These healthy Baked Oatmeal Cups are a quick-fix breakfast you can make ahead of time and grab on the go! There are more than 10 different flavors to choose from, and each one is super tasty and easy to make. Gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free with grain-free, vegan, paleo, low carb and keto options.
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Updated March 2021
Healthy Baked Oatmeal Recipes
Are you ever in too much of a hurry in the morning to cook up a healthy breakfast? Well, not anymore! These baked oatmeal cups are the perfect solution. You can make them in advance or whip them up in no time on busy mornings.
From carrot cake to cinnamon apple, there are more than 10 yummy flavors to try! Once you learn how to make one variation, you can make them all – the recipe is pretty much the same across the board. So the question is, which flavor will be your favorite?
What Are Oatmeal Cups?
Oatmeal cups are basically just baked oatmeal that’s shaped into portable, single-sized servings. Instead of spreading the batter into a casserole dish, you’re going to divide it into a muffin tin instead. The result is a batch of healthy grab-and-go breakfast muffins for the whole family!
Is This a Healthy Make Ahead Breakfast?
Made with old-fashioned oats and unsweetened almond milk, these oatmeal cookie cups are a highly nutritious breakfast option. They’re dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free, and some of the variations cater to additional dietary restrictions. Each version is flavored with healthy ingredients like nuts, fruits and vegetables!
As for the make-ahead aspect, these oatmeal cups are a great choice. They can be prepared as early as 3 months in advance! If you’re looking for ways to level up your meal prep game, you need these breakfast muffins in your life.
Recipe Ingredients
These oatmeal cups are made with simple pantry ingredients. And the recipe is flexible, so you can easily use what you like or have on hand in your kitchen!
- Unsweetened Almond Milk: Or any other plant-milk of choice.
- Eggs: For vegan baked oatmeal cups, use flax eggs instead.
- Maple Syrup: Or coconut nectar syrup, date syrup or any other liquid sweetener. For keto baked oatmeal, use yacon syrup or Lakanta sugar-free maple syrup.
- Melted Coconut Oil: Or any other neutral oil.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: For flavor and sweetness.
- Baking Powder: Just a teaspoon!
- Ground Cinnamon: Feel free to include additional spices like nutmeg, ground ginger, etc.
- Sea Salt: Just a pinch, to balance out the flavors.
- Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Or quick oats. For a grain-free paleo baked oatmeal, sub with a mix of roughly chopped coconut flakes and sliced almonds.
- Add-Ins of Choice: This can be dried fruit, orange zest, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, or whatever else you like! Check out the flavor variations below for more ideas.
For Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Ground Cinnamon: Add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon for this flavor.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened.
- Apple: Peeled, cored and diced.
- Apple Slices: Optional, for garnish.
For Banana Oatmeal Cups
- Creamy Almond Butter: Or another nut/seed butter.
- Ripe Banana: Mashed.
- Sliced Banana: To garnish.
For Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Ground Nutmeg: For that perfect spiced carrot cake flavor.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened.
- Carrots: Shredded.
- Coconut: Unsweetened, shredded.
- Raisins: Or craisins.
- Pecans: Or walnuts, chopped.
For Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cups
- Chocolate Chunks: You can use dark, semi-sweet, dairy-free, etc.
For Honey Nut Baked Oatmeal
- Honey: Be sure to leave out the maple syrup; honey takes its place as the liquid sweetener for this flavor.
- Walnuts: Chopped, plus more for topping.
For Lemon Poppyseed Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Lemon Juice & Zest: From 1 lemon.
- Almond Extract: For flavor.
- Poppyseeds: Toasted, if possible.
- Sliced Almonds: You’ll need some for the batter and some more to use as a topping, if desired
For Pineapple Coconut Oatmeal Cups
- Fresh Pineapple: Chopped.
- Shredded Coconut: Plus more for topping, if desired.
For Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Cups
- Canned Pumpkin: Not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Shelled.
- Dried Cranberries: Or raisins.
For Raspberry Chocolate Oatmeal Cups
- Fresh Raspberries: I love sneaking fresh berries into my breakfasts.
- Freeze-Dried Raspberries: With fresh and dried fruit, you get the best of both worlds! But if you’d prefer to use only fresh fruit, you can leave these out.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: Or chocolate chunks.
