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Bananas and oatmeal; two breakfast favorites combined in one healthy meal. This dish is easy to prepare and sure to please. See how easy it is to make banana bread overnight oats in three different ways.
If you love banana bread, this healthy banana bread oatmeal recipe should definitely be in your morning breakfast rotation!!
What Is Banana Bread Overnight Oatmeal?
Banana bread oatmeal is oatmeal that has been flavored to taste just like banana bread. Only, with the right ingredients, it can be a whole lot healthier. They are typically soaked in milk overnight, making them a no-cook, ready-to-go, breakfast.
Getting That Banana Bread Flavor In Your Oatmeal
This is all about the bananas. While the spices play a big part, the intensity of the banana flavor relies on the bananas you use. The more ripe your banana is, the more intense the flavor will be, just like with banana bread.
What Is The Difference Between Steel Cut Oats, Rolled Oats, And Instant Oats?
Oats are oats. The difference between all of these is how they are cut and processed.
Steel-cut oats are the toughest and least processed of all oats. They are also considered the healthiest.
Rolled oats, also known as traditional or old fashion oats, are literally rolled to flatten the whole oats.
Instant oats, also known as quick-cook oats, have had the healthiest parts of the oat grain removed in order to make them quicker and easier to cook. They are the least healthy of all the different cuts of oats and are what you find in the flavored oatmeal packets.
How To Cook Banana Bread Overnight Oats
You have three options for making this. You can bake it, cook it or make overnight oats. Below are the methods for all three. Take your pick!
What Is Baked Oatmeal?
Baked oatmeal is oatmeal baked in a casserole dish in the oven. It’s a great way to make oatmeal without having to stand at the stove. Plus, you can prep it the night before for convenience.
Can I Use Steel Cut Oats?
You can use steel-cut oats for the stovetop version of this recipe, but not for the overnight version. Steel-cut oats don’t get soft enough to eat by simply soaking them overnight. You’ll want to use rolled (traditional/old fashion) oats for that.
Special Dietary Needs
Gluten-Free – This dish can be made gluten-free by choosing gluten-free ingredients.
Dairy-Free – This can be dairy-free by using dairy alternatives.
Vegan – This can be vegan by using maple syrup, vegan milk, vegan chocolate chips, and flax eggs (for baked oatmeal).
How to Serve Banana Bread Overnight Oats
This is more or less a stand-alone dish. My favorite pairing is a good cup of coffee. It’s much like having coffee and a banana muffin.
Banana Bread Overnight Oats Ingredients
Banana – The riper the bananas are, the more banana flavor they will have. But don’t use blackened bananas as you would for banana bread. That won’t taste good here.
Vanilla extract – Use the real stuff, not vanilla flavoring.
Maple syrup – Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Milk – Any milk will work. Try almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk for plant-based milk.
Old-fashioned oats – It’s important to get this exact type of oats. Another term for them on the packaging would be “Traditional Oats”. Just make sure they are not quick-cooking oats.
Flaxseed – You can substitute with chia seeds if you prefer.
Ground cinnamon – Just cinnamon, not cinnamon sugar.
Salt – Whatever type you normally cook with will work fine here.
Mini chocolate chips – These are optional but tasty.
Pecans – These are optional. You can also use walnuts if you prefer.
Stovetop Ingredients
- 1cuptraditional oats(dry)
- 1tsp.pure vanilla extract
- ½tsp.ground cinnamon
- ¼tsp.ground nutmeg
- 1tbsp.honey– You can use maple syrup as well. Add more to taste if needed)
- 1mediumbanana(brown, OR 2 yellow bananas)
- 2 cups milk– or use the same amount of milk as the water called for on the package of oats. I used unsweetened almond milk. Any non-dairy milk will work here if needed.
- 1 pinch salt – This is very little salt. Just enough to bring out the sweetness of the banana, but not actually make the dish salty.
Optional Ingredients For Stovetop Oats
Add these after cooking, at serving.
