This little recipe of mine has gained HUGE popularity all over the web and for good reason! It’s personalized! It’s portioned! It’s portable! With all the variety, I knew it would be a favorite not only for my family but others as well with picky eaters.
But because of this very variety and personal tastes, many questions,variations and substitutions has been inquired. So this page is dedicated to those very questions!
Just as an FYI: I have NOT made my recipe with certain substitutions, but I have for some ingredients and therefore I will specify which ones. Making substitutions alter my original recipe and so make them at your own risk.
1. Can I eliminate the flaxseed meal? Yes you can and it should not effect the recipe as a whole. I have not made it without flax seed. Is it safe to cook with flaxseed? YES! Here is an article to back that up:http://www.livestrong.com/article/533140-does-flaxseed-lose-nutrition-when-it-is-cooked/.
2. What can I use to substitute the flaxseed meal? Oat bran or chia seeds would work.
3. I don’t have banana, can I eliminate it? No I would not suggest eliminating the banana as it is what adds natural sweetness and moistness to the recipe. One reader DID make it without banana with no replacement and said they came out fine.
4. I have a banana allergy, what can I substitute in place of banana? Readers have made the following suggestions allow I have NOT made any of these substitutions.
- pureed sweet potatoes or yams
- pureed mango
- pumpkin
5. Can I use egg whites instead of a whole egg? I haven’t tried but I think it you would need at least two whites to equal one whole.
6.. I have an egg allergy, what can I substitute? Here are some reader comments on this:
- We replace eggs with 1 tablespoon flax meal and 3 tablespoons warm water combine the two when a paste forms add it he recipe.
- When I was vegan I used Energ Egg replacer to substitute for eggs in recipes. It’s a powder that you mix with water. You can find it at natural food stores and in the baking aisle of some grocery stores.
- You can also make egg substitute from chia seeds. Combine one tablespoon of chia seeds and a quarter cup of water.
- You can replace egg in most recipes that call for 2 or less with 2tsp baking powder and 2tbsp milk. If the recipe calls for baking powder already reduce to 1 1/2tsp baking powder, milk stays the same.
- You can replace eggs with mashed bananas when baking. Each egg is about 1/4 cup to let you know how much mashed banana you would need.
- When I was vegan, we replaced eggs in baked goods with 1 T soy flour and 2 T water. Subbing some of the flour in breads and cakes with soy makes them stay fresher longer, too. Plus, higher protein, lower in carbs!
- For those with food allergies, they can place 1 Tbsp. of flaxseed meal in 1 Tbsp. water for each egg as an alternative
7. I don’t have stevia, can I use honey? Yes, I have used a 1/2 cup without problem in the recipe.
8. Can I use maple syrup in place of the stevia? I have not made this substitute, but since I have used 1/2 cup of honey in the recipe I think 1/2 cup of maple syrup would work fine.
9. Can I use brown sugar in place of stevia and how much? I have not tried it, but readers have commented that 3/4 cup of brown sugar worked great in the recipe.
10. Do you think one could make this with quick oats instead of old-fashioned? Yes but they may be more mushy.
11. I’m allergic to apples so what could I use to replace it? I would suggest more banana or another fruit puree, I have not tried it.
- Another reader replaced applesauce with plain Greek yogurt and it came out great.
- Another reader used 1/2 cup brown rice flour.
- Someone else used canned cranberry sauce and loved how they came out.
12. How can I reheat these if I don’t have a microwave? Here’s a response from a reader:
- Coming from a generation that grew up without microwaves, here is a suggestion for reheating in the oven without drying out rolls or in this case muffins. Place the muffins in a brown paper bag and roll the end to seal the bag. Run the bag with the muffins in it under the water faucet until the bag is wet but not soggy. Place the bag in the oven at about 350 degrees for a few minutes until the bag is mostly dry and the muffins are warm. The water on the bag helps ‘steam’ the muffins or rolls and allows them to warm up without drying out.
13. Can I use soy, almond or rice milk in place of the 1%? Yes, although I have not made the substitute I would think it would work just fine.
14. Can I use water in place of the milk to lower the calories? I have not tried it so can’t comment on taste. I am sure it would work fine but would it be as good? I don’t think so.
15. Can I replace the rolled oats with steel cut oats? I have made it with quick steel cut oats from Trader Joe’s. Here is the recipe: Personalized Baked Steel Cut Oat Cups.
