Lightly sweetened whole-grain Baked Oatmeal Cups with banana and zucchini make the perfect healthy breakfast or afternoon snack on-the-go! So moist and delish with a smear of peanut butter.

When people tell me they forgot to eat breakfast, I get...confused. Like totally, completely, utterly bamboozled.
From my chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cups and carrot cake baked oatmeal to apple oatmeal cups, we've got portable options!
I love how they're pre-portioned so you can grab a couple for an easy peasy breakfast on-the-go. Healthy. Easy. Lasts all week. Freezer friendly. We can do this, yo!
Ingredients
- Old fashioned (rolled) oats: The base of our 100% whole grain recipe. We don't want quick or instant oats here. Use certified gluten-free if needed.
- Bananas: The riper the better since they're helping to sweeten our baked oatmeal. You'll want to make sure you have a cup, which is 3 small or 2-ish large bananas. Don't miss all my healthy banana recipes!
- Zucchini: You'll need one medium unpeeled zucchini, about 7oz, freshly grated.
- Milk: Any kind of milk, dairy or non-dairy, will work in this recipe.
- Chia egg: To help bind the batter and add height. You can also use flax eggs or regular eggs. I found that chia worked better to bind them than flax.
- Almond butter: For flavor and fat in place of oil or butter. I've also tested these with peanut butter and they're great!
- Maple syrup: For a bit of extra sweetness to balance out the cocoa powder. You can also use honey, or omit it for a no added sugar oatmeal cup. I tested these with honey and they were delish.
- Vanilla and cinnamon: Extra flavor!
- Baking powder: For rise.
- Salt: A must for flavor!
See recipe card for full ingredient quantities.
How to make
- Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add grated zucchini, milk, vanilla extract, almond butter, maple syrup, and chia mixture, stirring to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and add-ins of choice. Stir until just combined. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling to the top.
- Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Store cooled oatmeal cups in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
How to customize oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is also splendid because you can totally do you. And don't you forget about my Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal and my Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal for more breakfast splendor!
- Make it chunky monkey style: Swap almond butter for peanut butter and add chocolate chips for a real morning treat.
- Amp up the protein: Use two eggs instead of the flax and add a couple scoops of your favorite protein powder or a couple tablespoons of hemp seeds to the batter.
- Feeling low-sugar: Leave out the maple syrup completely and use extra ripe bananas for natural sweetness.
- Make it an oatmeal bake: Trying to ditch the muffin tin? You can make this in a 9x13inch baking dish, too. It'll take longer, so keep an eye on it.
Are rolled oats gluten free?
No, rolled oats are not gluten free. This gets confusing because they are often processed in facilities that do process grains with gluten, which means risking cross-contamination.
If you are avoiding gluten for personal or health reasons, be on the lookout for rolled oats that indicate they’re certified gluten free on the label.
Tips for grating zucchini
That's right...we're slamming veggies for breakfast. Hallelujah.
- Don't squeeze out the liquid. This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of zucchini and we are not squeezing the water out because we're actually relying on the natural moisture. A small zucchini will get you closer to a cup, so I recommend a medium one.
- Grate first, then measure. Since zucchini vary so much in size, definitely grate it and then measure out the correct amount after. I weighed it to add more clarity and it was about 7 ounces. Freeze any extra for smoothies!
- No need to peel. More fiber and nutrients, please. Just wash it and trim the ends. I like to use a box grater over a plate. Or maybe you’re lucky and you have a box grater with an attachment that catches the goods at the bottom? Blessed.
How to store
This recipe makes over a dozen baked oatmeal cups, making breakfast a breeze!
You can store leftovers on the counter for up to 2 days but then you'll want to transfer to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
In order to reheat, simply warm in microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Can you freeze baked oatmeal?
Yes! You can easily freeze leftover cups for busy mornings. Simply freeze them in an even layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe baggie and freeze for up to 3 months.
You can transfer them to the refrigerator the night before so they’re ready to go in the morning. I like these glass containers for meal prep.
Craving more oatmeal greatness? I gotchu covered.
- Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Salted Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bites
- Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Snack Bars
Pretty please let me know how this recipe turns out for you by leaving a star rating and/or comment! I hope you adore it as much as I do.
PrintBanana Zucchini Baked Oatmeal Cups Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 22 mins
- Total Time: 37 mins
- Yield: 16 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Breakfast
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Lightly sweetened whole-grain Baked Oatmeal Cups with banana and zucchini make the perfect healthy breakfast or afternoon snack on-the-go! So moist and delish with a smear of peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water (or sub 1 egg)
- ¼ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana (2 large or 3 medium bananas)
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini, about 7oz. Don't squeeze water out.)
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- Optional add-ins: ¼ cup chocolate chips and/or walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a muffin tin (I used two, you can also pour the extra batter in a dish for an oatmeal bake) with cooking spray or line with silicone muffin liners.
- Place chia and water in small bowl. Stir and set aside to "gel." Place bananas in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Make sure they measure to be 1 cup. Add grated zucchini, almond milk, vanilla extract, almond butter, maple syrup, and chia mixture, stirring to combine.
