You can make these healthy baked oatmeal breakfast cups ahead of time and stash them in the freezer for a quick and filling breakfast!
*This post was first published March 9, 2007. Enjoy it again here, along with some new thoughts and tips*
Have you ever made baked oatmeal? I made it for the first time a few years ago, and since then, I make it on a regular basis. It’s great for a healthy and filling grab-and-go breakfast for those busy mornings. There are some mornings I wouldn’t have a chance to eat anything at all if it weren’t for my delicious fridge stash of these Healthy Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Cups.
WHAT ARE BAKED OATMEAL CUPS?
Baked oatmeal is made when you mix together uncooked old fashioned oats, milk, sweeteners and additional ingredients (dried cranberries, bananas, peanut butter, etc.) and then add the mixture to a pan and bake until the oatmeal is cooked through and you can slice it up and enjoy.
Baked Oatmeal Cups are made the exact same way, except you scoop the oatmeal mixture into a muffin tin instead of making it in a large pan. I love oatmeal cups because they’re the perfect serving size and great for little kids. The oatmeal cups also make storing and freezing them much easier.
BAKED OATMEAL CUP INGREDIENTS
- Old Fashioned Oats – I always make this recipe with old-fashioned oats. Having never tried to make it with with instant or steel-cut oats, I can’t say for sure if they would work well. (Let me know in the comments, if you try it!)
- Plant Based Milk – I like to use a plain, unsweetened milk to avoid any extra sugars. My favorite plant-based milks are almond and oat. You can use whatever kind you like.
- Sweeteners – I sweeten these oatmeal cups with a bit of pure maple syrup and coconut sugar. You are more than welcome to play with or cut down on the amounts. I also like to add some vanilla extract and cinnamon.
- Baking Powder & Salt – The baking powder helps the oatmeal cups rise a bit, as well as hold their shape. Make sure your baking powder isn’t expired before using it.
- Additional Ingredients – The above ingredients make up the base recipe. I’ve added additional ingredients for each specific flavor. Feel free to get creative and come up with your own flavors!
HOW TO MAKE BAKED OATMEAL CUPS
These oatmeal cups are super easy to make!
- Start by adding the almond milk, maple syrup, flax seed, vanilla and coconut sugar to a large bowl and whisking together. I like to let the mixture sit for a few minutes so the flax seed can thicken it up, acting as an egg would.
- You then add all the remaining ingredients and mix. Again, I like to let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes because it really lets everyone thicken and will help your oatmeal cups stay together well while cooking.
- Once the mixture has sat, you can use a 1/4 cup scoop to scoop the batter into the oatmeal tin. Bake oatmeal cups for 20-30 minutes, or until firm on the top and cooked through. Once removed from the oven, I like to let them sit in the oven tin to help them set completely.
STORING AND FREEZING TIPS
I like to store my cups either in the refrigerator or the freezer. You could store them on the countertop as long as it isn’t too hot in your house. I’ve found that they last longer in the refrigerator.
I like to store my oatmeal cups in either a Ziplock bag or airtight container (plastic or glass). If I’m freezing them, I prefer to use a bag and I make sure I get as much air out of it as I can to help prevent freezer burn.
They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months. To thaw, you can defrost on the countertop, microwave, or pop them in the oven.
BAKED OATMEAL CUP RECIPE TIPS
- A 12-cup regular muffin tin is a must for these oatmeal cups! You can get a non-stick one, but I like to spray mine with a little non-stick cooking spray just to be sure they don’t stick.
- I love using my 1/4-cup scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin tin. I do one heaping-scoop into each one.
- Some mix-in suggestions if you want a little boost:
- 1-2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds – high in omega-3, fiber, antioxidants and protein
- 1-2 Tablespoons Hemp Hearts – high in omegas and protein
- Protein Powder – extra boost of protein
- 1-2 Tablespoons Brewers Yeast – This can help boost lactation for nursing mothers
RECIPE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Can you use steel-cut oats in this recipe? I haven’t tried this recipe using them, so I can’t say for sure. I’m assuming you’d probably have to make a few changes to get the desired result.
- Can I make these in a pan instead of a muffin tin? Yes, I would use a 9×14 baking dish and you will need to add some time to the bake time.
- Can I omit the sweeteners? You can, you just need to watch the consistency and make sure it still looks good. You could also add in some date paste in place of maple syrup and coconut sugar.