For Strawberry Oatmeal Cups
- Fresh Strawberries: Chopped.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Optional.
For Grain-Free, Paleo Vegan Oatmeal Cups
- Coconut Flakes: Unsweetened to use as a grain-free option in place of the rolled oats.
- Almond Flour: Or almond meal.
- Baking Powder: Use a gluten-free variety.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Flaxseeds: to make this vegan and egg-free.
- Almond Milk: Or other milk of choice.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened; you can use an egg instead if you’re not vegan.
- Maple Syrup: Or coconut nectar syrup, date syrup or any other liquid sweetener. For keto baked oatmeal, use yacon syrup or Lakanta sugar-free maple syrup.
- Vanilla Extract
What Kinds of Oats to Use
I like to use old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe because I find that they give the best texture. Instant oats work well too – just avoid using steel-cut oats. If you’re gluten-free, make sure the oats you use are compliant with your dietary needs.
How to Make Baked Oatmeal Cups
Here’s the basic oatmeal recipe to follow. Be sure to follow the step-by-step instructions, photos and watch the video below to see how easy they are to make!
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line it with silicone liners. Set aside.
- Make Batter: If using flax eggs, mix the flax seeds and water in a large bowl to make the flax egg. Set aside until thickened (about 2 minutes). If you’re using a regular egg, add it to a large bowl as normal. After 2 minutes, whisk in the milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Fold in the oats, then any desired add-ins.
- Bake: Divide your batter evenly between the muffin liners and bake your oatmeal cups at 350°F for 20 minutes. Once done, remove them from the oven and let them cool for at least 5 minutes.
Tips for Success
These quick tips and tricks will help you make perfect baked oatmeal cups with ease. Be sure to look over them!
- Use Cooking Spray or Silicone Liners: Don’t forget to coat your muffin tin with cooking spray or line a baking sheet with silicone muffin liners. Don’t use paper liners, or the oatmeal cups will stick to them.
- Sweeten to Taste: These baked oatmeal cups are refined sugar-free and use maple syrup to sweeten them up. Feel free to swap or add additional honey, coconut sugar, date puree, or your favorite low-carb sweetener instead.
- Add Toppings: Want to make multiple different flavors in one batch? Start with the basic oatmeal cups recipe and get creative! You can divide the batter in half and make two different flavors or add a unique topping to each breakfast cookie.
- Adjust Ingredients for Grain-Free Oatmeal Cups: All of these recipes start with the same oatmeal cup base, except for the Grain Free & Paleo variation. In any case, make sure you adjust your ingredients so the oatmeal cups are compliant with your dietary needs.
- Serving Ideas: These oatmeal cups are great by themselves, but you can also pair them with with yogurt, almond milk, nut butter or some jam to liven things up!
How to Store Baked Oatmeal Cups
Store your baked oatmeal cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Be sure to let them cool completely before refrigerating them.
How to Reheat Oatmeal Cups
You can simply let your leftover oatmeal cookies come to room temperature, or you can heat them back up! To warm them in the oven, remove the liners and cut each oatmeal cup in half. Assemble them on a lightly greased baking sheet and heat at 300°F until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
You can also reheat them in the microwave, if desired. This is great for warming up one or two at a time! Simply wrap each oatmeal cup in a paper towel and microwave in 15-second increments until warm. It should take around 30 seconds to a minute, but it depends on your microwave.
Can I Freeze These?
Yes! These freezer-friendly oatmeal breakfast cookies are perfect for meal prepping. Once cooled, wrap each cup in plastic wrap and place them all in a freezer-safe bag or container. Enjoy them within 3 months, making sure to thaw them overnight in the fridge before you plan to eat them. Feel free to thaw and reheat one or two at a time, as needed.
More Healthy Breakfast Ideas
Need more healthy and delicious oatmeal recipes? Check out the following recipes!
- Easy Oatmeal Bowls – 6 Ways
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- How to Make Steel Cut Oats
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal with Lemon and Coconut
- Energy Bites – 12 Ways
- Overnight Oats Recipes – 9 Ways
- Healthy Homemade Granola Bars – 12 Ways
More healthy breakfast recipes:
These healthy Baked Oatmeal Cups are a quick-fix breakfast you can make ahead of time and grab on the go! There are more than 10 different flavors to choose from, and each one is super tasty and easy to make. Gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free with grain-free, vegan, paleo, low carb and keto options.
