This quick-and-easy Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal is perfect for a cozy breakfast or healthy snack throughout the week. It’s great for meal prep and a delicious way to use up those too-ripe bananas. This freezer-friendly recipe is one that everyone will enjoy. It’s a good idea to double the recipe and freeze half for an easy breakfast or snack option down the road.
An Easy Breakfast that everyone will love
Buying an extra bunch of bananas is always a good idea. Having overripe bananas on hand leads to so many possibilities. In fact, we have an entire blog post on delicious ways to use overripe bananas featuring 12 easy recipes, one of which is this Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal. This baked oatmeal can be served warm or cold and is so good topped with a drizzle of peanut butter. For a boost of protein, we recommend adding Greek yogurt (as a side or as a topping) or a couple homemade turkey sausage patties to the meal. The result is a delicious breakfast that is sure to satisfy.
Chocolate Chip Banana Baked Oatmeal Ingredients
You can change up the ingredients with what you have on hand. Really, the only ingredients you need for the base of this recipe are oats, milk, overripe bananas and an egg (or egg substitute). Beyond that, you can make this recipe your own by adding what you have on hand. For example, don’t have walnuts? Try chopped pecans or omit the nuts altogether. No chocolate chips? Add blueberries or raisins instead. Here’s what to gather:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – if gluten-free is needed, use certified gluten-free oats.
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Egg – for egg-free, mix 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl- let set for 5-10 minutes before using in place of the eggs in this recipe
- Overripe bananas – you’ll need 3 medium size ripe or overripe bananas
- Milk of choice – use non-dairy milk of choice to make dairy-free
- Pure vanilla extract
- Walnuts – may sub any nut of choice or omit for nut-free
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – use diary-free chocolate chips to make it dairy-free
How to make Chocolate Chip Banana Baked Oatmeal
This recipe is so easy. It’s made all in one bowl, in fact you could even combine all of the ingredients right in the baking dish, if you’d like. This one is as easy as add, stir, and bake. Now you’re starting to see why we loved baked oatmeal so much! Here are the quick steps to make this banana baked oatmeal with chocolate chips:
- Preheat the oven and prep the dish: Get started by preheating an oven to 375ºF and greasing a square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, oil, or butter.
- Mix the ingredients: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl (or the baking dish) and stir well. Then transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with extra walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Bake the oatmeal: Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is cooked through. Then remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Top and serve: Top servings with peanut butter, banana slices, chopped walnuts, cinnamon and/or yogurt, if desired.
Scroll down for the printable recipe card, including ingredient amounts, complete directions, and full nutrition analysis (which includes calories, carbs, grams of fiber, grams of protein, minerals, and more).
Banana Baked Oatmeal: Recipe substitutions and Simple Swaps
One of the winning qualities of this recipe is its versatility. You can easily change up the ingredients with what you have on hand, what sounds good to you, or to accommodate for any food allergies and/or sensitivities in your home. Our goal is to make every recipe work for you and those you are serving.
Gluten-Free
Oats are naturally gluten-free but there’s always a small chance of cross-contamination during the processing of oats. So if you’re highly sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, we recommend using certified gluten-free oats.
Dairy-Free
To make this recipe dairy-free, use a non-dairy milk such as almond milk and dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life brand.
Egg-Free
To make this recipe egg-free, mix 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water in a small – let set for 5-10 minutes to thicken before using.
Nut-Free
To make this baked oatmeal but-free simply omit the walnuts.
Vegan
For 100% plant-based or vegan, follow the dairy-free and egg-free suggestions above.
