Nutella Baked Oats

Name: Nutella Baked Oats
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup rolled oats (gluten-free); 2 teaspoon flaxseeds; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons cocoa powder; 1 pinch of salt; 1 banana; 3 tablespoons Nutella (we use a vegan chocolate spread (see notes)); 1/2 cup plant-based milk; 1 handful of chocolate chips (optional)

This vegan version of Nutella baked oats tastes just like the real deal! It only requires a few simple ingredients and comes together in a blender within minutes. It's so good that you won't believe it's actually nutritious and good for you!

If you ever wanted to seriously upgrade blended baked oats, Nutella is the way to go! In fact, this was inspired by my basic chocolate chip baked oats. They are an exciting alternative to your regular bowl of oatmeal for a similar amount of calories. We have no doubts that this recipe will turn oatmeal haters into oatmeal lovers!

If you're looking for more easy breakfast recipes, you may like these raspberry lemon baked oats, snickers overnight oats or tiramisu overnight oats.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Key ingredients and substitutions
Elo's tips
Step-by-step (with pictures)
Frequently asked questions
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The recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

These indulgent Nutella baked oats because they make breakfast taste like dessert.
You can make them in 30 minutes from start to finish.
You most certainly already have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
This baked oats recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Key ingredients and substitutions

Oats are the base of this oatmeal recipe. You can use rolled oats, quick oats or oat flour. If necessary, use certified gluten-free oats to fit your dietary needs and restrictions.
Flax seeds replace the egg in this recipe. We also love them for their health benefits as they are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. You can replace them with chia seeds if needed.
Baking soda helps the oats rise and provides a fluffy texture.
Banana makes this breakfast nutritious and adds moisture. No worries if you don't like bananas, you'll barely taste them. We like to use a really ripe banana for its natural sweetness.
Vegan Nutella is key to get that incredibly delicious chocolatey and nutty taste. We like to use vegan chocolate spreads with a high nut content, relatively low amounts of sugar and little to no added oil. Our favorite store-bought brands are Artisana and Justin's. If you need to keep it nut-free, we recommend this sunflower-based spread. But any chocolate spread will work.

You can also make homemade Nutella with only 5 ingredients: combine 1 cup of pure hazelnut butter with 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, ⅓ cup melted dark chocolate, a splash of maple syrup and a pinch of salt.

Cocoa powder intensifies the overall chocolate flavor of the Nutella baked oats.
Plant-based milk brings the oat mixture to the perfect consistency (almost like a cake batter). You can use any nut milk you like. We like unsweetened almond milk, soy milk and oat milk (gluten-free certified if necessary).

Elo's tips

Grease your ramekins well to prevent the batter from sticking to the sides once baked.
Bake the batter in 8-ounce ramekins. We find that they have the perfect size to prevent the batter from overflowing in the oven.
Add some extra chocolate chunks to make it even more indulgent.
Top off your oats with some coarse sea salt if you like the combination of chocolate and salt in baked goods (if you do, you may also like these oat flour chocolate chip cookies).
Bake the oats in muffins tins for a quick grab-and-go breakfast. The muffins are perfect for busier mornings and can easily be stored in the freezer, too.

Step-by-step (with pictures)

STEP 1: Add dry ingredients to a blender or food processor. Small blenders such as the Nutribullet work great, too.

STEP 2: Blend the dry ingredients until a fine powder forms. Make sure the oats are well-blended.

STEP 3: Add the wet ingredients to the blender. Pour in the plant-based milk at the very end.

STEP 4: Blend until creamy. Make sure the mixture is perfectly smooth to obtain fluffy, cake-like baked oats.

STEP 5: Transfer the mixture to ramekins. Grease them with a little coconut oil or cooking spray. Pour a little bit of batter into each prepared ramekin. Add a teaspoon of Nutella (or peanut butter) in the middle for a gooey center.

STEP 6: Bake. Divide the rest of the batter equally between the two ramekins. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 22-25 minutes.

Check the doneness of the baked oatmeal with a toothpick or a clean knife. If it comes out clean, the oats are done. If not, bake them for 3 more minutes in the oven and 30 more seconds in the microwave.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to blend oats for baked oats?

For this recipe, it's preferable to blend the oat to obtain a fluffy, cake-like texture. You can however use oat flour and combine everything in a bowl.

How to store baked oats?

Once they have cooled down, you can store them in the fridge for 2 days covered in plastic wrap (or a sustainable alternative). After that, they will have a drier texture.

Can you make baked oats ahead of time?

You can make the baked oats batter (without the banana) up to 3 days ahead of time. Stir in the mashed banana right before baking to prevent the batter from turning brown.