Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cups, ridiculously good mini peanut butter oatmeal cups! These are the best no-bake peanut butter and oat cups that taste like a cookie, are vegan, and gluten-free made with healthy ingredients!
You have landed on one of our favorite no-bake treats, healthy enough to enjoy as breakfast, dessert or an energizing snack. They take less than 30 minutes from start to finish, making them a favorite go-to whenever your sweet tooth needs a quick fix! They sit in the same snack rotation as my no-bake protein balls and no-bake breakfast bars.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 25 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: None, these set in the freezer
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 22 mini cups
- ⚡ Calories: 109kcal per cup
- 🥣 Ingredients: 8 (peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, quick cook oats, potato starch, cinnamon, salt)
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Velvety, sweet, creamy and soft, like a peanut butter cookie that never saw the oven
- ✋ Difficulty: Melt, whisk, press into a mini muffin pan, freeze 15 minutes
Quick Answer
Heat ½ cup peanut butter, ⅓ cup maple syrup and ¼ cup coconut oil in a microwaveable bowl for about 30 seconds until the coconut oil is melted, and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup quick cook oats, 1 cup potato starch, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix to combine. Press the mixture into a prepared 24-cup mini muffin pan, filling to the top and flattening with your hands, then freeze for about 15 minutes to harden. Makes 22 mini cups at 109 calories each, vegan and gluten-free.
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These no bake peanut butter oatmeal cups are velvety, sweet, creamy, soft and satisfyingly scrumptious! My oatmeal cups, bars and energy bites are all similar in ingredients, and these ones are a slight replica of these epic Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Treats but without the chocolate and marshmallow.
The other night as we finished up dinner my husband asked if we had any of the chocolate marshmallow treats. To his despair they were all gone, and I did not have any chocolate around, but I was able to whip up a batch of no bake cookies formed in a mini muffin pan within minutes! After all, what could be better than creamy oats soaked up in rich melted peanut butter and sweet maple syrup? These are SOOOO good!
Why These Oatmeal Cups Work
Click to see why these set up like cookies
- Instant oats blend, they do not chew back. Instant oats are the most processed form, and here that is the advantage: they blend well, absorbing quicker with the peanut butter, coconut oil and maple syrup for a smooth texture.
- Thick peanut butter holds the cup together. Drain the oil off the top of natural peanut butter first so it is nice and thick.
- The 30 second melt is the whole technique. Coconut oil, maple syrup and peanut butter whisk into one smooth syrup once the coconut oil is melted.
- Potato starch binds without baking. A full cup gives the cups their soft cookie body. My potato starch guide explains the ingredient.
- The freezer is the oven. About 15 minutes hardens the cups completely.
- Silicone pans pop the cups out clean, and mini cupcake liners do the same job in a metal tin.
Why You'll Love These Cups
- Less than 30 minutes from start to finish, no oven at all.
- Breakfast, dessert or an energizing snack, they are healthy enough for any of the three.
- Vegan and gluten-free with 109 calories a cup.
- Tastes like a peanut butter cookie, velvety and creamy instead of dry.
- Makes 22 minis, so the batch survives more than one afternoon.
- Pairs with the oatmeal lineup, like my peanut butter and jelly oatmeal bake and a large bowl of creamy oatmeal.
Key Ingredients
- Peanut butter - ½ cup, organic or natural with the oil drained off so it is thicker. I love using Costco's organic peanut butter, about $10 for 2 large containers.
- Coconut oil - ¼ cup, the fat that firms the cups in the freezer.
- Maple syrup - ⅓ cup, the only sweetener. Out of it? My maple syrup substitute list has the swaps.
- Quick cook oats - 1 cup, gluten-free. They absorb the peanut butter mixture quicker than rolled oats for a creamier texture.
- Potato starch - 1 cup, the no-bake binder.
- Vanilla, cinnamon and Himalayan salt - the flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Peanut Butter and Oat Benefits
Peanut butter and oatmeal together are two of my favorite foods in the morning, a beautiful match made in heaven with tons of health benefits!
- Peanut butter is high in fat and calories but packed with nutrition: magnesium, potassium, protein, antioxidant vitamin E and immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Peanuts, although called a "nut", are actually a legume. When shopping brands, look for natural organic peanut butter, since most brands add unnecessary sugar, fat and hydrogenated oil.
