Microwave Baked Oats

If you love fluffy baked oatmeal for breakfast but don't have time to wait for them to bake in the morning, these microwave baked oats are for you. Using either blended and unblended baked oats, they turn out cake-like, are ready in less than 5 minutes and can be made in all sorts of flavors.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers and Storage
• Make it Your Own
• Blended vs Unblended Baked Oatmeal
• What to Serve with Microwave Baked Oatmeal
• Tips for the Best Microwave Baked Oats
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

Oatmeal in some form or another (such as granola or chocolate oatmeal) is a regular in my breakfast rotation.

And while I love a classic bowl of oatmeal, sometimes I want to make something a little extra special for breakfast.

Something that feels like I'm starting my day off with cake. And so I often make single serving baked oatmeal.

But on mornings when I am in a rush to get out the door, I don't have time to wait for the oven to preheat and then wait for the oats to bake (or even to air fry). I need breakfast now.

Fortunately, with this microwave recipe, I can have them in about 10 minutes! You'll love them because:

• Quick and Easy. No need to preheat the oven or wait for them to bake. Mix or blend all of the ingredients, pour into a ramekin and then microwave.
• Fluffy, Cake-like Texture. Similar to a cake, these oats turn out moist and fluffy.
• Wholesome. Made with simple ingredients, naturally sweetened with maple syrup, gluten-free (if using certified gluten free oats), dairy-free and containing 22 grams of protein, they taste amazing.
• No Banana. While I love banana in things like banana bread, I find it to be an overpowering flavor and so use maple syrup to provide sweetness instead.
• Customizable. In the recipe card, there are base recipes for vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate "baked" microwave oats which you can further customize with nut butter, mix-ins and extracts for even more variations.
• Single Serving. This recipe makes just one serving for a convenient, quick and easy breakfast for one. But since they are so quick, you could easily make 4 separate servings and still have them ready in under 10 minutes.

The Ingredients

• Rolled Oats- Like most of my recipes with oats, you can use large flake or quick oats for this recipe (use certified gluten-free if needed) but don't use steel cut.
• Protein Powder- I include a bit of pea protein isolate or brown rice protein (those are what I have tested it with) in order to make this recipe more filling but you can use additional oats instead.
• Water or Milk- A quarter cup of liquid is all that we need and it is important not to add too much or the oats won't turn out cakey. I just use water since it is such a small amount but any milk of choice will work as well.
• Egg- Provides some extra protein and helps to bind the baked oats. For vegan baked oats, you can replace with an additional ¼ cup of water- they are slightly crumblier but still tasty.
• Maple Syrup- You can substitute with any sweetener of choice (see this list of Maple Syrup Substitutes) and add more or less depending on your desired sweetness.
• Baking Powder- This is key for giving the oats lift in order to have a light, cakey texture. For best results, make sure that yours is fresh.
• Sea Salt- Just a touch balances out the flavors.
• Vanilla Extract, Ground Cinnamon or Cocoa- You'll add one of these depending on the flavor that you are making.

The Method

1. Mix. Add all of the ingredients to a high powered blended and blend on high until smooth.

Or, for unblended oats, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined.

2. Cook. Pour the oat mixture into a lightly greased 10-12 ounce microwave-safe ramekin or mug and stir in any add ins.

Cook on high in the microwave to 1 and ½ to 2 minutes until the center appears just set. The bake time will vary depending on your ramekin- a wider ramekin will bake faster as well as your model of microwave.

*Note, the oats puff up and appear like they might overflow while cooking but they sink back down once they sit.

3. Rest. For best texture, allow the oats to cool for 5 minutes to set.

4. Enjoy!

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Allow microwave baked oatmeal to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Rewarm in the microwave, in the oven at 325 F for 8-10 minutes or in the air fryer at 300 F for 5-8 minutes.

Make it Your Own

• Skip the protein powder- Omit the protein powder and increase the oats to ½ cup. For best texture, I recommend using the blended method (or using oat flour) if going this route.
• Add a Nut Butter Center- Spoon a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter into the center of the oatmeal batter before putting it in the microwave for a molten center.
• Include mix-ins- After blending, stir in 2 tablespoons of your choice of mix-ins such as:
  • berries
  • chocolate chips
  • chopped nuts
  • dried fruit
  • shredded coconut
• Add extracts- Experiment by replacing the vanilla with different extracts such as lemon, almond, or maple for different flavors.

Blended vs Unblended Baked Oatmeal

If you don't have a high powered blended or simply don't want to dirty an extra dish, these baked microwave oats can be made without blending as well.

If you decide to skip the blending, you have two options:

1. You can use rolled oats and simply stir everything together. They still turn out pretty cake-y with a bit more oat texture. *I only recommend doing this if you aren't omitting the protein powder.
2. You can use oat flour (you need ¼ cup packed to replace the ⅓ cup of oats). This will result in oats that look more fluffy as though they have been blended.

What to Serve with Microwave Baked Oatmeal

• Fruit: Top your baked oats with cooked apple, sliced bananas or mixed berries. Or serve it with a side of fruit salad.
• Nut or Seed Butter: Drizzle some of your favorite nut or seed butter, such as peanut, macadamia or pepita over the oats.
• Greek Yogurt: Add a couple of dollops on top for "frosting" or have a bowl alongside.
• Seeds and Nuts: Add some texture by sprinkling some roasted nuts or seeds overtop.

Tips for the Best Microwave Baked Oats

• Check them Early. Every microwave model is a little different so check them after 90 seconds the first time that you make them until you get a gauge of how long they take in your microwave. If they aren't done after 1 and ½ minutes, put them back in for 15 seconds, check again and then another 15 seconds if needed.
• But Don't Underbake. Ensure the oats are fully cooked through by microwaving them until they're set in the center and for best texture, allow them to rest for 5 minutes. Underbaking can result in a mushy oatmeal.
• Cook Immediately. Once the ingredients are mixed, cook the oats in the microwave immediately. Allowing the mixture to sit for too long before cooking can affect the texture and rise as the oats soak up liquid as it sits.

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
• Protein Baked Oatmeal Cups
• Chocolate Baked Oats

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