Make this baked oatmeal your own with simple swaps
Here are a few suggestions for simple swaps and additions you can make to this easy baked oatmeal recipe:
- For the chocolate chips – sub raisin, dried cranberries, dried apricots, or any other dried fruit. Fresh or frozen blueberries would also be delicious
- For the walnuts – try pecans, almonds, or a mix of your favorite nuts
- For a pumpkin flavor – use pumpkin puree instead of bananas and pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon (or try this perfectly pumpkin baked oatmeal)
- For even more flavor, add toppings – great topping suggestions include a drizzle or dollop of nut butter, sliced banana or other fruit, a spoonful of yogurt, a drizzle of milk, whipped topping, maple syrup, honey, chopped nuts, and/or a few extra chocolate chips
- For a nutritious boost – add a little flax meal, chia seeds, hemp hearts, or coconut flakes
- For a protein boost – replace a ½ cup of the oats with a ½ cup of your favorite protein powder. Click here for our favorite plant based protein powders or click here for our favorite whey protein powders
Banana Baked Oatmeal is Perfect for meal prep!
Add Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal to your weekend meal prep menu and enjoy it throughout the week, warm or cold. A classic bowl of oatmeal is pretty tasty, but the convenience of having it already made and ready for eating, is quite nice. To meal prep this recipe, simply follow the recipe as written. Once out of the oven and cooled, store the oatmeal bake in the refrigerator, and enjoy it throughout the week.
How to store Banana Chocolate chip Baked Oatmeal
You can store baked oatmeal in the refrigerator or freezer.
- In the refrigerator – after the baked oatmeal has cooled, cover the baking dish or transfer the baked oatmeal to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- In the freezer – after the baked oatmeal has cooled, cut the baked oatmeal into individual portions, transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritious ingredients in This Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
When you keep Baked Oatmeal on hand, you’ll always have an easy, delicious, and healthy breakfast or snack option within reach. Here are some stand-out ingredients in this recipe:
- Oats – the oats contain a great soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, which has been shown to reduce LDL and total cholesterol, keep your gut microbiome healthy, and help balance blood sugar
- Banana – known for being a great source of potassium (important for heart-health), bananas also provide a good amount of fiber and antioxidants
- Egg – this healthy ingredient gives you high-quality protein, healthy fats, iron, and two eye-health ingredients, lutein and zeaxanthin
- Walnuts – a plant-based powerhouse, walnuts are tasty, easy to source, and being packed with fiber, healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids), and antioxidants you’ll be fueling your brain and heart in a healthy way
- Cinnamon – a fragrant spice, cinnamon is a good source of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, is may improve gut health
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Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
A satisfying warm breakfast that is perfect for a healthy start to the day. Leftovers reheat beautifully (or can be eaten chilled) for easy breakfasts and healthy snack options throughout the week.
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 large egg (for egg-free sub 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water – let set for 5–10 minutes)
- 3 medium bananas (ripe/brown), mashed
- 1 ¾ cups milk of choice (use non-dairy milk for dairy-free and/or vegan)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts (omit for nut-free)
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease a 9×9 baking dish and set aside.
- In a bowl (or the prepared baking dish) combine all of the ingredients. Stir until well combined.
- Transfer batter to baking dish (if mixed in a bowl). Top with a few extra walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until center is cooked through.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Serve topped with organic natural peanut butter, banana slices, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and/or yogurt, if desired
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Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/9 of recipe
- Calories: 195
- Fat: 6 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 226 mg
- Carbohydrate: 28 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 8 g)
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Dietary
The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Kara says
Quick and easy! My little kids love it. I subbed raisins for chocolate chips. Added in chia seeds, hemp hearts, and topped with pepitas. I like to eat mine warm with peanut butter and a drizzle of honey. Next time I’m going to try adding unflavored collagen for a little protein boost.
norma says
yummy
Stacie Hassing says
Thanks Norma! We appreciate the 5-star review!
Kim says
Kathy says
This is absolutely delicious! I subbed in the protein powder for a 1/2 cup of the oatmeal. Very moist.
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome Kathy! Thanks for the feedback and 5-star review!
Cherie says
Can I put in dark chocolate chips instead of semisweet? I like it better.
Stacie Hassing says
Should work just fine Cherie! Enjoy!