Banana baked oatmeal is like oatmeal + banana bread combined to make one incredible breakfast! Made with wholesome ingredients, this easy recipe comes together in one bowl and will keep you satisfied all morning. It reheats well, so you can make a big batch and enjoy it for several days, making it a wonderful option for busy mornings.
What Is Banana Baked Oatmeal?
Have you ever tried my baked oatmeal recipe?
Baked oatmeal is a warm breakfast casserole made from oats, milk, and other kitchen staples. Stovetop or instant oatmeal has a creamy porridge consistency, but baked oatmeal is like bread pudding and combines chewy, soft, and creamy all in dish. You can add bananas (like I do here), berries, chocolate chips, or walnuts for a nutty crunchโplay around with it and make it your own.
Basically, baked oatmeal is regular oatmeal with more structure. If you’re looking for individual serving sizes, try my baked apple cinnamon oatmeal cups or chocolate chip baked oatmeal cups.
You can bake this banana oatmeal ahead of time and reheat servings of it for a quick breakfast during the week. It’s a great one-bowl baking recipe to make before school starts. You can certainly appreciate the convenience!
One reader, Roxanne, commented: “I made this last night before bed, cooled it, and we ate it for breakfast after warming it up. It was perfect!… I sprinkled some mini chocolate chips on top and my 9-year-old requested that I add in some blueberries next time. I really appreciate the one-bowl easy recipe! โ โ โ โ โ “
This Banana Baked Oatmeal Is:
- Prepped in 1 bowl
- Requires minimal effort for a big batch
- Sweetened naturally with bananas and maple syrupโno refined sugar
- Warm & satisfying
- Soft, chewy, & creamy
- Adaptable for dietary restrictionsโcan make it gluten free, dairy free, and/or egg free!
- Like a casserole version of my banana breakfast cookies
Plus, your oven does most of the workโno standing at the stove and constant stirring required!
Gluten-Free, Wholesome 1-Bowl Breakfast
…with many substitution ideas.
This banana baked oatmeal combines simple and healthy ingredients and can be adapted for any allergies or flavor preferences. You need:
- Milk: This banana baked oatmeal is wonderful with pretty much any milk: whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, reduced-fat milk… use your favorite!
- Eggs: 2 large eggs, while adding protein, also help bind all of the ingredients together. Have an egg allergy? Simply up the amount of mashed banana (details in recipe Notes).
- Maple Syrup: I recommend pure maple syrup for the best flavor, but other unrefined sugars such as coconut sugar or honey work instead.
- Melted Butter: A few Tablespoons of butter adds delicious flavor, and prevents the oatmeal from tasting rubbery. Melted coconut oil is a wonderful dairy-free substitution.
- Banana: Can’t make banana oatmeal without bananas! You need 1 cup of mashed banana, which is (typically) about 2 large ripe bananas.
- Oats: I recommend whole old-fashioned-style rolled oats for a hearty and satisfying texture. If you want to make sure this recipe is gluten free, make sure you buy certified GF oats.
- Baking Powder: Helps the oatmeal puff up nicely in the oven.
- Vanilla, Cinnamon, & Salt: The trifecta of flavor-enhancers!
- Chopped Walnuts: Optional, but add a nutty crunch for even more texture. Pecans would be great here too.
How to Make It
This banana baked oatmeal couldn’t be easier to put together. Grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together all the wet ingredients, then add in the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined.
Pour the oatmeal mixture into a greased baking dish, and bake. That’s all there is to it! Easy as banana pie… well actually, much, much easier. ๐
Garnishes: Serve this banana baked oatmeal with a drizzle of melted peanut butter (or Nutella!), honey, or maple syrup; some fresh fruit; and/or a dollop of creamy yogurt.
Best Size Pan to Use
This banana baked oatmeal fits perfectly in a 9×9-inch square pan, or an 11×7-inch rectangle pan. Any similar-size pan that holds around 3 quarts works, though an 8-inch square pan would be too small. The pictured dish I’m using is this exact white casserole dish.
What to Serve With Banana Baked Oatmeal:
- Scrambled eggs for some extra protein
- Breakfast sausage or bacon
- Fruit salad or smoothie
- Greek yogurt parfaits with fruit and granola
- A simple frittata if you’re serving a larger crowd
- Individual breakfast egg muffins, or my crustless vegetable quiche (also simple, healthy, & gluten free!)
For even more inspiration, see my complete list of 30+ healthy breakfast recipes.
