Cherries. One of the sweetest, decadent fruits of the season. Dark red sweetness paired with the luxurious smooth taste of chocolate will have you dreaming about breakfast all night long! Gluten-free and vegan, this healthy Cherry Chocolate Oat Bake will beckon you to the breakfast table!
Maybe it's just me, but I saw about 50 different cherry recipe round-up posts last week! Holy cow! Not saying that's a bad thing though, I mean, who doesn't love cherries? Not me! I adore them! During the the rest of the year, when it's not cherry season, I forget just how much I love this little fruit. I never remember that I do consider the cherry one of my favorite fruits. Then summer hits and cherry season is at it's peak; the love and remembrance comes flooding back with a vengeance!
Now, I've always loved cherries (all fruit really), but I can pin-point the cherry-loving to a few summers ago when it really hit me. My dad has a Costco membership and as you know, Costco is all bulk. We only use it now for water buying (haha), but he used to go crazy with fruit and bring home tons and tons! (Way more than we needed since no one in my family seems to eat it...except me). But one summer it must have been The Summer of Cherry Perfection. The big crates he would bring home of the most perfect, sweet, firm, dark cherry juicy cherries never lasted long! From that summer on I feel in love.
Since I know I'm not the only one who has a deep cherry obsession, when I dug up this gem of a recipe circa summer of 2014, I knew it was time to share! As you know from my showstopper Cinnamon Cookie Oat Bake I shared a few weeks ago, I was also obsessed with oat bakes that summer. This one will not disappoint in the oat bake department! Plus, do I even need to talk about the chocolate factor? I think not 😉 Cherries go with chocolate like peanut butter and jelly. Actually, chocolate goes with everything, but cherry is always a great pairing option!
Cherry Chocolate Oat Bake
Cherry Chocolate Oat Bake
Cherries. One of the sweetest, decadent fruits of the season. Dark red sweetness paired with the luxurious smooth taste of chocolate will have you dreaming about breakfast all night long! Gluten-free and vegan, this healthy Cherry Chocolate Oat Bake will beckon you to the breakfast table!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup + 1 TB Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
- 6 Pitted Cherries (halved) You can use frozen as well, to enjoy in “non-cherry” season!
- 2 TB Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 TB Chia Seeds
- 5-7 Drops Cherry Vanilla Stevia
- ¼ Tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- ⅓ Cup Water or Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine and stir all ingredients together.
- Lightly grease a single ceramic ramekin with coconut oil and then pour in the oat mixture. Smooth out the top and then cover the ramekin with a piece of foil.
- Bake for about 20 minutes. Enjoy hot from the oven, or store it in the fridge overnight for breakfast in the morning. Simply heat, uncovered, in the microwave for about a minute or until warm!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
I don't know about you, but I;m craving some cherries right now! I wish I have a cherry tree. That would come in handy. Now I know this looks like dessert, but no, it's breakfast, trust me! Cherry chocolate decadence can be healthy and had for breakfast EVERY day of the week and I just proved that to you. Now go gather your cherries and make this oat bake for breakfast...and maybe make an extra for dessert too. I won't tell!
So tell me:
+ Are you a cherry-lover? I hope so!
+ Of the small summer fruits (cherries and berries) which is you favorite? I think my top 3 would be cherries, strawberries, and bluebabies 😉
*Recipe linking up for the week! Allergy Free Wednesdays, #RecipeOfTheWeek,#StrangeButGood, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays,Tasty Tuesdays, Savoring Saturdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Meatless Mondays, Lena’s Tasty Tuesdays!*
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kimmythevegan
Cherries are awesome! The yellow ones are my fav =) And the chocolate and cherry combo sounds perfect - especially for breakfast. YUM.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Unconventional cherries! I do love their yellow color 😉
Miz Helen
Hope you are having a wonderful day and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Deborah Davis
Who can resist these healthy and delectable ingredients! Thank you so much for sharing your
Cherry Chocolate Oat Bake with us at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I'm pinning and sharing.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right 😉 Thanks!
