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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
Delicious! I love to make this at the beginning of the week…then I have breakfast set for the week! It’s so easy and tastes so good. I love how versatile it is, you can add in such a variety of things from week to week!
So happy you love it, Janet!
This was so easy and it is soooo yummy!
I was supposed to take a pic for the January contest but I started eating it before I remembered!
So the second batch is in the oven as I type 😁
Happy you enjoyed it, Jodie!
I’ve easily made this recipe over 20 times and we still love it! It’s great fresh from the oven but its also great for meal prep. We add chocolate chips to ours!
It’s one of our favorites, too! Thank you, Jackie!
I made the banana bread oatmeal, and it was delicious. We ate the first two servings as oatmeal and then let the dish sit and firm up so it could be sliced into bars. My question here has to do with refrigerating the bars – they didn’t firm up and were quite soft and damp on the bottom; my husband really liked them soft so he was happy, but I’d like to make the next batch with some of the results having bars that are possibly firmer and more crunchy. I tried reheating them and the tops were crunchy but the bottoms were so and damp so I flipped them over and reheated them again, but only for five minutes. Still not crunchy enough. Do you have any advice on what I can do to get crunchy bars? Tomorrow we make them with peaches. Yum. Thanks.
Hi Elaine! If you want crispier bars, I’d recommend reducing the liquid some and adding 1-2 tablespoons of oil to help crisp things up. Unfortunately I have not tested for a crispy texture, so cannot guarantee results. If you want something firmer I’d recommend my Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies!
One of my favorite breakfasts! So easy, quick to make, simple healthy ingredients, and stores in the fridge to be reheated wonderfully! I love to add vegan chocolate chips to the top before it bakes.
Thank you, Kendra!
This was very good! Easy delicious and convenient. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re so welcome, Daniela!
I double the recipe and make it at least once a month to meal prep. It freezes and thaws great. My favorite way to eat it is warm with some vegan butter.
Thank you, Ellen!
What’s a good substitute for flax seed? I love this recipe but I want to avoid flax during my luteal phase
You could use ground chia seed instead!
Love, love, love this! Thank you for the recipe!!
Glad you loved it, Laurence!
I made this last night, very excited to give it a try today. Breakfasts are tough for me to have something quick and healthy so this checks those boxes! Do you have any idea what the calorie count might be? I’m using a tracking app and want to add this to my morning routine. I cut it up into 12 sections.
The approximate calorie count for one serving (1/12 of the recipe) is:
2 ripe bananas: 140 calories
2 1/2 cups (590 ml) non-dairy milk of choice: varies based on milk used
1/4 cup (60 ml) grade A maple syrup: 204 calories
2 1/2 cups (225 g) rolled oats: 600 calories
2 tablespoons ground flax seed: 70 calories
1/2 cup (50 g) roughly chopped walnuts: 400 calories
Total: 476 calories (without accounting for non-dairy milk and vanilla extract)
This turned out really delicious! So easy, minimal ingredients, minimal cleanup, the kids ate it, what more could you ask for?!
We love that! Thank you, Lanae!
Delicious! Absolutely love too that it’s put together in the baking dish! So good!
Since the first time I tried this recipe I have made it so many times!! I love to prep this for breakfast and it lasts me six days in the fridge which is very convenient to have as a student! 🙂
Happy to hear that, Ella! I agree it’s very convenient.
Really delicious. Seems very flexible too. I added coconut flakes, yum.
Delicious baked oats. Love that this recipe is mixed in the baking dish reducing overall clean up. I will make my baked oats like this from now on!!
That’s awesome! Glad to hear you loved it, Caresse 🙂
So easy to make and very delicious！I’ve made it 3 weeks in a row! Thank you for this recipe. (:
Thank you, Esther!
We’re plant based and follow Dr. Greggor’s “Daily Dozen” — getting all the fruit and whole grains in is always a challenge for us. With this delicious recipe we can know out one serving of each by by 6am each morning! Thank you for sharing this — it’s amazing.
You’re welcome, Brenda! So glad you find it amazing. ♥
I made this for breakfast one day. Made muffins instead. Used blueberries (needed to use them up) instead of nuts and still baked for 30 min. They were good but not as sweet as I would have liked. I would double the cinnamon or add an additional spice like pumpkin or cardamom
Thank you for the feedback, Trish!
Just made this for the second time and it was amazing! Will keep this in my rotation for sure. I added blueberries and a drizzle of peanut butter to serve, delicious! Thank you Caitlin 🙂
Glad you loved it, Nikki!
I was curious how many servings this makes? Thank you!
This serves 4-8, but I can honestly finish a whole pan of this myself! 😁
Hi! Is there something else i can use to substitute the flax? Im not vegan but interested to try out this recipe! Thank you!
Thank you for trying the recipe, Anne! Chia or hemp seeds are good substitutes for flaxseed.
Sooooo good! I only used about 2/3 of the recommended maple syrup amount since I don’t like my oatmeal too sweet (but recommended amount would be perfect as well)! Other than that, followed the recipe exactly- omitting the walnuts. Came out perfect!!! I am a banana bread lover and while this isn’t the same texture as banana bread obviously, it has the same flavor profile and feels twenty times healthier to consume. Thank you so much- loving this!!!
Yay! Thanks for leaving a review, Terra 🙂