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Baked Oatmeal Cups are a single-serve way to make baked oatmeal ahead of time. Keep them in the fridge or freezer for quick, easy breakfasts all week!
Mornings are busy. It doesn’t matter if you are getting kids out the door or are just trying to get to work. 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!
Erin’s Notes
- Make-ahead breakfast — mix up a batch on Sunday and you’re set for busy mornings all week.
- Freezer-friendly — keeps well for up to 3 months, so a double batch means breakfast is covered for a while.
- No flour needed — just oats, so it works well if you’re avoiding flour.
- Endlessly customizable — same base recipe, but everyone in the family can have their own flavor.
- Portable — grab one on the way out the door, no bowl or spoon required.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Unsweetened Apple Sauce – Either regular or unsweetened apple sauce works fine, use whichever you have on hand. Mashed banana is a great swap too.
- Eggs
- Peanut Butter – Both natural and processed/sweetened peanut butter work well here, use whatever you normally keep in the pantry.
- Brown Sugar
- Milk – any type of milk will work
- Vanilla Extract
- Old Fashioned Oats – Old fashioned oats give the best texture, but quick oats work too. The cups will just be a little drier since quick oats soak up more liquid. Steel cut oats are not recommended, the texture is too tough.
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Butter
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.1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce, 2 whole eggs, 1/3 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl mix together oats, baking powder, cinnamon and chocolate chips.3 cups old fashioned oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- Slowly add oat mixture to the wet ingredients until combined.
- Add in melted butter and stir to combine.1 Tablespoon butter
- 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.
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.
- Bake. 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.
- Serve. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage
Baked Oatmeal Cups will last about a week if you store them in the fridge. It is best to store in an airtight container. 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.
Freezing – 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.
Reheating – 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 it will take about a minute. If you are using the oven heat them for about 5 minutes at 350ºF.
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.
Recipe 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.
- Egg-Free/Vegan: Replace each egg with a chia egg (1 Tablespoon chia seeds + 3 Tablespoons water per egg, rested a few minutes until gel-like) — tested and works well.
Yes — oats are naturally gluten-free, so just make sure to use oats labeled gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination. Don’t use steel cut oats though, the texture is too tough for these.
Either works fine — use whichever you have on hand.
Yes — swap each egg for a chia egg (1 Tablespoon chia seeds + 3 Tablespoons water per egg, rested until gel-like). This has been tested and works well.
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