Whole-Can-of-Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

As with many recipes that include pumpkin and a variety of spices, the flavor in this dish will improve over time. For that reason, I typically bake it in the afternoon or evening for breakfast the next day. The baked oatmeal may sit on the counter overnight as it cools. After that, it should be covered and refrigerated where it will maintain its freshness for quite a few days.

Yields 6-8 servings.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) can 100% pumpkin (just under 2 full cups; not pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (may substitute honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (regular milk, soy or coconut milk also work well)
3 cups rolled oats (certified gluten-free, if desired)
1 large or two small bananas, sliced in 1/4 – 1/3-inch rounds
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed (see notes)
Optional: milk, nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, and/or sweetener of choice for serving; may also stir choice of nuts and dried fruit into the batter (1/4-1/3 cup each is a good starting point)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly grease a 9×13 glass baking pan.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in the milk. Then add the oats, mix to thoroughly incorporate, and pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. (At this point, you may cover and refrigerate the oatmeal for several hours or overnight. In this case, much of the liquid will be absorbed by the oatmeal and it may cook a few minutes quicker, so check oven a little early.) Evenly distribute the banana slices over the top of the oatmeal.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the oatmeal is just set in the center. Remove from the oven and switch the oven setting to broil. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top. Return to the oven and broil about a minute (watching very carefully!) or until the sugar is melted and bubbly.
Serve as is or with any of the optional toppings. You may also completely cool, cover and refrigerate to serve later, either cold or reheated. The oatmeal will keep for about a week and freezes well.

The amount of sweetener both in the oatmeal and sprinkled on top may be adjusted to personal preference. If for example, you prefer your oatmeal on the sweeter side, you may increase the amount of brown sugar on top to 1/4 cup. If you prefer things less sweet, you could forego the brown sugar topping entirely or reduce or even omit the maple syrup or honey that is mixed in. After making the recipe once, you will be able to adjust to your precise liking in future batches. If presentation matters, the brown sugar on top does caramelize the banana slices, making them look prettier.