Baked oatmeal is a great recipe for meal prep because it can be portioned and heated up throughout the week. It’s also perfect for feeding a lot of hungry mouths with one simple recipe. This banana chocolate chip baked oatmeal is easy to make, provides loads of nutrition, and is a comforting breakfast for a chilly day!
Must-Know Cooking Skills to Level Up your Kitchen Game
To make this recipe even easier, check out these videos to master the basics:
Culinary Tips for Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
Use ripe or extra ripe bananas (covered in spots) for sweetness and texture. If your bananas are still yellow with green ends and you really want to make this recipe, try roasting them!
Use real cow’s milk for this recipe to guarantee the best results. We tested it with almond milk, and it did not come out good, but that’s not to say other plant-based milks won’t work. Let us know if you use one, and if so, how it turns out!
Be sure to whisk the eggs really well with the liquid ingredients so that the baked oatmeal doesn’t have cooked egg streaks.
Serve baked oatmeal warm or cold – both are delicious!
Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions
- Old-Fashioned Oats: You can swap in quick-cooking oats, but be prepared for a softer texture. Steel-cut oats? Not this time—they don’t work well in this recipe.
- Cinnamon: Feeling festive? Use pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for a cozy twist.
- Bananas: Canned pumpkin or mashed sweet potato will work as substitutes, but let’s be real—it won’t be banana baked oatmeal anymore!
- Milk: Organic milk is ideal if it fits your budget. Go with 2% or whole milk for the creamiest results. Low-fat works too, but it won’t be quite as rich.
- Eggs: For a plant-based option, try 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water, mixed and left to thicken for 10 minutes). We haven’t tested this yet, but it’s worth a shot!
- Brown Sugar: Feel free to swap in your favorite natural sweetener—cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, or sugar in the raw all work great.
- Butter: Virgin coconut oil makes a great substitute with a hint of tropical flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Almond extract (1 teaspoon) definitely works well in this recipe. In fact, you should consider adding it with the vanilla!
- Dark Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet regular or mini chocolate chips work just as well! Milk or white chocolate, however, doesn’t deliver the same health benefits—or that rich, bittersweet flavor we love.
Recipe Variations: Make it Your Own!
Mix in some toasted nuts, like walnuts or pecans, to make a banana bread baked oatmeal. The crunch of the nuts will add a delicious texture contrast.
Swap out half of the chocolate chips for dried fruit to add a chewy texture, a boost of nutrition, and additional natural sweetness!
Turn these into baked oatmeal cups using our base recipe as a guide!
Equipment for Banana Baked Oatmeal: the Essentials
Make sure your kitchen is stocked with these tools for easy preparation!
- Nested mixing bowls – great for mixing, great for storing!
- Measuring spoons – precision makes a difference.
- Liquid Measuring Cup – easy to measure, easy to pour!
- Whisk – perfect for smooth, well-combined ingredients.
- Masher – so much easier and better than a fork.
- Spatula – for scraping up every last drop of flavor.
- 9×13 Pan – perfect for baking oatmeal, cakes, and more!
Want to level up your kitchen game? Check out our Essential Equipment Guide for all the must-have tools!
Is this a healthy banana baked oatmeal?
Yes! This chocolate banana baked oats recipe is a great way to start your morning or energize your afternoon with a healthy snack. This recipe’s star ingredients are bananas, oats, and dark chocolate.
Bananas
Bananas contain prebiotic fiber, vitamins, and minerals – important for digestion, steady energy, and metabolism. Greenish bananas are firm and higher in prebiotic fiber. Brownish bananas are softer and naturally higher in sugar, giving them extra sweetness—but don’t worry, it’s all natural!
Oats
Oats of any variety are a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Fiber is important for digestion, satiety, stable blood sugar, good cholesterol, and healthy gut bacteria, while complex carbohydrates provide steady energy and focus.
Dark Chocolate
Cocoa is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The darker, the better. Dark chocolate chips are usually at least 60%, but look for versions with higher cocoa solid percentages (ideally >70%) for even more nutrition! Ghiradelli is our personal favorite; the large flat shape is so superior to a standard chip. Flat out delicious!
Dive into our ingredient guide to discover the freshest, tastiest picks for all your recipes—because great ingredients make all the difference! 🌟🍎
Serving Suggestions
Top with Greek yogurt and/or drizzle with some nut butter on top and serve with a side of fruit for a balanced breakfast. Cold yogurt on top the warm oatmeal makes it feel like you are eating a dessert!
Learn how to build a healthy balanced meal with our Whole Life Plate, meal plan, and book!
How to Store Banana Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
Keep baked oatmeal in the refrigerator for up to one week. Cover the whole pan with plastic wrap or foil for fewer dishes, or package individual servings in to-go containers for a quick grab-and-go breakfast option.
We also love cutting these into healthy baked oatmeal bars, wrapping servings individually in plastic wrap, dropping them in a freezer bag, and storing them in the freezer (for up to three months) for busy mornings. Thaw overnight or defrost in the microwave in the morning.
Looking for more banana oatmeal recipes?
We clearly love the combo, because we have a ton! Have fun customizing them to your taste!
Baked Oatmeal Cups with Bananas, Chocolate Chips, & Almonds
Read Also: Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes
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Unlike many other recipe blogs, we actually encourage you to tweak our recipes. Not because they’re in need of change, haha, but because we believe one of the secrets to success in the kitchen is cooking to YOUR taste. Make the recipe, leave us a review, and tell us if you made any changes! We love hearing how you’ve made it your own.
Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (3 ½ cups) old fashioned oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 quart 2% or whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 9×13 pan with non-stick spray.
- Whisk to combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, mash bananas. Add milk, eggs, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and use a spatula to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until oats are set and top is golden brown. Enjoy!
This Post Has 2 Comments
Can I use an 8×8 dish?
You can, but you will need to cut the recipe in half to make sure it fits!