- What can I use instead of maple syrup? Any sticky sweetener willwork. I would recommend honey, agave syrup or brown-rice syrup.
- What can I use instead of coconut sugar? I suggest brown sugar as a replacement.
- Can I use a real egg instead of the flax seed? Sure! Just use one egg.
- Can I use real milk instead of plant based milk? Of course! Same amount.
- Why are mine still mushy after cooking them for a while? I’m not quite sure since I wasn’t there with you, but I’d be happy to answer any questions you have in the comment section below.
- Can I add my own flavors? Of course! I love when people make their own flavors using the base recipe.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
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Healthy Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Cups
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Cups are easy to make and perfect for a healthy meal prep breakfast or snack!
Ingredients
Blueberry Almond
- 4 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Apple Cinnamon
- 4 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup small diced apple, I used granny smith
Lemon Poppyseed
- 4 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons poppyseeds
Orange Cranberry
- 4 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Sweet Potato Carrot
- 4 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup sweet potato puree
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Banana Bread
- 4 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free certified if necessary
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. To a large bowl, add the almond milk, ground flax, maple syrup, vanilla extract and coconut sugar. Mix until combined and then let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients, mix again until completely combined and then let mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until thickened up a little bit.
- Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, or line it with cupcake liners, and scoop oatmeal mixture in using a large ice cream scoop or a 1/4 measuring cup.
- Bake oatmeal cups for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and let sit in the muffin tin for about 20 minutes, until cooled and completely set.
Notes
Store oatmeal cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Gluten Free, Vegan
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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Wonderful! I have made the peanut butter banana and cranberry orange – both are so yummy! What I like the most is that I can make them ahead of time and the kids can just grab them with some fresh fruit for breakfast. And since they love anything muffin like, and I’m constantly trying to find easy and filling breakfast items for all of us these were a double win! I used quick oats and the texture was great. Thanks for another winner!
Yes! They’re so great for kids!
These recipes are an excellent base for experimentation and i have been improvizing on this basic batter for a few months now, even made a version of fruit cake and Italian panettone loaf with your base recipe. I was pleasantly surprised to see that baking this batter into a loaf made a good result. Of course the baking time has to be longer (a bit over an hour in my case).
Have you ever tried taking part of the oats and giving it a spin in the food processor to break it up a little? I did this recently, took 2 cups of the oats and chopped them to a coarse meal consistency in the food processor and added them back to the main recipe. I really liked the results, found them to be a bit more muffin-like, especially with the addition of some flax and wheat bran.
I love that you are making these your own!! I haven’t tried blending part of the oats yet, but I love that idea!
Love these for a quick but complete breakfast on the go! My favorite is blueberry almond breakfast cups, but liked the peanut butter banana and craisin orange ones too! All provide a super delicious and fast breakfast! I make them and freeze them, then pop them in the microwave.
So glad you are enjoying them!!
Hello,
I have been making the various oatmeal cups and breakfest cookies, and a few variations of my own (triple ginger molasses anyone?) for a couple months now. They are my go-to breakfast. Every recipe I have tried so far has been good. I think we must have used 20 lbs of oats in the past 6 to 8 weeks.
I have a question. Have you ever tried to bake the muffin/cup recipes into a loaf? It seems like it should work, and should slice well if chilled beforehand. Any thoughts?
I’m so glad you are enjoying them!! And I love the idea of triple ginger molasses 🙂 Yes, you can easily bake it into a loaf! Bake at the same temperature but you will need to add some time to it, 15-20 minutes or so. It should feel firm when it’s finished.
Hi, great recipes using old fashioned rolled oats! Can’t say how healthy they are. Can you give me recommendations on which brand coconut sugar to use? I definitely want to cut regular sugar out of my diet and have heard of coconut sugar through Thai cooking shows. Which brand ti use?!! Aloha ?, Doris
Hi Doris! I’ve used a few different brands of coconut sugar, but usually buy the Wholesome brand one 🙂
Thank you for this recipe!
I made the blueberry almond muffins today and the flavor was great! The texture though didn’t turn out to be fluffy. There was also a jello-like exterior on the sides and bottom of the muffins. I followed most of the recipe; I used frozen berries instead of just blueberries, I added a 1 tbsp of chia seeds, and I used coconut cooking spray. I baked them for ~21 minutes. Any idea how I can get them to be fluffier or more muffin textured?
