If there’s a universal truth that unites all of us, it is this: mornings are hectic. It’s such a cliche, but it’s a cliche because it’s true. Trying to get out the door on time can leave you feeling defeated before the day has even begun. Having a healthy breakfast ready-to-go, like these Strawberry Baked Oatmeal Cups, makes mornings a little bit less chaotic.
Baked oatmeal is a favorite in our household; it’s kind of like bread pudding (or these freezer-friendly French toast cups) with oats instead of bread. You could also think of it as oatmeal that you can eat like a muffin!
These Strawberry Baked Oatmeal Cups are kid-friendly in all the important ways–they’re fun for kids to help with making and they’ll love having them for breakfast too. You’ll feel good about the fact that they’re only lightly sweetened, because the last thing kids need is a breakfast that’s a total sugar bomb, right?
We like keeping a batch of baked oatmeal cups in the freezer at all times so we’ve always got a healthy breakfast on hand. After you’ve baked the oatmeal, let it cool, then carefully remove it from the muffin tin. Place the baked oatmeal cups on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put them in the freezer for an hour or two (until they’re frozen through), and then pop them into a freezer bag. They’ll last for 2-3 months, if you don’t eat them first!
Photos by Ana Stanciu
Freezer-Friendly Strawberry Baked Oatmeal Cups
These kid-approved oatmeal cups are the perfect breakfast for busy mornings.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup diced strawberries
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or oil, or insert muffin liners.
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Stir the oats, cinnamon, and baking powder together in a medium mixing bowl.
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Beat the egg in a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the milk, vanilla, and syrup, then pour the liquid mixture into the oats. Fold in the strawberries.
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Use a ladle to divide the oat mixture into each of the 12 prepared muffin cups. Try to ensure that each has about the same proportions of liquid to oats.
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Bake the oatmeal cups for about 30 minutes, or until set and beginning to brown. If you didn't use muffin liners, let the oatmeal cool for 10-15 minutes, then run a butter knife along the edges of each muffin cup and carefully remove the baked oatmeal.
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Serve immediately or freeze for later; to reheat frozen oatmeal, warm in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until heated through or bake in the oven at 350ºF for about 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
If you have extra strawberries, you can slice them and place a slice on top of each oatmeal cup before baking.
