This Mocha Oatmeal is incredibly creamy, perfectly sweet, and SO easy to make. The caramelized banana on top with sticky caramel sauce is what makes this oatmeal go from tasty to absolutely amazing. It's made with freshly brewed espresso and can be made fully vegan.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Creamy and chocolatey - Coffee and chocolate are a great match so it's no wonder mocha is so popular! Try this Double Chocolate Iced Mocha (my all-time favorite!) if you're craving even more mocha flavor.
Caramelized banana - This really is the star of the show here and what makes the oatmeal go from delicious to WOW amazing! Really not overexaggerating. Caramelized banana is just THAT good. You can also do the same with apples or pears. If you're feeling extra fancy, cook the bananas with a splash of bourbon for the adults!
Simple and easy - It's all we want from a good breakfast, right? This one is restaurant worthy but still super simple and quick to make. Great both for a slow weekend or a busy weekday! You can skip the banana and add some berries to make it even easier during the workweek!
Ingredients
- Oats - I recommend old-fashioned rolled oats. They're not as mushy as quick-cooking oats and won't take as long to cook as steel-cut oats would. Oats are naturally gluten-free but look for certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- Almond milk - You can use any type of milk you prefer but I usually go with almond milk for oatmeal. You can use milk only or do half water and half milk for a lighter alternative.
- Espresso - This recipe calls for one shot of espresso that is added towards the end of cooking. Espresso is usually stronger than other coffees so it adds more flavor and a good amount of caffeine. You can also use decaffeinated coffee if desired.
- Bananas - The real star of the show! It gets caramelized in a pan with butter (regular or vegan) and maple syrup. It's sticky, caramel-y, and so delicious!
Variations and Substitutions
- Bourbon - This isn't going to be for everyone but it adds delicious flavor to the caramel sauce and bananas. Add it while it's still cooking to give the alcohol time to evaporate.
- Apples or pears - You can caramelize apple or pear slices the same way you would bananas. Choose one or add all three to make it extra fun!
- Coffee - If you don't have an espresso machine, you can use cold brew or regular brewed coffee. Just substitute half of the milk with your coffee of choice. Espresso is stronger than other types of coffee which is why you only add a small amount.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this oatmeal is super simple. There are just two easy steps - cooking the oats and caramelizing the bananas. I recommend starting with the oats and while you're waiting for the milk to start boiling, begin cooking the bananas.
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Cooking oats
Add almond milk and oats to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Wait for them to start boiling and lower the heat down to a simmer.
Cook the oatmeal for about 5 minutes stirring often to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom. Add a splash of milk or water as needed but keep in mind you're still adding the coffee later, you don't want it to be too thin.
The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your oats. Quick cooking oats only take a couple of minutes, regular old-fashioned oats about 5 minutes, and extra thick oats 5-8 minutes. If you're using steel-cut oats, I recommend soaking them overnight in the fridge. Otherwise, they will take about 30 minutes to cook and will require much more liquid than regular old-fashioned oats.
Once your oats are cooked and creamy, add a shot of espresso, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cacao powder, and cinnamon. Stir everything together and set aside for a minute or two while you finish cooking the bananas.
Caramelizing bananas
To make the caramelized banana, add butter and maple syrup to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Stir to combine as the butter melts.
Once the butter melts, place the banana on top cut side down. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes until the banana is soft and caramelized and the sauce thickens. No need to flip the banana, it gets very soft and would fall apart easily. You can spoon the sauce over the banana as it cooks.
Pro tip: Add a splash of bourbon 2-3 minutes before you finish cooking the bananas if desired for extra flavor. If you add it while the sauce is still simmering, most of the alcohol will evaporate. Be cautious though and omit it when serving to kids or anything who doesn't drink.
Serving and Storing
Serve the oatmeal topped with the caramelized banana and all of the delicious sticky caramel sauce from the pan. Be sure to serve it right away because the sauce starts to harden in the pan as it cools down. Besides that, you can add fresh berries, nuts, seeds, granola (like this Dark Chocolate Orange Zest Granola), nut butter, or other toppings.
Any kind of oatmeal is best served right away and this one is no exception. It doesn't store very well after it cools down so I highly recommend making only the number of servings you need to enjoy it right away. If you want your oatmeal to last longer, try these Mango Overnight Oats. They'll last a couple of days in the fridge and make a great grab-and-go snack or breakfast!