Nicole
Looks soo good!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Sherry
My top fruits: blueberries, cherries, and strawberries. Maybe cherries first. Love the cocoa you added to your recipe. Cocoa makes great comfort food!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Anything chocolate and berries, right 😉
Kathy
Visiting from the recipe swap. This looks so good. I can also remember when I fell in love with cherries and they still remain my all time favorite fruit. Thank you for sharing.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are one of the best!
Jennifer Stewart
I can't wait to make this for my kids for breakfast. This will be an easy breakfast and will help get them, and me, out the door on time!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Totally! It's so perfect to make the night before and simply heat up! That's what I do!
Talent Hounds
Cherries and Chocolate...how could you go wrong?!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You can't!
Elaine Hodges
Thanks for sharing on the Healthy Living Link Party. It has been pinned to our party board and tweeted. Glad to have you as a regular contributor to the party.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Stephanie R
This looks delicious! I need to make some of this because my son recently got braces put on and is getting really bored of traditional oatmeal!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O man, I remember those days 😉
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake
This looks awesome, Cherry and Chocolate is one of my favourite flavour combinations!
I'm the same as you though, I forget how much I love fresh cherries until cherry season rolls around!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
And then I just can't stop 😉 Haha! Thanks Michelle!
Judi Graber
This looks delicious and healthy too.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Sarah C
These are all of my favorite flavors, girl! Yum! I'm into cherries right now and thinking up new recipes. Take care.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Cherries are the bomb!
arlene@arlsworld
Looks yummy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Sarah
Yumm this looks delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Marla
Hi Rebecca,
This looks and sounds delicious with such healthy ingredients. It sure would making getting up in the morning easier if you had this to look forward to as your breakfast and I agree it would make a healthy tasty dessert.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Twice a day! Breakfast and another for dessert 😉
Kaila (GF Life 24/7)
These look tasty! We just went cherry picking last weekend! My favorite summertime fruit has got to be the blueberry though. They're so delicious! Happy FF, and have a wonderful weekend! 😀
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Cherry picking would be fun!
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh
Hmm, this looks like the perfect dessert breakfast! I am not a fan of cherries alone, but baked in something I love them! My favorite summer fruit is strawberries!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O yea, strawberries are sweet wonders as well! SOOO good!
HonestMum
Oh wow I love this and like you, adore cherries, I pop them into smoothies too!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are great in smoothies!
Kristy @ Southern In Law
Yuuuuummm! This looks SO good! Chocolate and cherries are the perfect combo!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are one of the best!
Rob
That looks really yummy. My wife and I are trying desperately to eat healthier and I really like the idea of including things that still taste great, are real food and are good for you. #brilliantblogposts
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
You guys will love some baked oats for breakfast! Really perfectly sweet, hearty, and satisfying!
Silly Mummy
Cherries are my favourite fruit! This sounds so nice, I think I may try it! #brilliantblogposts
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope you do!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes
I'm totally obsessed with cherries and mine started at costco too!! This looks awesome!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha! The Costco Cherry Magic!
Jenn @ EngineerMommy
What a fabulous recipe! Looks so delicious!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Cristina @ I Say Nomato
Chocolate and cherries go so well together - love this! It just seems quick and easy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you! Easy and delish!
Cristina @ I Say Nomato
Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Jessie, FlusteredMom
Yum! I really wish I had cherries in the house so I could make this right now! #healthyLiving
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Time to go shopping 😉
Mackenzie Glanville
Yummy, this sounds and looks too good and it is healthy. #wednesday wisdom
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Never expect less!
Jennifer Abel
I love cherries and would have to say Black Forrest Cake is the first thing I will make when they are in season. Thanks for sharing your recipe on #wednesdayswisdom, it looks so nice and healthy at the same time.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I don't think I've ever had a real black forest cake!
sue
This looks delicious and healthy so thank you for sharing this recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Laura
Oh man. I love cherries. And combined with chocolate, it's the best thing. I've been on a cherry kick lately, and no matter how many times I have them, I just always want them!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, you can never have too many! NEVER!
kenzie negron
oh my God, this looks delicious! xx, kenz
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Ashley Mullen
This looks great. I wish I had some ramekins to try making it.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You can use any oven safe dish, lol!
