These soft & chewy pumpkin baked oatmeal cups are one of my favorite treats to make during the fall season. Not only are they wonderfully flavorful and spiced, they’re a relatively healthy option and SUPER easy to make. Try my apple cinnamon baked oatmeal cups, too!
Have you ever tried baked oatmeal before? It’s soft and creamy, yet sturdy enough to eat with a fork. Last year I took my baked oatmeal recipe 1 step further and transformed it into baked oatmeal cups. (Aka oatmeal in the form of a muffin.) Oatmeal cups are a little more solid and sturdy than baked oatmeal, so they’re perfect as a portable breakfast or snack.
We love them.
And let’s be honest, this is what counts most: oatmeal cups are adult approved because they’re quick and healthy + toddler approved because they’re delicious.
Apple cinnamon is my go-to flavor, but I often swap apple for fall’s other favorite flavor: pumpkin. You knew this was coming, right?!
These Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups Are:
- Perfectly pumpkin spiced (you can use homemade pumpkin pie spice here)
- Made in 1 bowl
- Soft-baked & chewy
- Refined sugar free (no added refined sugar)
- Easy, quick, & healthy
- Garnished with crunchy coarse sugar
- Dairy free if using dairy free milk & chocolate chips
- Gluten free if using certified GF oats
Are They Oatmeal? Are They Muffins?
Both! More solid than oatmeal, but not as cakey as pumpkin muffins & pumpkin crumb cake muffins.
How to Make Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups
Stir ingredients together, add to a greased muffin pan, and bake. It’s that easy. There’s no mixer or other specialty tools required. You can make these with kids and even with some chaos and mess, it should take you 30 minutes start to finish.
You need 11 simple ingredients including milk (dairy or nondairy), eggs for a little structure, maple syrup to sweeten (plus how yummy is maple with pumpkin?!), pumpkin puree, oats, baking powder, spices, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup of your favorite add-ins. I usually use 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Feel free to use all chocolate chips, all nuts, or even toss in dried cranberries, chopped apples, or leave them totally plain.
- If you have extra pumpkin to use up, here is a list of recipes to make with leftover pumpkin puree.
Looking for a healthy egg-free pumpkin option? A lot of readers have been searching for egg-free recipes and I have several egg free baking recipes that—naturally—do not require eggs. See my recipe notes below for an egg-free variation of today’s recipe. And I think you’ll love my equally awesome pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal bars too! No egg needed.
Baker’s Tip: As you can see above, the pumpkin batter is liquidy. When you’re dividing the batter between the muffin cups, make sure you have both liquid AND oats in each. Spoon batter all the way to the top of each. The recipe yields 12 pumpkin baked oatmeal cups.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Options
If, for some reason, your pumpkin oatmeal cups last longer than 1 day, you can refrigerate leftovers for the rest of the week. I usually microwave them for a few seconds to take off the chill before eating. They also freeze wonderfully– when I tested this recipe, I froze 2 extra batches. To thaw, transfer them to the refrigerator at night and they’ll be ready for breakfast the next morning.
If you’re looking for a (1) healthy fall treat, (2) something quick and easy to bake by yourself or with kids, or (3) place to use up leftover canned pumpkin, let me present you with this:
Some Other Healthy Fall Recipes
- Pumpkin Granola
- Healthy Apple Muffins & Applesauce Muffins
- Baked Apples
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Cups (Muffins)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 cups
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These healthy pumpkin baked oatmeal cups come together in 30 minutes, plus a few minutes for cooling. You can make them ahead and enjoy all week long, too!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) milk (dairy or nondairy)
- 2 large eggs*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) pure maple syrup*
- 2/3 cup (150g) fresh or canned pumpkin puree
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup optional add-ins: chocolate chips (180g), chopped pecans or walnuts (100g), or dried cranberries (120g)*
- optional topping: coarse sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray. If using muffin liners, spray them with nonstick spray. The oatmeal cups stick to the liners a bit regardless, so I recommend skipping them.
- Whisk all of the ingredients together, except for the optional add-ins and coarse sugar, in 1 large bowl. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Batter will be a little liquid-y. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, making sure both the oats/add-ins and liquid are in each. Fill all the way to the top. See photo above. If desired for extra crunch, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and tops appear set. If the tops appear to brown very quickly, tent a piece of aluminum foil on top.
- Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Cover leftover oatmeal cups tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Bake the oatmeal cups, cool completely, and store in the refrigerator all week for easy breakfasts. Reheat in the microwave or bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 5-6 minutes. To freeze, bake and cool oatmeal cups. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Warm to your liking.
