Kids are fun, right?!? You know when you spend hours in the kitchen preparing something delicious and they won't even give it a try??? Part of you wants to say- ok great, more for me...but you also don't want them to miss out.

Well, I made s'mores baked oatmeal cups for my niece and nephew. I stirred chocolate chips and mini marshmallows into the batter. Then, topped them with crushed graham crackers. Er...um...this would be a dream breakfast for most children.

Oh no! My nephew wanted NO part of them. 

"I'm going to tell my mom!"

Yes- please tell your mother that I forced you to eat s'mores baked oatmeal. Poor thing! That sounds terrible!

Now, in his semi-defense- the marshmallows melted while baking. So, you couldn't tell they were there...but chocolate and graham crackers in baked oatmeal muffins still looked pretty appetizing to me!

So, I decided to remake the oatmeal with one simple change. After baking, I placed the marshmallows on top of the muffins, with some chocolate chips and crushed graham crackers, and gave them a light broil...ta da!

Strangely, someone has already walked into the kitchen 3 times to find out when he can try one...

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What to serve with s'mores baked oatmeal???

• Fresh berries (really any fresh fruit)
• Greek Yogurt
• Eggs

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Basic Baked Oatmeal Ingredients

Old-Fashioned or Rolled Oats: This healthy whole-grain provides both fiber and protein.

‍Maple Syrup: This gives the dish a natural sweetness. I also add some brown sugar.

‍Eggs: These add some protein and help to bind all of the ingredients together.

‍Applesauce or Yogurt: Either one will work! This gives the oatmeal a touch of extra sweetness and keeps the dish from drying out while baking.

‍Flour: The secret to my mush-free baked oatmeal! Flour plus baking powder brings this dish closer to a cake/muffin texture.

‍Milk: You can use whole milk, skim milk, coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk...basically all the milks.

‍Mix-Ins: Strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears, chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, peanut butter, cinnamon, cream cheese, caramel sauce...the possibilities are endless!

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