These peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups are one of my top recipes because they’re SUPER easy to make — with less than ten minutes to prep it — and only take 25 minutes in the oven! The cups make a great breakfast or snack and you can even freeze these and take them out as needed.
Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups
Delicious peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups made with protein-packed peanut butter and naturally sweetened with bananas and just a touch of pure maple syrup. These easy banana baked oatmeal cups are easily made gluten and dairy free, freezer-friendly and great for both adults & kids!
PREP TIME
15 MINS
COOK TIME
20 MINS
TOTAL TIME
35 MINS
There’s something ridiculously good about oatmeal, especially on a chilly, blistery winter morning. Just the other day I made the creamiest, piping hot bowl of oatmeal with vanilla, cinnamon, banana slices, blueberries and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. It tasted just as glorious as it sounds.
What’s your favorite oatmeal combo? Anything you want me to recreate for you?!
Listen, I’m not just a fan of bowls of oatmeal, I also love making: overnight oats, pans of baked oatmeal, and of course, cute little portable baked oatmeal cups like these peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups. (Btw I also have almond butter apple oatmeal cups & pumpkin baked oatmeal cups!)
They’re perfect for kids, adults, great for snacking, freezer-friendly and oh so simple to make. And I can’t help but love that they’re packed with nearly 6g protein to help fuel you post workout.
What’s in these peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups?
These are truly the perfect snack or breakfast to make when you have a few too many ripe bananas sitting on your counter. What I love about these banana oatmeal cups is that they also include peanut butter, which provides each muffin with nearly 6g protein. Here’s what you need:
- Ripe bananas: you’ll need about 2 large or 3 medium ripe bananas. Bananas with a few brown spots are perfect!
- Peanut butter: I love the flavor that peanut butter adds to these oatmeal cups. Use the code ‘AMBITIOUS15‘ to get 15% off of my fav nut butter brand, Wild Friends!
- Eggs: gotta get in that protein and help the cups stay together. I haven’t tried with a flax egg yet (to make vegan), but let me know if you do!
- Pure maple syrup: to help naturally sweeten these oatmeal cups.
- Almond milk: I prefer almond milk but feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand.
- Oats: to keep these oatmeal cups gluten free, I suggest using gluten free rolled oats. If you aren’t gluten free, regular old-fashioned rolled oats work wonderfully!
- Baking staples: you’ll also need baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to help the oatmeal cups bake up properly and give them flavor.
- Optional: I love adding chocolate chips because who doesn’t love a PB banana chocolate combo? Feel free to use dairy free chocolate chips if you’d like.
Easy ingredient swaps
Because these peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups are made with simple ingredients, they’re pretty easy to customize! Here’s what I can recommend for substituting:
- For the peanut butter: you are more than welcome to use almond, peanut, pecan or cashew butter in this recipe — just make sure it’s all natural with only nuts + salt.
- For the maple syrup: feel free to use honey instead.
Can I use steel cut or quick oats?
I would not recommend using steel cut or quick oats in these banana baked oatmeal cups as the texture will be much different. Rolled oats keep the oatmeal cups light and fluffy!
Banana baked oatmeal cups in 4 simple steps
- Prep your pan. Start by lining a muffin tin with muffin liners, and be sure to spray the insides with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Mix together the mashed banana, peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, milk & vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry. Mix in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon & salt, then fold in the chocolate chips (if using).
- Bake & enjoy. Distribute the batter into the muffin tin, top with more chocolate chips, and bake! I love to serve mine with a drizzle of peanut butter on top. YUM.
How to store peanut butter banana oatmeal cups
- To store: you can make these oatmeal cups ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Once ready to eat, just reheat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- To free: simply allow them to cool completely after baking, then place them in an airtight container or reusable bag such as these and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to eat, you can microwave them for 45 seconds-1 minute or until warm.
Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups
These peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups are naturally sweetened and made with wholesome ingredients. Plus, they’re vegan, gluten-free and perfect for meal prep!
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cups
There’s really nothing better than the combo of peanut butter and banana and these baked oatmeal cups prove that this combo never gets old.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Servings12
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk, I like using unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 2 mashed bananas, about 1/2 cup
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- banana slices, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with silicone liners. Paper liners work too. Spray liners with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix rolled oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together almond milk and flaxseed. Let sit for about 5 minutes before adding remaining wet ingredients: mashed banana, maple syrup, peanut butter and vanilla.
- Pour wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir to combine.
- Scoop mixture evenly into muffin tin with liners and top each cup with slice of banana, if desired.
