Made By Emily
Breakfast

Strawberry Banana Baked Oat Cups for Busy Mornings

Recipe Summary

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20–24 minutes
  • Total Time: 30–34 minutes
  • Servings: 10 oat cups
  • Cuisine: American
  • Course: Breakfast
  • Calories: ~120 per cup

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup / 225 g mashed banana)
  • 2 cups rolled oats (180 g)
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup milk (180 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1 g)
  • 1 cup diced strawberries (about 150 g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prep the pan.
    Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease 10 muffin cups well (or use paper liners). If your muffin tin tends to stick, be generous with the grease.

  2. Mash the bananas.
    In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine.

  3. Mix the base.
    Add the rolled oats, egg, milk, baking powder, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir until everything is evenly combined and the oats are fully moistened. The mixture will look thick and spoonable.

  4. Fold in the strawberries.
    Gently fold in the diced strawberries so you don’t crush them too much.

  5. Fill the muffin cups.
    Divide the mixture evenly between 10 muffin cups (they should be fairly full). If any strawberry pieces are sitting on top, press them in slightly so they don’t dry out in the oven.

  6. Bake.
    Bake for 20–24 minutes, until the tops look set and lightly golden and the centers spring back when gently pressed. You should smell warm banana-cinnamon when they’re done.

  7. Cool, then remove.
    Let the oat cups cool in the pan for 8 minutes (this helps them firm up). Then run a butter knife around the edges if needed and lift them out to finish cooling on a rack.

Recipe Notes

  • Grease the pan well even if it’s nonstick—oats love to cling.
  • Cut strawberries small (about pea-size) so they distribute nicely and the cups hold together.
  • Don’t overbake. If they bake too long, they’ll dry out. Pull them when the center is set, not hard.
  • Let them cool before judging the texture. They firm up as they cool and are less crumbly after 8–10 minutes.
  • For neat portions, use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly.

Nutrition Estimate

Per 1 oat cup (1/10 of recipe): about 120 calories, 4 g protein, 22 g carbs, 2 g fat.
(Will vary based on milk type and exact fruit size.)