Make Ahead Frozen Oatmeal Cups

These make-ahead frozen oatmeal cups are a great way to manage the chaos of weekday mornings. Prepare them on Sunday for a quick and easy hot breakfast every day of the week! Oatmeal is also so filling it will keep you going until lunch.

It’s also easy to customize each one to the tastes of your family, so everyone gets what they want! So say goodbye to that short-order cook who keeps showing up at breakfast!

Frozen oatmeal cups prepared and on platter

Looking for another healthy breakfast idea with oatmeal? Try my Oat Flour Pancakes with Blueberries and Bananas! Another recipe you can make a big batch on Sunday to freeze and last throughout the week!

Oatmeal Cups Frozen with Coconut Blueberries and Nuts

Watch My Video Demo of This Recipe Below!

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Step 1: Make the Oatmeal

  • For make-ahead oatmeal cups, I find steel-cut oats are the best way to go.
  • I find they re-heat better the next day than the old-fashioned oats. Save the old-fashioned oats for the Oatmeal Cookies!
  • To prepare the oats, add 8 cups of water to a large dutch oven.

Pouring water into large pot on stove

Then as soon as the water begins to boil, add the oats. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the oats begin to thicken and water starts to evaporate.

Pouring glass bowl of oatmeal to large pot on stove

How-To Prevent Dry Oats

  • I like to leave a little bit of water in the pot for added moisture since we are freezing them to reheat later.
  • Otherwise, without the water, you’ll find the oats will be a bit too dry when reheated.
  • When the oatmeal is done, lightly grease a jumbo-sized muffin tin with butter. This will help the oatmeal cups pop out easily once they are frozen.

Greasing muffin tin for Make Ahead Oatmeal Cups Recipe

What Size Muffin Tin?

I think the jumbo-sized muffin tin is a bit better for larger breakfast portions but for smaller toddler portions you could certainly use a standard-sized muffin tin. For even portions, use an ice cream scoop. I add two scoops per muffin well.

Scooping oatmeal into muffin tins

Tip For Freezing Oatmeal

Allow the oatmeal to cool completely in the muffin tin before placing it in the freezer. This cuts down on freezer burn and will prevent watery oatmeal when it is defrosted.

Step 2: Add Toppings

You can use a mix of different variations and tailor each oatmeal cup to your family’s tastes so everyone is happy!

Blueberries Topping oatmeal mixture in muffin tins

Topping ideas for Oatmeal Cups:

  • apples
  • walnuts
  • cinnamon
  • brown sugar
  • pumpkin pie spice
  • pear
  • raisins
  • blueberries
  • shredded coconut
  • sliced almonds

Step 3: Freeze and Store the Oatmeal Cups

  • To freeze, cover the muffin tin with foil and place it in the freezer until solid.
  • Once the oatmeal is frozen, it’s best to remove them from the muffin tin and store them in a freezer-safe container for easy reheating.
  • To remove each “frozen oatmeal cup” from the tin, place the tin in a 9×13 casserole dish filled with warm water just for a few minutes.

Assembling oatmeal cups in muffin tins

This loosens the oatmeal cups from the tin for easy removal. You may need to use a thin knife to pop them out.

Frozen oatmeal cups in glass container

Then, transfer them into a freezer-safe container, lined with wax paper. You can even label the container so the kids can grab their own oatmeal creation! Store your oatmeal cups in the freezer until you are ready to serve.

Frozen oatmeal cups in glass container

How Long Does Oatmeal Last in the Freezer?

For the best quality, freeze the oatmeal and eat it within six months. It will still be safe to eat past that time-frame, but may not be as flavorful.

Step 4: Reheat Oatmeal and Serve

Reheating is a piece of cake, and if you have older kids, they can probably do this by themselves.

Frozen oatmeal cup in bowl for reheating

Place one oatmeal cup into a bowl. Add a few tablespoons of water to loosen the oatmeal. You can use less water if you prefer thicker oatmeal. Pop it in the microwave until hot and fluff with a fork.

Bowl of oatmeal

To serve, simply bring the bowls to the table and set out a few extra toppings to finish off the oatmeal.

Adding brown sugar to bowl of oatmeal

I like to serve butter, brown sugar, warm milk, and honey so everyone can add what they like best. I hope you enjoy this recipe and it brings some sanity to your weekday mornings!

More Great Breakfast Recipes

Oatmeal Cups Frozen with Coconut Blueberries and Nuts

Make-Ahead Frozen Oatmeal Cup Recipe

Yield: 12 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Make back-to-school mornings even easier with my make-ahead frozen oatmeal cups! Great for a quick and easy breakfast idea that gives everyone a hot breakfast and gets them out the door fast!

Ingredients

  • 8 cups water
  • 2 cups steel cut oats
  • butter for greasing

TOPPINGS:

  • Blueberries, Almonds, Coconut flakes
  • Cinnamon, Honey, Apple, Walnut
  • Brown sugar, Pumpkin Pie Spice, diced jarred pears, raisins

Instructions

    1. In a large Dutch oven, boil water, then add oats, stir and allow to simmer until thickened and almost all the water has evaporated.  Allow oats to remain runny since they will soak up the water as they freeze.
    2. Grease two 6-well jumbo muffin tins. Scoop out oats with an ice cream scoop, adding 2 scoops per well. 
    3. Place topping of choice on top. Cover with foil and freeze.
    4. Once frozen, place muffin tin in a 13 x 9 casserole tin with 2 inches of warm water. After 5-8 minutes loosen with a sharp knife and pop out the cups. Store in freezer containers, lined with wax paper.
    5. To rewarm, place oatmeal cup in a bowl.  Add 2 tsp of water on top, microwave for 2:00-3:00
      until oats loosen and are hot. Fluff with a fork and serve!
    6. Top with a pat of butter, drizzle of honey or brown sugar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 178Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 37mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 5gSugar: 10gProtein: 4g
Brownie cake scooped into a mug with ice cream

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