16. Why did I get WAY more than 18 muffins? Honesty, I have no idea! There have been many people who have gotten the SAME amount as me and there have been many who have gotten 24-36. It may be dependent on the substitutions you make, whether you used a liquid sweetener instead of stevia, whether you added fruit to the batter or not, whether you used plastic stacking measuring cups or a glass Pyrex measuring cup.
BUT REALLY??? Does it matter??? If you got more isn’t that GOOD? Freeze whatever extra you won’t be using within the coming week and be happy you have some to pull out on those crazy mornings. 🙂
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Thanks for this! I made these for the first time last weekend and I love them. I don’t like bananas so I used more applesauce and I used almond milk … They were super tasty. It has been great having a healthy breakfast every morning that my husband and I can just grab and go!
I would love to make these, but I found out I am allergic to oats!! Do you know of something else to replace the oats? Thank you!!!
Maybe quinoa? But baking time and milk amount would change. I may have to try it with quinoa and let you know!
Did you end up trying them with quinoa? Curious how they turned out!
I have not.
Love this recipe!! I used milk the first time I made the recipe, but I substituted with Almond Milk the second time and they came out just as good!! I also combined, pecans, raisins and choc chips for the topping the second time and they were favored. What’s great about this recipe is that you can easily change the toppings to suit the individual preferences of you or your family.
I just made a batch for the teacher’s at my son’s school. I used strawberry preserves inside and chocolate chips on the top. I know it isn’t sugar free, but they taste really good. This was my 4th or 5th batch and I consistently get 24 using honey instead of stevia. My 4 year old loves to help make them.
I LOVE these!!! I made them this weekend and it has been the solution to my breakfast struggle with trying to run and eat breakfast before work. My daughter loves them too with dark chocolate chips! I wrote about it on my blog here: http://littlefancynancy.blogspot.com/2012/05/wiawbreakfast-time.html
I Love it! You did a great job!! Thank you!
I used almond milk (in the same quantity listed in the recipe) and they turned out great. My favorite topping thus far has been dried cherries! These are a staple in our house now!
LOVE dried cherries too!
Just made these and they were great, I used agave nectar due to no stevia and added walnuts and dried cherries! Thank you for this recipe, I will be making for go to breakfasts regularly, now! I, too, got 24….yay! I assume it is due to the nectar and mixing a TON of walnuts and cherries in….next I plan to try dried blueberries!!!
How much agave nectar did you use? I’ve got some that I hardly use because I find it difficult to convert to the right amount.
I want to try making these for my kids breakfast…but wanted to know are they soft like muffins or crunchy like granola bars? Thanks
They are more soft and not crunchy.
A bit off-topic, but after reading through the comments from the original recipe, I need to tell you: my goodness, you must be one of the most patient people on earth as well as a great cook!
I made these and loved them! I halved the recipe and got 12 (I made them a little small on purpose, as I am an “all day grazer” and prefer small portions) but if I’d filled them the way you directed I think it would have been exact. I used 3/4 cup sucanat instead of stevia/honey. I used extra because I didn’t have applesauce on hand and used my homemade plain full-fat Greek yogurt instead, and the sucanat isn’t as powerfully sweet as brown sugar. Also left out the flaxseed meal. Turned out great!
I pushed some fresh wild blackberries down into the batter of a few of them, right before popping them in the oven, and that was great! Kinda turned into a nice tangy-sweet filling. I ate a few of the others with some natural apple butter, and that was also really good! (Next time, I might try leaving out the sucanat and using apple butter instead of applesauce! I bet it will be awesome!)
THANK YOU for the kind words, I appreciate it! I’m glad you loved them!
Instead of using a banana or a fruit puree to sweeten it, I think I will try using regular sweetened cinnamon applesauce!
turned out super yummy!
Mine smell, look, taste great…Only problem is they are sticking to the liners. By the time I get the liners off, half of the oatmeal is gone. Any advice?
Silicone liners work better than paper, may need to spray them more before pouring in batter.
I found the same thing, but when I let them cool some more I didn’t have the same problem. I’m guessing that maybe you haven’t allowed them to fully cool and detach themselves from the liners.
What do you suggest changing for high altitude?
I live at a high altitude and made them as directed and they turned out fine. I don’t think any changes are needed.
Thanks for sharing Brittny!!
Can Splenda be used in place of Stevia? If so, how much should I use?
