Baked Cherry Chocolate Oat Cups

These small baked oatmeal cups combine rolled oats with cherries and pockets of melted dark chocolate. Eggs help the soft centers hold together while the edges become lightly golden. Serve a warm cup with a spoon for breakfast or let it cool before lifting it from its paper liner.

Ingredients

• 180 g rolled oats
• 250 ml milk
• 2 large eggs
• 60 g honey
• 40 g melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 150 g pitted cherries, halved
• 60 g dark chocolate chips
• ¼ tsp salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line six large muffin wells with parchment muffin liners, or use six individual 150 ml ovenproof ramekins. Set the ramekins on a baking tray.
2. Whisk milk, eggs, honey, cooled melted butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in oats, baking powder and salt. Leave for five minutes so the oats begin to absorb the liquid.
3. Fold in the halved, pitted cherries and chocolate chips. Divide the mixture and any remaining liquid evenly between the six lined wells or ramekins.
4. Bake for 22–27 minutes until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are set, with no loose egg mixture. A skewer should show moist oats and possibly melted chocolate, but no liquid batter.
5. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Eat from the ramekins with a spoon, or carefully lift the lined oat cups from the muffin pan. They are soft baked oatmeal rather than fluffy muffins.
6. Refrigerate covered leftovers within two hours and eat within three days. Reheat individual portions until steaming hot, or eat chilled.

Use rolled oats

Ordinary rolled oats give the cups their soft, distinct oat texture. Steel-cut oats will not soften sufficiently in this short cooking time.

Check every cherry

Remove all stones before halving the cherries. Frozen pitted cherries also work: thaw, drain and pat dry before weighing out 150 g.

Divide the liquid evenly

The oats settle in the bowl while you portion them. Stir again and share the milk mixture evenly so the last cup is not wetter than the first.

Expect a soft center

These are baked oatmeal, not cake muffins. A brief rest helps them settle, but they remain tender and can be served directly in their ramekins.

FAQs

How many servings does this make?

Makes 6 servings using the pan or equipment listed.

What should I check before serving?

Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Eat from the ramekins with a spoon, or carefully lift the lined oat cups from the muffin pan. They are soft baked oatmeal rather than fluffy muffins.

How should I store leftovers?

Refrigerate covered leftovers within two hours and eat within three days. Reheat individual portions until steaming hot, or eat chilled.