Breakfast doesn’t get much easier than this baked oatmeal with bananas and peanut butter! Whip up a batch and store it in the fridge or freezer for a quick and easy breakfast throughout the week! Great option for the whole family and perfect for meal prep! {Gluten-free, vegetarian & no-sugar added}
If you’re looking for the perfect healthy make-ahead breakfast, this Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal will be your new favourite recipe! It can be prepared at the beginning of the week in a matter of minutes and then you have breakfast for days.
This recipe is naturally sweetened with bananas so it contains no added sugar and it’s easily customizable. If you’re not a fan of the typical bowl of oatmeal, I highly recommend giving this stuff a shot. Because it’s baked, it has a chewier cake-like consistency, so it’s even a hit with non-oatmeal lovers! With it’s delicious texture and that mouthwatering banana oatmeal peanut butter combo, it’s one of those recipes that the whole family will love.
Not to mention, it’s perfect for meal prep and makes such a great grab and go breakfast for those crazy busy mornings (which is basically every morning, amirite?!)
That’s my kind of breakfast!
If you’re looking for other baked oatmeal recipes, be sure to check out this Apple Baked Oatmeal or Blueberry Baked Oatmeal!
Why make this recipe
Easy – This recipe can be prepared in less than 10 minutes before placing it in the oven to bake. It’s one of those breakfast dishes where you can easily memorize the ingredients list and make it on repeat — no recipe required!
Make-ahead – This banana baked oatmeal can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer, which basically means breakfast-on-demand. No more shuffling around in the cupboard trying to find that box of cereal or hovering over the stove to fry up an egg. It’s just sitting there waiting patiently in the fridge to be eaten.
Portable – Unlike your typical bowl of oats, baked oatmeal is an easy grab and go option. Simply cut a slice and eat it like an oatmeal bar!
Healthy option – Packed with fibre, protein and healthy fats, this banana oatmeal bake will keep you feeling full for hours! It’s also free of any added sugar since it’s naturally sweetened with banana, so it’s a great option for both little ones and adults!
Kid-friendly – Most kids love peanut butter and banana and when it’s served up combined in a slice of chewy oatmeal, even better! This recipe is perfect for baby-led weaning and toddlers, and is also great for older children and teenagers who need a quick and easy bite to eat in the morning!
Ingredient Notes
Oats – The oats form the base of this recipe and provide a muffin-like consistency when baked with the other ingredients. You can use large flake oats for a chewier texture or quick oats if you prefer a more cake-like consistency.
Banana – Provides that natural sweetness so no added sugar is required. Use extra ripe bananas (those brown spotty ones are the best option for this recipe) since they are easier to mash and incorporate into the baked oatmeal mixture and also have a tendency to be sweeter.
Peanut Butter – Adds a nutty flavour, moisture and some protein and healthy fats to the baked oatmeal. Use natural peanut butter for a healthier option with less processed ingredients. You can also sub in almond butter or your favourite nut or seed butter, if you require it to be nut-free.
Milk – The milk adds moisture and some protein and calcium to the recipe. You can use regular milk or sub in a plant-based milk alternative to make it dairy-free.
Cinnamon – Incorporates some extra flavour and antioxidants.
Egg – The egg helps to bind the oat mixture together. You can also try replacing it with a chia or flax egg to make it a plant-based option.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray an 8×8 square or 7 x 5 inch rectangular baking dish with cooking spray or use your preferred method to grease the pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the baked oatmeal with the exception of two of the bananas.
- Slice the remaining two bananas into quarter inch slices.
- On the bottom of the greased dish, evenly distribute half of the banana slices. Pour half of the oatmeal mixture over top and smooth out with a spatula.
- Next, evenly distribute the remaining banana slices on top of the oatmeal layer. Top with remaining oatmeal mixture.
- Place in the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- To serve, top with extra banana slices and a drizzle of peanut butter, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- This baked oatmeal is naturally sweetened with banana and is not overly sweet on its own. If you prefer a sweeter oatmeal, I recommend adding the maple syrup to the recipe. If you do choose to use the maple syrup, you may need to increase the baking time slightly.
- To further enhance the sweetness, I suggest using overripe bananas (the brown spotty kind) to maximize the flavour.
- You can use either an 8×8 square or 7 x 5 inch rectangular baking dish for the purpose of this recipe. I’ve made this recipe in each of these types of baking dishes and it turned out equally good each time.
- Allow the oatmeal bake to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting it and removing it from the baking dish to allow it to firm up a bit. If it’s too warm when you cut it, it will have a mushier consistency.
Recipe FAQs
How to Store
This baked oatmeal recipe can be stored in the fridge covered for up to a week. You can either store it in the baking dish covered with saran wrap or cut it into pieces and store them in an air-tight container.
Can you freeze this baked oatmeal?
Definitely! Sometimes I even freeze it as soon as it’s cooled if I don’t have the fridge space to store it.
You can cut the baked oatmeal into pieces and freeze them in individual freezer bags if you’d like to take it for a quick pre-portioned breakfast or snack.