- Bake 30-35 minutes or until the center of the cups has set and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cups to cool before transferring to a storage container and placing them in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- To reheat: remove cup from liner and wrap in a paper towel, microwave until warm throughout, about 30-60 seconds. Or reheat in the toaster oven by cutting the cup in half and heating on low (250-300°F) for 5-6 minutes or until the cup is warm throughout. You can thaw the frozen cups by transferring them from the freezer to the fridge the night before or cook the oat cups directly from frozen. Just wrap the frozen cup in a paper towel and heat in 30 seconds increments until warm throughout. It should only take 1-2 minutes.
Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups
Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups are a delicious treat perfect for breakfast, snacking, and on-the-go. Add these to your meal prep lineup for an easy, pre-made hunger fix!
A delicious peanut butter banana treat
Are they muffins? Are they oatmeal? They’re both! Peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups are a delicious blend of, well, peanut butter, banana, and oatmeal, presented in a muffin-style baked good!
These muffin cups are a wonderful breakfast option, especially if you tend to rush in the mornings! Make them for the week ahead, and then you have a quick and easy grab-and-go treat each day.
Oatmeal is notoriously filling, making this a satisfying option that’s sure to kick hunger for hours ahead. I love to eat these for breakfast, as a mid-day snack, or as a bit of pre-workout fuel!
Ingredients used to make this peanut butter recipe
To make peanut butter banana cups, we’ll be using a handful of ingredients. If you’re a serial baker like me, you probably already have most of these items in your pantry!
- Rolled oats
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Banana
- Peanut butter
- Egg
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla
- Almond milk
- Mini chocolate chips
Tools used to make banana oatmeal cups
To make these muffins, you’ll need a muffin tin, nonstick spray, two mixing bowls, a mixing utensil, and a cookie scoop. Once you’ve gathered those items, it’s time to begin baking!
How to make peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups
Oatmeal cups are simple to make and should only require 35 minutes (including baking time). In total, this recipe yields 12 delicious, fluffy “muffins!”
To make peanut butter oatmeal cups, begin by preheating your oven to 350F. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
Then, in a medium sized bowl, mix together the mashed banana and peanut butter. Stir in the egg until everything is well combined.
Next, add the maple syrup and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the oat mixture, then add the almond milk. Stir until everything is well combined.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop the mixture into the muffin tin and top with chocolate chips.
Bake for 25 minutes or until fully set. Once cooled, top with additional banana slices if desired.
Finally, store in the fridge, or keep in the freezer for a later date!
How to make vegan-friendly banana baked cups
Hey vegans, I have good news! These muffins can be easily made into vegan-friendly treats. The only non-vegan item included in this recipe is an egg! Here are some egg substitute ideas that you can try:
- Flax seeds: To use flax seeds in place of an egg, grind 1 tbsp of seeds in a spice or coffee grinder. Then, mix with 3 tbsp water. Stir until the seeds absorb the water and become thick.
- Pre-ground flax seeds: If you have pre-ground seeds, you’ll be mixing 2.5 tsp with the water.
- Chia seeds: Chia seed can be used as well! Mix 1 tbsp of chia seeds with 3 tbsp water. Like with the flax seeds, let the chia seeds absorb all of the water before adding to the batter. This will take about 15 minutes.
- Applesauce: You can use 1/4 cup of applesauce to replace the egg.
How to make peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups ahead of time
If you’d like, you can totally use this recipe as part of your meal prep line up. After baking, peanut butter banana cups can be stored in the fridge and will remain fresh for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze them for up to one month.
From frozen, let the muffins thaw and then reheat by microwaving in 15 second increments.
A healthier peanut butter muffin recipe
I like to make my recipes as healthy as possible, especially when it comes to baked goods. I especially like to stay away from all purpose flour and granulated sugar, instead opting for all-natural flour and sweeteners. For this recipe, you can go as natural as possible by using the all-natural version of these ingredients.
Rolled oats
Organic, all-natural rolled oats are a wonderful ingredient to use. Oats contain antioxidants and fiber and are wonderful for cholesterol and blood sugar.
Peanut butter
By opting for all-natural nut butter, you’re saving yourself from eating a long list of chemicals. Regular, processed nut butters are full of questionable ingredients and are high in bad sugars. All-natural versions are definitely the way to go. Feel free to choose your favorite type of nut butter; you don’t have to stick with peanut! Hazelnut, almond, and more will all taste great in this recipe.
Maple syrup
When choosing a maple syrup, it’s great to select one that is free of preservatives, processed sugars, and additives. Even without added sugar, regular, natural maple syrup is still delicious and sweet.
Chocolate chips
Finally, using all-natural chocolate chips is a great way to boost the nutritional benefits of these baked cups. All-natural chocolate is full of antioxidants, helps blood pressure, and boosts brain function. Dark chocolate is notoriously highest on the chocolate health scale, but you can use milk if that’s what you prefer!