Porridge fingers (oatmeal fingers) are a really easy way for babies to eat oatmeal. Serve them plain or add different fruits, vegetables and spices to add variety. They only take a couple of minutes in the microwave, perfect for when your baby wakes up looking for food in a hurry!
Reasons to Love this Recipe
You probably won't be rushing to make these for yourself but they are perfect for babies.
- Super quick to prepare and cook
- Being finger formed they are easy for babies to pick up (resulting in a much quicker clean up at the end!)
- Serving food in different ways allows babies to get used to different textures and food experiences.
- You still get all the nutritional benefits of oatmeal, just in finger form.
- Customisable -flavour this easy breakfast with all sorts of ingredients!
Video Tutorial
Ingredient Information
Two simple ingredients is all you need to make porridge fingers
- Oats - Rolled (porridge) or quick oats work. Steel-cut oats are NOT suitable.
- Milk
However, you can flavour oatmeal fingers with a range of fruits, vegetables and spices. Three flavours that my boys enjoyed included
- Raspberry and Coconut (addition of crushed raspberries and desiccated coconut)
- Carrot Cake (addition of grated carrot, apple puree, ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)
- Apple Pie (a particular favourite) (addition of grated apple, apple puree and cinnamon)
Step By Step Instructions (with Images)
- Mix Porridge Finger Ingredients Together. For the plain version this will just be milk and oats, for the flavoured versions it will include all the other ingredients. Allow the mixture to sit for a couple of minutes, until mushy.
- Press the mixture into a small, flat-bottomed microwavable dish. Use the back of a spoon to do this until the mixture is flat. I used a dish approx. 13cm x 10cm (5x4inch) and the mixture was around 3-5mm thick. If your dish is bigger you don't have to fill the whole space, the mixture shouldn't spread much.
- Cook in Microwave for 2 mins on high. The timings will vary depending on the microwave. The first time you make them you will want to keep checking it. The cooked mixture will be soft but you should be able to cut through it.
- Cut the fingers while still hot and serve once cooled. I find that I need to "tidy up" the fingers as I cut.
Can You Make These in the Oven?
If you do not have a microwave, you can make the oatmeal fingers in the oven. Bake, in an ovenproof dish, for around 15 mins at 190C / 375F. However, you may not wish to heat the oven for such little quantities. These fruity baked oatmeal cups are a similar idea that have been specifically developed for baking, I would suggest trying this recipe instead.
Storage Instructions
- REFRIGERATE: Store in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
- FREEZE: Freeze on a tray until frozen, transfer to an airtight container / freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Defrost in the refrigerator.
Other oat breakfast ideas that you may like...
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Porridge Fingers
Equipment
- Microwave
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Oats
- 3 tablespoon Milk Reduce this to 2 tablespoon if making the flavoured versions.
Raspberry and Coconut Porridge Fingers
- 1½ tablespoon Mashed Raspberries
- 1 teaspoon Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut
Apple Pie Porridge Fingers
- 1 tbsp Unsweetened Apple Puree (apple sauce)
- 1 tbsp Grated Apple
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
Carrot Cake Porridge Fingers
- 1 tbsp Unsweetened Apple Puree (apple sauce)
- 1 tbsp Grated Carrot
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- pinch Ground Ginger
- pinch Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
Plain Porridge Fingers
- Add the oats and milk to a small bowl and soak until you have a mushy mixture. (A couple of minutes)
- Press the mixture into a small, flat-bottomed dish using the back of a spoon.
- Cook in the microwave for 2 minutes on high.**
- Cut into fingers while still hot and serve when cooled.
Raspberry and Coconut Version
- Add the oats, milk and mashed raspberries to a small bowl and soak until you have a mushy mixture. (A couple of minutes). Stir in the coconut.
