This Caramelized Banana Oatmeal has caramelized banana both in the oatmeal and on top, and takes only 20 minutes start to finish! It's naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and you can easily make it vegan as well! It tastes just like a banana bread, and it's perfect for fall and winter.
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Why You'll Love This Banana Oatmeal
Double caramelized banana - If you like banana bread, this creamy oatmeal is the ultimate breakfast treat for the fall and winter! Mashed banana is caramelized first with maple syrup and butter before the oats and milk are added to give it extra flavor. The oatmeal is also topped with caramelized banana slices that make it extra delicious!
Ticks all the boxes - It's naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free (sweetened with maple syrup), and it can easily be made vegan. It's sweet and decadent, but it's not overly heavy, and it's made with real, whole ingredients.
Easy, simple, and versatile - Stovetop oatmeal is one of the easiest breakfasts you can make, and this one is no different! Even with the few extra steps of caramelizing the bananas, it's still very easy to make and totally fail-proof. It's versatile too
Ingredients
- Rolled oats - I recommend using classic old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe (use certified gluten-free when needed). Quick-cooking oats work as well, but they'll cook much quicker and may yield a denser oatmeal. I don't recommend steel-cut oats because they need much more liquid and time.
- Almond milk - I like using either cashew or almond milk in most of my oatmeal recipes, but whole milk or any other non-dairy milk works great too.
- Banana - I recommend using medium-ripe bananas that are dark yellow with some black spots but not completely mushy. For the oatmeal, it doesn't matter, but for the caramelized banana topping, you don't want them to be super ripe and soft, so they keep their shape.
- Butter - You'll need a small amount of butter for both the oatmeal itself and for the caramelized banana. I use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted, it won't make much difference; you can use either.
- Maple syrup - You'll use pure maple syrup to sweeten the oatmeal and to caramelize the bananas for the topping. I like using extra dark maple syrup for a stronger flavor.
- Cinnamon, sea salt, and vanilla extract - These all balance the sweetness and bring out the flavors more. You can use either vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Variations and Substitutions
- Steel-cut oats - If you want to try something different, you can use steel-cut oats instead of rolled oats, but you will need much more liquid. I recommend referring to my Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats for more information on how to cook them.
- Different sweetener - You can sweeten the oatmeal and the caramelized bananas with brown sugar instead of maple syrup if you prefer. Coconut sugar is also great in this oatmeal, but not as good for caramelizing the bananas because it doesn't melt and caramelize the same way.
- Less sugar and no butter - If you want to skip the extra sugar in the oatmeal, skip the first 3 steps of the recipe (caramelizing the banana with butter and maple syrup) and just add mashed banana into your saucepan at the same time as the oats and milk instead.
- Add protein - You can stir in a scoop of protein powder to the oatmeal to make it more filling and higher in protein. I like vanilla or chocolate protein here.
- Toasted nuts - You can add chopped toasted walnuts or pecans as a garnish for an added crunch, healthy fats, and a little bit of protein.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Banana Oatmeal
- Add butter to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the ripe banana and mash it using a fork.
- Add maple syrup and simmer on medium for a minute to caramelize.
- Stir in rolled oats and add milk and vanilla extract. Stir well to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.
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- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook over low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add more milk or water if needed.
- Stir in ground cinnamon and set aside while you make the caramelized banana.
Caramelized Banana
- Add butter and maple syrup to a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, add the sliced banana, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt.
- Simmer the banana with the sauce for 2-5 minutes until caramelized, flipping carefully once.
- If the oatmeal thickened too much while you were cooking the bananas, stir in a splash of milk.
- Serve the oats in a bowl topped with the caramelized banana. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks!
- Ripe bananas - Use less ripe bananas for caramelized bananas. While I like using soft ripe bananas for the oatmeal itself, the caramelized bananas on top are easier to make with less ripe bananas. When the banana is too soft and mushy, it falls apart more in the pan and is harder to flip.
- Have everything ready to go - Both the oatmeal and the bananas cook pretty quickly so it's important to have everything prepped before you start cooking. That way, you're not scrambling and mashing a banana while your butter burns.
Serving and Storing
Aside from caramelized bananas, you can top the oats with some Caramelized Apples, fresh berries, Greek yogurt, and nut butter like almond butter or peanut butter.
Stovetop oatmeal is best served right away. It will thicken as it sits and may become more sticky. That being said, if you need to store some of it for later, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. I don't recommend freezing it.
I recommend reheating it in a small saucepan on the stove with a good splash of milk and adding more if needed. It's ready when it starts to gently bubble.
FAQs
Over the years, I've come to realize not all rolled oats are the same. When I buy and cook them in North America, they cook much quicker and tend to stick to the bottom of the pan faster. When I buy them in Europe, they take longer to cook and won't stick to the bottom as much. Some brands of oats won't be as creamy either. It's most likely because of how they're processed, and they may differ based on where they're grown as well. I like using Bob's Red Mill oats for the best results.
Lots of stirring! I've made oatmeal probably a thousand times by now, and there's really no way to prevent this. Once the oatmeal thickens, it tends to stick to the pan a lot. Your cue to stir is when the bubbles disappear, and it kind of bubbles below the surface. That's when it starts to stick.
More Stovetop Oatmeal Recipes
Oatmeal has honestly been my favorite and go-to breakfast for years. I started eating it about 10 years ago, and I still make it multiple times a week, and it's never boring! Adding different fruits and spices always makes it special. There are endless variations of what you can add to your oats, but below are 5 of my favorite recipes. To see all the latest ones and baked oats, head over to Oatmeal Recipes.
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Print📖 Recipe
Caramelized Banana Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Caramelized Banana Oatmeal has caramelized banana both in the oatmeal and on top, and takes only 20 minutes start to finish! It's naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and you can easily make it vegan as well! It tastes just like a banana bread, and it's perfect for fall and winter.
Ingredients
Banana Oatmeal
- 1 tsp butter (unsalted or salted, use vegan butter if needed)
- ½-1 ripe banana
- ½-1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if needed)
- 1 cup milk (I use almond milk, plus more milk or water as needed)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Caramelized Banana
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 banana, sliced into rounds
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch sea salt (don’t add salt if you use salted butter)
Instructions
Banana Oatmeal
- Add butter to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the ripe banana and mash it using a fork.
- Add maple syrup and simmer on medium for a minute to caramelize.
- Stir in rolled oats and add milk and vanilla extract. Stir well to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook over low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add more milk or water if needed.
- Stir in ground cinnamon and set aside.
Caramelized Banana
- Add butter and maple syrup to a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, add the sliced banana, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
- Simmer the banana with the sauce for 2-5 minutes until caramelized, flipping carefully once.
- Stir in some extra milk into the oatmeal if it becomes too thick, and serve it in a bowl topped with the caramelized banana. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing: The oatmeal is best served right away, but if needed, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat it in a saucepan on the stove with a splash of milk until it reaches a simmer.
Other toppings: Top the oatmeal with Caramelized Apples or Caramelized Peaches instead of bananas to change it up!
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