These easy Baked Oatmeal Cups are an ideal way to serve oatmeal to babies, baby-led weaning style, and to toddlers who like to feed themselves. (And to anyone who wants an easy breakfast option.) Oatmeal as finger food with much less mess? Yes, please!
Baked Oatmeal Cups
I love this method of making oatmeal into little cups that can be eaten with hands or a fork—because they are so easy to make ahead and stash in the fridge for easy kids breakfasts. You can make these in either a mini muffin tin or a silicone mold, and both will create little oatmeal bites that are super yummy.
The ingredients are basically the same as you use to make a bowl of oatmeal, but the result is easy to pick up and bite and may have a more appealing texture for some kids.
These oatmeal cups use chia seeds to help bind them together and are a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and protein. I love this cinnamon-raisin flavor, but there are a lot of variations to try.
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this easy kids breakfast idea, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go.
- Rolled oats: I use rolled oats in this recipe, which are sometimes also called “old-fashioned oats.” For a more uniform final texture, I like to grind up the oats slightly in a food processor or blender. You can also use store-bought quick or instant oats.
- Milk: I prefer to use dairy milk as the liquid in this recipe, which softens the oats and adds calcium and protein. You can use nondairy milk, if needed, to make them dairy-free.
- Chia seeds: These seeds help the mixture hold together when baked. (And they allow the baked oatmeal to be egg-free so more kids can enjoy them.)
- Cinnamon: I love adding cinnamon and vanilla to this recipe for flavor.
- Raisins: I use raisins with the cinnamon in this recipe, but there are so many options including blueberries, diced strawberries, grated apple, and grated sweet potato.
- Maple syrup or honey, optional, to make these a little sweeter.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of this recipe so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full amounts and timing.
- Place the oats and chia seeds in a medium or large bowl and stir in the hot milk or water. Add the cinnamon, vanilla, dried fruit, and honey.
- Stir well. Let sit.
- Press the batter of wet ingredients into each mold or mini muffin cup. Bake!
- These store well in the fridge, so you can plan to serve the batch throughout the week. You can serve them slightly warmed or cold, according to what your kiddo prefers. (My middle kiddo ate a lot of these cold, packed in day care lunches, when she was 1 years old!)
Chia Seeds 101
Chia seeds plump up and gel as they absorb the liquid, which is so handy for helping to hold the batter together. And since the seeds also add a dose of healthy fats and fiber, it’s a simple way to pack this meal with a little extra nutrition. The texture of the chia seeds blends in nicely with the rest of the ingredients.
How to Store
I like to make a quick batch of this baked oatmeal and have it on hand for busy mornings. I also pack the bites in lunches and serve them as snacks. You can dice them for older babies and younger toddlers to make them a little easier to eat—and limit too much food being stuffed into a little mouth.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days or for a few months in a bag in the freezer. Warm in the microwave or serve cold or at room temperature.
Best Tips for Success
- You can use dairy or nondairy milk (such as almond milk, oat milk, or other option you like) in this recipe according to your preferences. If you use nondairy milk, check to see if it’s flavored or sweetened before adding the vanilla or optional sweetener. You may not need either.
- Avoid honey for babies under 1.
- Grind the oats in a food processor or blender, or use instant oats.
- You can use raisins or other dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, and the like) or chopped fresh blueberries or raspberries. You may want to cut bigger pieces of fruit with scissors or a knife. You can also add chocolate chips or top with peanut butter.
- Find more of my favorite breakfast meal prep options and my Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal.
- Use gluten-free oats if needed.
Related Recipes
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Easiest Baby Oatmeal
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Breakfast
Easy Instant Oatmeal
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Easy Apple Baked Oatmeal
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipes, so please comment below to share!
Baked Oatmeal Cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats (ground in a food processor or blender, or use quick oats)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons raisins or other dried fruit snipped into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (optional)
- ¾ cup milk, warmed until hot (but not boiling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the silicone molds or mini muffin tin.
- Place the oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, raisins, and maple syrup or honey, if using, into a medium bowl.
- Add the warm milk and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Press about 1 tablespoon batter into each mold or mini muffin cup. Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until the oatmeal is set and golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm or chilled.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.
- You can use dairy or nondairy milk in this recipe according to your preferences. Both work just the same. If you use nondairy milk, check to see if it’s flavored or sweetened before adding the vanilla or optional sweetener. You may not need either.
- Avoid honey for babies under 1.
- Grind the oats in a food processor or blender, or use instant oats, if desired, for a smoother texture.
- You can use raisins or other dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, and the like) or chopped fresh blueberries or raspberries. You may want to cut bigger pieces of fruit with scissors or a knife.
- You can use leftover cooked oatmeal in this recipe, too, though it works best with cooked oatmeal that’s thick. Simply stir 1 tablespoon chia seeds and 1-3 tablespoons milk into cooked oatmeal and proceed with Step 3 of the recipe.