Yes you could use it. 1/2 cup.
I have the liquid stevia drops. Can I use that in place of the powdered stevia?
You should use at least 1 teaspoon.
Is it ok to use agave instead, and is it gunna be the same amount as the stevia?
I don’t use agave.
In place of egg, I often use 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin = 1 egg. I also use the chia and flax, but if I am running low, I’ll pop in the pumpkin and it’s wonderful.
Can I use Splenda packets instead of the Stevia?
Splenda is a one to one ration to sugar not to stevia so you would probably need at least a 1/2 cup of splenda.
Do you think I could add protein powder to the recipe? If so any suggestions?
I have made it with protein powder and shared all the adaptions I’ve tried on the original recipe post itself at the bottom of the page. Here’s the link to that one: https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/personal-sized-low-fat-protein-baked-oatmeal-no-added-sugar-cholestrol-free/
Thanks! I just made them. I must have done it wrong or mad them too small because I got a lot more then 18 lol but it was SOOO good! Worked out well because I can only eat about 2oz of food at a time. Thank you! Any suggestions on not how to make them not stick to the papers?
I have made these Dairy Free by using Rice Milk and they turned out great. I also made them without the banana and just added the equivalent of additional applesauce. Great recipe, thanks!
I just wanted to say thanks for the great recipe. I made them today & they were a hit. So many ideas for this. Definitely will be making them on a weekly basis.
Thanks! So glad you and family enjoy them!
Brenda: There are so many people who are getting different yields of this recipe, I was wondering if you live at a high altitude location (less populated than rest of US) ? Just a thought, this is really an unusual problem for all the retestings you’ve done, so I thought it may be due to something not commonly considered when writing a recipe for others.
Hi – Let me start by saying, I am the least cooking/baking savvy person on earth… I made the soaked steel cut oats version of this two nights ago and they turned out really well taste-wise, but they are very soft/wet inside (I cooked them for 47 minutes). I am currently breastfeeding and oats have done wonders for my supply, so I was looking for lots of unique ways to incorporate oats into my diet throughout the day with other nutritional elements as well (adding peanut butter for protein, sweet potatoes for vitamin A, etc.). That said, I did not put them in the freezer because I figured I’d be eating 2-3 per day, so I just put them in a covered cupcake tray on my counter. I’m wondering if there would be issues with the almond milk potentially not being cooked enough and then not being refrigerated/frozen that could make me sick? If so, do you think I’ll have to waste the whole batch and remake a new one and freeze right away? Or if I stick the remaining ones that were cooked 36 hours ago in the freezer, should I be safe?
FWIW – I used almond milk for the milk, replaced eggs with flaxseed and used honey instead of Stevia. All of my toppings in this batch should be fine without refrigeration.
Even if you were not freezing them they should have been placed in the refrigerator. Anytime you make a baked oatmeal recipe it is moister than a muffin and so maybe the soaked steel cut you used needed to be drained if you used more water than covered the oats. That said I would not take a chance since they were on the counter, but you could always call your lactation consultant or doctor.
I’m not big on regular oatmeal because of the mushy consistency. I am loving these muffins. I found the recipe on Pinterest and made them yesterday. I added chocolate chips to about half because I’m a chocoholic (and completely okay with that). Soooo delicious!!!!!!! I have to say that while they were cooling on the counter, my 4 year old American Staffordshire Terrier helped himself to 5 in the matter of 1.5 minutes. He gives them 4 paws up. Good thing the chocolate chips ones were in the back. 🙂 Everything in your recipe is completely safe for dogs too. Thank you for a wonderful, super easy recipe!! I will be making them on a regular basis … and cooling them on the back of the counter lol!!
cute dog! He knows what’s good!! Thanks for sharing!
I have coeliac disease which means no gluten – you have indicated that these are gluten free – I am sorry but oats are not gluten free. The scientific / medical world has not been able to establish that people with coeliac disease can eat oats.
She stated that ppl who need to eat gluten-free should look for oats and baking powder that are certified GF.
These sound delightful! I am gonna get the kids (5,4,3 yr olds) involved in our healthy breakfast project tomorrow afternoon, and knock these out! We have 1/2 bushel of apples to use up, so most will be apple-cinnamon, but i’m sure some will be topped with chocolate! Glad I found your site today after two weeks on WW+.
