Great Bakes: Modern Classic Recipes from the Midwest is the debut cookbook by Martin Sorge, winner of The Great American Baking Show. Of all the recipes in this beautiful book featuring contemporary twists on classic bakes, Martin states that is the one he makes most often. Bursting with fruits, nuts, seeds, oats, and more, this breakfast crisp is a fantastic way to greet the day. Martin writes:
“Welcome to what might be my most-baked recipe in this book. From October through April, I bake this almost weekly. This recipe is a cross between a fruit crisp and baked oatmeal. It happens to be whole-grain, gluten-free, and 100 percent plant-based.
Cookbook author Lukas Volger hooked me on hemp hearts. They contain a lot of protein, vitamins, and healthy fats, so I added them to my regular breakfast crisp recipe. Serve this crisp with a large scoop of plain yogurt, Greek or otherwise.”
Of course, plant-based yogurt is a good dairy-free swap in. This recipe makes one 9-inch square pan and takes 1½ hours to prep and bake. Cooling time is extra. Martin suggests:
“I tend to make this in the evening and let it sit at room temperature overnight, covered. After the first serving, I cover it and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. To reheat: Scoop the crisp into a bowl and microwave on high power for 30–60 seconds.”
Great Bakes by Martin Sorge is available on Bookshop.org*, Amazon*,
and wherever books are sold. Learn more following the recipe box.
Recipe printed with permission from Great Bakes by Martin Sorge, © 2026, Agate publishing. Photos © by Kevin Miyazaki.
About Martin Sorge: Martin is a home baker, cook, writer, and recipe developer. His work has appeared in Food & Wine, The Chicago Tribune, and other publications. He shares recipes, tips, and stories on his website and Substack. Martin was the 2023 winner of The Great American Baking Show. A native Hoosier, Martin lives in Chicago and Michigan’s pinky finger with his husband and two cats.
Martin Sorge’s Breakfast Crisp (loaded with fruit, oats, seeds & more)
Martin Sorge writes: ."This recipe is a cross between a fruit crisp and baked oatmeal. It happens to be whole-grain, gluten-free, and 100 percent plant-based."
Ingredients
Topping
- 100 g (1 cup) rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 60 g (¼ cup) hemp hearts
- 50 g (⅓ cup) hulled buckwheat groats or 50 g (½ cup) more rolled oats
- 50 g (about ½ cup) buckwheat flour or oat flour
- 40 g (about ⅓ cup) chopped raw nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, pepitas, or sunflower seeds)
- ¼ teaspoon (2 g) fine sea salt
- 80 g (about ¼ cup) maple syrup
- 45 g (about ¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
Filling
- 800–1000 g (4–6 medium) sweet-tart apples
- 226 g (about 1½ cups) other fresh or frozen fruit, such as cranberries, pitted tart cherries, raspberries, or chopped rhubarb
- 20 g (2 Tablespoons) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon (2 g) fine sea salt
- 80 g (about ¼ cup) maple syrup
Instructions
- Prepare. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the lowest position. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Oil a 9-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Make the topping. In a large bowl, add the oats, hemp hearts, buckwheat groats, buckwheat flour or oat flour, nuts or seeds, and salt. Toss to combine. Add the maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Make the filling. Core and chop the apples into ½-inch chunks (no need to peel). Put the apples in a large bowl, add the other fruit, and sprinkle on the cornstarch, ground ginger, and salt. Toss to combine. Pour on the maple syrup and toss again.
- Assemble. Dump the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. It may look very full, but it will shrink dramatically after baking. Sprinkle the topping mixture on the fruit and spread it evenly. Put the baking dish on the lined sheet pan to catch any drips.
- Bake until bubbling vigorously all around the edges and a deep roasted brown on top, 70–90 minutes. Start checking the crisp after 30 minutes, and loosely drape a piece of aluminum foil over the top when it is browned to your liking.
- Cool. Let the crisp cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before eating, but ideally an hour. The filling will be runny when warm, but will thicken as it cools. (To reheat: Scoop the crisp into a bowl and microwave on high power for 30–60 seconds.)
More about Great Bakes by Martin Sorge
Martin Sorge, winner of The Great American Baking Show, guides readers through more than 100 recipes for sweet and savory bakes that celebrate the bounty of the Midwest, from modern classics to innovative show-stoppers.
When Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith crowned Martin Sorge the winner of The Great American Baking Show in 2023, few would have guessed that his baking journey began with him setting the microwave on fire trying to make a biscuit. But after years spent in the kitchen, he had become a full-fledged “baking nerd next door”—the perfect guide to explain how to adjust a recipe for rye flour or perfect your pavlova without bogging you down with too many details.
In this debut cookbook, Martin shares those tips and many more, in a collection of recipes that highlight the ease and enjoyment of wholesome ingredients and simple flavors, while encouraging readers to try new twists on familiar favorites.
These breads, cookies, crisps, cakes, pies, pastries, and—yes—biscuits sneak surprising ingredients into the classics: Super-Soft Malted Cinnamon Rolls that elevate the childhood staple, Glazed Lemon Verbena Shortbread that gets a bit of zing from the window-box herb, Sweet Corn Milk Bread that highlights the perfection of an ear of summer sweet corn. From the Midwestern flavors of Chicago Dog Focaccia and Michigan Forest Cake to traditional Christmas Stollen and Swabian Soft Pretzels rooted in Martin’s German heritage, Great Bakes welcomes bakers of every level with recipes they’ll reach for again and again.
See lots more hearty plant-based breakfast and brunch recipes on The Vegan Atlas.
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