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Baked Oatmeal Cups – a single serve way to make baked oatmeal ahead of time. Have these in the fridge or freezer for quick and easy breakfasts all week long. Lots of ways to mix up the flavors for the whole family!
Mornings are not my favorite time of day. I get up early enough to get my workout in before my son is up and getting ready for school, but it is definitely not my favorite thing to do. I do like to be able to spend a few minutes with my son in the morning while he gets ready before he heads to school. And I don’t want that time to be stressful and busy running around. So I love having easy breakfasts on hand. Chocolate Chip Muffins are his all time favorite, but sometimes you need something that is more filling and a little better for you!
These oatmeal cups have quickly become something that the whole family loves. It is so easy to add in different spices or fruits to make something that everyone enjoys. The base recipe is the same, so I can make half of them with chocolate chips for my son and the other half with blueberries for me. Or top with sliced bananas for just a little extra fruit. Lots of ways to mix it up!
How Do you Make Oatmeal Cups
- Mix Wet Ingredients. The apple sauce (or you can use mashed banana), eggs, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla all get mixed together until they are combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl you mix together oats, baking powder, cinnamon and chocolate chips.
- Combine. Slow add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until they are mostly combined. Add in the melted butter at the end and mix it all together.
- Scoop into prepared muffin cups and top with a few chocolate chips. You want to make sure you have the liquid evenly distributed between the muffins.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until the cups are set and starting to turn golden brown on the tops.
- Let them cook for at least 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
How Long Do Oatmeal Cups Last
They last about a week if you store them in the fridge. If you aren’t going to eat them all right away, or you make a double batch they will last in the freezer for about 3 months.
How to Store Baked Oatmeal Cups
You want to store them in an air tight container. I usually use a large plastic container or a freezer safe plastic storage bag. Both work well, you just want to make sure that air doesn’t get to them.
Can You Freeze Oatmeal Cups
You definitely can, and we do all the time. This recipe makes enough for 12 cups, so we always freeze what is left and then can enjoy later in the weeks. They are great on busy school mornings for my son to just take out and microwave in the morning. That way he gets a filling breakfast with almost no work. You can reheat from frozen, but if you know you are going to have them the next morning you can put them in the fridge the night before and they will reheat quicker the next morning.
When freezing them you want to make sure that they have cooled completely and then place in a freezer safe plastic storage bag. Then you can store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How Do You Reheat Baked Oatmeal Cups
We like to reheat them in the microwave because it is super fast and easy. But if you are reheating more than just a couple you can also use the oven. For 1 in the microwave we usually do about 45 seconds. It depends on how powerful your microwave is, so you might have to go up to a minute. If you are using the oven heat them for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F.
If your cups are frozen they will take longer. You can thaw them in the fridge overnight if you know you are having them the next morning, or just microwave for closer to 90 seconds.
Variations
- You can use quick cooking oats in place of the old fashioned oats, the texture will just be a little bit drier as they soak up more liquid.
- In place of the unsweetened apple sauce use mashed banana
- Blueberries or Diced Apples would be great in place of the chocolate chips.
- If you want a fall vibe, mix in pumpkin puree in place of the apple sauce. Add in a little pumpkin pie spice for more fall flavor as well.
- You can always swap out the peanut butter for any other nut butter that you have and enjoy. If you can’t do nuts sun butter is a great alternative.
- Mix in nuts. Walnuts or almonds would be great to mix in the oatmeal cups or just sprinkle on top for more texture.
- If you are looking for a little extra nutrition with these you could add in Protein Powder or Flax Meal to the dry ingredients.
Traditional oatmeal is not my favorite, I just can’t get past the texture, but these baked oatmeal cups are so good, filling, and actually pretty good for you. So if you are looking for a new breakfast you can have on hand, these are great to make ahead and have ready whenever you need them.
Other Great Breakfast Recipes
- Pancake Muffins
- Sausage Egg Breakfast Sandwiches
- Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
- Cheese and Sausage Biscuits
- Bran Muffins
- Bacon & Cheese Hash Brown Waffles
- Breakfast Bowls with Sausage & Egg Whites
- Protein Pancakes
Baked Oatmeal Cups
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce, or mashed banana
- 2 whole eggs
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non stick spray or line with paper liners.
- In a bowl mix together apple sauce, eggs, peanut butter, brown sugar, vanilla and milk until well combined.
- In a separate bowl mix together oats, baking powder, cinnamon and chocolate chips.
- Slowly add oat mixture to the wet ingredients until combined.
- Add in melted butter and stir to combine.
- Divide batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Make sure there is equal amount of liquid in each cup.
- Top with chocolate chips and bake for 18-20 minutes until they are set and starting to turn golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are going to be perfect for through the week!
What a great way to enjoy something tasty and healthy on a busy morning! Looking forward to baking these this weekend!
These are so good! I love the freezer option! Perfect for pulling out when you need a quick snack!
My kids LOVE these! Will definitely be making them again!
Can you substitute GF oat meal ( like red mill)?
I love the idea of having this as an option for a gf breakfast.
Thanks.
Yes, from what I understand almost all oatmeal is gluten free naturally. You just have to make sure it isn’t processes in a place that handles other gluten products. Don’t use steel cut oats though, the texture would be hard to deal with in these
Does the peanut butter need to be 100% peanuts only or can I use processed peanut butter with sugar added to it?
I used processed peanut butter when I made them, but I think either would work.
Do not like peanut butter, can you use something else in place of it or just omit it.
You can definitely use any other nut butter or spread like that you enjoy in its place. I haven’t actually made them without, but I don’t see why the recipe wouldn’t work that way.
Maybe I’m blind, but I completely ruined this recipe as I mistook what is apparently a 3 for an 8. So, 8 cups of oatmeal in this recipe, etc. Disappointing. Please change something as important as ingredients counts to a standard font to avoid someone else the wasted time and expense.
can I use regular applesauce instead of unsweetened?
Yes