- Continue from step 2 of the plain porridge finger recipe
Apple Pie Version
- Add the oats, milk, apple puree, apple and cinnamon to a small bowl and soak until you have a mushy mixture. (A couple of minutes)
- Continue from step 2 of the plain porridge finger recipe
Carrot Cake Version
- Add the oats, milk, apple puree, apple, carrot and spices to a small bowl and soak until you have a mushy mixture. (A couple of minutes)
- Continue from step 2 of the plain porridge finger recipe
Recipe Notes
Nutritional facts
*First Published May 2015, the post has been updated to include process shots, video and more detailed recipe information.
TZ says
I just discovered your website and I am so glad I did! My 9 month old is really enjoying your recipes! I have made these twice and he really enjoyed them and I love how easy these are. I’m not sure if I have the texture right. They form into fingers but they are kind of delicate and crumble when he picks them up. I just pick up all of the crumbs and mush them back together for him but is this how the consistency should be? Am I doing something wrong?
Amy says
Hi TZ, I think you could try another 30 seconds in the microwave, they should firm up a bit more. Thank you for all your lovely comments, I'm delighted you are enjoying the site and have made so many recipes 🙂
Melinda says
Ok, help me figure out what I'm doing wrong... Every time I've tried to make porridge fingers, they come out...well, like oatmeal. They're not hard or solid enough to cut into bars, and they fall to pieces in baby's hands. I follow the recipe perfectly. What should I do? Microwave an extra minute?
Amy says
I'd keep microwaving for an extra 10 seconds at a time until you can cut it. Have you watched the video? Does your mixture look anything like mine?
shontra hibbler says
I was running out of meals that my little one will eat. He doesn't want oatmeal, purees, avocados, toast, or eggs. He ate several pieces of the carrot cake porridge fingers. I did use sweatened apple sauce because i tried unsweetened apple sauce in some muffins and he did not like them. It didn't make them to sweet, but will try dates and raisins with them next time.
Amy says
Thanks for the feedback, Shontra. I'm so happy your little one liked them. 🙂
Meg says
I made the carrot cake fingers for my little Hazy, she is 7 months old. She LOVED them and I stole some too! We are big fans. Definitely will try the others as well. Thank you for one mama to another
Amy says
Great! Love that Hazy loved them 🙂
Syeda Ahmed says
Thank you for sharing this, my toddler is going through a picky eating stage and he cleaned his bars in a few minutes 😀 the chewy texture is also a nice variation
Amy says
That is great news, thanks Syeda 🙂
Millie says
How many servings does this recipe make? And what is the nutritional information for the carrot cake fingers?
Amy says
Hi Millie, I'm sorry this is a really old recipe and although I now add all this information, I didn't in the past. It is designed to make 1 -2 portions, I don't have the nutritional information but you can pop it in an online calculator to find this out. I do have this scheduled to update and will include all this information once I remake them.
Bec says
My bub is dairy free, could I substitute water instead of milk? Or would coconut milk work?
Amy says
Hi Bec, dairy-free milk should work, you could also use breast/formula.
Chloe says
These are a favourite of our 10 month old as are many of your recipes (especially banana pancakes)! Thank you for making BLW a lot easier 🙂
Amy says
I love comments like this, they always make my day. Thanks for taking the time to let me know that your little one is a fan of the recipes, Chloe. 🙂
Mette says
How long will these last in the fridge? I have a husband who isn't keen on preparing food (in general), so I do most of the cooking at home. It would be nice for him to have something to grab in the fridge or freezer for our son when I'm at work.
Amy says
Hi Mette, I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to you. These can be frozen but the recipe doesn't make much (designed for a baby). I have a similar recipe made in muffin trays and baked in the oven. They freeze really well and I often take them out for a quick and easy breakfast. Fruity Baked Oatmeal Cups.
Laura says
I can’t get the consistency right and this is the second time I’ve done it it seems to be too mushy and doesn’t hold together?
Amy says
Hi Laura, I wonder if it is the microwave settings - maybe you need a little extra time? These fruity oatmeal muffins are similar (sort of), made in the oven and freezable. Make in mini muffins trays and they are easy for little ones to pick up.