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If you’re in the market for a chewy, sweet n’ salty, make-ahead breakfast, look no further than my PB&J Baked Oat Cups! These delicious jelly-stuffed oatmeal muffins are jam-packed with cinnamon-y, honey-sweetened, peanut butter goodness—and they take just 15 minutes of active prep time to make!
Table of Contents
About this oat muffins
Peanut butter and jelly is a dynamic duo that’ll never get old. It’s right up there with lox and bagels, milk and cookies, or tomato and basil. What I’m trying to say is PB&J is ICONIC.
And while I love me some soft white bread piled high with fruit preserves and creamy nut butter, this recipe for peanut butter oat cups is a fantastic new spin on an age-old delight. Imagine the chewy consistency of your favorite oatmeal cookies combined with the sweet, juicy flavor of homamde fruit jam, and voila! The best darn oat muffins a girl could ask for.
Best of all, they’re a snap to make—you’ll have a batch ready in the time it takes to watch an episode of Seinfeld. I can just imagine his standup routine: “What’s the deal with these peanut butter and jelly oatmeal cups? Are they breakfast, are they dessert, or are they just trying to confuse me?” 😂
These baked oat cups are also made with mostly pantry staples; I’d bet you already have everything you need on hand. And since there’s no shortage of delicious jams, jellies, and fruit preserves to pick from, they’re customizable AF!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick & Easy – You only have about 15 minutes of prep to do, then a quick 20-minute spin in the oven before they’re ready for munching.
- Perfectly Portable – They’re pre-portioned and ready to grab on your way out the door.
- Snack-a-licious – Whether you’re in need of a post-workout pick-me-up, an easy breezy breakfast, or a midday moment of me time, these chewy-salty-sweet baked oat cups have you covered.
Ingredients for baked oat cups
- Oats: You’ll need old-fashioned rolled oats for these muffin cups. Please do not use instant oats or quick oats as the results won’t be the same.
- Flour: Be sure to spoon the all-purpose flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the flat side of a butter knife to ensure proper measurement.
- Leavening Agents: You’ll need a combination of both baking powder and baking soda for these oat muffins.
- Spices: A combination of warm, inviting ground cinnamon and kosher salt both provide flavor.
- Eggs: A combination of one whole large egg and one egg yolk helps bind the batter together and provides richness.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for richness.
- Peanut Butter: Be sure to use a naturally creamy variety of PB and check the label to ensure the only ingredients are peanuts and salt.
- Sweetener: A combination of naturally sweet honey (or maple syrup) as well as dark brown sugar provide moisture, richness, and sweetness.
- Oil: A touch of neutral vegetable or canola oil lends moisture.
- Vanilla: Be sure to use pure vanilla extract rather than those artificial ones for the best flavor.
- Jam, Jelly, or Preserves: You can use any favorite flavor of jelly, jam, or fruit preserves for the filling in these oatmeal baked cups. If you prefer a smooth filling opt for jelly, or if you prefer a chunky filling use preserves, and if you fall somewhere in between, pulpy jam is for you.
Recipe variations
- Lactose-free Oat Cups: Swap out the milk and substitute a non-dairy milk alternative, such as almond milk, instead.
- Berry Baked Oatmeal Cups: Mix fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or combination of two into the oatmeal cup batter.
- Apple Cinnamon Oat Muffins: Fold diced apples and extra ground cinnamon into the batter.
- Nutty Nut Butter Breakfast Cups: Swap out the peanut butter and opt for your favorite variety of nut butter, like granola butter, cashew butter, almond butter, or even macadamia nut butter instead. And stir in your favorite toasted nuts, like walnuts or pecans, into the oat batter.
- Banana Oatmeal Muffins: Mash a ripe banana and 1/2 cup of the mashed banana to replace one whole egg in this peanut butter oatmeal muffins recipe.
- Chocolate Chip Oat Baked Cups: Stir chocolate chips or cocoa nibs into the oatmeal muffin batter.
FAQs: frequently asked questions
You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
What are baked oatmeal cups/muffins?
Oatmeal baked cups, or oatmeal muffins, are simply individual portions of baked oatmeal flavored with peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla made in a muffin tin. You can simply think of baked oat cups as a super convenient, portable way to enjoy oats as a grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Can I add mix-ins or toppings?
