Two of the coziest foods I can think of are oatmeal and banana bread, so why not combine them into the breakfast to beat all breakfasts? This banana bread baked oatmeal is filled with the best of both dishes - ripe bananas, cinnamon, walnuts, maple syrup and hearty gluten free oats. It's great for a weekend breakfast or brunch and perfect to meal prep for week days too! If you're a banana bread lover, you're going to enjoy this recipe.
This baked oatmeal recipe is sweetened with ripe bananas and a little maple syrup, no processed sugar. It's made dairy free with non-dairy milk and vegan butter and can easily be made vegan too. Plus, there are so many ways you can customize this delicious breakfast to take things to the next level! It's a great way to get oatmeal for breakfast for the whole family.
If you have more leftover bananas, I recommend my gluten free banana pancakes, these awesome gluten free banana waffles or my family's all-time favorite gluten free banana muffins.
Ingredient Notes
This easy breakfast recipe uses simple ingredients which are mostly pantry staples that you probably have on hand. Plus, It's both gluten free and dairy free as written.
- Bananas - You will need two overripe bananas and one firmer, fresh banana.
- Egg - This recipe needs one egg to hold everything together. If you're egg free or vegan, please see the substitutions list below.
- Maple Syrup - I love using maple syrup to sweeten breakfast treats that are served with syrup, like pancakes or waffles, and this oatmeal is no exception. Adding a little maple syrup during cooking means less syrup is needed to cover the finished dish.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I have tested this recipe with unsweetened coconut milk and oat milk, but you can use your favorite type of non-dairy milk. If you're not dairy free, use regular dairy milk in the same measure.
- Vegan Butter - I've tested this baked oatmeal with both melted butter and melted coconut oil, both work great. If you're not dairy free, use unsalted dairy butter in the same measure.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I've used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend here. Baked oatmeal is kind of a cross between oatmeal and quickbread, so you'll need a blend that contains xanthan gum or a similar binder. You can use another brand if you prefer, but your results may vary.
- Gluten Free Oats - I like Bob's Red Mill old-fashioned oats in this recipe. Oats are a bit of a controversial ingredient in the gluten free world. Not all gluten free people can tolerate oats and unfortunately I don't know of a suitable substitution. If you can eat oats, make sure to purchase certified gluten free old fashioned rolled oats for this recipe.
- Walnuts - I love the blend of bananas and oatmeal because it reminds my of banana bread. You can replace walnuts with pecans, if you prefer, or leave them out entirely if you're nut free.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy milk and butter in the same measure.
- Make it Vegan / Egg Free - Use a flax egg to replace the single egg in the recipe.
- Replace Butter - Use melted coconut oil in place of the melted butter.
- Make it Nut Free - Replace the nuts with something like chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds or leave them out entirely.
- Up the Protein - Add your favorite protein powder to the blender when processing the oats.
- Banana Blueberry Baked Oatmeal - Add ½ cup of fresh blueberries to the batter when you mix in the nuts. Sprinkle a few extra blueberries on top right before baking.
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal - Add ¼ cup of peanut butter to the blender with the other oatmeal ingredients. Omit the walnuts and top with a drizzle of peanut butter after baking.
- Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal - Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the batter when you mix in the nuts. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top right before baking.
How to Make Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
This banana bread oatmeal recipe is very easy to make. A high speed blender makes the preparation so quick! Once you've blended the ingredients, you will want to work quickly to mix in the oats and nuts and get it in the oven.
STEP 1: Combine the two ripe bananas, egg, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, gluten free flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of oats in a high speed blender. Blend until it's a thick batter, about 20 seconds.
STEP 2: Pour the oat mixture into a large bowl.
STEP 3: Add the walnuts and remaining oats to the wet ingredients. If you want to add chocolate chips or fruit, now is the time to stir it in.
STEP 4: Pour batter into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Top with slices from the remaining banana and a sprinkle of walnuts. Then bake!
Expert Tip
Bake until the top is golden brown and springs back when gently poked. The texture will be a little dense, between oatmeal and banana bread.
Storage
Store leftover baked oatmeal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
To freeze - once the oatmeal has cooled completely, cut it into individual servings and wrap them with plastic wrap. Place the wrapped pieces in a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
Recipe FAQs
If you're not a fan of banana, you can replace them with pumpkin puree, mashed sweet potatoes, mashed peaches or even carrots. All would be delicious in this recipe.
Oats are gluten free, but there is a high chance for contamination during growing and processing.
For that reason, you will want to purchase certified gluten free oats if you're following a gluten free diet. Some people do still react to gluten free oats.
It's possible you need to bake it for a longer time or your oven may be off temperature.
I also recommend working quickly to combine the ingredients after pouring them out of the blender. The baking powder starts working right away and the oats can become stodgy if they go into the oven quickly.
More oatmeal recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ Cups Gluten Free Oats divided
- 3 /4 Cup + 2 Tbsp Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 Cup Non Dairy Milk
- ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter melted
- 1 Egg
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 Ripe Bananas mashed, about 1 Cup
- ½ Cup Walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 Banana sliced for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine 1 Cup of gluten free oats, gluten free flour, milk, melted butter, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and 2 ripe bananas in a blender. Blend for about 20 seconds until it resembles a thick pancake batter.2 ¼ Cups Gluten Free Oats, 3 /4 Cup + 2 Tbsp Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 1 Cup Non Dairy Milk, ¼ Cup Maple Syrup, 2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter, 1 Egg, 2 teaspoons Vanilla, 2 teaspoons Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, 2 Ripe Bananas
- Pour the oatmeal batter into a large mixing bowl. Working quickly, add the remaining oats and walnuts and fold together with a spatula.½ Cup Walnuts
- Spread the oatmeal batter into your prepared baking dish. Top with the sliced banana.1 Banana
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the top springs back when gently poked.
- Serve immediately topped with maple syrup.
Notes
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy milk and butter in the same measure.
- Make it Vegan / Egg Free - Use a flax egg to replace the single egg in the recipe.
- Replace Butter - Use melted coconut oil in place of the melted butter.
- Make it Nut Free - Replace the nuts with something like chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds or leave them out entirely.
- Replace Bananas - use an equal measure of pumpkin puree.
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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