If you haven't yet tried the absolute REVELATION that is baked oatmeal, now is the time to jump on the train. My Banana Baked Oatmeal has the consistency of bread pudding, but is healthy enough for just about any diet. For all of you out there who are trying to incorporate meal planning into your routine, this easy make-ahead breakfast recipe is about to be your new best friend.
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it before, but mornings aren't my strong suit. I've made some progress in this department, but being all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed before my first (or third!) cup of coffee hasn't quite made it into the cards yet. Having a healthy and crave-able breakfast like this baked oatmeal ready to enjoy with my caffeine makes it just a little easier to roll out of bed on the right foot.
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Why I Love This Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipe
If there's anything I know about being a not-so-great-at-mornings person is that I need to stay ahead of the curve. Unless something is ready for me when I wake up, I'm honestly probably not going to get to it until quite a bit later in the day. Heck, I even program my coffee to have brewed before my alarm goes off!
Breakfast is no exception to this rule. This banana baked oatmeal recipe is the perfect thing to start my groggy day off to a good foot. All I have to do is pop a slice in the microwave while I pour my cup of coffee and my warm and cozy breakfast is ready to go.
The fact that it's also naturally gluten free and high in fiber and potassium doesn't hurt either. One slice also has a ton of whole grain goodness, so it keeps me quite full until I'm ready for lunchtime later in the afternoon.
As an added bonus, you don't even need to bust out a hand mixer to make this simple breakfast recipe. A bowl and a simple dinner fork are all you need!
If you are on a more restrictive diet, it is very easy to make this baked oatmeal both refined sugar free and vegan, so don't be turned off by any of the ingredients. And if you find that this recipe works well for you, I have a ton of awesome ideas to customize it listed below so you (and your kiddos) won't get sick of it.
Oh, and since three whole pounds of bananas (which is more than double what you need for this recipe) are just $1.19 at our Costco and rolled oats are quite inexpensive as well, this baked oatmeal is a dream breakfast for anyone on a budget.
How to Make Banana Baked Oatmeal
First up, assemble your ingredients. While it might look like a bunch of stuff, I'd bet you already have most of it on hand. Also, now's the time to preheat the oven to 350F. This recipe takes just a few minutes to assemble.
Next, add your bananas to a medium mixing bowl. Mash well with a fork.
Add the vanilla, agave, egg, milk and nut butters of your choice, then mix to combine.
Sprinkle the mixture with leavening, salt and spices. Mix to combine.
Add the rolled oats and do a final mix. Make sure to get rid of any air pockets holding any dry ingredients.
Quickly spray your baking tin with non-stick spray to coat the corners, bottoms and sides. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
Smooth out the mixture with the back of the spoon, or by tapping the tin on the counter. Bake at 350F for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the banana baked oatmeal cool enough to handle, then turn out the contents of the pan onto a cutting board. Slice and enjoy! The leftovers will keep in the fridge of freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once baked, the oatmeal will last for a full week if covered in the refrigerator. You can also easily freeze the baked oatmeal using pieces of parchment to keep the slices separate. Frozen baked banana oatmeal will last for up to three months.
The fastest way to get this delicious baked banana oatmeal ready for shoveling into your face is by using the microwave. Pop it in a microwave safe dish and zap for one minute on high. (If the oatmeal is frozen, increase the time to 90 seconds.)
If you have a bit more time on your hands and/or don't own a microwave, you can also use a toaster oven to warm your baked oatmeal. Pop a slice in at the warming temperature (usually 200-250F) for about 15 minutes.
This banana baked oatmeal is similar in consistency to bread pudding. I love drizzling some cold heavy cream on mine for a bit of richness and temperature variation. A dollop of whipped cream would be equally decadent. You can easily swap either type of cream out for a vegan version.
Since banana and nuts are involved, you can also opt to add some sliced bananas or chopped nuts to the top. Feel free to drizzle it with a bit of maple syrup to make things sweeter. Toss some frozen berries on the plate when you rewarm it for a bit of brightness. Add a pad of butter for a salty sweet treat.
