Baked oatmeal brownie cups have an oatmeal cookie base, a fudgy brownie middle and a sweet crumble topping. Plus they are a fun small size, easy to pop in the mouth for an energizing treat.
These baked oatmeal brownie cups are so easy to make in mini muffin pans. And the cookie base is the same recipe as the top crumble so it's a super quick recipe as well. These brownie cups are much easy to make than, say, my delicious but more complex millionaire shortbread bars, or my peanut butter oatmeal bars or my three layered chocolate coconut bars.
Why You'll Love These
Quick & easy snack. The baked oatmeal mixes in a jiffy, and bakes as fast. The center layer is just mixing up a quick brownie batter and spooning it on each cup. Sprinkle on baked oatmeal crumble and bake.
Nourishing. The oats in these baked oatmeal brownie cups are full of micronutrients, protein and fiber, and the brownie is built with wholesome ingredients. Each tiny cup has 2 grams of fiber and protein, and relative sugar levels are low.
Pantry Ingredients. If you don't have oat flour stocked, make it by blending or food processing rolled oats. Or you can use all purpose flour.
Ingredients
For the crust and crumble top
- Flour & Rolled Oats - I have used both all purpose flour and oat flour for these cups. They require different amounts though as oat flour is thirstier so see recipe in card for amounts.
- Sugar - Brown sugar or coconut sugar.
- Butter - To keep the baked oat cups vegan, I used Earth Balance vegan sticks, but regular butter works too.
- Salt
For the brownie filling
- Chocolate chips - Use at least 60% cacao or semi-sweet. Enjoy life mini chips brand melts easily without adding oil as you need to do with some brands of chocolate chips.
- Apple sauce - Apple sauce binds the crust instead of eggs. Regular eggs can also be used or aquafaba.
- Butter - Again, I used Earth Balance vegan butter sticks, but regular butter works too.
- Nut butter - I used cashew butter for the mild flavor but any nut butter works and this is optional so leave it off if you want to keep the cups nut-free.
Equipment Needed
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowls
- hand mixer, or use a spoon
- mini muffin pan, paper liners
Steps To Make
Here are general steps to make this recipe. For specific measurements and instructions, scroll down to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe card.
Make the Baked Oatmeal Crust & Crumble
Step 1: Preheat the oven 325 F. Make the crust and crumble first melt the butter in the microwave at 10 seconds until the butter is warm and liquid. Then add all crust ingredients to a bowl.
Step 2: Stir mixture with a spoon. Do not mix this with a hand mixer as you want a crumble texture, especially for the topping. Set aside ⅓ cup of the mixture for the crumble on top and go make the brownie filling.
Step 3: Line the mini muffin pans with paper cups. Any version works since there is little oil in this recipe (a muffin batter for instance needs parchment liners to prevent oil from soaking into paper).
Step 4: Spoon ½ tablespoon of mixture into each cup and flatten with a shot glass if possible or use your fingers to flatten the oat surface.
Step 5. Bake the crusts for 5-8 minutes at 325 F. Don't burn. Then let them cool.
Make & Add the Brownie Filling
Step 1: Raise the oven temperature to 350 F. Melt the chocolate chips, butter and nut butter in the microwave.
Step 2: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir with a spoon or hand-mixer.
Step 3: Spoon the brownie mixture into each cup. Add anywhere from ½ to 2 tablespoons depending on how thick you want the middle layer to be.
Step 4: Sprinkle on top of each cup the remaining crumble that you held back.
Step 5: Bake the cups at 350 F briefly until the top is golden. The centers will seem moist and leave a testing stick fudgy.
Recipe Tips
How many mini cups? This recipe makes anywhere from 24-36 mini cups depending on how much brownie you add.
Substitutions
Flour. You can use all purpose flour or oat flour. Use ¾ cup of all purpose flour but only ⅔ cup of oat flour.
Butter. In the crust, you can reduce butter by half and add in ¼ cup of apple sauce instead. In the filling, you can use ¼ cup of nut butter instead of 3 tablespoons of butter + 1 tablespoon of nut butter.
Nut butter. This adds protein but you can leave it off to make this recipe nut free with little real consequence to the texture.
Sugar. I use coconut sugar for the micronutrients and to keep recipe refined sugar free, but brown sugar works as well.
Apple sauce. To keep the cups plant-based, I use apple sauce instead of eggs. However, aquafaba, the liquid from a can of unsalted chickpeas, can be used. Both replace 2 eggs.
FAQS
Are These Bars Good For You?
Oatmeal bars are healthy to eat as a breakfast or snack because they are full of healthy fiber that fills you up and protects your heart as well as boosts your digestion. These bars have about 3 grams protein and 2 grams fiber per bar and are low in sugar compared to commercial oat bars.
How Long Do These Baked Oats Cups Last?
These oat cups last a week refrigerated before they begin to harden. Freeze them for up to three months and thaw 20 minutes before eating. That makes them a very convenient snack to have on hand.
More Oatmeal Desserts
I invite you to keep up with me on: Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
Don't miss a thing, subscribe here to get recipes delivered to your inbox!
If you try my recipes, please leave a comment and rating below and tag me on your Instagram post with @greensmoothiegourmet so I can see and share your remakes!!
📖 Recipe
Baked Oatmeal Brownie Cups
Equipment
- 1 Measuring cups & spoons
- 1 Bowls
- 1 Hand-mixer Or use a fork or spoon to stir
- 1 mini muffin pans, paper liners
Ingredients
Baked Oatmeal Crust & Crumb
- ¾ cup all purpose flour or ⅔ cup oat flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened in microwave for 10 seconds; I use Earth Balance vegan butter
- pinch of salt
Brownie filling
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour or ¼ cup oat flour
- ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ¾ cups chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- ⅓ cup apple sauce
- 3 tablespoon butter melted is fine
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Gather ingredients.
- Line mini muffin pans with paper liners
- Soften the butter for the crust and crumble top in microwave for 5 seconds. You want it soft so your finger pressed leaves an impression; you don't want to melt it into a liquid because you want the crumb top to be chunky.
- Note: The butter for the filling does not have to be softened.
Make Crust & Crumble Top
- Combine crust dry ingredients, then stir in softened butter or use a fork to cut in the butter. You want the mixture to be crumbly.¾ cup all purpose flour, ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup brown sugar, pinch of salt, ¼ cup butter
- Remove ¼ cup of the mixture and set aside to use for the top crumb.
- Fill the mini muffin wells with ½ tablespoon of oat crust and press hard with a shot glass so the oats form a small crust with a rim.
- Bake the muffin crusts for 5-8 minutes at 325 F. Don't burn them, pull them out if they seem browned. Now go make the filling.
- When crusts are browned, remove the muffin pan from oven, allow them to cool in the pan while you finish the filling.
Make Chocolate Filling
- Now preheat the oven to 350 F. (note the temperature change) Gather and measure the filling ingredients.
- Put the butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute. Stir until creamy. Spoon in the apple sauce, stir again.¾ cups chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 3 tablespoon butter, ⅓ cup apple sauce
- Into a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.⅓ cup all purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, pinch of salt
- Add the melted chocolate mixture to the dry mixture and stir into a batter. It will be like brownie batter.
- Spoon it onto the baked crust, and smooth the surface.
Add Crumb Top
- Sprinkle the reserved crumb top onto the brownie batter.
- Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes. The crumb tops should be golden brown but don't let them burn - pull them out early if the top crumb seems browned. The center layers will seem moist and leave a testing stick fudgy.
- Let the cups cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
Storage
- Store the oatmeal cups in the refrigerator for 1 week in sealed container. Or freeze for 3 months.
Leave a Reply