Cranberry Baked Oatmeal Cups with White Chocolate

Cranberry Baked Oatmeal Cups with White Chocolate are packed with fresh seasonal cranberries, for a healthy holiday breakfast to make ahead, or grab-and-go. These hand held cups are packed with nutrition but paired with white chocolate so they are the perfect not-too-sweet treat. Kid approved for breakfast, snack time, or lunchbox treats!

These Cranberry Baked Oatmeal Cups are the perfect breakfast to use up the cranberries from Thanksgiving, and the bright red color makes the perfect transition into Christmas. And the best part? Read through the ingredients…they are super healthy!! Packed with oats, eggs, bananas, and zero flour or sugar. So yes kids, you can have another! They are the perfect nutrient-dense, grab-and-go breakfast for little hands. They pair wonderfully with a smoothie or yogurt with granola for a well-rounded breakfast.

Truly Seasonal Ingredients

Fresh cranberries are one of the few ingredients that are truly seasonal anymore. Like watermelon and corn on the cob, you just can’t buy fresh cranberries year-round. When you see those bags of fresh cranberries hit the store, you know Thanksgiving is around the corner and the Christmas season is soon to follow. I always buy more than I need. Some for my Thanksgiving Cranberry Muffins, some for cranberry sauce if I’m in charge of it that year, and some just to have extras. They freeze well, so buy a few extra bags.

Kids in the Kitchen

Baked Oatmeal Cups are so quick and easy to throw together. Baking recipes are always my kid’s favorite to help with. They love to measure, stir, and sneak chocolate chips that spill on the counter. They are fast enough to throw together that I often make a batch in the morning before a shower, and they are hot and ready for breakfast. But, they are also a great make-ahead meal prep recipe, and a fun afternoon preschool activity. They last in the fridge for 3 or 4 days and are perfect to freeze, make a double batch! I like to freeze them in little containers with 3 oatmeal cups each. That way, when I’m taking my 2 kids to the park or on a hike, I can grab one and go, they thaw enough in my bag.

Can I Substitute?

Yes and no. I would NOT substitute dried cranberries for the fresh. Two cups of fresh cranberries in this recipe is a lot. It adds moisture and the baked juicy cranberries are the best part. Dried cranberries would give you dry oatmeal cups. A better substitute would be berries, like fresh or frozen blueberries or a combination of red berries like strawberry and raspberry.

You can omit the white chocolate chips if you’d like to keep it a healthier option, the maple syrup will provide the little touch of sweetness. Coconut oil could replace the butter. While I love the taste of almond extract, it just feels like the holidays to me, you could substitute vanilla extract if you don’t have it.

Happy Baking, and Happy Holidays!