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This Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal is soft, sweet, and perfectly spiced, just like your favorite banana bread! It’s easy to make with simple, wholesome ingredients and perfect for busy mornings or meal prep. Vegan, Gluten-Free and Nut-Free Options.
I like to think of these Banana Bread Baked Oats as banana bread’s easy-going cousin. Oats, mashed bananas, maple syrup, and cinnamon are mixed and baked right in the pan for an easy breakfast to have on the table in 35 minutes. You get all of that sweet, comforting banana bread flavor, but with way less effort.
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Fuss-Free Cheater Banana Bread
You know what I love about this Vegan Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal? It tastes like a warm and cozy slice of banana bread, but it’s way easier and faster to make. That’s why I call it cheater banana bread—all that goodness comes from almost no effort!
Just like these Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls and these Banana Bread Scones, everything you love about banana bread goes into this vegan baked oatmeal recipe. Mashed bananas, rolled oats, warm spices, maple syrup, and milk are stirred together directly in the baking pan and then baked until your kitchen smells like you made my Healthy Vegan Banana Bread.
You won’t be left with a bunch of dishes to clean or a ton of ingredients to put away. Just warm, cozy banana bread goodness to enjoy for breakfast or a snack.
Ingredients for Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
This easy make-ahead breakfast looks, tastes, and smells just like banana bread! And it’s all thanks to 10 everyday ingredients:
- Bananas: this recipe is a great way to use up those brown, spotty bananas on your counter. The riper your bananas, the easier they’ll be to mash and the sweeter they’ll taste in the oats.
- Milk: any non-dairy milk goes here. If you want to go all out, make your own plant milk from scratch (homemade oat milk would be perfect).
- Rolled Oats: old-fashioned rolled oats are best. They stay nice and hearty, while quick-cooking oats could make the oatmeal mushy. If all you have are steel-cut oats, I’d recommend making my Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe instead.
- Ground Flaxseed: it’s the binding agent that will hold the creamy oat mixture together. If you need a substitute, an equal amount of ground chia seeds will work just as well.
- Cinnamon: because every great banana bread recipe needs a pinch of cinnamon! And to give those warm and cozy vibes a boost, add a dash of nutmeg or cardamom as well.
- Walnuts: they’re an optional mix-in for more crunch and healthy fats. I recommend toasting them in a dry skillet before stirring them into the batter to reveal their hidden flavors.
How to Make Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
- Mash the peeled bananas in a baking dish. Add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, then mix to combine.
- Stir the oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt into the wet mixture, then fold in the walnuts. Top the oats with sliced bananas.
- Bake the banana oats until they’re set and golden on top.
- Either serve the oatmeal right away or set it aside to cool before slicing into bars. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Don’t overmix the oats: Remember to gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they just come together. Overmixing the oat mixture can make the texture dense instead of soft and tender.
- The texture is up to you. If you love extra soft and almost runny oatmeal, plan to serve the baked oats as soon as they come out of the oven. Otherwise, let it cool completely before slicing into firm, portable squares. These are perfect for grab-and-go snacks and meal prep!
Serving Suggestions
I always reach for a slice of baked banana oatmeal when I’m having a busy morning. Since this recipe is full of fiber, complex carbs, and healthy fats, one slice is enough to keep me going for hours. But on those days when I have a little extra time, I’ll warm up the oats and enjoy them with a scoop of dairy-free yogurt and a drizzle of creamy nut butter.
This recipe makes a lot, so it’s perfect for big family breakfasts and around the holidays, too. They pair well with pretty much everything you’d serve for breakfast and brunch, from this Vegan Tofu Scramble to these Oil Free Breakfast Potatoes.
If you’re looking for more vegan baked oatmeal recipes, you’ll also love this Blueberry Baked Oatmeal, this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal, and this Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal!
How to Store Leftover Baked Oatmeal
The leftover baked oatmeal will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. Store the oatmeal in the covered baking dish or an airtight container, or wrap the squares individually in plastic wrap for pre-portioned servings.
The leftover oatmeal bars are delicious served cold or warm. To reheat, warm them in a 325°F toaster oven for 8 to 10 minutes or in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. Feel free to add a splash of non-dairy milk before reheating for a just-baked feel.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Maple Syrup Substitute: You can substitute another liquid sweetener, such as agave nectar, date syrup, or coconut nectar. Coconut sugar or brown sugar works, too (whisk it into the wet ingredients until dissolved).
- Walnut Substitute: The walnuts can be replaced with an equal amount of almonds, pecans, or pumpkin seeds. Or, simply omit them for a nut-free recipe.
- Optional Mix-Ins: Instead of walnuts, fold non-dairy chocolate chips, chopped dates, shredded coconut, dried fruit, or diced apples into the oat batter.
Recipe FAQs
The baking time depends on how thick you like the baked oats. I find that anywhere between 30 and 35 minutes is the sweet spot (30 minutes for softer oats, 35 minutes for firmer oats).
Yes, you can assemble the banana bread oatmeal mixture the night before and refrigerate it, covered, overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven and bake as directed.
Sure! I recommend replacing up to 1/4 cup of the oats with a scoop of your favorite protein powder and adding an extra 1/2 cup of milk to maintain the same creamy texture. Vanilla or unflavored protein powder pairs best with banana bread flavor.
Absolutely. Just double the ingredients and bake the oats in a larger dish or two 9×13” pans until the center is just about set (the baking time may increase slightly).
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas plus 1 more for topping (optional)
- 2 1/2 cups non-dairy milk of choice
- 1/4 cup grade A maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F
- Wet Ingredients: Peel and finely mash 2 ripe bananas in a 9×13″ (or similar sized) baking dish. Add the non-dairy milk, maple syrup, and (optional) vanilla extract to the dish and mix until well-combined.
- Dry Ingredients: Add in the oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Fold the walnuts into the oats if using, then use a rubber spatula to evenly distribute the mix throughout the pan. Top with additional sliced banana, if desired.
- Bake & Serve: Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30-35 minutes, depending on how thick you would like the oatmeal to be. For a "runnier" oatmeal, serve immediately after baking. Otherwise, let the oatmeal cool completely, then slice into bars. Serve as desired, warm or cold; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be pre-sliced and frozen for up to two months.
Recipe Notes
- Substitutions: Maple syrup can be replaced with equal parts granulated or liquid sweetener of choice. Chia seeds can be used instead of flax. Walnuts can be omitted or replaced with another nut or seed. Do not use quick-cooking or steel-cut oats for this recipe.
Nutrition
Great recipe! Exactly what I needed! I know that it was not recommended to use quick oats, but that’s all I had on hand and it still worked out! Maybe a bit of a gooier/stickier texture than in the photos, but it still holds together and tastes amazing!
Thanks for this amazing recipe!
You’re so welcome, I’m happy you liked it Jordyn!
I made this for the first time this morning. I halved the recipe – thanks to the help of the serving adjuster (which worked great) – and it was absolutely delicious.
I can’t wait to make it again!
So happy you enjoyed!
Excellent recipe! I have had to make slight adjustments based on what I did/did not have on hand on a given day and have found the recipe to be very forgiving, although it is perfect as written.
Having just read a comment below about making it in a loaf pan, I think I will try that next time!
so happy it worked out for you even with adjustments!
Just made this today, with the help of my toddler. Instead of the oven, we used the air fryer for 15 minutes (split batch into 2 to make it fit), and it was delicious. My boys loved it! Less messy than a bowl of oatmeal, thank you!
You’re so welcome, I’m glad everyone enjoyed!