Date-Sweetened Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Oatmeal Cups

These Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Oatmeal Cups are sweetened with dates. They’re great for breakfast, snacks, and even dessert. These cups are vegan, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened.

If you’ve been a reader here for a while, you know how much I love Baked Oatmeal Cups! They’re great for a healthy meal-prep breakfast, and my kids go crazy for them. I usually add either maple syrup or coconut sugar to my baked oatmeal cups, but these Cinnamon Sugar Baked Oatmeal Cups are sweetened entirely with dates!

While dates do add sugar to the oatmeal cups, it’s a natural type of sugar found in fruit, and it offers more health benefits than refined sugars.

Why Your Body Will Love Dates

Dates are a source of fructose, a sugar found naturally in fruits. For this reason, I don’t call these sugar-free oatmeal cups, but dates are more nutritious than refined sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. 

• Dates are high in a few vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, copper, magnesium, and vitamin B6.
• They’re high in fiber. A 3.5 serving of dates contains almost 7 grams of fiber. Fiber is really important to keep your digestive system running smoothly.
• Dates are high in antioxidants, which protect cells from free radicals, which can cause disease. They also protect against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.
• They’ve been shown to help promote brain health and memory, which in turn can help prevent Alzheimer’s. 
• Lastly, they may play a role in smooth, natural childbirth. I’ve read that eating six dates a day for the last four weeks or so of pregnancy can help with natural labor. I did this with my first child and had one of the longest, worst labors ever, but I’ve heard some people swear by it 🙂

Health benefit info from Healthline.com.

Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Oatmeal Cup Recipe Ingredients

• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – If making gluten-free, make sure to get gluten-free certified oats. I have not tried this recipe with steel-cut or quick-cooking oats, so I’m unsure how either will work.
• Almond Milk – I always use plain, unsweetened almond milk for baking recipes. You can use any other plant-based milk (or even regular milk) you like. I prefer not to use milk that contains any extra sweeteners.
• Dates – I love using pitted mejdool dates. They’re large, soft, and have a great flavor. You can use dates with the pit, but make sure to remove the pit before using. You might want to throw in a few extras if you can only find small dates.
• Flax Egg – I’ve made oatmeal cups without any egg substitute in the past, and they hold together just fine, but I’ve started adding 1-2 Tablespoons of flax to my oatmeal cups because of its health benefits.
• Cinnamon – I add cinnamon to most of my baked oatmeal cup recipes, but it’s especially important in these Cinnamon Sugar Baked Oatmeal Cups! Cinnamon has many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, antioxidant properties, prebiotic properties, and blood sugar, and it’s good for digestion.
• Vanilla Extract –  Vanilla extract helps add a little sweetness in addition to the dates.
• Baking Powder and Salt

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

• Can these oatmeal cups be frozen? Yes! I recommend freezing them in a freezer bag and trying to get as much air out of it as you can. Freeze for up to six months.
• Where should I store them? I usually store mine in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can store them at room temperature if it isn’t too hot, but they last longer when stored in the refrigerator.
• How long do these stay fresh? I try to eat them within five days when stored in the refrigerator.
• Can I use less date paste? Sure! You can make them as sweet as you like.
• Why are they called cups instead of muffins?  It’s just a personal preference; I’ve been calling them cups for years now.
• Mine are mushy; what did I do wrong?  Unfortunately, it’s hard to troubleshoot the recipe when I’m not in the kitchen with you, but if you followed the recipe exactly, I suggest baking it longer and letting it sit for a bit once it comes out of the oven.

Have another question? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Looking For More Vegan Breakfast Recipes?

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Vegan Banana Bread

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Date Sweetened Cinnamon Sugar Baked Oatmeal Cups

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• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 14 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

These Cinnamon Sugar Baked Oatmeal Cups are naturally sweetened with dates, making them a healthy breakfast, snack or dessert!

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Ingredients

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• 8–10 large dates, I recommend using pitted medjool dates
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 2⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free certified if necessary
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Place the dates in a medium sized bowl.  If you don’t have dates that are already pitted, make sure to remove the pits.  Fill a medium sized saucepan with water and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, turn off and pour over your dates.  Let sit for about 20 minutes.
2. Make your flax egg: mix 2 tablespoons of ground flax meal with 4 tablespoons of water and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
3. Strain the water from the dates but make sure to reserve some of the warm date water.  Place dates in a food processor or blender and turn on.  Slowly add in a tablespoon at a time of the water until all dates are completely blended and you have a consistency a little bit thicker than applesauce.
4. Add the date paste to a large bowl (but reserve 1-2 tablespoons so you can top the oatmeal cups with a little spoonful, if desired).  Next, add the almond milk, flax egg, vanilla extract and cinnamon.  Whisk until completely combined.
5. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Next, add in the oats, baking powder and salt and mix again until everything is combined.  Let the mixture just sit in the bowl for 10-15 minutes, while oven is pre-heating.  This gives the oats time to soak up as much of the moisture as possible which creates firmer oatmeal cups.
6. Fill a muffin tin with liners and spray lightly with a neutral flavored oil, I use avocado oil (if desired).  Use a 1/4 cup scoop to scoop the oatmeal mixture into the muffin tin.  You want to fill them just about to the top.  I like to put a small spoonful of the date paste on the top and swirl it around a little bit.  Bake oatmeal cups for 25-30 minutes, or until they’re starting to brown and the tops are firm to the touch.  Remove oatmeal cups and let cool in the muffin tin for 20-30 minutes before enjoying.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins
• Category: Breakfast, Vegan
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American