Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Name: Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups rolled oats; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-4 bananas, depending on their size, plus an extra banana reserved for garnish); 2 large eggs; ¼ cup melted butter (make sure it’s not too hot so it doesn’t cook the eggs); 2 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; ¼ tsp fine sea salt; 2 cups milk (I use cashew or almond milk); 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (optional, I use toasted pecans, see notes); A knob of butter; 2 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 1 review

This Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal is a great make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings, and it's freezer-friendly! It has the classic banana bread flavor with more protein and much less sugar. It's filling, easy to make, and so delicious!

A slice of banana baked oatmeal with caramelized banana slices baked into it on top on blue floral plates with a fork holding a bite of the corner of the slice.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
Variations and Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
Tips & Tricks!
Serving Suggestions
Storing and Reheating
FAQs
Other Baked Oatmeal Recipes
📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Baked Oatmeal

Breakfast version of banana bread - If you love banana bread but want something with less sugar and no flavor but all the same flavors for breakfast, this baked oatmeal is for you! It has those delicious ripe bananas, just like banana bread, but no flour! It's simple, easy to make, filling, and you can even up the protein content by adding your favorite protein powder!

Delicious and naturally sweetened - While regular banana bread usually has a lot of sugar, this baked oatmeal is sweetened with just a bit of maple syrup. Only 1 teaspoon per serving! I find ripe bananas give it enough natural sweetness, but you could always add some chocolate chips to make it more special!

Great for meal prep and freezer-friendly - Baked oats are so easy to make ahead and freeze for later! You can easily make a double batch in a bigger baking dish or in two smaller ones and freeze your portioned slices for busy mornings.

A slice of banana baked oatmeal with caramelized banana slices baked into it on top on a blue floral plate.

Ingredients

Rolled oats - Classic old-fashioned oats are the best option here. Steel-cut oats wouldn't cook properly because they need more liquid and time. You can use quick-cooking oats in a pinch, but they might make the oatmeal more dense. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but make sure they're certified if needed.
Bananas - You want to use ripe bananas with lots of brown spots, the same ones you'd use for banana bread. You will need to mash the bananas, so the riper they are, the easier they will be to mash.
Eggs - Eggs hold everything together and give the baked oats more of a banana bread texture without any flour. Use large eggs for best results.
Almond milk - You can use whole milk or any dairy-free milk here. I like to stick with vegan milk and usually go with either almond milk or cashew milk.
Maple syrup - The oatmeal is lightly sweetened with maple syrup. I like using extra dark maple syrup, but any grade works. You can also use another sweetener like coconut nectar, agave syrup, or honey. Granulated sugar and brown sugar work as well.
Butter - I recommend using butter (ideally unsalted) for more flavor, but cooking oil like pure avocado oil would work as well. Use vegan butter if needed.
Pecans - This is totally optional, but I'm adding chopped toasted pecans to the batter. You can also add raw pecans without toasting them first or other nuts like walnuts. See below for other possible add-ins.
Flavorings - Pure vanilla extract and ground cinnamon give the baked oatmeal all the extra flavor it needs. You can use vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste interchangeably. Vanilla powder is more concentrated, so you would need much less of it.

Variations and Substitutions

Chocolate chips - Chopped chocolate or chocolate chips would be a delicious addition to this oatmeal. I like dark chocolate to avoid the oats being overly sweet, but any chocolate or chocolate chips you have will work!
Berries - Stir in some fresh or frozen berries into the batter before baking for little bursts of flavor. I like raspberries or blueberries here.
Nut butter - I didn't add any to the base recipe, but you can whisk 1-2 tablespoon of almond butter into the wet ingredients for more flavor, healthy fats, and protein. You can also add this Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread if you want to make it extra delicious!
Protein powder - Each serving has about 9 grams of protein. If you want to up the protein amount, add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder. I recommend either vanilla or chocolate flavored. I like the Sprout Living protein powder.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F and prepare a 12x8-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together rolled oats, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

Rolled oats, spices, and baking powder before and after whisking to mix in a glass bowl.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt.
Add milk and whisk again.

Eggs, mashed banana, milk, and other wet ingredients being whisked together in a large white bowl.

Add the dry ingredients and chopped toasted pecans and stir to mix well.

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Oats, chopped pecans, and other dry ingredients being mixed into wet ingredients in a large white bowl.

Use a knob of butter to grease your baking dish and pour in the batter.
Slice your reserved banana into rounds and lay them on top of the batter.
Sprinkle it with turbinado sugar if desired.
Bake the oatmeal in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
Take it out of the oven and slice into 6 squares. Run a knife or a spatula around the edges if the oatmeal is stuck to the sides.
Serve it on its own or with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Banana baked oatmeal before and after baking in a glass baking dish.

Tips & Tricks!

Crispy caramelized top - Add some turbinado sugar on top before baking. This is my secret for that beautiful, crispy top layer of all of my baked oats recipes! It's a coarse sugar that won't melt as easily, so it stays partially intact even after baking and adds a nice crunch as well.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve the oatmeal on its own, but you can also add various toppings based on what you have on hand. Below are a few ideas to get you started!

Yogurt - I love adding creamy vegan coconut yogurt or Greek yogurt; it's perfect with the bananas, and it adds protein!
Nut butter - Add a drizzle of almond butter, peanut butter, or any other nut or seed butter for some added healthy fats and protein. Try it with my Salted Caramel Nut Butter!
Caramelized fruit - If you want to make the oatmeal extra special, add some caramelized banana from this Mocha Oatmeal or some Caramelized Apples!
Fresh fruit - My favorite topping to add is fresh berries. Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries are my favorite, especially when they're in season!

Storing and Reheating

Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Place a small piece of parchment paper or foil between your oatmeal squares if you stack them to make them easier to take out of your container.

Freezer: Store the oatmeal portioned in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3-5 months when stored properly. I recommend placing some parchment paper between the slices if you're stacking them to make sure they don't stick together.

Reheating: The best way to reheat the oatmeal is in a preheated oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes if it's from the fridge. I recommend defrosting the oatmeal in the fridge overnight first, but if you do reheat it from frozen, give it at least 20 minutes. You may also need to cut it in half once it's soft enough to get the middle to warm up. It's also fine to reheat it in the microwave from the fridge.

FAQs

Can I make the oatmeal vegan?

You can use dairy-free milk and butter, but I haven't tried any vegan egg substitutes. You can try flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seeds and 3 tablespoon water per egg) but I can't guarantee results.

My oatmeal was too dense and dry or too soggy. What did I do wrong?

If it's too dry, you either didn't add enough liquid or you let the batter sit for too long before baking the oatmeal, and the oats soaked up all the liquid. If it's too soggy, you either added too much mashed banana or too much milk. I recommend using rolled oats for the best results.

A banana baked oatmeal square caramelized on top on blue floral plate with a fork slicing into one corner.

Other Baked Oatmeal Recipes

If you're looking for similar baked oatmeal recipes, check out any of the four listed below! There's something for every season! The mixed berry one is my all-time favorite. To see all the latest ones, head over to Oatmeal Recipes.

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