- Don’t: Do not make oatmeal batter ahead of time. The oats will soak up all the liquid! Whisk it all together, then bake right away. See make ahead instructions above for alternative.
- Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients and add wonderful flavor. If needed, you can replace the eggs with an extra 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, or even unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana. I prefer the texture with 2 eggs vs extra pumpkin puree. They’re sturdier and taste chewier.
- Sugar: I recommend pure maple syrup because the flavor is outstanding and the baked oatmeal is extra moist! Instead, you can use packed brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey.
- Oats: Whole oats give you the best texture. You can use quick oats instead, but they soak up more moisture so the centers won’t be as moist. If using steel-cut oats, soak the oats in the milk for 30 minutes, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time. The oatmeal cups are best with whole oats.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/4 teaspoon each: ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice. This is in addition to the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon—you will still add that.
- Add-ins: Use 1 cup of your favorite add-in or leave the pumpkin oatmeal cups plain. I used 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
- Nutrition Information Per Oatmeal Cup (with unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup pecans using Spark Recipe Calculator): Calories 200, Total Fat 8g, Carbohydrate 30g, Dietary Fiber 3.8g, Sugars 16g, Protein 5g.
Keywords: oatmeal, pumpkin
If we substitute the maple syrup for other sugars is it the same quantity? Thank you!! These look amazing
Hi Robin! Yes, the same amount.
These are in my oven right now. Can’t wait to try them. The recipe was followed to a T but has yielded only 11 muffins in a regular size 12 cup muffin pan. The batter is exactly to the top per your instructions and all other measurements exact. Any thoughts?
Hi Melinda, It’s completely normal! There may be a slightly different size between brands of pans, or even just a tiny bit difference on how we fill them can change the yield. We hope you enjoy them!
Loved the simplicity of the assembly…mix everything in one bowl, fill muffin cups, and bake!! The texture is awesome, and the flavor is outstanding! And shockingly contains no flour or butter (I had actually pulled those ingredients out and had to put them away…until I find another SBA recipe of course lol). Thank you for what is sure to become part of my regular baking rotation 🙂
★★★★★
Great recipe to make with my 3 year old! Made these as mini muffins and they turned out perfectly! The 3 year old and baby love them – they’re already half gone!!
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These are really good even without the add ins and sugar on top.
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I just tried this recipe and added 3 scoops of unflavored protein powder. It works wonderfully! I used raisins and pistachios…no chocolate this time. Love these! Will absolutely make again!
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I haven’t made these yet…but the recipe looks great…so 5 stars for that. I’m concerned about the high sugar content. 16 gm is a lot per muffin with the chocolate chips. Do you think I could cut back and use 1/4 cup of the maple syrup!
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Hi Janet, You can certainly try cutting back the maple syrup but they may not be as moist.
I have made many batches of baked oatmeal with a small amount of brown sugar and increased the milk. Works great! I don’t like my oatmeal very sweet at all. Good luck!
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How much is a small amount!? 1/4 cup?
This is what I’ve been waiting for! One bowl baked oatmeal and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are my favorite SBA recipes so needless to say I adore these. I made a walnut raisin version today too and they turned out yummy. Also, this leaves a perfect amount of pumpkin leftover and similar ingredients to make the pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal bars afterwards, just saying. 😉
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Sounds like these were the perfect mix of your two favorite recipes! I’m so happy to hear they were a hit for you, Janel. And I totally agree, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars would be a perfect way to use up that extra pumpkin!
These are fabuous!!!
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Will buttermilk work in this recipe?
You can use buttermilk, but it may leave a slightly tangy flavor.
I made these pumpkin/oatmeal muffins today; after 30 minutes very moist in middle; cooked 10 more minutes then still moist inside; didn’t think they were cooked inside; was afraid to eat due to adding the egg in recipe. If I had used applesauce I wouldn’t mind if alittle moist inside.
Hi, Debbie! Did you alter the recipe at all or swap out/in any ingredients? These aren’t supposed to be “set” like traditional muffins; they’ll be extra soft inside. Like baked oatmeal, but in a muffin shape. Feel free to bake them longer until you reach the texture you desire. Hope this helps!
I haven’t made these yet, but I’d make the argument that raisins should be added to the list of optional add-ins because pumpkin raisin is a classic combination. Looking forward to making these!
