bonnie Eck says
Do you know if you can freeze this?
Carolyn says
I honestly haven’t tried. I think it would do okay?
Julia says
8 portions is too much for me. I’m sure freezing it will be fine. Get out the night before, warm gently in the microwave. Yum.
Janette G. says
I just tried this and really liked it. I will try a little less sweetener next time. Swerve may be too strong for me. Do you have any recommendations for people who are allergic to coconut? I’d love to me this again very quick and easy but I do have family who has that allergy.
Carolyn says
Do more sliced almonds! 🙂 The same amount should work.
Stacey says
This looked really good…I don’t usually like oatmeal but the pictures made me try it. OMG. Run and make this! So delicious!
Debbie says
I love this keto oatmeal. It taste like a big oatmeal cookie. I’m so glad I found it.
Thank you. I make this at least once a week and sometimes use it as a desert
by adding a little fruit or chocolate chips
sugar free of course. It does not disappoint. ????
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!