Alternatively, you can store them in a freezer-friendly container and separate each piece with parchment paper so that it doesn’t all stick together. Once again, totally flexible.
I recommend freezing it for no longer than 3 months, but I seriously doubt it will last that long.
To defrost: Allow it to defrost in the fridge overnight or pop it in the microwave until warmed through.
Can you make baked oatmeal ahead of time?
Yes, it’s a great option to make in advance! There are a couple of different ways you can go about doing it.
Option 1: You can either bake it and then reheat it right before serving it up. In this case, you would prepare the baked oatmeal as per the recipe directions. Then once it’s baked, allow it to cool, cover it and place it in the fridge .
To reheat: Remove the dish from fridge and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-20 minutes or until warmed through. For individual portions, you can reheat it in a toaster oven for 5-10 minutes or in the microwave for 30 seconds to one minute.
Option 2: You can prep the ingredients, but wait to bake until you’re ready to serve it up. In this case, combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Place the wet ingredients covered in the fridge until ready to bake. When you’re ready to bake, mix together the wet ingredients and dry ingredients and continue on with steps 5-7.
Can you make this recipe vegan?
Yes, it’s totally customizable! Instead of the egg, you could sub in a chia or flax egg. To do so, combine one tablespoon of chia seeds or flax seeds with three tablespoons of water and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Then add it into the oatmeal mixture just like you would the egg!
I haven’t personally tried it myself without the egg, so if you do, please let me know how it works out in the comments below.
You can also use almond milk or your preferred milk alternative to make it plant-based.
Serving suggestions
Now this is the fun part because you can jazz up that slice of oatmeal however you’d like. Personally, I like to serve it warm with a drizzle of natural peanut butter and additional freshly sliced banana.
Expert tip: For easy drizzling, I recommend putting some peanut butter (preferably the natural drippy kind) into a medium-sized ziploc bag. Cut the corner off with scissors and using your hand, ease the peanut butter out of the hole and drizzle over the baked oatmeal. Pretty fancy, right?
Alternatively, you could serve it cold or at room temperature if that’s what floats your boat. It tastes good either way.
You could also top it with:
- Fresh berries
- Chia Seed Jam (or you could also try this low sugar strawberry jam)
- A little drizzle of maple syrup
- Chocolate chips
- A sprinkle of nuts (try peanuts or walnuts)
- Coconut
- Yogurt
Or serve it in a bowl with a splash of milk!
The options are really endless, so feel free to get creative!
More healthy breakfast recipes
- Healthy Oatmeal Muffins {4 Different Ways}
- Banana Protein Pancakes
- Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
- 6 Mason Jar Overnight Oat Recipes
- Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats use gluten-free, if necessary
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups preferred milk*
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 4 very ripe bananas
Optional Add-ins:
- 1/4 cup maple syrup** if you prefer a sweeter baked oatmeal
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 inch square or 7x5 inch rectangular baking dish.
- Combine the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
- Next, add milk, egg, vanilla, peanut butter, and maple syrup (if using). Stir to combine.
- Mash two of the bananas and fold them into the oatmeal mixture. Slice the remaining two bananas into quarter inch slices.
- Place half of the sliced bananas across the bottom of the prepared dish. Spread half of the oatmeal mixture over the banana slices. Evenly distribute the remaining banana slices over the oatmeal layer. Pour the remaining oatmeal mixture over the second layer of sliced bananas and spread it around with a spoon or spatula until evenly distributed.
- Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- To serve, top with a drizzle of peanut butter and additional banana slices, if desired.
Notes
- This baked oatmeal is naturally sweetened with banana and is not overly sweet on its own. If you prefer a sweeter oatmeal, I recommend adding the maple syrup to the recipe. If you do choose to use the maple syrup, you may need to increase the baking time slightly.
- To further enhance the sweetness, I suggest using overripe bananas (the brown spotty kind) to maximize the flavour.
- You can use either an 8x8 square or 7 x 5 inch rectangular baking dish for the purpose of this recipe. I've made this recipe in each of these types of baking dishes and it turned out equally good each time.
- Allow the oatmeal bake to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting it and removing it from the baking dish to allow it to firm up a bit. If it's too warm when you cut it, it will have a mushier consistency.
- Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in February 2019 and was updated January 2021 to include more helpful tips and photos.
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I never was a fan of oatmeal until I came across this recipe!! I add semi-sweet chocolate chips & walnuts (bc anything with banana, peanut butter can be made better with chocolate & nuts 🙃). I just made this 1 handed while holding my 1month old in the other arm, it’s THAT easy!!
Ooh that’s amazing! So happy you discovered this recipe and found a way to enjoy oatmeal! And I totally agree — you can never go wrong with some extra nuts and chocolate! Even better when you can make it with one hand ;) Thanks so much for stopping by to comment!
We eat this all the time, it’s become a yummy breakfast staple :)
So handy, right?! So happy you’ve found a new go-to breakfast option!
I have made this so many times – definitely one of my favorite breakfasts!! I always top with peanut butter and sprinkle chia seeds on top :) thank you for such a great recipe!
Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know…and it’s my pleasure! So happy that you’ve been enjoying the recipe! Can never go wrong with an extra drizzle of PB ;)
Do you think you could substitute pb2 for the peanut butter?
That’s a good question! If you mix it with water, it may work as a substitute for the peanut butter. I wouldn’t recommend just adding it from a dry state though as there may not be enough moisture. I haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t guarantee that the PB2 would work as a good substitute for the regular PB, but please let me know how it goes if you try it out!
I hope this doesn’t sound silly but Could you possibly bake it without baking soda?
You could certainly try it out, although I’m not sure what the outcome would be since I haven’t tried it myself. When baking, typically baking soda is used as a leavening agent and can help baked goods rise and also helps make them more fluffy. I’m not sure how much of an impact it would have leaving it out in the case of baked oatmeal, but please keep me posted on the outcome if you try it out!
Hi Elysia,
your recipe looks amazing! Could I share this recipe on my website if I give you reference?
Hi Tina,
Thanks so much! If you’d like to share the recipe, you’re welcome to use one image and a link back to the recipe on my site. I appreciate you sharing!
So Tasty! Great way to start out a cool autumn morning!
Thanks so much Jennifer! It definitely makes a great fall breakfast! :)
Just made it for breakfast this week and it’s delicious!
So happy you enjoyed the baked oatmeal Alexandra! Thanks for stopping by to comment :)
Thanks for the recipe! We made this already once trying to use up an over abundance of bananas and now we’re making it again. We absolutely love it! Good work
That’s fantastic Valery! So happy that you’re loving this recipe! Thanks for taking some time to provide feedback! :)
Made this morning for my boys and they loved every bite! I was afraid the banana taste would be too strong but it was just right, and balanced very well with the peanut butter drizzle. Delicious. One note, I did add the maple syrup and that might have made it extra moist as I had to cook it for 7 min longer.
That’s awesome — glad the recipe was a hit! Thanks for the heads up about increasing the baking time with the maple syrup. I’ll add that note to the recipe!
Had this for breakfast for the second time this morning. A scrumptious way to use up bananas! My husband loves it!
Delicious! My whole family loves this recipe. Thank you!
So happy your family is loving this recipe! It’s definitely a favourite in our house as well! Thanks so much for taking the time to provide some feedback! :)
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
My pleasure :) We’ve kept it in the fridge for up to five days without an issue. You can always store any extra pieces in the freezer as well!
This looks so good! What a great breakfast meal prep for the whole family!
Thanks Suzanne! It definitely comes in handy for a ready-made breakfast on those busy mornings!
Have you tried this with Almond butter by chance?
You could definitely sub in almond butter for peanut butter! Let me know how it goes if you try it out! :)
I made this recipe, I’ve done a few things differently only cause I have allergies to some foods, this recipe is very delicious and filling… So easy to make as well… Thank you for sharing the love with food recipes.
Thanks for stopping by to comment Dawn! One of the great things about this recipe is that it’s so easy to modify. So glad you enjoyed the recipe and were able to adapt it to meet your dietary needs!
Can you use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes, quick oats can be substituted for the rolled oats!
Made this a couple times already the past few days and it’s super tasty! My fiancé is obsessed. We didn’t even drizzle anything on top after but I think fresh bananas and peanut butter would be delicious so we will need to try next time :)
Thanks so much for the feedback Rochelle — so glad you and your fiance are enjoying the recipe! Definitely try it out with the extra banana and PB!!
Absolute heaven! I could eat this all day every day.
So delicious, right?! Thanks for the feedback! :)
I’m planning to make this tonight! Could you use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?
Yay, hope you love it!! Yes, you can definitely use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth. It would add a nice crunch factor :)
Hey what is the nutritional information on this recipe it looks yummy
I currently do not include nutritional information due to the inaccuracy of a lot of the nutrition software programs. If you’d like to get a rough idea of nutritional breakdown, you can plug it into a program such as myfitnesspal. Hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it out!
Hi I don’t have a 8×12, can it work?
Yes, it should still work! However, you may have to adjust the cooking time slightly depending on the size of your dish.
Can I use steel cut oats for this recipe?
I don’t think steel cut oats would work very well for this recipe since they have a different consistency than rolled oats. That being said, I haven’t actually tried it, so it would be interesting to see the outcome. Let me know if you try it out!
Just made this and It is so delicious. However, it was a mess
Coming out of the greased pan. Is there a trick to this? Do you leave it in the pan until it’s completely cooled?
So glad that you enjoyed the baked oatmeal, but I apologize that it was a mess coming out! I would definitely recommend allowing it to completely cool before taking it out of the pan since it firms up a bit while cooling. It should also firm up in the fridge as well. Hopefully this helps for next time!
The recipe sounds great. I definitely would like to try it. Do the bananas get mushy and brown when you freeze the extras?
Thanks Norma! Most of the bananas are incorporated into the oatmeal mixture, so I didn’t notice that they got brown or mushy when frozen. I would, however, hold off on adding any additional fresh banana slices to the top of the baked oatmeal until right before you’re ready to serve. Those would most likely go brown. Hope that helps!