These healthy baked oats for one are the best quick and easy single serving breakfast option. They're made with simple pantry staples and require just 30 minutes. Choose between 5 flavor options like mixed berry, carrot cake, or chocolate chip baked oats for a sweet and delicious breakfast!
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📋 About the Recipe
- The easiest 1 bowl oatmeal bake that makes no wasted leftovers!
- Versatile! Use my variation ideas as a guide and make these single serving cups your own.
- Achieve a fluffy, cake-like, and soft oatmeal texture without needing to stand over the stove and stir.
- A great to go option! By making a single serving, the baked oats are pre-portioned in oven-safe ramekins and ready to take on-the-go on busy mornings.
🛒 Ingredients
A few notes about the ingredients:
- Oats - The best oats to use when baking oats are old fashioned rolled oats. They're soft enough to get nice and fluffy, but not so soft that they'll over cook and turn into mush.
- Milk - You can use any milk in this recipe, including non-dairy milks. If using non-dairy milk to make these baked oats dairy free, I recommend using unsweetened varieties so your breakfast isn't overly sweetened.
- Coconut oil - Helps keep these oats extra moist and soft! If you don't like the flavor of coconut, substitute with refined coconut oil or even unsalted butter.
- Maple syrup - Sweetens the oats without the need for refined cane sugars. If you're out of maple syrup, you can substitute a similar liquid sweetener, like honey or agave nectar.
- Applesauce - Another natural ingredient that helps keep these oats moist! I recommend using unsweetened applesauce.
- Eggs - Helps bind the oats together, creating a cake-like bake and also adds a nice boost of protein!
- Cinnamon - An essential classic in any oatmeal, especially when making the carrot cake flavored version.
📓 Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the old fashioned rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon and kosher salt. If making carrot cake or chocolate chip versions, be sure to mix in their additional spices or cocoa powder at this time, too!
- Next add in the egg, apple sauce, coconut oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup and milk of choice and mix to combine. If making the peanut butter banana version, make sure to add half the amount of apple sauce and 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter here as well.
- Finally, gently fold in your diced fruit, shredded carrot, or chocolate chips depending on flavor!
- Transfer the oats to a lightly sprayed oven-safe ramekin and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy immediately with additional fresh fruit on top, a drizzle of peanut butter, or a drizzle of more maple syrup over top!
⁉️ Baked Oats Variations
If desired, you can make plain baked oatmeal cups with the main base ingredients, or try one of my 5 flavor variation ideas:
- Mixed berry - Fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons of diced strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
- Carrot cake - Add ⅛ teaspoon of ground ginger, a small pinch of ground cloves, and a pinch of nutmeg. Fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons of shredded carrot.
- Apple cinnamon - Fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons of diced apple.
- Peanut butter banana - Reduce the applesauce to ½ tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter. Fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons of diced banana.
- Chocolate chip - Add in ½ teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. Fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips.
❄️ How to Store
These baked oats will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. For optimal freshness, store the ramekin in an airtight container or alternatively, cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Yes! Oatmeal freezes surprisingly well, and even freezes best in individual servings. To freeze, allow to cool completely after baking then freeze in an airtight bag for up to 6 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before eating.
Reheat the oats in the microwave until warmed through. I recommend adding a splash of milk when reheating to keep it from drying out.
🔍 FAQs
Yes, baked oatmeal is very healthy and nutritious. It's packed with fiber, is naturally low in fat, and contains protein, which helps keep you full all morning long.
Plus, these baked oats are lightly sweetened, allowing you to remain in control of the added sugar.
I do not recommend using instant oats when making baked oats. Instant oats are more processed than old fashioned oats which allows them to cook much quicker. Because of this, they would cook much faster in baked oatmeal and likely overcook into an unfavorable texture.
The bake time for these oats are shorter because it's a smaller portion. If you want to make a larger serving size for families, try my Chocolate Baked Oats!
💭 One More Tip
Be sure to lightly spray or grease your ramekins before pouring the oats in to bake. This will prevent the oats from sticking to the dish and makes for easy removal.
🍴 Related Recipes
Share your cooking with me! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know! Tag @yourhomemadehealthy on Instagram or leave a comment with a rating and some feedback at the bottom of this page!
📖 Recipe
Baked Oats for One
Ingredients
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ teaspooon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons milk of choice
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup plus extra for drizzling
- 2 teaspoons melted coconut oil can also use melted unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh fruit or other mix-ins see notes for ideas!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 4 inch x 2 inch or 5 inch x 1 inch oven-safe ramekin or baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. If making carrot cake or chocolate baked oats, mix in the other spices or cocoa powder. (See notes for details.)
- Add the milk, applesauce, egg white, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir to combine. If making peanut butter baked oats, add in the peanut butter. (See notes for details.)
- Fold in any fruit, seeds, nuts, or chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour the batter out into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is cooked through.
- Serve warm with an additional drizzle of maple syrup on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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Marni
I made these with apple cinnamon and banana chocolate chip and they were both fantastic!!!! What a great way to start a workday with a delicious and filling breakfast.
Alana Lieberman
Those both sound delicious!