Easy 4 Ingredient Baked Oatmeal Cups Recipe

Name: Easy 4 Ingredient Baked Oatmeal Cups
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups rolled oats; 1 large egg; 1 ½ cups milk (any kind); ¼ cup pure maple syrup; Optional mix ins: finely chopped apples, bananas, cinnamon, fresh or frozen berries, peanut butter, mini chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.

Easy 4 Ingredient Baked Oatmeal Cups

Prep Time 5

Total Time 30

Servings 12 cups

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Published on August 22, 2023 / Last updated on August 28, 2023

These easy 4 Ingredient Oatmeal Cups use only FOUR basic ingredients, and they’re ready in just 30 minutes! Perfect for breakfast, school lunches, or snacks, you can prep them up to a week ahead to enjoy them fresh, and they’re freezer-friendly, too.

Naturally sweetened and packed with protein, I’ve included 3 flavor options: raspberry chocolate chip, peanut butter banana, and apple cinnamon!

overhead shot of baked oatmeal cups on white surface.

Table of Contents

Ingredients Needed:
How to Make 4 Ingredient Baked Oatmeal Cups
Baked Oatmeal Cups FAQs
Tips and Notes
Baked Oatmeal Cups Variations
Serving Suggestions
More Easy Breakfast Recipes to Try
Easy 4 Ingredient Baked Oatmeal Cups Recipe

I have a deep, undying love for baked oatmeal.

These 4 Ingredient Oatmeal Cups are a great healthy breakfast option, and they’re the perfect snack—we love them.

I make a big batch almost every weekend, and we whip them out for breakfast or lunches all week!

Before this recipe, we’d always eaten regular, cooked oatmeal mush. It’s hearty, healthy, and easy, but one day we tried this baked oatmeal recipe, and we’ve never gone back.

It has a firmer texture (al dente if you will), so it’s perfect for those of you who are on the fence about oatmeal.

They freeze perfectly, and you can pull out just a few for breakfast or lunch as you need them.

Eggs, oats, and milk pack enough protein and fiber to keep you going long after breakfast is done, and maple syrup gives these just enough sweetness, naturally.

Since these cups are baked individually, you can jazz them up however you want. The whole family will love customizing their own baked oatmeal cup.

My 4-year-old likes to eat hers like oatmeal muffins, handheld, with no milk or spoon.

The rest of us warm ours up and pour milk over them!

Some of my other favorite breakfast recipes you can prep ahead include this Baked Overnight Lemon French Toast, Easy Yogurt Parfaits, Baked Maple Glaze Apple Crisp Doughnuts,

Ingredients Needed:

ingredients for baked oatmeal cups in glass bowls.

Oats: I like to use rolled oats (aka old-fashioned oats) because they have more texture, but you can use quick-cooking or instant oats as well.
Egg: you can sub the egg for ¼ cup egg whites if preferred.
Milk: low-fat milk, high-fat milk, or non-dairy milk will work well.
Maple syrup: you can reduce the maple syrup if you prefer them less sweet, or substitute with an equal amount of any sweetener.

Optional Mix-Ins

toppings in glass bowls for baked oatmeal cups.

Finely chopped apples, bananas, cinnamon, fresh or frozen berries, peanut butter (warm it up a little before stirring in!), mini chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, etc.

How to Make 4 Ingredient Baked Oatmeal Cups

This recipe is quick and easy to make. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.

Combine ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the oats, eggs, milk, and maple syrup.
Stir: Stir until completely mixed.
Pour into muffin tin: Divide the batter evenly in the muffin pans.
Add in flavors and bake: Add the optional mix-ins to the cups, if desired. Bake until lightly golden brown on top and completely set.

oatmeal cup ingredients in a glass bowl ready to be mixed. — Combine oats, eggs, milk, and maple syrup.

a glass bowl of mixed oatmeal cup ingredients. — Combine oats, eggs, milk, and maple syrup.

Baked Oatmeal Cups FAQs

How do I store Baked Oatmeal Cups?

These Oatmeal Cups can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They reheat beautifully in the microwave.

Can I freeze Baked Oatmeal Cups?

Freeze these oatmeal cups for up to 3 months in a Ziploc bag or a freezer-safe container. Flash-freeze the cups in a single layer before putting them in a large freezer bag or wrap them individually in plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together.

baked oatmeal cups in a muffin pan topped with fruit and chocolate chips.

Tips and Notes

Silicone Mold: You can use silicone muffin liners instead of a muffin tin for this meal hack, as they’ll come out easily and perfectly every time! If you use a regular muffin pan as I did here, just be sure to spray with non-stick spray.
Baking Powder. 1 teaspoon of baking powder will give a fluffier, more cake-like texture, like oatmeal muffins.
Salt. ¼ teaspoon of salt will balance out the flavors if you need it.
Paper Liners. You can use paper liners in your muffin pan to make them easier to remove from the pan or if you’re going to pack them for transport.
Gluten-Free. This recipe is easily made gluten-free by using certified gluten-free oats. Check all of your labels to be sure before you begin.

Baked Oatmeal Cups Variations

Add in spices. Add ½-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to bring a warm, spiced flavor to these cups.
Extracts. Vanilla extract or almond extract will add more flavor to these cups if you want. Add (pretty much) as much as you like!
Fruit. Use any kind of fresh, frozen, or dried fruit for these oat cups. Blueberries, raspberries, chopped strawberries, blackberries,
Seeds. Adding in some chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, or sunflower seeds is a great way to add healthy nutrients.
Protein. Substitute up to ½ cup of the oats with ground flax, protein powder, or hemp hearts to pack some more protein in here.
Spreads. Peanut butter, Nutella, Biscoff Spread, or other spreads work really well for these to add a different flavor. Add some to the batter, or slice the cups and spread it on them to serve.
Topping. Top these cups with cream cheese frosting, vanilla frosting, a dusting of powdered sugar, or drizzle the top with some melted chocolate for an extra sweet finish or to serve them for dessert.

light blue bowls with baked oatmeal cups and milk in them.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve these oatmeal cups alone, handheld like muffins. Or you can put them into a bowl with milk and additional maple syrup, reheat them, and enjoy them with a spoon!

They’re a great grab-and-go breakfast solution for busy weekdays and a perfect snack recipe for when you’re on the road too!

Of course, you’ll need your Cold Brew Coffee, while the kids can enjoy a Strawberry Smoothie or another kind of Fruit Smoothie!

For more delicious breakfast recipes to make a spread for breakfast or brunch, try these Cinnamon Raisin Scones, my Thick and Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes, Orange Cranberry Bread, Air Fryer French Toast, Peanut Butter Streusel Banana Bread.

More Easy Breakfast Recipes to Try

Desserts

Cinnamon Roll Bites

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