- Oats are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, and help with regulating blood sugar levels and cardiovascular health. They are one of the best ancient whole-grain foods to consume! You can read more about how healthy oats are for you.
- Together they show up all over my breakfasts, from chia and hemp seed oatmeal to oatmeal no-bake cookies.
How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cups
1Prep the pan. Prepare a 24-cup mini muffin pan. A silicone muffin pan is easiest for popping out the cups; spray it with cooking spray. If using a mini metal muffin tin, line it with mini muffin liners and spray with oil.
2Melt and whisk. In a microwaveable bowl add the peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut oil. Heat for about 30 seconds or until the coconut oil is melted, then whisk together until smooth and creamy.
3Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the oats, potato starch, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the peanut butter mixture and mix to combine.
4Press and freeze. Scoop and press the mixture down into the muffin cups, filling to the top and flattening the tops with your hands. Place in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Use a mini silicone muffin pan to easily pop out the cups, or mini cupcake liners in a metal tin so they release clean.
- Use instant oats if you can. They create a more blended, creamier texture.
- Drain the oil off natural peanut butter first so the mixture stays thick enough to press.
- Melt for about 30 seconds, just until the coconut oil is liquid, then whisk until fully combined before the oats go in.
- In a hurry? Pop them in the freezer about 15 minutes before serving and they are ready.
- Want the chocolate version? That is my chocolate peanut butter marshmallow treats, same family of ingredients.
Oatmeal Any Time of Day
I like to say "a bowl of oatmeal a day helps keep the doctor away!" And when you do not have time to wait for a bowl of oatmeal to heat, simply grab one of these delicious peanut butter oatmeal cups!
I love peanut butter and oats served in a peanut butter and jelly oatmeal bake, breakfast bars or just a large bowl of creamy oatmeal with banana and a drizzle of peanut butter on top.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cup FAQs
No. The coconut oil, maple syrup and peanut butter melt together, the oats and potato starch bind everything, and about 15 minutes in the freezer sets the cups.
Instant oats, also called quick cook oats. They are the most processed form, which here is a plus: they blend well and absorb the peanut butter mixture quicker for a smooth, creamy texture.
Yes. The sweetness comes from maple syrup and the fat from coconut oil, so there is no butter, no honey and no dairy, and gluten-free oats keep them gluten-free.
Natural organic peanut butter with the oil drained off the top first so it is nice and thick. Most conventional brands add unnecessary sugar, fat and hydrogenated oil.
Use a mini silicone muffin pan and they pop right out. In a metal mini muffin tin, use mini cupcake liners so you can lift each cup free.
It is the no-bake binder that gives the cups their soft cookie body as they chill, a full cup alongside the oats.
More No-Bake Snacks
More no-bake favorites: Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Treats, No-Bake Protein Balls, No-Bake Breakfast Bars, Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies and Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies. If you make this recipe I would love to see it! Find me on social media @delightfulmomfood and hashtag #delightfulmomfood so I can see and share what you are making! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cups
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Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter prefer organic or natural with oil drained off so it is thicker
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup quick cook oats gluten-free
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
Instructions
- Prepare a 24-cup mini muffin pan. Use a silicone muffin pan for easiest use to pop out the oatmeal cups. If using a silicone muffin pan, spray it with cooking spray. If using a mini metal muffin tin, line it with mini muffin liners and spray it with oil.
- In a microwaveable bowl add the peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut oil. Heat for about 30 seconds or until the coconut oil is melted. Whisk together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the oats, potato starch, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the peanut butter mixture. Mix to combine. Using a spatula or spoon scoop and press down into muffin cups, filling the cups to the top and press down with your hands to flatten the tops. Place in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes. Then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Mari says
What could I use in place of potato starch?
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
You can use cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio. Here is a post on potato starch substitutes: https://delightfulmomfood.com/potato-starch-substitute-for-baking-and-frying/
Fawn Liebowitz says
What would you recommend as an alternative to coconut oil? I"m allergic to coconut unfortunately 🙁
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
You can use organic butter, ghee, or vegan butter in place of coconut oil. Store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container to keep their form.