Banana Baked Oatmeal Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

This recipe uses very simple ingredients and offers a bunch of add-in options for you to choose from. It’s also a great way to use up overripe bananas.

This is a favorite recipe from my vegan and gluten-free breakfast staples: overnight oats, bircher muesli, and granola.

If you prefer individual servings versus a whole baking dish, check out these baked oats for one or these Nutella baked oats.

Key ingredients

• Bananas: Ripe bananas keep these baked oats moist. They are the vegan substitute for egg in this recipe, as opposed to a flax egg.
• Rolled oats: Old-fashioned oats provide the best texture and some bite to the baked oatmeal. You could use quick oats but the result won’t be as thick and hearty. Personally, I’m using gluten-free certified oats due to my intolerance. Don't use steel-cut oats in this recipe.
• Almonds: These really make a difference by adding a little crunch. You can substitute them with any other kind of nuts but I don’t recommend skipping them completely.
• Non-dairy milk of choice: Choose from your favorites: soy milk, (gluten-free) oat milk, almond milk, or coconut milk are all delicious.
• Vanilla and cinnamon: This adds extra cozy flavor and that “dessert-like” taste. Feel free to get creative and add cardamom and nutmeg for a chaï-inspired baked oatmeal.
• Pinch of salt: Always, always add salt to your oat recipes (porridge, overnight oats, baked oats). This might seem odd, but it balances out the sweet, rich taste.

Elo’s tips

1. Use thick rolled oats. I know they can be hard to find in a gluten-free certified version, but it’s worth looking for them as they add some nice bite and texture. If you can’t find them, you can order them online (e.g., from Bob’s Red Mill or Quaker Oats). You can use quick oats, but rolled oats provide a much better texture.
2. Choose medium-sized bananas. If they are smaller, your baked oatmeal will be denser. If they are larger, it will be chewier.
3. Add more milk. This basic baked oats recipe is pretty dense and cake-like, making it easy to cut into 6-8 squares. However, you can add up to ½ cup more milk for a softer and lighter texture.
4. Bake the oats in an oven-safe dish that has a lid. That way, you can store them in the refrigerator for the week without having to transfer them to separate airtight containers.
5. Warm it up. I highly recommend eating it warm as it makes the oatmeal softer.

How to make banana baked oats

STEP 1: Prepare the wet ingredients. Mash the bananas in the baking dish (I use a 9x9" pan). You can also stir this in a large bowl if you prefer. Stir in the milk. You can blend the banana and milk for a perfectly smooth texture if you like.

STEP 2: For the dry ingredients, chop the almonds with a knife or a food processor. Add the oats, chopped almonds, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and cinnamon – all into the baking dish. Stir everything together. At this point, you can also add in any optional add-in ingredients.

STEP 3: Before baking, slice the remaining banana and arrange it on top of the oats. Bake the dish for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden brown and the bananas are caramelized.

STEP 4: Allow the dish to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator. Close with a lid or sore in covered in plastic wrap.

Elo’s tip: Drizzle with nut or seed butter. Serve the warm baked oats with a little peanut or almond butter. If my peanut butter is a little too thick, I pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it up. This just makes it easier to drizzle.

Baked oats add-ins

• Frozen berries: Fold in blueberries or raspberries. No need to thaw them beforehand. Try cranberries around the festive season!
• Chocolate or chocolate chips: For a little extra dessert-like feel. I recommend using good-quality dark chocolate.
• Cocoa powder: I like to sieve in some cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate taste.
• Chocolate spread: Swirl it in there to make your baked oats extra delicious.
• Blueberry jam: This is a delicious combination with the banana. You could also try a strawberry or raspberry jam. 
• Dried fruits: Add in a few spoons of raisins, dried pears, cranberries, or apricots – so good!
• Fresh fruit: I love to add in freshly diced apple or pear. Blend in some fresh strawberry or ripe peach. Stone fruits in general, work well in this recipe. 
• Seeds: Add other wholesome ingredients like chia seeds (for healthy fats), flax, and sesame seeds.
• Coffee and maple: Add some cooled espresso and pure maple syrup to the wet mixture, for a more grown-up flavor combination. 
• Extra spice: Ground cardamon, nutmeg, and ginger are really delicious in addition to the vanilla and cinnamon. Spice mixes such as chai or pumpkin spice work really well, too.
• Almond essence: If you love the flavor of almonds, add a tiny bit of almond essence to help call out the chopped almonds you added.

How long can you store baked oats? 

• In the refrigerator: Easily up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
• In the freezer: 3 months. Defrost in the microwave using a defrost setting.