Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
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.
Table of Contents
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
Made this banana bread baked oatmeal for my (non vegan) family, I made a few adjustments based on what I had at home but it still turned out really great because the recipe is very easy to use and adjust. I have a mini oven so I had to bake it longer and on a slightly higher temperature.
Will definitely make ths again. Thank you for this great recipe!
So happy it worked out and you enjoyed!
I make this every week for my husband to take to school (he’s a busy teacher) it’s pretty much perfect every time- I usually use the recipe as a base for different flavours (pb and jam, cherry and frangipane, blueberry and lemon, sticky toffee, gingerbread etc.) it’s PERFECT!! I have also started baking it in a loaf pan and it takes about 15 minutes longer to bake but it can be easier to portion out that way.
Wow sounds amazing!
If you add a scoop of protein powder, would you change anything else in the recipe?
I’d add about 1/2 cup more non-dairy milk!
Oh goodness! Wrong recipe! The baked oatmeal is also delicious, just it’s not banana bread 😂 sorry, please disregard.
Wow! I make banana bread a lot. Happened to use this recipe as I did not have enough eggs. My 9 year old said it was the best I’ve ever made and my husband said the crumb was excellent. Great recipe! I reduced the sugar and added some chocolate chips. We left off the glaze. So yummy even without that. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Has anyone used eggs instead of the flax seeds? Thanks
Thank you for this wonderful banana bake!
I have a few extra bananas and if i double can I use the same size baking dish ?
I would use a bigger baking dish or two separate ones!
Hi, I make this all the time and I’m trying to track my food. Would you happen to have the nutrition information somewhere on here?
Hi Pam, I don’t have it for this recipe but feel free to plug the ingredients into an online nutrition calculator.
Ask for 2 banana in grams and omit the maple syrup? Thank you.
Hi Janice, banana weight will vary slightly by fruit, but as long as you are using medium-to-large sized bananas you will be ok. If you omit the maple syrup I’d replace it with an equal amount of additional milk or water
Best & easiest banana oatmeal bars evar!
My next batch (tomorrow!) will include chocolate chunks and chopped nuts, baked slightly firmer, to use as bars. Another (I’ve got a big batch of bananas to use) will have candied cherries and chopped pistachios, baked slightly softer to have with vyogurt or ice cream.
Thank you!
Thank you for the detailed review, Yodan! Adding chocolate sounds like a great idea.
I’ve been making this for a couple of years now, have the recipe memorized! My mom and siblings have asked me for the recipe and my boyfriend gets excited when I’m making it. The only thing I do different is add blueberries or raisins to it. I take it out of the oven around 33 minutes. Amazing every time!
Love to hear that! Thank you Gina 🙂
Yummy exactly as written.
Thank you!
Need an easy grab and go breakfast? This recipe has you covered! Also a great way to use those bananas on the riper side (that historically hung on the hook until they were too far gone) .. but no more! So good I’ve already made this twice this month. The second batch ended up as dessert warmed up and served with chocolate ice cream.
LOVE to hear that, Kate! Thank you for the review!
I always like oats in the morning and this was a really good spin on that. I was worried it would be too runny because of the kind of oat milk I used but once it was fully baked it was spot on. Will make this again for sure
Glad you enjoyed it, Kristopher!
I made this last night so I could enjoy it cold for breakfast this morning and I was blown away! I may even prefer this to my typical go to of overnight oats. It was really filling, but I still had to get a second piece haha. I added more walnuts for that extra crunch. May even try some dark chocolate chips next time too:)
So happy to hear that Megan! Thanks for the review!
This oatmeal bake was absolutely delicious. Adding the walnuts gave it a good crunch! I love how simple this recipe was. I appreciated that I was able to just throw everything in a pan and bake. Leftovers were perfect to save for my breakfast throughout the week!
Thanks Kimberly!
Actually the simplest baked oats ever! Really does taste like banana bread! Made/mixed it all up right in my pyrex cooking dish! Love the simplicity!
This was so quick and easy to make! I’ve made it several times this month. It’s become quite the stable in my house. We love to enjoy it with a peanut butter drizzle 😛
Glad you enjoyed it, Bethany!
Excellent recipe! I made this for the January 2024 contest, and I am so happy I did. I never eat breakfast, or rather my breakfast happens in the afternoon, so normally I would not be drawn to the dish. But I eat oatmeal, and so do my neighbors, so I cooked up a batch. I decided to jazz it up with a half cup of dried cranberries, and a half cup of dark chocolate chips. The result was both decadent and healthy! Everyone I shared it with loved it. The texture is delightful, and I like that it can be a breakfast, treat, or dessert. I did mix it up in my baking dish, so I imagine for most people this is a welcome feature. But for me, I enjoy lining my dish with parchment, so next time I will do that. I’m also curious how it will turn out in my 9″x9″ square baking pan, making for a thicker result. For that matter, baking in a pan larger than the recipe’s suggested 9″x13″ would be an interesting experiment, perhaps resulting in banana cookie bars? Thanks for the always excellent recipes!
Thanks Marie! The cranberry and chocolate add-ins sound so delicious
A very low effort and tasty breakfast meal prep! You gotta love a recipe that you always have all the ingredients on hand for! It’s very customizable to your taste preferences as well. I think it tastes best warm and I like topping it with some almond butter
We totally agree, Jenna! So easy to whip up whenever!
I have made this twice this month. The second time I made a double batch. Love this so much. It make my mornings easier and so yummy!
Super easy to make, tastes super nutritious for a filling breakfast. Next time, I might add a bit more sweetener as I would have preferred it slightly more sweet.