These Pumpkin Apple Baked Oatmeal Cups are baby- and toddler-approved, but great for the whole family! Make them in advance and stick them in the freezer to have a healthy, nutritious breakfast ready to go on busy mornings.
I don’t know about you, but our toddler always wakes up hungry and ready to eat. It seems like we can barely get a clean diaper on her before she’s begging “Food! Food!” Breakfast also so happens to be her favorite meal of the day, and she eats far more in the morning than she does for lunch and dinner, so we always try to have healthy, quick options on hand for her.
We’ve been big fans of baked oatmeal in our household for a while now. I love that it’s jam-packed with nutrients (especially with the right mix-ins) and that it’s handheld, resulting in much less of a mess than classic or even overnight oats make. While traditional baked oatmeals (in baking pans or dishes) are great, turning your baked oatmeal into single-serving cups ups the convenience factor and makes it really easy to only defrost what you need.
Here’s how this easy and tasty recipe is done!
What You Need
The good news is – not much! Most of the ingredients you’ll be using you’ll already have on hand, especially if you’re making this in the fall.
Rolled oats
I love getting the big bags from Trader Joe’s (these ones also happen to be gluten-free if you need that.)
Pumpkin purée
Buy the can OR make your own with this super simple homemade pumpkin purée recipe!
An apple
Milk
Any kind!
An egg
Maple syrup
And pantry staples like…
Baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice
As far as equipment, you’ll just need a cupcake pan (we love these silicone ones *affiliate link*), a couple of bowls, a couple of measuring cups, and a whisk!
How to Make Baked Oatmeal Cups
Once you get the basic process of these Pumpkin Apple Baked Oatmeal Cups down, you’ll be able to create tons of different variations.
Simply whisk together the dry ingredients, whisk together the wet ingredients, combine the two, and bake. Easy as that!
Other ideas for flavor combinations might be:
Banana and chocolate chip
Sweet potato and orange
Zucchini and raisin
Peanut butter and apple
Cinnamon and berry
Vanilla and peach
The possibilities are endless.
How to Store Baked Oatmeal Cups
Once the cups are baked and cooled, place them in a gallon-size Ziploc and freeze for up to three months.
When you’re ready to serve, simply microwave however many you need for 30 seconds to a minute (maybe more if you’re defrosting a bunch at once.)
Just like my Super Simple Pumpkin Carrot Muffins or my Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Cookies, these cups are a great on-the-go option for busy mornings, or even a great travel snack when you’re on the road.
Read on for the recipe and, if you want to learn more of my tips and tricks for feeding toddlers, be sure you’re signed up for my weekly newsletter!
These Pumpkin Apple Baked Oatmeal Cups are baby- and toddler-approved, but great for the whole family! Make them in advance and stick them in the freezer to have a healthy, nutritious breakfast ready to go on busy mornings.
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 cups milk of your choice (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (Use canned or follow the link in the Recipe Notes to make your own)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup diced apple
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray cupcake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oats, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, egg and vanilla.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Whisk in diced apple.
Using your 1/4 cup measure, scoop mixture into prepared cupcake pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until oatmeal is set.
Let cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely before transferring to Ziploc for freezer storage.
- Here's the recipe for homemade pumpkin purée!
- These oatmeal cups are baby- and toddler-friendly and are a great breakfast to stash in the freezer. To freeze, place cooled oatmeal cups in a resealable plastic bag and label them (including the date you made them.) These will last in the freezer up to 3 months.
- To defrost, microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Feel free to try other flavor combinations such as: banana-chocolate chip, sweet potato-orange, zucchini-raisin, peanut butter-apple, cinnamon-berry, or vanilla-peach.