- Add oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and add-ins of choice. Stir until just combined. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling to the top. You will have leftover batter if only using one muffin tin.
- Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Store cooled oatmeal cups in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Ashley says
Perfect muffin for breakfast or snacks. Not too sweet & my toddler loves them too! Chocolate chips were a great add-in!
★★★★★
Alexis says
Yesss thanks Ashley!!
Valerie says
How have I NOT written a review for these yet!?! Probably because I was too preoccupied scarfing them down!? These are SO delish, absolutely love them! Perfect amount of sweetness where itβs not overwhelming - absolutely love them for breakfast and snacks! Such easy prep and perf for grab and go!
★★★★★
Nina says
Send time making these, and I'm in love. Great paired with peanut butter or coconut oil! Currently trying in a pie dish, so far so good.
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Fab! I'm so glad you love these, Nina.
Bianca Brouillard says
I love how easy this recipe is and all of the options to modify it. I do not regret any of those chocolate chips! Hummusapien is my go to for recipes and this one does not disappoint. I love how portable and quick they are for busy mornings!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
You rock, thanks so much girl!!
Lauren says
These are a delish snack, easy to make, and 7 month old babe likes them too! I'll try next time with no maple syrup and ripe bananas. Thank you!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing! How sweet that your little babe likes them, too!!
Candace says
This is so good and so easy! My family loves them and I make a batch each week π
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks, Candace!
Dylan says
Love these for a quick breakfast option!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks so much, Dylan!
Colleen Kelly says
Love this recipe! Made every week when I was teaching so I could grab on my way out the door at 5:30am. These saved my sanity.
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Yessss love that, thanks Colleen!
Rachel says
THE BEST MUFFIN RECIPE! I make 3x the amount and freeze them then just stick em in the toaster oven for 10 minutes. Perfection.
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thanks so much Rachel!!
Anjali bansal says
Oh!! looks great
Jen says
I make these once a week and my family loves them!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful, I'm thrilled your family loves these, Jen!
Nancy says
This was my first time making a form of zucchini-baked anything and they were so delicious!! I skipped the maple syrup since my bananas were super overripe and used peanut butter, chocolate chips, walnuts, and added extra cinnamon. Definitely a great and will be making them again!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful, I love your additions Nancy!
Judy says
I don't have a muffin tin, but I have a bread pan. can I make this recipe in a bread pan?
Alexis Joseph says
I wouldn't recommend a loaf pan if that's what you mean? An square 8x8inch baking dish would be a better option to ensure they cook through. I have not tested this, but the cooking time will need adjusted, so cook until a knife in the middle comes out clean.
m says
Yum! Any ideas for what to do if I don't have any nut butter?
Alexis Joseph says
Hmmm...I haven't tested it so I'm not sure but I would guess you could use a couple tablespoons of oil?
Kay says
So filling and delicious! I used PB in place of almond butter and regular milk and it turned out great!
★★★★★
E says
Amazing! Even my picky 4 yr old LOVES them. TY
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Wahoo!
Michelle says
How do you do this as an oatmeal bake in regards to pan size and bake time?
Alexis Joseph says
I haven't tried it but I'd google banana oatmeal bake and go by their directions π
Liz says
My nutritionist recommended these to me after having intestinal surgery a few months ago. They hit every food group and are great for some fiber and protein as a snack. They are delicious and filling... and super easy to make. I freeze a whole batch and take one with me to work every day.
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so glad to hear that, Liz! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review. Hooray for your nutritionist!
Alyssa says
These oatmeal cups are amazing! I didnβt have quite enough zucchini so made up the rest with grated carrot and they turned out fabulous. Iβll definitely make these again!
Nutrition info per muffin:
Calories 129
Fat 4 gr
Carbohydrates 20.5 (of which, 3.1 gr fiber and 5.8 gr sugar)
Protein 4 gr
Alexis Joseph says
So glad you enjoyed them, Alyssa!
Lylosminap says
That was very thoughtful and helpful, Alyssa. Thank you for taking the time to that act of kindness. π
Jon says
If anyone is interested in the Calories I have calculated them out, approximately. I used all organic ingredients from Aldi and Whole Foods. Couple Notes: I added Silvered Almonds to my muffins, I also used 1 Large Egg instead of Water with the Flax-seed. Anywho, for the yield of 16 muffins, it is approximately 135 calories per muffin (incl. Almonds). If you exclude the Silvered Almonds the calories fall to approx. 128 per muffin.
BJ says
I have been enjoying these for months but my Lst few batches are not cooking all the way through and are gummy and too moist...what could I be doing wrong?????
Alexis Joseph says
Weird! Add more oats or cook them longer? Use less zucchini? Sounds like too much wetness.
Anna says
What's the nutritional content of these?
Claire says
I made these today - they are delish. I love how they are healthy and yummy treat. I added shredded coconut, walnuts, and vegan chocolate chips. I will say that mine needed much longer to cook! Thinking that over the fall season, I might try swapping out the banana for pumpkin - yum!
Alexis Joseph says
Love those additions, thanks Claire!
