Oatmeal Cups With Yogurt
Baked oatmeal cups are topped with yogurt and fresh fruit for a kid-friendly breakfast that’s healthy too. Hooray!
If it were up to our kids, they’d have a pack of Dunkaroos for breakfast and be on their way. But as parents, we want them to have something nutritious that will fuel them through their day. The ongoing struggle between healthy and something kids will actually eat is real, but these oatmeal cups are one of the rare options that checks all the boxes.
Healthy? Check! It’s loaded with fiber from the oats, it has protein from the peanut butter and yogurt, and the fresh fruit on top has all kinds of vitamins and minerals.
Kid-friendly? Also check! The baked oatmeal cup base tastes like a treat, kids love yogurt, and little ones always have fun customizing their food by adding their own toppings.
Parent-approved? This too! These oatmeal cups are ideal for meal prep. Make a bunch, pop them in the fridge or freezer, and you have easy breakfasts for days.
About these oatmeal cups
If you’ve tried our banana blueberry baked oatmeal, carrot cake baked oatmeal, or apple cinnamon baked oatmeal, then you already have a good idea of what the base of these oatmeal cups is like. It has the satisfying texture of old-fashioned oats, and along with some nutty flavor from the addition of peanut butter (you could also use sunflower seed butter to make these nut-free, if you’d like!).
You can nestle all kinds of fillings inside these oat cups, but we like thick, creamy Greek yogurt for its added nutrition. When you’re ready to serve, simply put a dollop of yogurt into each cup, then add your (or your kids’) favorite toppings.
When it comes to healthy homemade breakfast ideas, it doesn’t get much easier (or more delicious!) than this!
If you’re craving something more chocolatey, try these oatmeal cups with fudge topping!
What you need
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – Don’t substitute quick oats or steel-cut oats. This recipe needs old-fashioned oats for the perfect texture.
- Peanut butter – You can substitute another nut butter if you prefer, or use sunflower seed butter if you’re baking for someone with peanut allergies.
- Maple syrup – Pancake syrup can be substituted if that’s what you have on hand.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla bean paste or powder will work too.
- Ground cinnamon – Cinnamon adds lots of cozy flavor, but you can swap in another spice (or blend of spices – try pumpkin pie spice!) if you’d like.
- Coconut oil – This is used to prevent them from sticking in the muffin tin. You can use nonstick cooking spray instead, if you’d like.
- Greek yogurt – Plain unsweetened Greek yogurt is the healthiest choice; you can sweeten it to taste with honey or maple syrup if you’d like. That said, you can really use any variety of yogurt here!
- Toppings – Fresh fruit (raspberries, mango, kiwi, blueberries, blackberries), chocolate chips, nuts
How to make them
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Melt the coconut oil and use it to grease your muffin pan.
Tip: Alternatively, you can use muffin liners to make it easier to remove the oatmeal cups from the pan.
Make the oat mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, peanut butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, and vanilla; stir well, until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Form the oatmeal cups. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the oat mixture into each well of the muffin pan. Use the spoon to create an indentation in the middle (this is where you’ll put the yogurt!) and press down until firm.
Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the oatmeal cups are lightly golden brown.
Finish. Let the oatmeal cups cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove them and place them directly onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, add a few tablespoons of yogurt to each cup.
Don’t forget to add your choice of toppings – the most fun part!
FAQs
These healthy baked oatmeal cups are delicious, but it’s important to know what to expect. Instead of the creamy, porridge-like texture of traditional oatmeal, you’ll have something a little more like a muffin or baked good.
Greek yogurt has more of the whey strained out, which is why Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier, with a stronger flavor. Straining out the extra whey also means that Greek yogurt is more nutrient-dense, with higher protein and calcium.
How to make these oatmeal cups your own
Here’s some inspiration to help you put your own spin on these healthy oatmeal cups!
- Make them to-go. Yogurt is a little messy if you plan on having your kiddos eat these oatmeal cups in the car, so you can slather the tops with peanut butter to help toppings like bananas and strawberries stick.
- Make them decadent. Add Nutella (or homemade Nutella!) and raspberries to your oatmeal cups for a more indulgent breakfast option.
- Make them even healthier. Boost the protein in this recipe by adding chia seeds or hemp hearts, or by substituting a higher protein nut or seed butter for the traditional peanut butter.
Make Ahead Ideas
These oatmeal cups are great for a make-ahead breakfast option. Just don’t top them with the yogurt or fruit until you’re ready to serve!
Storage Suggestions
Leftover oatmeal yogurt cups can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat them before eating or enjoy them chilled. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months; just thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
Reheating Tips
Heat oatmeal cups in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, until they’re warmed through.
More oat recipes
Get the Recipe: Oatmeal Cups with Yogurt
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats (rolled oats)
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted (or nonstick cooking spray)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (or yogurt of your choice)
- Optional Toppings raspberries, mango, kiwi, blueberries, blackberries, chocolate chips, nuts
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a medium bowl, add the oats, peanut butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir until completely combined.
- Melt the coconut oil and use it to grease your muffin pan. If desired, you can use nonstick cooking spray instead.
- Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the oat mixture into each well of the muffin tin. Use the spoon to create a cup or nest and press down until firm. Repeat until oat mixture is used up – it should make about 7 cups.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 – 18 minutes. The oatmeal cups should be lightly golden brown when finished.
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven, let cool for a couple of minutes in the tin, and then removing them from the tin and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- When cool, add a couple of tablespoons of yogurt into each cup.
- Garnish with fruit and toppings. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition information includes yogurt but not fruit toppings.
- You can also use muffin liners to make it easier to remove them from the tin.
- Store leftovers in the fridge, without yogurt or toppings.