Print
Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 8-9
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Banana baked oatmeal is like oatmeal + banana bread combined to make one incredible breakfast! Made with wholesome ingredients, this easy recipe comes together in one bowl and will keep you satisfied all morning. It reheats well, so you can make a big batch and enjoy it for several days, making it a wonderful option for busy mornings.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320g/ml) milk (dairy or nondairy)
- 2 large eggs*
- 1/3 cup (80g/ml) pure maple syrup*
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled*
- 1 cup (230g) mashed banana (about 2 large ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolledย oats*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- optional: 3/4 cup (90g) chopped walnuts
- optional for topping: melted peanut butter, maple syrup, bananas, berries
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Spray a 9×9-inch square pan, or an 11×7-inch rectangle pan with nonstick spray. Any similar-size pan that holds about 3 quarts works, though an 8×8-inch square pan would be too small. The pictured dish I’m using is this white casserole dish. See recipe Note for 9×13-inch pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, mashed banana, and vanilla until combined. Add in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and whisk to combine. Fold in the chopped walnuts, if using. Pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 30โ35 minutes or until the center appears *almost* set, which gives us a soft baked oatmeal as pictured above. For drier and more solid baked oatmeal, bake until the center has set.
- Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon or slice and serve with optional toppings, if using.
- Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Bake the oatmeal, cool completely, and store in the refrigerator all week for easy breakfasts. Reheat in the microwave or cover and bake in a 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) oven for 10 minutes. To freeze, bake and cool oatmeal. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Warm to your liking. I love cutting the cooled baked oatmeal into bars or servings and freezing them individually for a quick breakfast to thaw. Wrap each in plastic wrap and place in a large freezer bag or container.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×9-inch Square Pan, 11×7-inch Rectangle Pan, or Similar Size Casserole Dish | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whiskย
- Don’t: Do not make oatmeal batter ahead of time and wait to bake. The oats will soak up all the liquid! Whisk it all together, then bake right away.
- Can I Make This in a Muffin Pan? Yes. For banana baked oatmeal cups, divide the batter into a greased 12-count muffin pan. If using muffin liners, spray them with nonstick spray. The oatmeal cups stick to the liners a bit regardless, so I recommend skipping them. Fill the cups all the way to the top. Bake for 28โ30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and top appears set. If you added extra add-ins, you may have more batter and need a second greased muffin pan.
- Eggs: Eggs bind the casserole and add flavor and protein. If needed, you can replace the eggs with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or additional mashed banana.
- Sugar: I recommend pure maple syrup because the flavor is outstanding and the baked oatmeal is extra moist! Instead, you could use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey.
- Butter: The baked oatmeal can taste rubbery without it. Don’t replace with a nonfat alternative. Melted coconut oil is the best dairy-free substitution.
- Oats: Whole oats give you the best texture. Quick oats soak up more moisture and dry out the baked oatmeal. If using steel-cut oats, soak the oats in the milk for 20 minutes, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Add-ins: Instead of, or in addition to, walnuts, you can use blueberries, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and/or peanut butter morsels. Try to keep the add-ins to around 3/4โ1 cup total.
- 9×13-inch pan: Double the recipe for a 9×13-inch pan. The baked oatmeal will be extra thick and require at least 10 extra minutes in the oven. Tent with aluminum foil if the edges are browning too quickly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 308
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 111.5 mg
- Fat: 13.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.1 g
- Protein: 7.3 g
- Cholesterol: 54.9 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
This is really flawless – I made the recipe as written with optional blueberries added. Perfectly moist and a good sweetness balance! Softly done in 30 min in my convection oven.
This has been my breakfast for the past three months! Itโs easy to make and absolutely delicious.
While the recipe is good when made as is, I have found a few adjustments that I particularly enjoy. I always make a 9×13 pan. Since I prefer a mushier oatmeal, I use five cups of Old Fashioned, one cup Instant. Instead of egg, I use apple sauce, but I also melt some peanut butter with the butter. I find this makes the maple syrup optional. I add a little more milk than called for, and only bake for about 30 minutes – until itโs just set. I have also added in some chopped strawberries – highly recommend!
This was so easy and so delicious. I had to sub the eggs for apple sauce and itโs perfect. This will be added to the rotation. Thank you!
Should I cover for first 20 mins with foil or pour warm milk on oats before mixing? Because when it bakes and later cools some oats that flloat to the top and become dry and has undercooked vibe is there any suggestions? Maybe pre-soak for few minutes prior?
Hi Tim, you can try covering the dish as it bakes. Some crispier oats can add a nice texture to this dish!
Haven’t had it yet so lord knows how it tastes but this was really fun to make. I had to substitute some things because I don’t believe in some of the ingredients. Maple syrup for honey, just a good dollop of it in there. I didn’t have uhh rolled oats so I used these golden syrup microwave ones, seems to have worked alright so far. I also used different measurements because they’re all in cups and I couldn’t be bothered to google what their reasonable conversions were and I figured that since it’s all in one bowl that if you add enough baking powder it’ll still bake. I was right!