I made these Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups for the first time yesterday, followed the recipe exactly, and they were A-MA-ZING! I doubled the recipe, even though I’d never made them before, so there would be plenty for our family and a friend I was making a meal for. Sally, your recipes never disappoint! I knew I could confidently make these and serve them to a friend, because YOU had done the recipe testing for us!! I’ll be making these again, for sure! Yummy and healthy too!
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Hi Sally
I was wondering if I could use the jumbo cupcake pan instead and how long should I bake them for?
Hi Debbie! You can use a jumbo muffin pan, but I’m unsure of the best bake time. At that size, they’ll need quite awhile in the oven to bake through.
Sally
Thank you , I’ll probably make them this weekend. If I decide to make the jumbo I’ll let you know how long they took. I tried so many of your recipes and my family loves the all. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve got these in the oven now. Because I’m gifting them, I lined my muffin pan with parchment paper tulip cups. I’ve never had a problem with anything sticking to them. Fingers crossed!
What I especially like about this recipe is that the ingredients don’t call for being at room temperature. I often bake spontaneously and not having to add in a half hour’s time for getting ingredients to room temp is a plus.
I LOVE all of your recipes and I’m sure this one will be a winner as well! Thank you for sharing your talents with us!
I never had any doubts, because all your recipes are winners, but WOW these are good!! I used 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. I had my doubts when each cup looked more liquid than I thought was right, but they baked up perfectly. I could eat all 12.
Thank you again Sally!!
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I made these last night. I used Almond milk. They are delicious!!!
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Can’t wait to try these! I made your other baked oatmeal cups and they were just a little too firm for my 13 month old to manage (great for me!). Any suggestion for what I might try to keep them a little more soft? Even if they don’t hold together quite as well…
Hi Julie! Try pulsing the oats a few times in a food processor or blender to help break them up. They’ll absorb more moisture that way and bake up a little softer.
In your recipe for Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Cups, in your notes it says that you can use brown sugar, coconut sugar or honey instead of pure maple syrup. Would it still be a 1/2 cup?
Yes! A 1:1 substitution.
Do you think that this could be made with just the egg whites or egg substitute? BTW we just made your lemon curd and its the best we’ve ever made! Thanks!
Hi Sharlene, see my recipe note for egg alternatives. (Only egg whites could work too!)
Could these be made as mini muffins? If so, how long to bake? Thanks. Love your recipes — can’t wait to read your creative and yummy recipes. Sondra
Absolutely! I recommend around 15 minutes. Same oven temperature. Start checking at about 12 minutes.
These were so good! Made them as soon as I found the recipe in my inbox. Thanks for sharing Sally. I want to try the pumpkin oatmeal bars now.
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My family loved these Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups!! So moist and delicious!! Thanks for another fabulous recipe and a different, new way to enjoy oatmeal!! Thanks, Sally!!
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Thanks again Sally and crew!!
I added a (heavy) 1/3 cup each dried cranberries, fresh apple, and dark chocolate chips. It made 14 delicious, moist, dense cups. Husband and toddler devoured them as a perfect fall breakfast.
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What type of coarse sugar do you use here? It looks different than the turbinado sugar in my cabinet… Thank you!
just made them and they are YUM. (i used coconut sugar and in my world everything tastes better with chocolate – so added the chocolate chips!)
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Sally!!!! These are absolutely delicious. I too made them minutes after you posted yesterday. They are so quick to make and are disappearing fast in my house. Can’t wait to try the Apple version. Thank you so much. Your recipes are the best. I have been a baker all my life and trust your recipes to come out delicious every time.
What about molasses for all or part of the sugar? I have a bottle that I’m trying finish off!
Hi Amy! Molasses has a very strong flavor and even a small amount can overpower the pumpkin. Keeping that in mind, you could certainly try it.
I received this email and then started baking 20 min later! They are so good!!
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Hi sally, I made this recipe, and I just made you easy cinnamon rolls they are spot on, and that goes for every one of your recipes, they a the best. Thanks so much for sharing.
Lorraine
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Hi Sally! Quick Question: Can this recipe be made in a 9×13 glass pyrex pan or 9×9 metal pan or what would you recommend if not looking to do muffins? Thanks for any thoughts . My husband LOVES your baked oatmeal and this looks like a pumpkin spin on that, no?
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Hi Diane! Keep this recipe as cups. See right above my baked oatmeal recipe (the written printable recipe) for the pumpkin variation.
Fantastic! Thanks so much for this tip, Sally!
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