Baked oatmeal cups are an easy and delicious meal prep breakfast! Made with old-fashioned rolled oats, vanilla, fresh berries, and cozy cinnamon spice, these sweet oatmeal cups are perfect to take on the go. They’re also freezer-friendly.
Easy Oatmeal Cups Recipe
Have you tried baked oatmeal? It’s like a portable version of oatmeal that you can eat with your hands. Baking in a muffin pan makes these baked oatmeal cups the perfect size for an on-the-go breakfast or snack. I love filling them with fresh summer berries this time of year, but you can easily adapt the recipe with different fruit, nuts, or even a few sneaky chocolate chips.
These baked oats are wholesome, tender, and fluffy, like oatmeal muffins or extra-thick oatmeal cookies. I think you’re going to love them!
Why Make These Baked Oatmeal Cups?
- Fuller for longer. Wholesome rolled oats and eggs give these oatmeal cups plenty of substance.
- Less refined sugar. I add unsweetened applesauce for moisture and sweeten the oats with maple syrup.
- Easily adaptable. These oatmeal cups welcome mix-ins like fresh berries, nuts, or chocolate chips. Add protein powder for a high-protein kick.
- Freezer-friendly. Baked oats freeze beautifully, so you can bake once and store half in the freezer for quick thawing on the go.
Ingredients Needed for Oatmeal Cups
Here’s a look at the ingredients in this baked oatmeal cups recipe. You’ll find the full list with the exact recipe amounts in the recipe card below.
- Milk – This can be any dairy or non-dairy milk you’d like.
- Eggs – Eggs bind the baked oats and add protein. I haven’t tested these oatmeal cups with a flax egg for an egg-free version, but I suspect it would work. If you do, let me know in the comments!
- Applesauce – I prefer to use unsweetened applesauce so I can sweeten the oatmeal mixture to taste.
- Vanilla Extract – Almond extract would add a different layer of flavor.
- Baking Powder – Not to be confused with or swapped for baking soda, which isn’t the same thing. Baking powder gives these oatmeal cups a light, cake-like texture.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add a hint of cozy spice. Pie spice would make a good alternative to the individual spices.
- Oats – Old-fashioned rolled oats are best in baked oatmeal recipes. Quick oats work, too, but they won’t have as much texture. Avoid instant oats, however, as they’ll be too mushy.
Choose Your Add-ins
I make these baked oatmeal cups with fresh blueberries and chopped strawberries. You can easily swap in blackberries, raspberries, or another fruit, or try these other mix-in ideas. I don’t recommend exceeding ½ cup of add-ins, or the cups may not hold together.
- Chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds
- Diced apples, pears, or peaches (see my apple baked oatmeal)
- Chocolate chips
- Dried cranberries or raisins
- Protein powder (whey or plant-based)
- Chopped or mashed bananas
- Nut butter (peanut butter, Nutella, cashew butter)
FAQ
Your baked oatmeal cups are done baking when they start to pull away from the pan and turn golden on top.
Too much fruit releases excess juices and makes the oatmeal cups soggy. Don’t add more than the suggested amount of fruit to the recipe.
Yes! Follow the recipe as directed and bake the oats in a lined mini muffin pan instead. Keep the oven temperature the same, and reduce the baking time by half. Add more time as needed.
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Get ready to bake. Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and spray the liners with cooking spray.
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Make the base. In a large bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, maple syrup, applesauce, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg. Fold in the oats and salt. Cover the mixture and let it rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
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Add mix-ins. When ready to bake, remove the oat mixture from the fridge. Stir in the strawberries and blueberries.
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Fill the pan. Divide the mixture between the prepared paper liners, filling them to the top. Make sure each cup has the same amount of fruit. Sprinkle the cups with coarse sugar.
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Bake. Transfer the muffin tin to the oven and bake the oatmeal cups for 30-35 minutes.
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Finish. Cool the oatmeal cups completely before serving.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats. I do not recommend instant oats for this.
- Make sure you coat the paper liners with cooking spray. These tend to stick to uncoated paper liners. Also, you can use a silicone muffin tin and be completely safe.
- Do not add more fruit. The fruit may release extra juices and make your oatmeal cups soggy.
Serving: 1oatmeal cup | Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Mix the oatmeal base. Whisk milk with the eggs, maple syrup, applesauce, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg. Then, fold in the oats and a pinch of salt.
- Chill. Cover and chill the oatmeal in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This allows the oats to soak up the moisture, thickening the mixture so it bakes evenly.
- Add the mix-ins. When it’s time to bake, fold the strawberries and blueberries (or any add-ins you’re using) into the oat mixture.
- Fill the pan. Next, divide the oatmeal between the lined wells of a 12-well muffin pan. Try to get an even amount of fruit per cup. You can fill the liners all the way to the top. I like to sprinkle the oatmeal cups with a little coarse sugar before baking.
- Bake. Pop these into a 350ºF oven for 30-35 minutes. Allow the oatmeal cups to cool completely.
Success Tip: Keeping the Oatmeal From Sticking to the Liners
Due to the oats’ texture and sticky ingredients like maple syrup, the baked oatmeal cups can stick to the paper liners. So, I coat the liners with cooking spray. You can also bake these in silicone liners or a silicone muffin pan to avoid the cups becoming stuck.
Storage and Freezing
- On the counter. Store these baked oatmeal cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. I suggest freezing the baked and cooled berry oatmeal cups on a lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer the cups to a zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature.
