Are these cakes diabetes-friendly?

These little breakfast cakes stay within our guidelines for diabetes-appropriate foods at ≤200 calories and ≤30 g carbohydrates—as long as you stick to the serving size, which is one cake.

What should I eat with these breakfast cakes?

We think bananas go great with peanut butter and chocolate, so we'd recommend one small banana and a cup of low-fat milk for a balanced meal.

What type of oats should I use for oatmeal cakes?

We use old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. There are three types of oats— steel-cut, rolled and instant oats . Old-fashioned rolled oats go through a flattening process after removing the oat hull. They are steamed and pressed flat, which gives them a softer texture and reduces their cooking time.

Can I make oatmeal cakes ahead?

Yes, you can refrigerate the oatmeal cakes in an airtight container for up to two days or freeze them for up to three months. To reheat, microwave an oatmeal cake in 30-second intervals until heated through.

Why is my batter runny?

The batter doesn't have any flour in it, so it will be slightly runny when the ingredients are combined. While the oven is preheating, the oat mixture can sit for 20 minutes to absorb some of the liquid before adding it to the muffin tin.

Why did my oatmeal cakes stick to the muffin tin?

If your muffin tin isn't nonstick, it may be difficult to remove the oatmeal cakes after baking. If you find that the oatmeal cakes are sticking to the muffin tin, you can use paper muffin liners instead of using cooking spray.

Breakfast Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cakes

4.5

(23)

20 Reviews

Peanut butter is the star ingredient in these oatmeal cakes, providing not only flavor, but a boost of plant-based protein too. Hiding a bit in the center of each muffin is a fun way to ensure that peanut butter makes it into every bite.

Sara Haas, RDN, LDN

Updated on June 5, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD

Tested by

Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters.

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Active Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 5 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Diabetes-Friendly Soy-Free Heart-Healthy Vegetarian Gluten-Free

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cups low-fat milk
½ cup creamy natural peanut butter, divided
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Alexandra Shytsman
Combine oats and milk in a large bowl; let sit for 20 minutes. Add milk, 1/4 cup peanut butter, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, baking powder, vanilla and salt; stir to combine. Fill each muffin cup with a heaping 2 tablespoons of batter, then divide the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter and chocolate chips among the muffin cups, about 1 teaspoon each. Cover with the remaining batter, about 2 tablespoons each. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Alexandra Shytsman

Equipment

Muffin tin with 12 (1/2-cup) cups

Recipe Updates

Based on earlier review and comments of this recipe, we've retested and made the following adjustments (and updated the nutritional analysis accordingly):

Increased the brown sugar.

Increased the soak time of the oats.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 cake

Calories 213, Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 33mg, Carbohydrates 26g, Total Sugars 11g, Added Sugars 8g, Protein 7g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 200mg, Potassium 158mg

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these cakes diabetes-friendly?

These little breakfast cakes stay within our guidelines for diabetes-appropriate foods at ≤200 calories and ≤30 g carbohydrates—as long as you stick to the serving size, which is one cake.
What should I eat with these breakfast cakes?

We think bananas go great with peanut butter and chocolate, so we'd recommend one small banana and a cup of low-fat milk for a balanced meal.
What type of oats should I use for oatmeal cakes?

We use old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. There are three types of oats—steel-cut, rolled and instant oats. Old-fashioned rolled oats go through a flattening process after removing the oat hull. They are steamed and pressed flat, which gives them a softer texture and reduces their cooking time.
Can I make oatmeal cakes ahead?

Yes, you can refrigerate the oatmeal cakes in an airtight container for up to two days or freeze them for up to three months. To reheat, microwave an oatmeal cake in 30-second intervals until heated through.
Why is my batter runny?

The batter doesn't have any flour in it, so it will be slightly runny when the ingredients are combined. While the oven is preheating, the oat mixture can sit for 20 minutes to absorb some of the liquid before adding it to the muffin tin.
Why did my oatmeal cakes stick to the muffin tin?

If your muffin tin isn't nonstick, it may be difficult to remove the oatmeal cakes after baking. If you find that the oatmeal cakes are sticking to the muffin tin, you can use paper muffin liners instead of using cooking spray.