Megan - Beets Not Meats
Yum! Is there anything better than baked oats?! Especially when you add cherries and chocolate! I NEED to buy that cherry vanilla stevia because this recipe looks too good not to try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You can use any sweetener! The really and only cherry flavor is from the REAL beauties 😉
Emily
This looks delicious! I would never have thought to put together chocolates and cherries with oats and I'm curious to try it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Really?
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
I've noticed the cherry love too! This sounds yummy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It's getting crazy! But that's a good thing 😛
Jessica DeMay
Yum!! I love baked oatmeal and this one looks delicious! Chocolate and cherries are so perfect together!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are! Thank you!
Beth @ Running with the Sunrise
Ooh, this is right up my alley--I love cherries! And chocolate and cherries go together so well. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
A perfect match! Thanks Beth!
Melissa @ vegan does it
You can't go wrong with cherries and chocolate. I am totally cherry, and chocolate , and oat obsessed so I can't wait to try this. It's perfect timing too because I've been stuck in a rut with my morning oats 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
No more ruts!!! Happy breakfasting Melissa!
The Vegan 8
I love cherries, I love chocolate and I love oats! This looks like one amazing breakfast!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you friend!
Evolve with Mary
I challenged my readers to eat healthy breakfast all week, I know they would love this recipe... I love this recipe, I'll try it out tomorrow. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope you do! Let me know Mary!!!
Rachael@AvocadoADayNutrition
Mmmm chocolate and cherries are one of my favorite combinations!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It's for sure a great one! Classic!
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious
I love cherries! And with chocolate no less!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Of course!
Manila Spoon
Cherries and Chocolate are always a great hit in my household! We make something similar so we know we will love this delicious recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Perfect! No matter, the combo is always a good one!
Emily @ My Healthyish Life
Cherries are the best!!!! I forget about them in the summer and typically go for the berries but I do love them. Looks delicious 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Never forget the sweet cherry goodness!
Kat | curlsnchard.com
Cherry and chocolate are such a perfect match <3 And I love cherry oatbakes in general, they are so delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They are! Thanks dear!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
Oatmeal is, without exaggeration, MY LIFE. I ate it 4 times yesterday. Obsessed.
And with cherries and chocolate? YES PLEASE
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahaha! Yea!!! That's my girl!
Ilona's Passion
Oats are my favorite! Delicious breakfast:)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Always good!
Shannon
I love oat bakes! They make the perfect breakfast.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes they do!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
I've had the cherry-chocolate combo on the brain too! Such a great one, definitely a favorite. This looks delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Michele!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table
Cherry-vanilla is such a great flavor combo. This looks fabulous! I can't wait for t to cool off enough to have a warm breakfast.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You mean cherry chocolate 😉
Linda @ Veganosity
You know I'm a cherry lover because you saw the cherry roundup on my blog. 😉 This looks so good!
Cherries top all other summer fruit because it's the one thing that I can't buy during other seasons.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know 😛 You were one of the people I was referring too with the round-ups! Hahaha!
I know right! Except frozen 😉
Liz
Yummy! Cherries are one of the best parts of summer!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I agree!
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free
What a delicious idea! It's been ages since I've made a good oat bake, and never chocolate and cherry.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Then this is the perfect time to change that!
Sarah
So much to love, chocolate and cherries?!? I love both plus all the other goodies you added to this oat bake!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Nothing not to love! Thanks Sarah!
Bethany @ athletic avocado
gotta love chocolate and cherries together! A perfect combo and great way to use some of of my cherry-vanilla stevia!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! I have bottles of that stevia, but don't like it in my coffee, so I never use it...except here!
