- Rolled Oats: Opt for rolled oats or old-fashioned rolled oats, as steel-cut oats and quick-cooking oats don’t blend well into the batter or cook evenly.
- Ground Cinnamon: A dash of cinnamon introduces a subtle touch of flavor and sweetness, although it can be omitted if it’s not your preference.
- Baking Powder and Salt: Essential components for texture and flavor balance.
- Once the dry ingredients are well combined, it’s time to integrate the wet ingredients.
- Mashed Banana: For best results, select ultra-ripe bananas for this recipe, the browner, the better!
- Brown Sugar: Even though sugar is technically a dry ingredient, it’s best mixed with the wet ingredients to ensure thorough incorporation. In this recipe, a touch of brown sugar is used to lightly sweeten the oatmeal cups, but you can omit it entirely for a naturally sweetened version or substitute it with maple syrup if you prefer.
- Eggs: Eggs serve to bind the oatmeal cups, but if you have allergies or prefer a vegan version, you can certainly use two chia or flax “eggs” as a substitute.
- Milk: In my recipe, I employed cow’s milk, but any plain and/or unsweetened plant-based milk will work just as well.
- Vanilla Extract: Add a touch of vanilla for an extra burst of flavor!
Once the dry and wet ingredients are amalgamated, you’ll blend them to create a batter, evenly distribute it among a muffin tin, and then transfer it to the oven for baking until it reaches a delightful golden brown hue.
How to Make Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free Oatmeal Cups
If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, fret not; oatmeal cups can easily be tailored to meet your specific dietary requirements.
To create gluten-free oatmeal cups, ensure that you use certified gluten-free oats. While oats are naturally gluten-free, they can often be cross-contaminated during production. However, certified gluten-free options are readily available.
For dairy-free oatmeal cups, simply substitute almond milk or a non-dairy milk alternative in place of cow’s milk. Also, opt for an oil-based cooking spray instead of butter to grease the muffin tin.
Can Baked Oatmeal Cups Be Frozen?
Baked oatmeal cups can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. After baking, remove them from the muffin tin, allow them to cool to room temperature on a baking rack, then place them in an airtight container, plastic bag, or wrap them individually before transferring them to the freezer.
