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Pear upside down baked oats is a cozy and comforting breakfast that’s naturally sweet and full of warm flavors. It features a caramelized pear layer on the bottom that turns into a fruity topping when flipped, paired with a spiced oat batter made from rolled oats, shredded apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar.

This recipe is perfect if you’re looking for a hearty yet fresh start to your day.

Recipe Info

This recipe is:

Fruity and warmly spiced. The caramelized pear layer combined with cinnamon adds a cozy, comforting flavor that’s perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Moist and tender texture. The shredded apple in the oat batter helps keep the baked oats soft and moist, preventing dryness.
Moderate in effort. While it involves a few steps like grinding oats and preparing the pear layer, the process is straightforward and accessible for most home cooks.

Making pear upside down baked oats for the first time? Read the ingredients notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. If you’re familiar with the recipe, feel free to jump to the recipe card.

Extra Learning

Before we jump in, here are a few handy resources to help you nail this recipe:

Baked Oats. Our baked oats base recipe, but also your go-to for swaps, more baked oats tips, and everything in between.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Pear layer

Butter. Provides richness and helps in caramelizing the pears for the upside-down layer.
Maple syrup. Sweetens the pear layer naturally. You can replace it with any sweetener you like, but maple or brown sugar are best choices.
Pear. The star ingredient for flavor and moisture in the pear layer.
Lemon juice. Adds some much needed brightness.
Cinnamon. Adds warm, aromatic spice that complements the pear.
Salt. Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.

Oats batter

Rolled oats. Forms the base of the baked oats. We grind half for a better texture.
Salt. Balances and enhances the overall flavor of the batter.
Cinnamon. Adds warmth and spice to the batter.
Baking powder. Acts as a leavening agent for a lighter texture.
Brown sugar. Sweetens and helps with moisture.
Milk of choice. Provides moisture and helps to bind ingredients. You can use any dairy or plant-based milk (I usually use full fat milk or oat milk).
No-fat Greek yogurt. Adds moisture and a slight tanginess, plus ups the proteins.
Oil. Keeps the baked oats moist. Use a neutral oil for best results.
Shredded apple. Increases moisture and helps keep the baked oats tender. Don’t skip.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Pear Upside Down Baked Oats

Step 1: Prep Oat Batter

Grind half of the oats. Take half of your oats and grind them until they resemble a fine flour. If you’re using a blender, run it on high speed for 20-30 seconds or until the texture looks soft and powdery.

Blender crushed oats — Blend half the oats

Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the ground oats with the remaining whole oats. Add salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and brown sugar. Stir everything together until well blended.

Dry ingredients — Mix the ground oats and whole oats with salt, cinnamon

Mixing dry ingredients — Mix the ground oats and whole oats with salt, cinnamon

Add wet ingredients. Pour in the milk, yogurt, and oil to the dry mix. Stir thoroughly until you have a smooth batter.

Adding wet ingredients — Pour in the milk, yogurt, and oil,

Mixing wet ingredients — Pour in the milk, yogurt, and oil,

Mix in apple. Wash and peel (if you like) the apple. Using the largest holes on a box grater, shred the apple. Drain any excess juice but don’t squeeze it. Fold the grated apple into the oat batter.

Adding shredded apples — Fold the shredded apple into the

Mixing in the shredded apples — Fold the shredded apple into the

Step 2: Prepare Pears

Prep pear. Wash, peel, and core the pear. Slice it thinly — a mandoline (thickest setting) works great here to get even slices.

Sliced pears — Peel, core, and thinly slice the pear with a mandoline

Add spices. Place the pear slices in a bowl and add butter, sweetener, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss everything together so each slice is coated well. It’s okay if there’s quite a bit of liquid in the bowl.

Adding spices — Toss the pear slices with butter, sweetener,

Mixing sliced pear and spices — Toss the pear slices with butter, sweetener,

Step 3: Bake

Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 180°C (350°F) so it’s hot and ready.
Prep baking pan. Brush the bottom and sides of your baking pan with some oil or butter. For easier removal, you can also line the bottom with parchment paper (no need for sides).

Lining the baking pan — Grease the pan with oil or butter, and line it with parchment paper

Add pears. Pour the pear slices with all their liquid into the pan, spreading everything evenly to cover.
Add oat batter. Spoon the oat batter gently over the pear layer. Spread it evenly with a spatula.

Adding sliced pears into the pan — Spread pear slices evenly in the pan

Adding the batter — Spread pear slices evenly in the pan

Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, turning off the oven for the last 5 minutes. After the 40 minutes, crack the oven door open slightly for 5 minutes to let the baked oats cool gently.
Release from pan. After baking, let the dish cool at room temperature for 10-20 minutes. Then carefully run a silicone spatula or knife around the edges to loosen it. Place a large plate upside down on top of the pan and flip them together so the oats come out onto the plate, with the pears now on top.

Cooling the baked oats — Bake for about 40 minutes

Loosening the edges — Bake for about 40 minutes

Pan on top of the plate — Place the pan upside down over the

Releasing from pan — Place the pan upside down over the

Serve or refrigerate. Enjoy your pear upside-down baked oats warm, or wait until fully cooled and store in the fridge for later.

Delicious upside-down baked oats with spiced pear topping

Variations

Vegan

To make these pear upside-down baked oats vegan-friendly, do the following:

Replace no-fat Greek yogurt with a thick, plant-based yogurt
Use plant milk (I like oat milk) instead of dairy
Replace the butter in the pear layer with vegan-butter or refined coconut oil (make sure it’s refined, so it doesn’t taste like coconut)

Fruity pear topped upside-down baked oats — Fruity pear upside-down baked oats for brunch

Tips

Check moisture near the bottom. If the bottom side (which was the top during baking) feels dry, reduce baking time by 2 minutes next time. Repeat adjustments until the whole oat layer is slightly moist, closer to a fudgy brownie than dry cake.
Experiment with spices beyond cinnamon for the pear layer. Adding warm spices like cardamom, ginger, or ground cloves can deepen the pear flavor and add complexity. Add your favorites if you have any.
Let the baked oats cool slightly before inverting. Cooling for 10-20 minutes helps the layers set and makes flipping out of the pan cleaner and less likely to break apart.

Sweet and spiced pear upside down baked oatmeal — Sweet and spiced pear upside-down baked oatmeal

Storage

After the baked oats have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Similar Recipes to Try

Looking for more? Check out the following recipes:

Apple Baked Oats. A simpler version of baked oats with cooked apple chunks added. Simple and delicious.
Blueberry Baked Oats. Bright lemon zest and plump blueberries deliver citrusy pops in a soft, fluffy bake.
Raspberry White Chocolate Baked Oats. Creamy white chocolate chunks and tangy raspberries make these easy baked oats a treat.
Chocolate Banana Baked Oats. Super simple baked oats recipe with the classic chocolate + banana combo.