What if you could have banana bread for breakfast and actually feel good about it? This banana bread baked oatmeal is moist, cozy, and full of cinnamon, made with rolled oats, ripe bananas, and a little maple syrup, and it's perfect for meal prep. If you've tried my healthy baked brownie oatmeal or my peach baked oatmeal, this banana bread version is about to become a weekly staple!
Jump to:
- Easy Healthy Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed To Make This Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
- How to Make Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
- Erin's Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing leftovers
- If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these…
- Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
Easy Healthy Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
This healthy banana bread baked oatmeal tastes just like a slice of warm banana bread, but it's made with wholesome breakfast ingredients. Rolled oats get mixed with baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then stirred into a mixture of smooth mashed bananas, eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Bake it in an 8x8 pan until golden and set.
It stays soft and moist, reheats beautifully, and keeps in the fridge all week, so breakfast is ready whenever you are. Add chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, or banana slices on top to make it your own. If you can't get enough banana bread, my classic healthy banana bread is a reader favorite too.
Slice it into squares and enjoy it warm with a drizzle of maple syrup or a scoop of yogurt. And if you need more baked oatmeal recipes like this one, you're going to LOVE my pancake oatmeal bake or my chocolate baked oats with peanut butter!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tastes like banana bread. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ripe bananas make every bite cozy.
- Perfect for meal prep. Bake once and enjoy breakfast all week.
- Naturally sweetened. Ripe bananas and a little maple syrup are all you need.
- Dairy-free. Made with unsweetened almond milk.
- Easy to customize. Add walnuts, chocolate chips, or banana slices.
- Freezer-friendly. Slice and freeze for easy grab-and-go breakfasts.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into this banana bread baked oatmeal:
- Rolled oats: The hearty base. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need it to be gluten-free.
- Ripe bananas: Bring natural sweetness and moisture. You'll need about 1 cup mashed, or 2 large or 3 medium bananas.
- Eggs: Help the oatmeal set and hold together.
- Unsweetened almond milk: Hydrates the oats and keeps it dairy-free. Any milk works!
- Maple syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness. Honey or molasses work too.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: The warm spices that give it that classic banana bread flavor.
- Walnuts (optional): Chopped walnuts add crunch, just like a good banana bread.
How to Make Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
This baked oatmeal is as easy as mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Mash the bananas until completely smooth, whisk in the eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, then stir in the oat mixture and any mix-ins.
Pour it into a greased 8x8 pan and bake until golden brown. Lining the bottom with parchment paper makes it so much easier to lift out and slice! Let it cool a bit before cutting so the squares hold together.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8x8 pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, stir together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Step 3: In a large bowl, mash the bananas until completely smooth. Whisk in the eggs, then stir in the almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in any optional mix-ins, like walnuts, chocolate chips, or banana coins.
- Step 5: Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown.
- Step 6: Let it cool before cutting into squares.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Mash the bananas completely. Smooth bananas mean no big lumps in your oatmeal.
- Line the pan with parchment. It makes slicing and serving so much easier.
- Use ripe bananas. The spottier they are, the sweeter and more flavorful they will be.
- Let it cool before cutting. It firms up as it cools, so the squares hold their shape.
- Want a cakier texture? Blend the oats before mixing for a softer, more bread-like bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about this banana bread baked oatmeal.
Yes, instant oats can be used in place of rolled oats.
Applesauce or chia or flax "eggs" can be used instead of eggs. Readers who used flax eggs found it needed a little longer in the oven.
Yes! Any nut milk or dairy milk works in place of almond milk.
Yes, honey or molasses can be used instead of maple syrup.
It can be! Just use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
Yes! Wrap individual squares and freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave.
Make sure your oven is fully preheated and the bananas aren't extra large, which can add too much moisture. If the center still looks wet, give it a few more minutes in the oven.
Storing leftovers
Store leftover baked oatmeal covered in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze, wrap individual squares and place them in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw, then warm in the microwave before enjoying.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these…
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mashed banana about 2 large or 3 medium
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup chopped walnuts chocolate chips, banana coins (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and grease an 8x8 pan with nonstick spray. I also like to cut a piece of parchment to put on the bottom as a liner.
- In a small bowl, combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir.
- In a large bowl, mash bananas until completely soft.
- Whisk in eggs, then stir in almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Add oat mixture to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- If you want to add in walnuts, chocolate, banana coins, you can add them now.
- Pour into greased dish and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool before cutting.
- Enjoy!
- *See notes in recipe for storing.
- Use rolled oats and make sure your bananas are really ripe. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your oatmeal will be. Several readers note this is the key to making this recipe really shine!
- Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. In addition to greasing the dish, cutting a piece of parchment for the bottom helps it come out cleanly and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown, then let it cool before cutting. The oatmeal needs time to set up after coming out of the oven — cutting it too soon will give you a crumbly mess. It stores in the fridge for up to a week and freezes beautifully for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
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Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Erika says
Delish and so easy! I did six servings instead of eight just to bulk it up a little bit, and served with peanut butter, Greek yogurt, and blueberries. Fantastic and satiating.
Erin says
Hi Erika, so happy you loved it and made it your own! 🙂
Kelly says
This is a great, easy and nutritious use of ripe bananas! (And a bonus because my toddler absolutely loves these)
Erin says
Hi Kelly, so happy it is a hit!!
Hannah says
So glad I stumbled upon all your various baked oatmeal recipes!
They’re so easy to customize and I’ve had fun experimenting with different flavors. We’ve done a “pumpkin pie” version which has been our favorite so far - but “banana bread” is in the oven now and it smells like a contender!
Erin says
Hi Hannah, so happy you loved it so much!! 🙂
Lindsay Cline says
I added in one scoop of protein powder and used the Trader Joe's ancient grains rolled oats (added a banana to account for the protein powder). It turned out fabulous! Will serve warm with a drizzle of prepared PB2.
Erin says
Hi Lindsay, so glad you loved it and made it your own! 🙂
bob says
I tried adding a chopped up apple, but it came out too dry, falling apart. Any suggestions? I was thinking to reduce the oats to 2 cups and add 1 more egg?
Halie says
I substituted wheat flour with oat flour since my son still reacts to gluten-free flour, and left out the chocolate chips, but followed the rest of the recipe exactly! It turned out so moist and delicious! I will definitely make this again!
Erin says
Hi Halie, so happy you loved it and made it your own! 🙂
Shelby says
This is my go to recipe when I don’t have time to make banana bread! It’s quick, easy, and versatile enough to improvise with any ingredients you have on hand. Most importantly, it’s absolutely DELISH! Thanks, ELW!
Erin says
Hi Shelby, so happy you loved it so much!! 🙂
Puja says
Love this recipe for meal prep! Will make it again! Easy to follow also
Erin says
Hi Puja, so happy you loved it!! 🙂