Hi! the only thing I can think of that would give it a jelly like outside texture would be the chia seeds. They’re not going to be super fluffy because it’s like oatmeal and not an actual muffin made with flour, but you could experiment with substituting some of the oats for flour and see if that helps.
I love these but I feel like they’re a little dry when I bake them, do you have any suggestions on things to add/do to make them a little more moist?
Hmm, maybe cook them for a little less time? Which flavor did you make? You could also add more milk.
Is there any other options for the milk portion of these recipes? I’m dairy free, and even the substitutes bother my stomach!
I’ve used water before and it worked great!
Just made the apple cinnamon muffins. Used 2 cups whole milk, a 3.9 oz. apple sauce cup in place of sugar and 1/4 cup maple syrup. These were to die for. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
If I weren’t a proper old gentleman and happily married, I would have proposed to you on the oat muffins you made alone! Great work and thanks for the recipe!
Basil
hahaha, glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Hi! First time to try one of your recipes. Love all kinds of oatmeal breakfast varieties.
Question—I followed recipe, but after filling 12 muffin cups, still enough for probably 4-5 more. Were you able to get ALL this in 12 muffin cups?
The carrot sweet potato in the oven now and I hope they taste as good as they smell!
Sometimes if I super fill them I can get them into 12 cups but other times I do get a few more. I hope you enjoy them!
I’ve made most of these & love them all – I made my own modification today – apple “French toast”. Use the Apple cinnamon recipe as your base, definitely use the maple syrup as the sweetener, & then use maple extract rather than vanilla. I also doubled the maple extract to ensure you can really taste it. Worked like a charm!
I love the sound of those!!
Hi ! I made the peanut butter banana cups today and I was disappointed. It tasted like old peanut and it was not sweet enough, however the texture was surprising. But I won’t remake them…
Sorry you were disappointed, I’m not exactly sure what old peanut butter tastes like….
I love the cups made blueberry with fresh and dried blue berries, and cranberry. however after adding the recipe to my calories and nutrients calculator it is not as healthy as first thought. it was high in carbs and sugars. I am leaving out the coconut sugar an only using the honey, it made the calorie count go from 237per bar to 99. I will continue to use this recipe because it is quick and easy for breakfast on the run. carbs were 24.4 grms and sodium 115.1 if you want a low carb diet this is to much for one bar. it does however have many healthy things. since you get sugars from the fruit you add leaving out sugar is a good thing.
they cook up wonderfully, you can leave the chewy or cook a little longer to get more crunchy bar. we all love them, with my tweaks
thank you
I’m glad to hear you are enjoyed this recipe! And thank you for your insight with the carbs!
Hi! I’m diabetic and was wondering if the coconut sugar could be eliminated, possibly use stevia, and if you could replace the maple syrup with honey (I despise maple syrup). Thanks!
I think that would work fine 🙂
I made the blueberry recipe last week and subbed in frozen strawberries since I had them on hand. My husband and I never liked oatmeal much, but these have changed EVERYTHING! One of these and a hard boiled egg is the perfect on-the-go breakfast. I can’t wait to try some of the other flavor ideas! (:
That’s so great to hear!! I’m glad you and your husband both enjoyed them! 🙂
My son has dairy and egg (and nuts and soy!) allergies. And he loves the Belvita breakfast biscuits. He also loves oatmeal and so I’ve been searching for a vegan oatmeal “biscuit” for him. I made these today for the first time with just banana and they’re a HUGE hit!!! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe, I feel a lot better that I can make him something with real whole food … that he likes! Cantwait to try some other combinations!
Yah!! I’m so glad your son enjoyed these! That’s great to hear 🙂
Love these baked oatmeal cups and I’ve made them several times. My toddler loves them! This time I used quick oats and the same 20 minute cook time was perfect. I like the texture too.
Awesome, good to know!
Hi Cathi, I only have the quick oats too and wondered if you changed anything else with the recipe so they turned out so well. THANKS!
I did something wrong. Mine sort of exploded. The tops cooked then the inside pushed the top up and “oozed” all over the pan. Any ideas? I used the cranberry orange recipe.
Hmm, how high did you fill the muffin tin?