Absolutely! Mix-ins are the best way to customize this oatmeal muffin recipe. Think of the recipe as written as a flexible template or blueprint and try adding in your favorite baking chips, nuts, seeds, and fresh, frozen, or dried fruits, or other baking toppings.
How do I prevent them from sticking to the muffin tin?
These peanut butter oatmeal cups are sticky, so be sure to line the muffin tins with paper liners, parchment muffin liners, or grease the muffin tins well with non-stick cooking spray. Alternatively, simply use a silicone muffin pan for fuss-free oat cups.
Expert tips for success!
- Using natural peanut butter? Give it a quick 10-second zap in the microwave to soften it up and make it easier to stir. Also, those peanut butter stirring doodads are life-changing.
- Add some pizzazz with a honey peanut butter drizzle. Mix some peanut butter and a little bit of honey to taste in a small bowl and microwave in 10-second increments until the mixture is easy to drizzle with a spoon. Just don’t microwave the mixture for too long or it will harden. Pssst. This also makes for an excellent ice cream topping.
- Make a variety pack of these homemade Bobo’s oat bites by using a different flavor of jam for each row of your muffin tin.
- Let the peanut butter oatmeal muffins cool before eating. I learned the hard way: hot jam is like napalm for your mouth. Unless you want the roof of your mouth to slough off like a snake, practice some patience. 🔥
And there you have it, folks— peanut butter oatmeal muffins that are the perfect mix of nutty and nice. Mix up a batch and be sure to share. If you don’t, your friends will get jelly! Until next time, remember that I’m nuts about you. Y’all are the JAM!
Craving MORE? Follow all the deliciousness on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!
More snack recipes with oats!
- Chia Seed Oatmeal with Bananas
- Banana Breakfast Cookies
- Peanut Butter Bliss Balls
- Blueberry Lemon Bar
Oatmeal Muffin Cups
Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls (one medium, one large)
- 1 Standard Muffin Pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – leveled (170 grams)
- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour – spooned and leveled (62 grams)
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 Large Eggs – 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk; beaten together
- ¾ Cup Whole Milk
- ½ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter – packed and leveled (125 grams); plus, more for garnish (SEE NOTES)
- ¼ Cup Honey (sub: Pure Maple Syrup)
- 3 TBS Dark Brown Sugar – packed (38 grams)
- 2 TBS Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Jelly, Jam, or Preserves – any flavor you love
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prep Pan: Arrange oven rack to the center position and then preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or use a silicone muffin pan and then set aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Use a whisk and stir to fully combine the ingredients. Then, set the bowl aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the whisked eggs, whole milk, creamy peanut butter, honey, sugar, oil, and pure vanilla extract. Use a whisk and stir until the ingredients are fully combined.
- Add Dry to Wet: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Then use a rubber spatula and stir the ingredients together until they’re fully combined and homogamous. (Note: Oat mixture will look very wet.)
- Layer Oatmeal Batter and Jam in Pan: Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop about a tablespoon and a half of the oatmeal mixture into each muffin tin. Then, use the tip of the spoon to form a small divot in the center of the oatmeal mixture to form a little cup shape. Next, dollop 2 teaspoons of jelly, jam, or preserves into the center of the cup. Top with a tablespoon of the oat mixture. Repeat until all the muffin tin molds are filled with the jelly and oats.
- Bake Oat Cups: Transfer the pb&j oatmeal cups to the preheated oven and bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the oat cups are golden and set.
- Cool: Remove the oatmeal cookie cups from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let the baked oatmeal bites cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, remove the peanut butter and jelly oatmeal cups from the liners and place on the wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve Oatmeal Muffins: Drizzle the top of your jelly stuffed oatmeal snack with peanut butter and dust with ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar if using. Enjoy!
Notes
- Peanut Butter: If the peanut butter is hard and difficult to stir, microwave it for 10 seconds on high power.
- Peanut Butter Drizzle: Add peanut butter and a little bit of honey (to taste) to a small bowl and microwave in 10 second increments until the mixture is easy to drizzle with a spoon. Note: Don’t microwave the mixture for too long or it will harden.
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Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
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Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
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