Banana bread baked oats taste just like banana bread and are so easy to make! This banana baked oatmeal is super filling and comes together in just one bowl with budget friendly, pantry staples. This banana bread baked oatmeal recipe is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and kids love it!

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy to make – making banana bread baked oatmeal is so simple. Mash the bananas, mix the ingredients with a spoon or fork then pour into a baking dish. Easy enough that you can have your kids help you with this recipe from start to finish!
• Super simple ingredients – you likely have everything you need to make banana baked oats in your pantry right now! Be sure to check the substitutions area if you are missing an ingredient or are unsure about a swap.  
• Tastes like dessert for breakfast – if you love banana bread, you are going to love this baked oatmeal. It’s a bit more filling than banana bread thanks to the oats and ground flax. Drizzle on your favorite nut butter for a super simple healthy breakfast.
• Budget friendly – this banana bread baked oats are made with budget friendly pantry staples you likely have on hand right now. Bananas, oats, dairy free milk and flax are the main ingredients and they are all super budget friendly.
• Customizable – make this your own by adding different mix in ingredients or toppings. You can enjoy this so many different ways, you will never get tired of it!
• Easy to reheat – baked oats are great to make in advance early in the week and enjoy all week long. You can reheat them in the microwave or oven or even enjoy them cold on the go!

Ingredients

• Ripe bananas – the bananas are what give this dish most of it’s sweetness and flavor. The riper the banana (the spottier), the sweeter the baked oatmeal will be. If you find that your bananas aren’t so ripe, you can soften them in the microwave and add an extra tablespoon or two of maple syrup to help sweeten the dish.
• Ground flax seeds – ground flax seeds along with the dairy free milk replace the eggs in this recipe. Ground flax is also a great source of fiber, helping to make this banana bread baked oatmeal more filling. You can also use ground chia seeds (or regular chia seeds).
• Dairy free milk – use whatever dairy free milk you have on hand: almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, flax milk, coconut milk (in the carton, not the can) will all work great here. You can also use regular dairy if you can tolerate it. Note that you can use water but I like the creaminess that dairy free milk adds to the dish.
• Maple syrup – maple syrup helps to sweeten the oats. It’s optional but I find that it really helps to make that banana bread flavor. You could also use honey, but it will change the flavor slightly.
• Rolled oats (sometimes called old fashion oats) – rolled oats provide the texture and the structure for baked oats. The oats are steamed then pressed flat and are what most people would consider “oatmeal”. You can also use quick cooking oats (which are rolled oats cut into smaller pieces) in this recipe in a pinch. I do not recommend steel cut oats.
• Cinnamon – cinnamon is crucial to that warm, comforting flavor of banana bread for me. If you don’t love cinnamon so much, you can omit it or only use 1 teaspoon for a very mild hint of cinnamon.
• Baking powder – baking powder helps the oats to rise slightly when baking. However, I’ve tested the recipe without it and it still works well, so if you don’t have any on hand, you can just omit it from the recipe.

• The sweetness of the banana bread baked oatmeal comes mostly from the bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the baked oats. If you have slight green bananas, you may want to add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
• The banana oat mixture will look runny before baking them in the oven. The oats will absorb the liquid as they bake.
• If you allow the banana baked oats to cool completely, you can cut it into squares that are perfect for on the go breakfast. If you serve them right out of the oven, the consistency will be more like oatmeal on the stove.
• To make this gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten free oats. Oats are naturally gluten free but can be contaminated when processing, so to ensure the oats are gluten free, be sure to check the bag.
• If you tend to have trouble digesting oats, I recommend trying out sprouted oats, as they can be easier to digest.
• To double the recipe, use a 9X13 casserole dish and increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.

Mix in ingredients

• Chopped nuts: walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
• Chocolate chips, chocolate chunks or cacao nibs
• Coconut flakes
• Fruit: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries
• Other spices: Nutmeg, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice
• Dried fruit: Raisins, dried cranberries (craisins), dried cherries, chopped dates
• Ground expresso (1-2 teaspoons)
• Hemp hearts

Topping ideas

• Fresh sliced banana
• Nut butter – peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sunbutter, tahini
• Greek yogurt frosting – combine about ¼ cup of Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
• Maple cashew frosting – this will take the banana bread baked oats to the next level!
• Butter or ghee
• Coconut butter

How to serve

• On a plate topped with sliced fruit and a handful of chopped nuts
• Top with greek yogurt (regular or dairy free) and fresh berries for a super filling meal.
• On the go, topped with peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter of choice)
• More like dessert: Add whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup

Common questions

What if you don’t have ripe bananas on hand?