Heidi says
So happy I stumbled across this recipe! They are SO good. I used an egg with the flax instead of the water, and added 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 chopped walnuts. They have just the right amount of sweetness, are super moist, and I don't feel bad about eating a couple. =)
Alexis says
So glad you liked them, and I hope you never feel bad about eating! π
Morgan Lansdown says
Do you know how many calories are in these? If done with no maple syrup
Alexis says
No I don't, sorry!
Sada says
These are my go to breakfast muffins!! They freeze great and are always perfectly de-thawed by the time I get to work. I've made them a TON of times. I have boasted about this recipe and have provided the link to heaps of my friends. I always add walnuts, vegan chocolate chips and sometimes coconut. I usually use soy milk and organic peanut butter, but all depends what I have on hand. I love all the different variations available. Thanks so much! Keep up the good work π
Alexis says
You are so kind, Sada! Thank you tons for the thoughtful review.
KM says
Great breakfast for on the go! I added pecans and Eden (Apple juice sweetened)
dried cranberries
Alexis Joseph says
Perfect!
Beth says
Love this for a hearty breakfast, or afternoon snack, and its perfect with a cup of coffee.
★★★★★
Alexis says
Thank you for the feedback, Beth! So delish with coffee.
K Johnson says
I have made these muffins every which way possible and they are an amazing lifesaver! If I don't have zucchini I will use shredded carrots, and Pineapple or broccoli slaw and pineapple, or applesauce ! I do add more peanut butter than called for but usually end up with 23-24 muffins and cool-then freeze in packets of two-4. Grab and go. I always add chia/flax seed and sometimes hemp. Protein powder at times also.
Thank you-thank you for a great base! Travel, treats, breakfast just an amazing time saver. They have all tasted great. Shocked at the broccoli slaw !
Village Bakery says
Alexis, this is fantastic. I made them for my GF this morning and they came out great! -Joe
Laura says
What is the calorie content in one muffin?
Alexis says
You can def do that! Iβd add 2 tbsp.
Erica says
Has anyone tried adding cocoa powder to these to make them more chocolatey?
Erica says
Anyone successfully substituted the banana for a cup of pumpkin puree and added pumpkin spice?
Alexis says
That should work but I would definitely add more sugar since pumpkin isnβt sweet like banana is. Enjoy!
gloria says
A friend gave me 2 yellow squashes ... I wonder if I could sub these for zucchini?
★★★★★
Alexis says
Totally!!
Alexis says
Totally!!
Nancy A says
Wow! You have some GREAT recipes. I'm going to try these today!
★★★★★
Bella Hardy says
Hey there, I'm a huge fan of matcha and the zucchini look way awesome! Amazing banana zucchini oatmeal cups recipe! Thx Alexis!
★★★★★
Alexis says
Just add a couple scoops, no prob!
Anne says
I made these but they came out raw in the middle. So sad. ? Must have had zucchini's that were too big.
Alexis says
Hey, Anne! Did you try baking them longer?? Simple fix!
https://hostpromoter.net/curso-barriga-super-sarada-vale-a-pena/ says
Delicious. So it is easy to guarantee the domino lunch. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Natalie says
Do you have the nutrition facts for the zucchini oat muffins somewhere? Iβm sure Iβm just not seeing it and itβs posted but can you let me know!
Annalise says
Ah, I agree! I am making these now and wondering... Does anyone have any comment?
★★★★★
Alexis says
You're so welcome!!
Lynne says
These look delicious! I'm trying to find things that don't require effort in the morning - sometimes even a bowl of oatmeal is too much effort for us non-morning people.
I also want to thank you for mentioning non-vegan options for us omnivores.
★★★★★
Kelsey says
Super excited to try these! Do you think t would turn out okay if I ground the oatmeal into oat flour to make a smoother muffin, would love to know your thoughts!
Kelsey says
Super excited to try these! Do you think t would turn out okay if I ground the oatmeal into oat flour to make a smoother muffin, would love to know your thoughts!
Alexis says
Hey Kelsey! Unfortunately I've never tried that so I can't vouch for the results :/ here's a couple delish smoother muffin if you're interested!
Julia Kruz says
Banana zucchini oatmeal cups is something new for me. I think I'll add the eggs to your recipe and I'll do it in the next weekend. It will be an excellent breakfast for the family:) Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
nitasSmiling says
I made these last night and they are soooo good. Does anyone know what the caloric count is for one muffin?? I can't find the nutritional facts anywhere.
★★★★★
Paul Hayes says
These are such a great idea. I always have an overload of zucchinis every year. Now I can add this great recipe to the options.
Alexis says
Yes! I love all of the sneaky ways you can use zucchini π
Jerilyn says
Hi, I am new to your site and these muffin cups look great. I was wondering if the baking powder is really necessary, as they seem to be solid little things that don't rise based on their natural firmness. I would really appreciate your thoughts about this, thanks.
Jerilyn says
Hi, thanks for your quick response. I made the recipe this afternoon and they turned out really well without the baking powder. I did use eggs and the oat cups actually puffed up a little bit in the centers. I used chocolate almond milk and a few chocolate chips and they are dense and deliciously hearty! Thank you. π