Cranberry Apple Bake Bliss is warm, naturally sweetened, and packed with cozy fall flavors! This easy baked oatmeal has cottage cheese for protein, tender apples, tart cranberries, and a hint of orange zest that makes every bite feel like a hug in a pan.
Love More Breakfast Recipes? Try My Breakfast Butter Swim Biscuits or this Blueberry Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bake next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sweet, tart, and perfectly spiced, this Cranberry Apple Bake Bliss is a cozy dessert that captures the essence of fall. Juicy apples and tangy cranberries bake together under a buttery, golden topping for a comforting treat that fills the kitchen with warm, inviting aromas. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for pure seasonal perfection.
Print
Cranberry Apple Bake Bliss
- Total Time: 55 minutes (plus 15 minutes cooling)
- Yield: 1 (9×9-inch) bake
Description
This Cranberry Apple Bake Bliss is a protein-packed baked oatmeal featuring cottage cheese, fresh apples, tart cranberries, and warm cinnamon with a hint of orange zest. It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup, easy to customize, and perfect for meal prep or weekend brunch. Gluten-free and easily made vegan!
Ingredients
Wet Base:
- 1 cup cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water each, rested to gel)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (or lemon zest)
Dry Mix:
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not steel-cut)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Fruit:
- 2 cups diced apples (or pears)
- 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen; or swap raspberries/blackberries)
Instructions
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Don’t skip the greasing—it makes cleanup a breeze and helps you get those perfect serving squares!
In a large bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth and well combined. If you want an ultra-smooth texture, blend the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor first—this is my secret for people who are skeptical about cottage cheese in baking!
In a separate bowl, stir together the rolled oats, cinnamon, and baking powder. Make sure everything is evenly distributed so you get consistent flavor in every bite.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined. Don’t overmix here—you want to keep it light and fluffy, not dense and tough. A few lumps are totally fine!
Gently fold in your diced apples and cranberries. They’ll sink in a bit as they bake, creating pockets of fruity goodness throughout.
Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread it evenly with a spoon or spatula. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING.
Let the bake rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing—this helps it set up so you get clean squares instead of a crumbly mess. Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of yogurt, or a swirl of whipped cream!
Notes
Toast the oats first in a dry pan for five minutes. Makes them taste nuttier. Cut the apples the same size so they cook at the same rate.
If you’re using dried cranberries soak them in warm orange juice for ten minutes first. Otherwise they’ll suck up all the liquid from the bake.
Stop mixing once you can’t see flour. Check if it’s done by sticking a knife in the center.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
Wet Base:
- 1 cup cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water each, rested to gel)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (or lemon zest)
Dry Mix:
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not steel-cut)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Fruit:
- 2 cups diced apples (or pears)
- 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen; or swap raspberries/blackberries)
Substitution Notes: Greek yogurt works. Flax eggs work. Honey works. Whatever you’ve got probably works.
Why These Ingredients Work
Cottage cheese makes it moist and adds protein. Once it’s baked you can’t tell it’s in there. Blend it first if lumps gross you out.
Old-fashioned oats are the only kind that work right. Steel-cut stays hard, quick oats turn to mush. The orange zest does something to the fruit that I can’t explain but it matters. Baking powder stops it from being a brick.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Two bowls
- Whisk
- 9×9 baking dish
- Butter or spray
- Zester
- Knife
How To Make Cranberry Apple Bake Bliss
Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Don’t skip the greasing—it makes cleanup a breeze and helps you get those perfect serving squares!
Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth and well combined. If you want an ultra-smooth texture, blend the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor first—this is my secret for people who are skeptical about cottage cheese in baking!
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, stir together the rolled oats, cinnamon, and baking powder. Make sure everything is evenly distributed so you get consistent flavor in every bite.
Step 4: Bring It All Together
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined. Don’t overmix here—you want to keep it light and fluffy, not dense and tough. A few lumps are totally fine!
Step 5: Add the Fruit
Gently fold in your diced apples and cranberries. They’ll sink in a bit as they bake, creating pockets of fruity goodness throughout.
Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection
Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread it evenly with a spoon or spatula. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING.
Step 7: Cool and Serve
Let the bake rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing—this helps it set up so you get clean squares instead of a crumbly mess. Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of yogurt, or a swirl of whipped cream!
You Must Know
Blend the cottage cheese if texture bugs you. Let it cool the full 15 minutes or it’ll fall apart when you cut it.
Room temp eggs mix easier. I always throw in a little nutmeg with the cinnamon. My mom did that and I don’t know why but I keep doing it.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
Toast the oats first in a dry pan for five minutes. Makes them taste nuttier. Cut the apples the same size so they cook at the same rate.
If you’re using dried cranberries soak them in warm orange juice for ten minutes first. Otherwise they’ll suck up all the liquid from the bake.
Stop mixing once you can’t see flour. Check if it’s done by sticking a knife in the center.
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Throw in some pecans. Or walnuts. Chocolate chips if you want. I’ve done pineapple and blueberries with coconut extract and that was weird in a good way.
My neighbor adds shredded coconut. Pumpkin pie spice tastes better than plain cinnamon to me. Pears instead of apples get really soft.
Make-Ahead Options
Mix wet in one bowl and dry in another bowl the night before. Put them in the fridge. Mix them together with the fruit in the morning and bake.
Or bake it all at once and reheat pieces during the week. I wrap squares in plastic wrap and freeze them. They last two months. Microwave one minute or put in the oven at 350°F for fifteen minutes.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
Doesn’t matter what kind of cottage cheese. Fat free, full fat, whatever. But you have to use old-fashioned rolled oats. The other kinds don’t work.
Frozen cranberries go in frozen. Don’t thaw them. The 9×9 pan is important because bigger pans make it dry. If your apples are really sweet use less syrup. Don’t skip the orange zest even if you think it sounds weird.
Serving Suggestions
I eat it with butter and syrup. My husband likes yogurt on top. Kids want whipped cream which turns it into dessert but whatever.
Good with eggs and bacon if you’re doing a big breakfast. Or just grab a piece with coffee. Put powdered sugar on it if your mother-in-law is coming over. Ice cream on top if you’re eating it at night.
I hope this becomes a new go-to in your kitchen. Makes the house smell good on cold mornings.
How to Store Your Cranberry Apple Bake Bliss
Keep it in the fridge covered for three days. Sits out fine for two hours. Freeze pieces wrapped in plastic for two months.
Microwave 30 seconds to a minute. Or oven at 350°F with foil for 10-15 minutes.
Allergy Information
Has eggs and dairy. Use dairy-free yogurt and flax eggs for vegan. Get gluten-free oats if you need them.
No nuts unless you add them.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
My bake turned out dense—what happened?
This usually means overmixing! Once you add the dry ingredients, fold gently just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the oats and makes it tough and dense.
Can I use steel-cut oats instead?
Unfortunately, no. Steel-cut oats won’t soften enough during the baking time and you’ll end up with a crunchy, undercooked texture. Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats!
Do I need to thaw frozen cranberries?
Nope! Frozen cranberries work perfectly straight from the bag. They’ll release a little extra moisture as they bake, which just makes everything more jammy and delicious.
How do I make this sweeter?
Increase the maple syrup to 1/2 cup, or drizzle extra on top when serving. You could also add a streusel topping made with oats, butter, and brown sugar for serious indulgence!
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me what you changed.
