Cinnamon-Apple Baked Oatmeal

I have a confession to make: I'm an oatmeal slacker. I'm totally fine eating instant oatmeal made with water. Most weekday mornings that is about as complicated as breakfast can be for me. But I recently discovered baked oatmeal and that has changed everything. There are so many interesting flavor combinations to try and if I whip some up for the weekend, I'll have a delicious (and healthy) breakfast that can be ready in minutes.

Cinnamon-Apple Baked Oatmeal (adapted from Serious Eats)

Ingredients:

1 pound Granny Smith apples (3 to 4), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing dish

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Scatter apples into dish and cover with foil. Bake until apples are just beginning to soften, about 20 minutes. (Note: I did this step the night before so the oatmeal would be ready faster in the morning and it worked just fine).

Remove foil and let apples cool for about 10 minutes after removing from the oven. In a large bowl, whisk 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, egg, milk, and melted butter to combine. Add apples, oats and walnuts and stir until incorporated. Pour back into baking dish. Using a spoon, gently press mixture to distribute evenly.

Scatter remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar over top and bake until center is just set, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately, passing more brown sugar at the table.

The original recipe called for peeling the apples, but I know that all the good stuff is in the peel (hello, fiber!) so I left mine on. I also chose to combine everything in a separate bowl instead of in the baking dish. This oatmeal was way better than instant and totally worth the minimal amount of work involved. Perhaps I should call myself a reformed oatmeal slacker now?