Banana Bread Baked Oats

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Banana bread baked oatmeal is a breakfast worth waking up for. This delicious breakfast combines the warm spices and sweet flavor of banana bread with fiber-rich oats, creating a warm, satisfying start to your day. Serve banana bread baked oatmeal alongside fruit, yogurt and a cup of tea or coffee.

a recipe photo of the Baked Banana Bread Oats
Photo:

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

Active Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 5 mins
Servings:
6

Make these Banana Bread Baked Oats for a fiber-filled breakfast—and an amazing-smelling kitchen that will awaken even the deepest sleeper in your household. Mashed ripe bananas sweeten these tender baked oats that are subtly spiced up by warm cinnamon and vanilla. Heart-healthy walnuts become toasty and add a nutty crunch that complements the oaty, banana-rich base. Read on for expert tips, including how to speed-ripen your bananas if they’re still green.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • Save your overripe bananas for this recipe just like you would for banana bread. The riper the banana, the better, as it will add more sweetness to the oats. If your bananas are still green, you can ripen them in the microwave or oven.
  • You can enjoy this oatmeal right away while it’s still hot and soft, or wait for it to cool down and become more solid, making it easy to slice into bars. 
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Notes

  • As a whole grain, oats provide gut-friendly, filling fiber that also helps stabilize blood sugar. One of the types of fiber in oats, called beta-glucan, is linked with reduced cholesterol and therefore a reduced risk of heart disease. Oats are a great source of complex carbohydrates, providing energy to help you get through your day.
  • Bananas also bring complex carbohydrates and fiber to these baked oats. The potassium in bananas may help reduce blood pressure. They are also loaded with inflammation-busting antioxidants that help reduce the risk of disease.
  • Walnuts may be the most studied of all the nuts—and for good reason. They’re loaded with omega-3s—heart- and brain-healthy fats—and fiber, antioxidants and plant-based protein. Vitamins A and C in walnuts support a healthy immune system and skin.
the ingredients to make the Baked Banana Bread Oats

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

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Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs

  • tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)

  • 2 cups reduced-fat milk

  • cups old-fashioned rolled oats

  • cup coarsely chopped walnuts plus ½ cup, divided

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch-square baking dish or pan with cooking spray.

  2. Whisk 2 eggs, 3½ tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 cup mashed banana in a large bowl until evenly combined. Add 2 cups milk; whisk until smooth. Stir in 2½ cups oats and ⅓ cup walnuts.

    a step in making the Baked Banana Bread Oats

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

  3. Transfer to the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup walnuts.

    a step in making the Baked Banana Bread Oats

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

  4. Bake until just set in the center and the top is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the baking dish on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is baked oatmeal?

    It’s a breakfast dish that resembles a dessert with a texture similar to bread pudding; it’s made with oats, bananas, nuts or other toppings. The ingredients are baked in a 9-inch square pan in this recipe and sliced when cool.

  • Can I substitute the walnuts for another topping?

    Absolutely. Feel free to get creative with pumpkin or sunflower seeds, dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries, crisp rice cereal or chocolate chips.

  • Can I swap the old-fashioned oats with steel-cut?

    No, we wouldn’t advise using steel-cut oats. Old-fashioned oats provide the necessary texture for baked goods, and steel-cut oats take longer to cook, which may impact the texture of the recipe.

  • What should I serve with banana bread baked oatmeal?

    You could simply pair it with your favorite hot beverage. Or if you’re setting out a breakfast spread for guests, you could serve baked oatmeal alongside a breakfast scramble or fresh fruit.

EatingWell.com, August 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

318 Calories
12g Fat
42g Carbs
11g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size 1 (4½-by-3-inch) piece
Calories 318
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 11g 22%
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 69mg 23%
Vitamin A 72µg
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Vitamin D 1µg
Vitamin E 0mg 3%
Folate 39µg
Vitamin K 1µg
Sodium 236mg 10%
Calcium 189mg 15%
Iron 2mg 13%
Magnesium 83mg 20%
Potassium 428mg 9%
Zinc 2mg 20%
Vitamin B12 1µg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Carrie Myers, M.S.
Carrie Myers
Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a freelance writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.
and
Linda Frahm

Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications, such as Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, and has edited cookbooks for Dovetail Press and The Taste Curators.

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