We are big oatmeal fans in this house. In fact, it’s something my kids often request for breakfast. We especially love them during cooler mornings. There is something so comforting about a big bowl of oats to warm you up after you crawl out of bed!
Ever since I first made this baked oatmeal recipe from Sally’s Bake Blog, we became hooked on it. There are several reasons to love them. In case you’re new here, I’ll share them:
I first started out sharing this recipe with a Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal. I knew I wanted to create another recipe using this base to help celebrate the flavors of the fall season. Although I never get sick of pumpkin, I decided to try out a different flavor profile. I did some research and settled on combining a bit more unique combo, pear and chai.
Pear is a popular fruit at our house! It comes “in season” during the fall and winter months. I often pick up a box when I’m at Costco, and my kids love to eat them. They are easy for little mouths to eat since they are so soft. They also bake well, so I knew that they would be great in this oatmeal.
Chai is one of my favorite flavors, too. If you have ever had a chai latte before, you’d probably agree that chai tastes like Christmas! To create the classic chai flavor, you’ll need to combine six different spices: cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and all spice.
To create this oatmeal, you’ll simply add to the base some peeled and diced pears and the spices that I listed above. If you happen to not have all of the spices on hand, that’s ok. I only had whole cloves and didn’t feel like grinding them, so I omitted them. I’ve read that the most important spice to add to give it the Chai flavor is cardamon, so don’t skip that one!
Let me tell you guys, this is probably one of my favorite baked oatmeal combos I’ve made yet. It definitely reminded me of eating a pear crisp. Anytime I can feel like I’m eating dessert for breakfast, I’m a happy camper! I think you and your family will love it, too!