Baked Oats With No Banana

Baked oats with no banana is a filling and hearty breakfast that's incredibly easy to make. The warm cinnamon paired with the tart blackberry flavor is perfection in every bite. These baked oats without banana are perfect for oatmeal lovers and can easily be adapted to various tastes.

Banana is a standard ingredient in many baked oats recipes, but for those with allergies or dietary restrictions, it can be difficult to find recipes that don't rely on them for texture and taste. Whether you can't eat bananas or simply don't hand any on hand, this simple baked oatmeal recipe is perfect for your weekly rotation. Baked oats taste amazing by themselves but can be made into an incredibly filling meal alongside homemade Greek yogurt.

This recipe is perfect for berry picking season because it allows you to take full advantage of seasonal produce in a delicious way. If you're a meal prepper, you can easily make a few batches and enjoy it all week long. Baked oats can also be made in a variety of flavors so you'll never get bored. My chocolate baked oats recipe is decadent and dessert-like. If you're cooking for just one, my perfectly portioned baked oatmeal for one is the perfect single-serving breakfast for you.

What are baked oats?

Baked oats are an easy breakfast dish where you combine all the ingredients for your morning oatmeal and bake it rather than make it on the stovetop. When you bake the oats instead of making them on the stove, they become dense and similar to a soft breakfast bar. You can choose to make fully blended oats for a cake-like texture, or you can keep them more traditional and simply mix together for a textured and satisfying meal.

What can I add to oatmeal if I don't have fruit?

If you don't have any fresh fruit on hand, no worries! You can definitely use frozen berries if you wish or completely leave them out. They do add lots of great flavor but if you're in need of a filling breakfast, don't skip the recipe just because you're short on fruit, it will still turn out great!

In place of the fruit, you can top it with nut butter, add a few chocolate chips or even add some chopped nuts.

Why You'll Love It

Budget Friendly- Rolled oats are an excellent staple to have on hand for a low cost breakfast. They can be purchased in bulk to save even more. Plus, they can be used in so many ways. Make an easy crumble topping or even blend it up to use as oat flour for crispy homemade waffles.

Versatile- You can add spices, mix-ins and toppings to make your oatmeal fit your tastes. Blends of spices can add a seasonal flair to your dish, and it's a great way to use up extra fruit and nuts so they don't go to waste.

Simple- This recipe is made with ease in mind, and you'll find yourself coming back to it over and over again. The ingredients are simple, the process is quick, and you'll be well on your way to enjoying a warm slice in no time.

Ingredients

Old fashioned rolled oats- These provide the perfect texture for your baked oatmeal. Instant and quick oats are made of much smaller pieces and will overcook quickly and become gummy. Steel-cut oats are also not to be used for this recipe because they will not cook properly.

Cinnamon- Spices such as cinnamon can add a delicious smell and warmth to baked oatmeal. A sprinkle of nutmeg tastes wonderful too.

Baking soda- Using a leavening agent is important because it will give your baked oats a bit of rise and prevent them from becoming too dense. Baking soda and baking powder are excellent choices for this. While it won't rise like a cake would, it does get a small lift that makes a big difference.

Salt- Salt is like a magic ingredient when it comes to oats. It truly awakens their natural flavors and balances the sweetness.

Chia Seeds- Chia seeds are small seeds that pack a lot punch and even help with the structure of the baked oatmeal as well.

Almond Milk- Unsweetened almond milk is a great option for baked oatmeal because it provides a more flavorful liquid than milk and doesn't contain excess sugar. Feel free to use your favorite milk in this recipe, such as soy milk, coconut milk, cow milk, or even oat milk.

Eggs-Eggs add richness and act as a binder.

Pure Maple Syrup- As an alternative to granulated sugar, maple syrup is a tasty way to sweeten your oatmeal. Honey or your favorite sweetener can work

Vanilla- Vanilla extract adds subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.

Sliced Almonds- Sliced almonds add a nice crunch to baked oatmeal. Feel free to use your favorite nuts; walnuts and chopped pecans work great too.

Blackberries- Fresh fruit adds sweet flavor and brightens the entire dish. Blackberries are sweet with a bit of tartness that makes them go well with the nutty oat flavors.

How to make baked oats with no banana

There are two simple methods to making these baked oats without bananas. You can use the blender method or a regular mixing method with no equipment needed. In either case, it can be helpful first to collect all your ingredients, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and prepare a 9x9-inch pan or 9-inch pie pan as I used, with cooking spray.

Blender method: This method will give you a smoother texture that you can adjust to your liking. It helps mix the oats and breaks them down a bit into smaller pieces. Blended baked oats result in lighter baked oatmeal because depending on how much you choose to process the oats. The more they're processed, the closer they become to oat flour which will give you a more cake-like result.

1. Place all of the ingredients except the blackberries and the almonds into a blender or food processor. Pulse 5-6 times until all the ingredients are well combined.
2. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking pan and top with berries and nuts. Place into the oven and bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.

No equipment method: This method is more roughly textured. You simply add the ingredients to a large bowl and mix using a whisk. No special equipment is needed. This will result in dense baked oats with more defined pieces.

1. In a medium bowl, mix the oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and chia seeds.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Fold in the blackberries and almonds.
4. Scrape the mixture into our prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days for the best freshness. To reheat the leftovers, simply warm them in the microwave with a splash of milk or water to help rehydrate the oatmeal.

Variations

There are many delicious ingredients you can add to your baked oatmeal to make it suit your tastes. Both mix-ins and toppings can help add great variety while still keeping the same easy base recipe.

• Chocolate- Chocolate chips make an excellent add-in, especially when baking for those with a sweet tooth. Semi-sweet chocolate chips can be added to the oatmeal mixture or melted and drizzled on top.
• Fruit and Vegetable- If you don't have blackberries, any berry will work great. Blueberries, raspberries and even shredded apples taste amazing. You can even add shredded carrots for a carrot cake-style oatmeal.
• Nut Butter- Powdered peanut butter can add an excellent concentrated flavor as well as a few spoonfuls of peanut butter itself. Peanut butter or almond butter can be mixed into the baked oatmeal or used as a topping.

Why are my baked oats not baking?

There could be a few reasons why your oats are not baking as expected. Sometimes oven temperatures can be off slightly and cause your baked oatmeal to require a few more minutes of cooking time. If you have used a different size pan than indicated in the recipe, your mixture may be thicker and require extra time as well.

Why are my baked oats mushy?

Undercooking can often cause mushy oats. It's important to use a binder to achieve the right texture. Often you may see mashed bananas used, but for this banana-free recipe, I've opted for eggs to give the baked oatmeal structure. Without either of these, your oatmeal will come out much softer. Using Instant or Quick oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats can also cause your oats to be mushy.

Expert Tips

• Sweetness and flavor- Oats themselves can be a bit bland, so be sure to add something to sweeten the oats and give them a bit of flavor. Feel free to use your favorite spices and extracts.
• Add some texture with shredded coconut, dried fruit, and chopped nuts.
• Let it cool for a few minutes after baking so that the oatmeal can set.
• Get creative with toppings- Add a drizzle of honey, nut butter, or spoonfuls of fresh fruit to the top of each serving.
• Bake into oatmeal cups by using a muffin tin and reducing the cooking time to 10 minutes.

• Breakfast
• Baked
• Oats