Absolutely! Feel free to sub the egg for a flax egg. (1 Egg = 1 tablespoon Ground Flax + 3 tablespoon Water + 5 minutes of rest time). The recipe calls for your milk of choice, so opt for coconut, oat, almond, hemp, soy or any other alternative milk you have on hand.
Yep! While I love nut butters and generally have no fewer than 4 varieties on hand at any time, I recognize that may not be the case for everyone. Feel free to substitute any of the following:
-Sunbutter (a.k.a. sunflower seed butter)
-Coconut Manna
-Tahini
-Cookie Butter (less healthy, but super delicious. Just cut back on the agave to prevent it from being cloying.)
You can also mix and match these to create your own preferred flavor profile.
How to Customize These Baked Oats
I dig your enthusiasm! Feel free to customize your baked oatmeal by adding in some fun ingredients. Like most recipes on this blog, the sky is the limit when it comes to customization. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Add chocolate chips or chunks. Or peanut butter or butterscotch chips, if that's your thing.
- Nut butter options are plentiful, so choose one that fits your taste! Some of my favorites are:
- Add chopped nuts or granola for crunch.
- Swirl in cookie butter or palm free chocolate hazelnut spread
- Add more spices to suit your palate. Nutmeg, ginger or even cayenne are yummy options!
- Dried fruit like strawberries, figs or dates add sweetness and texture.
- The Elvis: add cooked chopped bacon, swap maple syrup for the agave and add ¼ teaspoon maple extract.
Feel free to switch things up with whatever your imagination reveals. Go on and get weird with it!
Need more healthy breakfast inspiration? Check out some of my other favorite recipes:
- Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Bars
- Instant Pot "Sous Vide" Style Egg Bites
- Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal
- High Protein Banana Blender Pancakes
- 5-Minute Breakfast Parfait
If you tried this Banana Nut Butter Baked Oatmeal recipe, I'd love to know how it turned out. Let me know in the comments below!
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Easy Banana Nut Butter Baked Oatmeal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Bananas
- ½ C Nut Butter of choice, or substitute sunflower butter, tahini or cookie butter if needed
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ C Agave or sub liquid sweetener of choice
- 1 Egg or Vegan flax egg
- 1 C Milk of Choice
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 C Rolled Oats not instant
Optional Toppings
- Fresh Sliced Bananas
- Fresh or Frozen Berries
- Maple Syrup
- Heavy Cream or Whipped Cream
- More Nut Butter
- Granola
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Add your bananas to a medium mixing bowl. Mash well with a fork.
- Add the vanilla, agave, egg, milk and nut butters of your choice, then mix to combine. Sprinkle the mixture with leavening, salt and spices. Mix to combine. Add the rolled oats and do a final mix. Make sure to get rid of any air pockets holding any dry ingredients.
- Quickly spray your baking tin with non-stick spray to coat the corners, bottoms and sides. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Smooth out the mixture with the back of the spoon, or by tapping the tin on the counter. Bake at 350F for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the banana baked oatmeal cool enough to handle, then turn out the contents of the pan onto a cutting board. Slice and enjoy while warm with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- Nutritional values do not include toppings.
- Feel free to use non-nut butters if you are a nut free family. These are my favorites:
-
- Sunbutter (a.k.a. sunflower seed butter)
- Coconut Manna
- Tahini
- Cookie Butter (less healthy, but super delicious. Just cut back on the agave to prevent it from being cloying.)
- Feel free to customize your baked oatmeal by adding in some fun ingredients. Like most recipes on this blog, the sky is the limit when it comes to customization. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Add chocolate chips or chunks. Or peanut butter or butterscotch chips, if that's your thing.
- Nut butter options are plentiful, so choose one that fits your taste! Some of my favorites are:
-
- Add chopped nuts or granola for crunch.
- Swirl in cookie butter or palm free chocolate hazelnut spread
- Add more spices to suit your palate. Nutmeg, ginger or even cayenne are yummy options!
- Dried fruit like strawberries, figs or dates add sweetness and texture.
- The Elvis: add cooked chopped bacon, swap maple syrup for the agave and add ¼ teaspoon maple extract.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.
- Baked oatmeal will last for up to a week in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer. Use parchment to keep slices separate.
