Customizable Protein-Packed Oatmeal Cups

January 25, 2019

With 11 grams of protein in each cup, these customizable protein-packed oatmeal cups make for the perfect breakfast on the go. Customize, bake and then keep them in the freezer so you always have a healthy breakfast waiting for you!

This recipe nearly led to a nervous breakdown. It also led to the easiest, most-filling breakfast of all time, but a nervous breakdown nonetheless.

Protein powder and I have an odd relationship. We kind of like each other, don’t quite understand the purpose of one another and neither of us enjoy the process of baking together. And yet I still have it in my home at all times.

I’ve said in the past that I’m not a huge protein powder person. Our complicated relationship plays a huge role in that, but mostly I just don’t find myself needing it. I can almost always get enough protein from whole foods with every meal.

But with breakfast, I struggle. In the summer it isn’t so bad because I usually stick to fruit and greek yogurt or maybe a protein shake. But in the winter, I want ALL THE OATMEAL. But let’s be real oatmeal is only filling for about an hour…no matter how much peanut butter you top it with.

I want my oatmeal, and my protein and I want to eat it too.

So I set out on a mission to create a higher protein oatmeal that could easily be packed for breakfast on the go. Admittedly, I rarely eat breakfast on the go (unless it’s from my kitchen back into bed..) but at least 80000 of you have requested easy breakfast recipes that can be packed ahead of time and I’m certainly not complaining if I don’t have to stand over the stove in my pre-coffee phase so I happily obliged.

What resulted were these Customizable Protein-Packed Oatmeal Cups. Round 1 was not my fav. They were a little tough, which is basically always my experience with baking with protein powder. I thought about turning the towel in but then I thought about all of your shinning faces, and I got back to work.

I’m kidding. I’m just too stubborn to quit.

Round two resulted in these babies which taste delightful but I can’t get over the fact that they kind of look like muffins.

If you’ve interacted with me in the last couple of days, you’ve probably been asked if they look like cups or muffins. I still can’t decide, but the thought was literally keeping me up at night so I had to flip a coin.

Cups it is! But whatever you want to call them, they are delicious, easy to make, ultra-customizable and pack a serious punch with 11 grams of protein in each cup.

How To Make Protein Oatmeal Cups

Baking these oatmeal cups is similar to making muffins with a few swaps to increase the protein. The main protein punch comes from whey protein powder and greek yogurt.

The rest is all pretty straight-forward with rolled oats as the base, cinnamon and sea salt for taste and eggs and applesauce to help bind the protein cups together.

The customization is really up to you. I offered a few suggestions below but feel free to mix-in your favorites. Make them your own!