Can I make this without the applesauce? Any suggestions for substitution?
not sure, maybe try another banana it the place of applesauce. It adds moistness and sweetness so I wouldn’t eliminate it.
These were so easy to make! I used honey instead of Stevia and got 24 out of the batch. We did some with cranberries and orange zest, some with blueberries and coconut , chocolate and pecan and brown sugar and pecan. These will be great for my husband who leaves really early for wok and flies out the door without much time to eat. Can’t wait to see how they turn out! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hey! So I just made a batch and used non fat yogurt instead of milk and honey instead of stevia. I wana make sure I cooked them ling enough bc my oven is old…so the middle be a little mushy? Or should these be firm and dry? The tooth pick did come out clean but mine seem possibly a little too moist in middle?
If I were replacing milk with yogurt and honey I would have reduced the applesauce by about a cups worth. They are supposed to be moist but not mushy.
Made them today. Loved them. 15 month old scarfed one down:)
I used paper liners and sprayed them with Pam and got 24. Had no problem with liners sticking. Thank you.
I’d love to post this recipe on http://www.myfitnesspal.com – of course I’d link to your website and give you full credit, but realize that this is your copyrighted material and want to respect your rights. 🙂 Would you grant your permission
No you may not copy this recipe and post it on myfitnesspal. You can however take your own photo of the recipe and share the direct link of my recipe to my site. Thanks!
I am making them right now using honey instead of Stevia (hubs hasn’t been converted yet 😉 ) and forgot to pick up milk so I used water and apple juice (I didn’t want it super-sweet) and threw in some dried blueberries. I am now gluten-free and working on switching the family as well. Can not wait to try them!! We are a family often on the go and these would be perfect! Will let you know soon how they turned out!
It says I can sub the bananna for pumpkin. I am not sure how much pumpkin to use.
These really look yummy. I love the idea of individual servings since I live alone. I appreciate your need for copyright. However, I will not be using this recipe because I cannot copy and paste the recipe for my personal use without having to hand write the recipe.Also I will not be following your blog even though it looks very interesting.
phyllis
The print option is available on this recipe. It is the copying the full recipe to websites that is prohibited.
I have made these several times and they have become our go-to breakfast. I followed the recipe pretty close but added 2 T Chia seed, 1 carrot, grated and 1 Granny Smith apple, grated. I also use almond milk instead of 1% (and reduced to 2 cups). These are delicious! Thank you! I am working on creating some variations 🙂
I made these yesterday and only had half a banana to use and I used half cup of honey. I followed the rest of the recipe and popped them in the oven realizing I completely forgot the milk altogether! they actually still turned out yummy and moist and a friend tried them and said they were great too! Though next time I will add some milk to see the difference.
I looked all over your site and could not fine the carb count! I don’t make anything unless I know the carb count.
My husband is a diabetic.
Every recipe has nutrition info including carb counts.
Can these be made in “bar” form? I’d like to have them in place of a porting/granola bar.
I think they will be too moist to make as a bar.
Thanks for the recipe and the endless follow up on it.
I think I have an answer for the varied yield numbers. There really is no standard size muffin tin. I examined mine after I made this the first time and found that two were quite a bit smaller than another. I’ve been comparing the ones I find at stores. They all say they are normal size and basically all fit the regular muffin cup liners, but they are all vastly different in size. If I had two of my slightly larger “normal” sized tin I would get 18, but if I use my two other slightly smaller ones I get 24.
Just wondering if anyone has made these with quick oats, and if they cooked faster. I know it says you can make them with quick oats, and that they may be mushier – I was just wondering if cook time was the same. (I just got a “new” (used) oven and I made them, I had to take them out early. Just wondering if perhaps the oven runs hot – or if others experienced the same thing.)
They are great by the way! Going to bring them to brunch at my sisters! 🙂
Hello! Sorry to add another question after you’ve been so diligently answering all of the previous ones. But I just made these and want to clarify how to eat/store them? I am going to put them in the fridge, but in the morning do I grab one and go without reheating? Or would you recommend reheating first? Should I add anything before/after if I do reheat? Thank you!
I enjoy them right out of the fridge. It’s really your preference. You could reheat then take them to go.
Hi! Just wanted to say thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. I am excited about all the possibilities! Just wanted to share that, as I am trying to ADD healthy fats into my family’s diet, I replaced half of the applesauce with coconut oil. We also only use whole milk around here. They turned out wonderful. Thanks again!