Chaitali
This sounds delicious! I love cherries but am usually too lazy to cook with them since I don't want to have to pit them. But I think I can handle pitting 6 for something like this 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You can even get frozen since they come without the pit!
Lynne Streeter Childress
I love cherries but I don't eat them enough. This looks DELICIOUS.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
This will get you to eat them more often!
Harriet Emily
Well you know how much I LOVE chocolate - and I LOOOOOVE cherries too. Of course, they're the best combination! I can't think of anything better than this oat bake, mmm, it looks amazing Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Chocolate love!
Thank you dear!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
This oat bake looks especially decadent and dessert-like! Some oat bakes end up looking sort of dry and day-old oatmeal-y, but this looks like gooey delicious almost pudding like, and that makes me want a bit very badly <3 Very yummy, this totally looks like something to whip up any time of day 🙂 And once you mentioned cherry + chocolate being like PB&J I started thinking hmm cherry jelly + + dark chocolate PB sandwich??? :/ It could work!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ew, hahaha, dry old oatmeal 😛
When I was searching through the pictures of this, I thought that blob you see in the center was chocolate...but it's a cherry, hahaha!
O god.....I think....that may be the best sandwich.......................
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
I thought the blob was chocolate too! lol Either way, YUM 🙂
chrysta @ noshed
so LOVE cherries. I get so excited when they are in season and then I go on a cherry rampage. I'm very territorial about my cherries 😉 Love the chocolate oat bake that you added them to! Great combo. I think if i had to pick three summer fruits it would be cherries, peaches and blackberries. Yum!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha, I know!! Cherry season is so full of joy!
I haven't gotten my hands on blackberries yet this summer....too expensive!
Brittany Bergman
I know this is going to sound crazy, but I used to not like the cherry/chocolate combination. I'm so glad my taste buds have changed! This looks/sounds absolutely delicious.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I'm glad they changed too 😉 Haha!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
Chocolate, cherries and oats? Yes please! You have combined 3 of my favourite ingredients.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
3 of mine too 😉
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
So I have confession, I didn't like cherries until this year! I can't believe I resisted them so long because OH MY GOSH they are like my new favorite food! And you added chocolate, and I can eat this for breakfast. Yeah this has got to happen in my kitchen ASAP!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Once you taste GOOD cherries, it makes all the difference in liking them. Most of the time....the batches of cherries kinda suck. But sometimes you're lucky with a perfect batch and then you fall in love all over again!
genevieve @ gratitude & greens
Yay cherries!!! I have a huge box in my fridge and they are SO delicious. Cherry and chocolate the perfect combo and I love that you've put them together in this oat bake! Yum yum!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yay! Time to get baking!
Farrah
Yayyyy for cherries! I can't decide on a favorite summer fruit, but I love the chocolate + cherry combination! <3 This looks so cute + tasty!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, thank you Farrah!
Annmarie
I would like this for breakfast right now, please and thank you! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha 😉
Shannon Peterson
I'm actually allergic to cherries but I bet I could substitute them out for another fruit and it would still be as delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That's so sad 🙁
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
I didn't used to be a big fan of cherries but lately I've been loving them!! This oat bake looks awesome 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
And keep loving them!!! XOXO
Susie @ SuzLyfe
You know that I am all over this. Cherries are one of my favorite fruits! And then chocolate is one of my fave food groups, plus oats? YES
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahaha, those are my exact thoughts too 😉
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner
I have been all over the chocolate cherry combo as well lately! Your pictures are beautiful and I want to jump right into that bowl. Always great to have you for Meatless Monday! Have a wonderful day
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
One of those iconic best chocolate combos!
Thanks Deborah!
Tina Muir
You should take a trip to traverse city in michigan sometime, they are the cherry capital of the world, and have EVERYTHING cherry, I am NOT kidding, you would love it!!! Chocolate and cherry though...what a combination 😀 Thanks for linking up! YUM!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ah! Really! I must! Haha, that is not on my travel bucket list 😉