Cocoa Baked Oatmeal (With Raspberries)

This cocoa-baked oatmeal recipe is finger-licking good and so much more indulgent than regular banana baked oats. You only need a few simple ingredients that I'm sure you already have in your pantry! It's perfect for meal prep as you can easily make it ahead and have 6 portions ready to go for the week. No more skipping breakfast because you have no time in the morning.

I’ve taken this chocolate oatmeal recipe to another level by adding in raspberries and decadent chocolate chips–it has a cake-like texture that is out of this world.

It's a cozy alternative to overnight oats. Try my raspberry overnight oats (without chia seeds), or this overnight bircher muesli.

Key ingredients

• Bananas: These keep the baked oatmeal recipe soft and moist. They are the substitute for eggs and flax egg. Note the size of your bananas will slightly affect the baked oatmeal. The more banana you add, the softer and moister the result. Lowering the amount of banana will lead to a drier texture. Remember to use ripe bananas for extra sweetness without adding sugar.
• Rolled oats: I recommend using thick old-fashioned oats in this recipe that give the oatmeal some bite. However, thin oats (quick oats) work, too. Don't use instant oats or steel-cut oats. If you're on a gluten-free diet, make sure to use gluten-free oats. 
• Almonds: These add a little crunch. You can absolutely skip these or replace them with any other type of nuts, but I recommend using them.
• Non-dairy milk of choice: I love to use unsweetened soy milk (which has 9 grams of protein/cup), but you can also try oat milk, almond milk, or any other nut milk you like.
• Cocoa powder: Adds the chocolatey goodness you’re after with this recipe. I use dark Dutch-processed cocoa powder that has a more intense chocolate flavor than regular cocoa powder.
• Chocolate chips: For extra sweetness!  My personal preference is to use dark chocolate chips for a rich chocolate flavor. You can also use grated or chopped chocolate.
• Pinch of salt: This just balances out the sweet, rich flavors in the recipe.

How to make cocoa baked oatmeal (step-by-step)

STEP 1: Mash or blend. Mash the bananas with the milk and vanilla extract straight inside the baking dish. Alternatively, blend the milk and bananas first, then pour the mixture into the dish. Blending will give you a smoother texture. No need to grease the baking dish beforehand.

STEP 2: Add in the dry ingredients. Add the oats, almonds, baking powder, and salt to the baking dish.

Chocolate-baked oats add-ins

• Frozen berries: These are super accessible and available year-round. 
• Other fresh berries: Try fresh or frozen strawberries or blueberries. 
• Blueberry jam: Stir in some lovely jam for an extra sweet, fruity flavor. Use any jam you like. 
• Chocolate spread: Swirl it in there to make your baked oats extra indulgent.
• Chia and flax seeds: Sometimes, I stir in some ground flax or chia seeds.
• Protein boosters: Spoon in some chocolate protein powder or a little peanut butter for extra protein and healthy fats. Almond butter or cashew butter are great, too.
• Granola and dried raspberries: They add lovely crunch!
• Pumpkin puree: For a holiday flavor, add a little pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients.

How long can you store baked oats? 

In the refrigerator: Your chocolate oats will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

In the freezer: Pop it in the freezer for 3 months. It can then be thawed in the microwave using the defrost setting.