Even if you don’t have ripe, spotty bananas, you can still make this recipe. Since the bananas aren’t as ripe, they won’t be as sweet so you may need to add 1-2 additional tablespoons of maple syrup to the recipe.

If the bananas are hard to mash, a good trick is to warm them up to make them softer. Microwave the bananas for 20-25 seconds or put them in a pot on medium low heat for 4-5 minutes until soft. You may want to mash these bananas with a potato masher or even put them in the blender.

What size baking dish is needed for baked oatmeal

For this banana bread baked oats recipe, it’s best to use a dish that is about the same size as an 8X8 baking dish. If you want to double the recipe, use a 9X13 dish and add about 5 minutes to the baking time.

What are the best oats to use for baked oatmeal

This recipe was tested using rolled oats (or old fashioned oats). However, quick cooking oats can be used in a pinch (the look and texture will be just slightly different).

I do not recommend using steel cut oats for this recipe since they require more liquid and a slightly different cooking time. If you want to make baked oatmeal using steel cut oats, my friend Liz has a great Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal recipe. post to check out.

Is this banana baked oatmeal recipe gluten free?

Oats are naturally gluten free however they often get cross contaminated while bring processed so most oats in stores now are not gluten free. If you need this baked oatmeal recipe to be gluten free, be sure to use a certified gluten free oats.

Can you double this banana bread oatmeal recipe?

Yes, you can easily double the recipe. The only change you will need to make is to use a 9X13 casserole dish and add about 5 minute to the baking time to account for a slightly thicker oatmeal bake.

Can you prep baked oats in advance?

Yes, banana bread baked oats are great to make in advance and are perfect for meal prep. There are a few ways to make these in advance

• Cook the recipe as indicated, then allow the oats to cool completely and store in the fridge until you are ready to enjoy. You can reheat by the slice in the microwave or toaster oven or you can reheat the entire pan in the oven at 350F for about 20 minutes.
• Measure out the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients separately (note that the ground flax is considered a “wet ingredient” for this recipe. The day you are ready to enjoy, combine the wet and the dry and pour into a prepared dish and bake at 350F for 45 minutes.

What is the best way to reheat baked oats

Once cooled, the baked oats are easy to slice into single servings that are just like oatmeal banana bars. They can be carried for on the go eating (pack them in a ziplock bag or airtight container). You don’t even have to heat them up to enjoy them. However if you want to warm the banana baked oats up before serving, here are the best ways.

Single serving:

• Microwave – microwave on high for about 1-1:30 until warmed through.
• Toaster oven – toast like you would a pastry or waffle.
• Air fryer – put in a 350F air fryer for 3-5 minutes until warmed through.

Full pan:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and put the entire pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.

Can you freeze baked banana bread oatmeal

Yes! Baked oats freeze really well and are great for prepping in advance. You can freeze this in individual servings or freeze the entire casserole dish for later.

• Single serve: Once cooked, allow the baked oatmeal to cool completely then cut into squares. Store in a freezer safe bag or container, placing parchment paper or wax paper between the slices so they don’t’ stick together. Defrost in the fridge overnight (should only take a few hours) or in the microwave. Reheat in the microwave, toaster oven or air fryer (see above).
• Full dish: Cover the dish with plastic wrap then foil. Defrost in the fridge overnight, remove the plastic wrap and foil and reheat in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes, covered (with a lid or foil).

Storing leftovers

• Fridge: store leftover banana baked oatmeal in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• Freezer: freeze in a freezer safe bag or container (wrapped in parchment paper) for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge then reheat in the microwave, air fryer or toaster oven (see above).

Substitutions

• Banana – you can also use applesauce, pumpkin puree (you may want to add more maple syrup though).
• Dairy free milk – use whatever milk you have on hand (regular or dairy free). You can also make your own nut milk by blending together 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter and 2 cups of water in a high speed blender. You can also use water in a pinch.
• Ground flax – if you don’t have ground flax, you can use chia seeds (I prefer ground chia seeds but either will work). You can also replace the flax with 1 egg.
• Maple syrup – use any liquid based sweetener in place of the maple syrup – honey, date syrup, brown rice syrup will all work in this recipe.
• Rolled oats – you can use rolled oats or quick cooking oats. I do not recommend steel cut oats.
• Cinnamon – you can omit the cinnamon completely, or use about 1 teaspoon nutmeg or 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon.
• Baking powder – if you don’t have baking powder on hand, simply omit it.

If you love baked oatmeal recipes, you should try

Cinnamon Roll Baked Oats

Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

Apple Pie Baked Oats

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Carrot Cake Baked Oats