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk or any other milk
- 2 large eggs, (or use flax eggs for vegan) (For each flax egg - 1 tablespoon flax seed + 3 tablespoons water)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup Or coconut nectar syrup, date syrup or any other liquid sweetener. For keto baked oatmeal, use yacon syrup or Lakanta sugar-free maple syrup.
- 4 teaspoons melted coconut oil OR any neutral oil * coconut oil will harden with any cold liquids - this is totally normal and will melt down once baked
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 1/2 cups gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats , for a grain-free paleo baked oatmeal, sub with a mix of roughly chopped coconut flakes and sliced almonds.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (total of 1 teaspoon of cinnamon)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 medium apple peeled, cored & diced (about 1 cup)
- thin apple slices for garnish, optional
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter or your favorite nut or seed butter
- 1 medium-sized ripe banana mashed
- 1/2 banana sliced, for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut (I used unsweetened)
- 2 Tablespoons raisins
- 1-2 Tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup chocolate chunks (dark, semi-sweet or dairy free)
- 1/4 cup honey leave out the 1/4 cup of maple syrup
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped (plus more for topping)
- juice & zest from 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 Tablespoon poppyseeds toasted if possible
- 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds plus more for topping if desired
- 2/3 cup fresh pineapple chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut plus more for topping if desired
- 2 Tablespoons canned pure pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds pepitas
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1/3 cup fresh raspberries
- 2 Tablespoons roughly chopped freeze-dried raspberries, for garnish (optional)
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries chopped (plus more for topping)
- 2 Tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries (optional) chopped (plus more for topping)
- 3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup almond flour OR almond meal
- 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk , (can sub with any milk you have)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce , (can sub with 1 large egg if not vegan)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup OR Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup . (can sub with honey if not vegan)
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line baking sheet with silicone muffin liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the flax seeds and water to make the flax egg. Set aside until thickened (about 2 minutes) (Skip if using regular egg). After 2 minutes, whisk in milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and fold in the oats.
Stir in the additional 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, applesauce, and chopped apples.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Top with more sliced apples, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, or until set.
Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
- Stir in almond butter and mashed banana.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Top each serving with sliced bananas.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, or until set.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Stir in applesauce, nutmeg, carrots, and coconut. Fold in raisins and nuts.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Sprinkle with additional coconut, raisins, and pecans, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-23 minutes, or until set.
Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Stir in chocolate chunks. Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Press additional chocolate chunks on top, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-23 minutes, or until set.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
- Stir in the honey (leave out the maple syrup from the base recipe) and nuts.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners.
Sprinkle additional chopped nuts on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 17-23 minutes, or until set.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, almond extract and poppy seeds.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Press tops with sliced almonds.
Bake in preheated oven for 17-23 minutes, or until set.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
- Stir in the pineapple and shredded coconut.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Sprinkle tops with coconut chips, if desired. (optional).
Bake in preheated oven for 17-23 minutes, or until set.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
- Stir in canned pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Press additional pumpkin seeds and cranberries on top, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until set.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Stir in chopped fresh raspberries, freeze-dried raspberries, and chocolate chips.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Press additional chocolate chips and freeze-dried raspberries, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-23 minutes, or until set.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Stir in chopped strawberries and freeze-dried strawberries.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Top with more freeze-dried strawberry slices, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, or until set.
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from tin.
Enjoy immediately or freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Preheat oven to 350 F and lightly grease the inside of an 8X8 baking pan or line a 12 cup muffin tin with silicone liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until combined. Gently stir in berries. Add more milk, as needed if batter seems too dry.
Bake in preheated oven for 28-30 minutes, or until oatmeal is set. Allow to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes to allow oatmeal to set. Serve warm with more milk or toppings of choice.
Recipe Video
Nutrition facts apply to basic oatmeal cups.
Did you try this recipe?
Eileen -
Yum, we make a different flavor every week. So easy and delicious! Thanks