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 rolled 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 350°F (177°C). 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 30–35 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 350°F (177°C) 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 | Whisk
- 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 28–30 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 3/4–1 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.