Berry Baked Oatmeal Cups are a great option for a breakfast "treat" that is reasonably nutritious. With plenty of whole-grain oats and a limited amount of refined sugar, the little breakfast cups are actually pretty good for you. The cups also taste great. You get a nice bite of sweet berries in each spoonful, and the crunchy nut topping makes the cups seem a little like eating a coffee cake. I use frozen mixed berries in the oatmeal cups, but you could use fresh or a single type of frozen berry--like blueberries or raspberries. The oatmeal cups are great "as is," and I also like them topped with a dollop of vanilla yogurt. The air fryer cooks the oatmeal cups in 15-20 minutes. If you're short on time, yes, you can make the oatmeal cups in advance and reheat them in the microwave. About a minute in the microwave on 40 percent power will warm up one oatmeal cup. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Berry Baked Oatmeal Cups -- Makes 4
1 large egg
3/4 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of canola oil
1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of frozen mixed berries, partially thawed
Topping
1/2 cup of chopped or broken walnut or other nuts
1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar
Spritz four ramekins or custard cups (1 cup capacity) with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl or measure (I use a quart-sized Pyrex measure), whisk together well the egg, milk, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Fold in the berries. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. Divide the walnuts among the ramekins, sprinkling them on top of the oat mixture. Divide the brown sugar among the ramekins, sprinkling it on top of the walnuts. Spritz a little non-stick cooking spray on top of each ramekin to keep the sugar in place in the air fryer. Place two or three oatmeal cups in the basket of your air fryer, put the basket in the air fryer, and cook the oatmeal cups at 320 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until deep brown and firm to the touch. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining oatmeal cups. Let the cooked oatmeal cups cool in their ramekins for a few minutes before serving them or turning them out of the ramekins.
