Recently I found myself hitting the snooze button one too many times, then hurtling breakfast at my kids while trying to get us all out the door before the school bell rang. Skipping breakfast during that rush, I'd come home to cold eggs or oatmeal. Feeling cranky that no one was really enjoying breakfast and that I was starting my day without the energy I needed, I decided on a solution that was industriously DIY.

Oatmeal cups aren't new, but they've been filling the supermarket shelves more than ever in the last few years. Quaker Oats and Bob's Red Mill each have overnight or classic warm versions of ready-to-heat-and-eat oats for breakfast on the run. This cozy DIY version can be made in a hurry, and the result is a slightly sweet, super-creamy cup of oatmeal that allows our family a staggered breakfast that is completely customizable to each person's tastes and schedule.

What Are Instant Oatmeal Cups?

The idea behind instant oatmeal cups is simple: Put oatmeal, a little thickener, and your favorite toppings in a jar that is just waiting for warm water whenever you're ready to eat. Similar to creating bags of your favorite instant oatmeal at home, these cups have the added utility of being eat straight from their jars. Made with rolled oats and thickened with oat flour and cooked with hot water or the microwave, the resulting oatmeal is a tiny bit chewy with plenty of sweet creamy texture. (You can add more milk or water to thin the oatmeal to your favorite consistency.)

Key Steps for Instant Oatmeal Cups

• For creamier oats, use oat flour: Sure, you can put oats in a jar and then cover them with hot water and get a pretty decent cup of oatmeal, but for a creamy cup of oats that tastes like it was cooked on the stovetop, a few tablespoons of oat flour per cup makes the difference.
• Layer the toppings on last: This is as much for aesthetics as it is for making sure that the oats cook evenly and the toppings stay crisp or chewy.
• Cover to cook before serving: There are two ways to cook the oatmeal when you're ready to eat — more on that below — but be sure to cover the oats after adding the hot water or after microwaving so they continue to cook.

Storing and Serving DIY Oatmeal Cups

Store your ready-to-eat oatmeal cup in a cool, dark place like the pantry, where well-covered they'll keep for up to three months.

When you're ready to eat, there are two ways to cook the oatmeal. The first option is to add 1/2 cup (or more) of boiling water to the jar, stir, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. The oats and oat flour will absorb the water, making a perfectly creamy cup of oats. The second method is to add 1/2 cup (or again more, if you prefer a thinner oatmeal) cool water to the jar and microwave the jar, uncovered, for 3 minutes and then remove the jar from the microwave, cover, and let stand 2 minutes. Either way, this is like a little gift to my snooze-button-loving future self.