- Serve with fruit, a smoothie, or a drink as breakfast or even lunch. They work for snack, too!
Nutrition
This recipe was first posted January 2019.
I made these and they tasted like wet cardboard… They were not sweet at all – the only tasty part was when I got a Raisin – am I missing something?
Did you add the optional sweetener? They are not meant to be super sweet, though you can of course increase the maple syrup or honey if you prefer.
Hello,
Thank you for the recipe – going to try these.
Can I make a big batch and freeze some?
Sure!
I love this recipe and so does my 1 year old. I do NOT use individual cups because that is just too much hassle for me. I double the recipe and put in a 8×8 square pan. I bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and then remove from tray (lined with parchment). They cut JUST FINE! I’ve never had them crumble or break on me. I pack them for snacks. Super easy and tasty.
Ooh, awesome! I am so happy to know that—thank you for sharing!
You bet! Thank you so much for all you do. I love your blog.
Think it would work with leftover steel cut oatmeal (which i make in the instant pot so it’s thick and creamy, but still has oat pieces)? Also, what do you mean by: “Simply stir 1 tablespoon and 1-3 tablespoons milk into cooked oatmeal and proceed with Step 3 of the recipe.” What’s in the 1 tablespoon?! We love so many of your recipes!!
Oh I’m sorry, that is clearly missing information! If you start with 1 cup leftover oatmeal, and stir in 1 tbsp chia seeds and a tablespoon or two of milk, then proceed with the recipe, it should work. And yes, I think steel cut will be fine!
My daughters love these, but I find the mini muffin tins are a pain to clean out. Do you think it would work okay to make a batch in a normal baking pan and then cut into squares for serving (like brownies)? Thanks!
I hear that. I don’t know that they would cut that easily if you baked them in a square pan. You could certainly do that and scoop portions out with a spoon though.
Hi, i mades these twice and once with daily milk and once with macadamia milk. I followed you recipe and use grounded quick oats. Everytime i bake them they seem to be a bit under cooked. They are pale and quite moist. Are they suppose to be soft and gummy? After 20 mins they seems to be less liquidy. If they are suppose to be crunchy, than im no where near that. Could you tell me what kind of consistency they suppose to have?
They should not be crunchy. They should be firm in that you can pick them up, but soft like very thick oatmeal when you eat them.
My daughter loves these!! We add almonds when we grind our quick oats for some added protein. Delicious!
I’m so glad and what a great idea with the almonds!
Just made these for my 8 month old! I used chopped frozen blueberries and threw in some spinach, used water and omitted the sweetener and still turned out great! I tried one first and thought it was good. Next time I might add a little more cinnamon, but I love that you can personalize these!
Awesome, I love hearing about those variations!
Is it possible to do this with flavored instant oatmeal packs? I have strawberry and cream oatmeal but I dont know how to go about making it.
I would think so but I haven’t tried it out so I can’t say for sure. My best guess would be to make 2 of the packets together according to package directions, stir in 1 tablespoon chia seeds once done and let sit for 5 minutes. Then bake per the recipe. I can’t guarantee that will work but you could give it a try!
Do you think this would work with oatmeal baby cereal? I have some to use up.
I think it might though I haven’t tried it!
I tried this with baby oatmeal cereal and it was a complete bust. The muffins didn’t rise at all and were way too wet. I’ll try this again using regular oatmeal because it smelled amazing.
I made these. They came out soft. Are they supposed to be soft or should they be hard? Not sure if this is the watery texture the other poster mentioned. Mine were not watery before baking. The mix was thick and sticky.
They should be soft, but hold together fairly well!
Great recipe! My little one loves oatmeal so naturally she loves theses. I sub in flax seed for chia seed and I end up needing to bake it a few extra minutes. Thank you for sharing these recipes!!
I’m so glad to hear this!
Any substitutions for chia? Egg or applesauce?
Ground flaxseed may work but I’ve only done these with chia!
Hi! Can you add bananas to this?!
Hi i made this today but it was watery! Any idea what could be wrong? Had followed to a T
Hi! Was the mixture watery when you put it into the muffin cups? Did you try baking them a little longer? It’s surprising since chia seeds and ground oats are super absorbent. Let me know so I can try to help more and apologies for the inconvenience!
Hi ! Do you think this recipe would freeze well if made with water instead of milk? Thanks!
Yes! They’ll freeze fine with either milk or water. Just let them cool fully first. You can thaw them in the fridge or one at a time in 15 second increments in the microwave.
what a good way to repurpose oatmeal! my toddler loves my stovetop oatmeal – he never liked baby oatmeal though. i always use regular rolled oats. he also likes baked oatmeal. hopefully he won’t grow out of it, because it’s nice to not have to make multiple breakfasts. 🙂
I agree! I have an equal opportunity oatmeal lover in my house too!