Regardless, the recipe is spectacular and I do recommend.
This was lovely! Next time, I will add walnuts, cranberries, a bit more cinnamon, and a touch of cardamom. Yum!
These are excellent baked in the muffin tin! Perfect serving size. They heat up perfectly from the fridge with 30seconds in the microwave. I top with a big dollop of yogurt and berries if on hand. A new staple in our house!
Fantastic recipe! Moist and flavorful, perfect level of sweetness. I did include the chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup dried blueberries. I will definitely make this again!
I love all your baked oatmeal recipes! They are some of my favorites. I was wondering how I could make this chocolate/brownie flavored? Chocolate baked oatmeal would be delicious!
Hi Linsey, see the recipe notes for add-in suggestions! Instead of, or in addition to, walnuts, you can use chocolate chips. Try to keep the add-ins to around 3/4โ1 cup total. You might also like these Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups!
This was really very good! Not too sweet, not overly banana flavored. Just right. I served topped with maple syrup and diced strawberries. Great way to start the day. Hubby loved it too.
I wanted a cooked breakfast this morning, but didn’t want eggs. I remembered seeing this recipe and thought I would give it a try. Boy am I glad I did! This is EXCELLENT! I love peanut butter and bananas, so I skipped the walnuts and put in peanut butter chips. It was exactly what I was looking for. Another perfect recipe – thank you Sally!
This was very good! I only had two cups of quick oats, but with a little extra baking time, these baked to an excellent consistency! I think if I had whole rolled oats, that would have been different. I also used an 8×8 dish, but with fewer oats, I think I had better success.
Already made this twice (second time doubled) – serving with peanut butter and blueberries is so good! I may not resist the temptation to make it with chocolate chips next time, so will have to accept it’s no longer quite the healthy snack I intended. Now I can definitely envision topping with Biscoff spread for a particularly moreish treat…
Can i add protein powder?
Hi Jazmyne, several readers have reported success adding some protein powder to our baked oatmeal, so that should work here, too. Let us know if you try it!
Delicious!
Made some adjustments:
Cut oatmeal to 2 cups
1 cup almond milk
2 t melted butter
Added 1/2 t nutmeg
Added 1/2 c blueberries
Will make again this time
Will add chopped fresh cherries and walnuts
Can you tell me the consistency. Is it firm or very soft like regular oatmeal.
In the middle, actually. Not firm like an oatmeal bar or anything, but not like a bowl of oatmeal you eat with a spoon!
Another winner! Very good. Always seems to have dead bananas leftover!
And this is definitely an easy recipe to throw together when you have extra bananas.
Easy peasy! How great is it when you find a simple recipe that uses your everyday kitchen ingredients? I made this recipe for breakfast this morning and we loved it. I spread peanut butter on top of half the panwhile it was still warm and sprinkled the other side with fresh berries. I also buried a few extra blueberries in the batter. Full disclosure – my husband considered pouring maple syrup all over his piece – yikes but yum! This will be a morning regular in our home from now on. Thanks Sally!
I’m glad to read this! It’s so nice to find a simple recipe with ingredients you usually have on hand, and especially a recipe that the household enjoys. Appreciate you leaving feedback!
I made this last night before bed, cooled it and we ate it for breakfast after warming it up. It was perfect! I doubled the recipe for a 9×13 and added the 10 minutes. It was so good! I sprinkled some mini chocolate chips on top and my 9 year old daughter requested I add in some blueberries next time. I really appreciate the one bowl and easy recipe!
Toddler approved! Iโm always looking for recipes to use leftover bananas and this one was a hit with the family. My toddlers loved the banana forward taste and asked for seconds! I used a 9×13 dish (didnโt need to double recipe) and baked for 35mins.
How is different from the baked oatmeal recipe? That also has mashed bananas. Is this just heavily banana flavored?
Yes! This has more banana flavor.
How sweet is this? Iโm thinking of baking it as a warm dessert with ice cream. Do you think that would work?
Hi Brenda! This is just lightly sweetened with the banana and maple syrup. You could certainly serve with ice cream for a dessert if you wish, keeping in mind that it won’t be as sweet as a bread pudding or cake. Let us know if you try it!
I absolutely love your recipe for one bowl baked oatmeal – does this recipe have a bit different consistency?
Hi Opal, same great texture and consistency!
Unfortunately we live in South Africa and maple syrup is not easy to come by (and is exceptionally expensive when you can get it). What is the ratio for replacing maple syrup with brown sugar?
Hi! A 1:1 replacement would be just fine here, even though brown sugar is not really a liquid sweetener like maple syrup. It still works because there is so much liquid in the batter already.