These Baked Oatmeal Bites take just 5 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of baking! They’re gluten free, moist, filling, and a healthy breakfast option that everyone will love. Maybe it was the melty chocolate chips on top, the sweetened shredded coconut, the sliced almonds or the hint of cinnamon in the soft baked oatmeal but we made these 4 times in two weeks! 

Ultimately these taste like a mini Breakfast Baked Oatmeal Cake and I’m completely obsessed with how they turned out! If you are looking for a fall-themed option, I’ve also made pumpkin baked oatmeal cups, which are super yummy, too! I also have a very popular no-bake energy bites recipe you’ve gotta try! Or my oatmeal cookie protein balls. 

A baked oatmeal cup topped with chocolate chips with a bite taken out of the oatmeal cup.
  • Great recipe for meal prep. You can make these breakfast oatmeal cups in a big batch and freeze them to easy breakfast meal prep.
  • Easy breakfast to go. These baked oatmeal bites are a great breakfast on the go. Grab one as you head out the door! Even without the toppings, these cups are delicious! Another thing you’ll love is how easy these baked oatmeal cups come together, too. It takes 5 minutes. FIVE MINUTES! They’ll then bake for 20 minutes and you’re good to go. Since these are great breakfasts to go, this recipe is perfect for family gatherings, reunions (just double or triple the batch), and/or camping trips.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make Baked Oatmeal Cups in glass bowls on a white background.
  • Quick Oats: These are smaller-sized oats than rolled oats. The quick oats work better in this recipe since they are smaller you get a tighter bake in the oven. 
  • Light Brown Sugar: This adds a hint of sweetness to the oatmeal cups. You can try using honey or maple syrup if you’d prefer. I haven’t made this recipe with honey or maple syrup, so I can’t say how similar they will taste or bake. If you do this option, let me know in the comments how the oatmeal bites turn out! 
  • Baking Powder: In order to get the oatmeal to bake up a little like a cake, we need a leavening agent. Using baking powder will give us that puffed up baked texture. 
  • Cinnamon: Just a hint of cinnamon goes a long way to give the baked oatmeal a nice depth of flavor. 
  • Eggs: The eggs act as a binding agent for the ingredients. Plus, they do provide some leavening too. 
  • Almond Milk: Feel free to use any type of milk instead. 
  • Vegetable Oil: Since these are like an oatmeal cake, the vegetable oil does the same thing in these oatmeal cups as it would in a cake — provide moistness. Without the oil (or something else to keep it moist), the baked oatmeal would be dry. 
  • Chocolate Chips: Topping the oatmeal cups with chocolate chips is a great way to add a touch of sweetness and a delicious flavor addition. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Mix the dry ingredients. Mix the quick cooking oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together.
A whisk stirring quick oats in a glass bowl.
  1. Whisk the wet ingredients. In a different bowl, whisk the eggs, almond milk (or dairy milk), oil, and vanilla.
  2. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
A light yellow colored liquid being poured into a glass bowl full of quick oats.
  1. Fill the muffin tin. Divide the oatmeal batter into a muffin tin that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. You’ll fill them about 3/4 full. Top with chocolate chips. 
  2. Bake. Bake the oatmeal cups for 20-25 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown on top. 
  3. Let cool. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 3 minutes, carefully transfer to a wire rack. Once on the rack, sprinkle the shredded coconut and sliced almonds over each oatmeal cup.
Baked Oatmeal Cups in a muffin tin topped with chocolate chips.

Recipe Tips

My baked oatmeal bites baked for 22 minutes; all ovens are different so keep an eye on them.

Gently press the chocolate chips into the oatmeal batter. You don’t need the chocolate chips to go all the way into the batter, but a gentle nudge so that some of them are nicely inserted and won’t fall off after being baked and cooled. 

You can substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil by using a 1:1 ratio. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup + 1 T of canola (or vegetable) oil. To substitute apple sauce for the oil you’ll add 1/4 cup + 1 T of applesauce. It’s that simple!

Using applesauce instead of vegetable oil? Serve the applesauce oatmeal cups with some Cinnamon Baked Apples Recipe or sliced bananas. Are you a fan of peanut butter + chocolate? Skip the cinnamon in the mixture and spread peanut butter on top of the chocolate chip oatmeal cups! 

I’ve added protein powder to this oatmeal as well and it turns out great! I used 1 scoop of this protein, but you feel free to use whatever protein powder you have on hand.

You can spray an 8×8 inch baking pan and bake this recipe as an oatmeal cake. Cook time may vary.

I don’t recommend using steel cut oats for this recipe since the liquid amount and the bake time would have to be much different for steel cut oats. If you are looking for a great steel cut oats recipe, try my Banana Steel Cut Oats, my classic Steel Cut Oats Recipe or my Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats.

Milk being poured over top Baked Oatmeal Cups on a brown plate.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Store the baked oatmeal bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To freeze, let the oatmeal cups cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the freezer. The baked oatmeal cups will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. Remove from the freezer and let thaw before eating or microwaving. 

FAQs

Is this baked oatmeal healthy?

I think so! Haha! There is 1/2 cup brown sugar in the entire mixture, but considering how much sugar you’d get in a packaged bag of oatmeal from the store, this is much better! However, there are ways to make this recipe even healthier if you’d like. Switch out the vegetable oil for unsweetened applesauce, exclude the chocolate chips, and use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar. 

Can I use rolled oats instead of quick oats?

Yes, you can. I use the quick oats because they are a smaller-sized oat so the cups bake up in a tighter bake that if using the old fashioned rolled oats that are a bit bigger. I wanted to get a baked oats texture that was a little bit like an oatmeal cake texture.

Can I use honey instead of sugar? 

Yes you can! I think it would be a great idea to use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar. I like the brown sugar flavor so that’s why I use that, but honey or maple syrup would be a great way to get some added sweetness to the recipe if you’d rather not use brown sugar. 

Baked Oatmeal bites sitting on a cooling rack.

More Oatmeal Recipes

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A bite taken out of a baked oatmeal cup.
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4.72 from 7 votes

Baked Oatmeal Bites

These easy baked oatmeal cups are moist and topped with shredded sweetened coconut, sliced almonds, and chocolate chips. This is a delicious and portable breakfast for all. 
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 12 oatmeal cups

Ingredients
 

  • 2 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar - packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pinch ground cinnamon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup almond milk - or regular diary milk
  • 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon canola oil - or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
  • 3 tablespoons shredded sweetened coconut

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F. spray a regular sized muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl whisk the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. 
  • In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, almond milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is combined. 
  • Divide the mixture evenly amongst the muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the chocolate chips overtop. 
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set and golden on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 3 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool. Once you transfer to the wire rack top each oatmeal cup with the sliced almonds and coconut.
  • Serve with a drizzle of milk. 
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Notes

Alternatively, you can spray an 8×8 inch baking pan and bake as an “oatmeal cake.”
Add a scoop of protein powder for added health benefits!
You can substitute applesauce for the oil if you’d like a healthier option. Use a 1:1 ratio, so the same amount of applesauce as oil.
Store the baked oatmeal bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze, let the oatmeal cups cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the freezer. The baked oatmeal cups will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. Remove from the freezer and let thaw before eating or microwaving.
Recipe Source: Salt & Baker

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 23g (8%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 10g (15%)Saturated Fat: 2g (10%)Cholesterol: 35mg (12%)Sodium: 96mg (4%)Potassium: 123mg (4%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 60IU (1%)Calcium: 65mg (7%)Iron: 1.2mg (7%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Instagram and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!

This recipe was originally published on June 3, 2019. It was republished on Jan. 26, 2022, to include additional information and photos.