Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Squares with Maple Tahini Glaze
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Confession: This recipe is a little more complicated than I prefer my breakfasts to be. One of the reasons why my original Baked Oatmeal Square recipe is so popular is that it is a simple dump and bake situation. In line with the simplicity of the original Baked Oatmeal Square recipe, I intended to make my pumpkin iteration of it simply by adding pumpkin puree into the mix, but the result was really underwhelming, no matter how I tweaked the recipe.
After much consideration, I decided that I needed to ditch the pureed stuff and try pumpkin chunks. But there was one problem: pie pumpkins are nearly impossible to find here in South Florida. I then remembered reading somewhere that Libby’s Canned Pumpkin includes a variety of Winter squash, such as butternut squash, and so I opted to use butternut squash as a stand in for pumpkin. And the results were outstanding!
To amp up the “PSL” vibes of these Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Squares, I added chopped candied ginger into the mix along with pumpkin pie spice. I also added an easy Maple Tahini drizzle, which is a lovely but completely optional embellishment, as the Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Squares are delicious without it. But if you are so inclined, it takes only a few minutes to whisk together and will get you a few oohs and ahhhs.
Ingredients
2 cups ROLLED oats (not quick oats, which will make the squares gummy)
half of a medium butternut squash (to yield 2 cups diced)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk (any kind, dairy or plant based will work)
2 eggs
4 tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil, plus a small amount for greasing the Pyrex dish
1/3-1/2 cup brown or white sugar (Adjust sweetener to your tastebuds. You could also use maple syrup- just combine syrup with wet ingredients before stirring into oats.)
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, ground ginger and a scant amount each of ground clove and ground nutmeg)
scant 1/4 tsp cinnamon (for sprinkling on butternut squash before roasting, really I just shake a small amount straight out of the bottle onto the squash)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce OR Greek Yogurt OR mashed banana (usually I throw in the whole banana- totally works)
1/4 cup diced candied ginger
- Maple Tahini Glaze
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp maple syrup
cool water
Directions
- Roast butternut squash: Preheat oven to 400° (F). Peel and cut butternut squash into 1/4 inch-1/2 inch cubes. Toss with 1 1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Roast until just softened, about 15 minutes for 1/4 inch cubes and 20 minutes for 1/2 inch cubes.
- Lower oven temp to 350° (F) and move oven rack to lower middle position. Using 1 tsp of butter/oil, grease an 8 x 8 Pyrex dish (I use a paper towel to do this). Add oats directly into middle of Pyrex dish. Sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt evenly over oats (so they don’t clump), then stir to combine thoroughly. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat eggs, then whisk in milk, remaining oil/butter, and vanilla. Add applesauce and whisk to combine. Pour liquid into oat mixture and stir to combine. Add butternut squash and mix to combine. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes, mixing once or twice during the duration. Mix to combine one last time then place in oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes. 35 minutes will give you a softer texture (think bread pudding), and 45 minutes will give you firm, portable slices. Cool for 10 minutes in pan before cutting into 9 even squares. Drizzle squares with Maple Tahini Glaze, if using.
- Also, these reheat like a dream. You can reheat the whole pan by baking at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or reheat individual pieces wrapped in tin foil or unwrapped on a sheet pan in the toaster oven. You can even microwave them! Find what works for you.
- Maple Tahini Glaze
- Whisk together tahini and maple syrup. Add cool water, a tsp at a time, until maple tahini mixture can be easily drizzled.
Sarah Faris: The salad Whisperer
Sarah is a classically trained chef and Mom whose passion is spreading the gospel of salad. A native New Yorker, she now calls Miami, FL home.
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