FAQs
You can mix all the oatmeal ingredients (except the banana) in a jar and refrigerate them overnight instead of cooking them to make overnight oats. To learn more about how to do that, check out my Blueberry Overnight Oats recipe.
Yes! Regular brewed coffee, espresso, ristretto, or cold brew all have different strengths so adjust your coffee and milk ratio accordingly.
Yes, it's super easy! Use almond milk or other plant-based milk in the oatmeal and vegan butter for the caramelized banana.
More Oatmeal Recipes
If you're looking for even more oatmeal recipes, definitely check out our oatmeal recipes category for the latest recipes and fun new fun flavors!
My favorite oatmeal flavors, similar to this mocha one would probably be this Creamy Chocolate Oatmeal, this Chocolate Gingerbread Oatmeal for Christmas, the Winter Spiced Oatmeal with Roasted Fruit for warming up on cold winter mornings, and this Maqui Berry Oatmeal with Wild Blueberries for lots of antioxidants and berry flavor.
📖 Recipe
Mocha Oatmeal with Caramelized Banana
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Mocha Oatmeal is incredibly creamy and so easy to make. Don't skip the caramelized banana! It makes this oatmeal go from tasty to absolutely amazing!
Ingredients
Oatmeal:
- 1 cup almond milk
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 freshly brewed shot of espresso
- 1 tsp -1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoon cacao powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Caramelized banana:
- 1 tsp butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 banana, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
Topping options: almond butter, hemp seeds, fresh berries
Instructions
Oatmeal:
- Add almond milk and rolled oats to a medium saucepan.
- Bring it to a boil and lower the heat to medium. Simmer the oatmeal for about 5 minutes stirring often. If needed, add a splash of water.
- Add the espresso, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cacao powder, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and cook for another 5 minutes.
Caramelized Banana:
- Add butter and maple syrup to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Stir to combine as the butter melts.
- Once the butter melts, place the banana on top cut side down. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes until the banana is soft and caramelized and the sauce thickens. No need to flip the banana, it gets very soft and would fall apart easily.
Serve:
- If your oatmeal thickens too much while you were cooking the banana, add a splash of water or almond milk to make it creamy again.
- Serve the oatmeal topped with the caramelized banana and other toppings of your choice.
Notes
Cooking oats: I usually make the oatmeal first and start cooking the banana when it’s almost done. You can let the oatmeal sit for a few minutes while keeping it warm and then just add some extra milk or water to make it creamy again. The banana should be made right before serving because if it gets cold, the sauce will harden as caramel would.
Caramelized banana: Add a splash of bourbon 2-3 minutes before you finish cooking the bananas if desired for extra flavor. If you add it while the sauce is still simmering, most of the alcohol will evaporate. Be cautious though and omit it when serving to kids or anything who doesn't drink.
Storing: I don’t recommend storing oatmeal, it tastes best made right before serving.
The nutritional information is only an estimate. It's counted with the caramelized banana. If you skip it, the oatmeal will have about 18g of sugar only.
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Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says
This mocha oatmeal was delicious and easy! Used caramelized pears, instead of banana. Will make it again!
Amanda Mason says
Turned out absolutely delicious! Chocolate and banana always go great together and the same is true for mocha and banana. Easy to make and absolutely delish! Loved every bite!
May says
I love that I can have my porridge and my morning coffee in one bowl! :P I had never tried adding espresso in my porridge but it was so delicious and creamy.
Journa Liz Ramirez says
This recipe is so good! It's easy to make and healthy. This is a must-try!
Natalia says
I am so making these oats with caramelized banana! I tend to eat oatmeal in the cold months and this recipe sounds perfect right now. Thanks for sharing!
Katie Crenshaw says
This oatmeal comes out DELICIOUS! The chocolate, banana, and maple flavors go wonderful together. It was such a treat to make for breakfast.
Kari Heron | Chef and Steward says
Oh my, what have I discovered here! This is definitely a recipe I’m printing out to make over the holidays!
Tristin says
My new absolute favorite oatmeal, have made it multiple times. The caramelized banana was the cherry on top!
Moop Brown says
This oatmeal looks delicious and I like how there's a vegan option for the recipe as well.
Anna says
I'm a huge fan of coffee flavours, so this oatmeal is just a perfect way to start a day for me! That caramelised banana is also a fantastic and delicious addition!