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons pecans, chopped
Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal
- 2½ cups dry oats
- 2 cups milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1tsp.pure vanilla extract
- 1tsp.ground cinnamon
- ½tsp.ground nutmeg
- 2tbsp.honey– You can use maple syrup as well. Add more to taste if needed)
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 1 pinch salt
How To Make Overnight Banana Bread Oatmeal
In your overnight jar, add your banana. Smash well with a fork.
To the mashed bananas, add vanilla, maple, and milk. Mix together.
Add your oats, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt. Stir and mix together.
Add your chocolate chips and nuts. Fold in.
Cover with a lid, and place in the fridge overnight. You can choose to garnish with more of the ingredients such as banana slices, pecans, chocolate chips, and/or cinnamon.
Open the jar in the morning and enjoy straight from the jar or transfer to a bowl!
How To Make Stovetop Banana Bread Oatmeal
Begin cooking oats to package directions using milk instead of water. (Use the same amount of milk that the package calls for in water)
To the cooking oats add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
When the oats are done, mash the banana into the oats and stir in the honey.
How To Bake Banana Bread Oatmeal
Whisk together all the wet ingredients. Stir in the dry ingredients and pour everything into an oiled casserole dish. Bake in the oven at 375 F. for 40-50 minutes. Traditional oats work best for this. The casserole dish can be a 9 x 13, or close to that.
How to Store Leftover Banana Bread Overnight Oats
No matter how you cook them, you will want to store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They will last in the fridge for up to three days.
Can You Freeze Oatmeal?
You can freeze the cooked versions. I recommend freezing this in portioned sizes. I like to use muffin tins or Souper Cubes to freeze this. Do not freeze overnight oats.
Recipe Supplies
More Healthy Oatmeal Recipes
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal
- Carrot Cake Oatmeal
- Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal
Banana Bread Overnight Oats Recipe Card
Recipe updated 12/22/21. The original recipe is below the recipe card.
Banana Bread Overnight Oats
The spices here were used with quick cooking oats and are a mild flavor reminiscent of traditional banana bread. If you prefer a stronger flavor or find that using longer cooking oats don’t end up with much flavor, feel free to double up on the banana, spices and honey. You can stir them in at the end to intensify the flavor to your liking.
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Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 241kcal
Ingredients
Overnight Oats Ingredients
- 1 medium banana (brown, OR 2 yellow bananas)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 cup milk (as needed – I used unsweetened almond milk)
- ½ cup traditional oats (dry)
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp. flaxseed
- 1 tbsp. dark chocolate chips (I used Lily's brand)
- 3 tbsp. chopped pecans
Stovetop Ingredients
- 1 cup traditional oats (dry)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp. honey (or more to taste)
- 1 medium brown-ish banana (or 2 yellow bananas)
- 2 cups milk (any kind)
- 1 pinch salt
Add After Cooking Or To Overnight Oats
- 1 tbsp. flaxseed
- 1 tbsp. dark chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp. chopped pecans
Baked Ingredients
- 2½ cups dry oats
- 2 cups milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp. honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 medium bananas
- 1 pinch salt
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Overnight Instructions
In your overnight jar, add your banana. Smash well with a fork.
Add in your vanilla, maple, and milk. Mix together.
Add your oats, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt. Stir and mix together.
Add your chocolate chips and nuts. Fold in.
Cover with a lid, and place in the fridge overnight. You can choose to garnish with more of the ingredients such as banana slices, pecans, chocolate chips, and/or cinnamon.
Open the jar in the morning and enjoy!
Stovetop Instructions
Begin cooking oats to package directions using milk instead of water. (Use the same amount of milk that the package calls for in water)
To the cooking oats add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
When the oats are done, mash the banana into the oats and stir in the honey.
Baked Instructions
Whisk together all the wet ingredients.
Stir in the dry ingredients and pour everything into an oiled casserole dish.
Bake it at 375 F. for 40-50 minutes.
Traditional oats work best for this. The casserole dish can be a 9 x 13, or close to that.
Notes
Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible. Data does not included the milk.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5the recipe | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 5.1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted on 3/24/2012.
Original recipe before update:
Ingredients
- 1cuptraditional oats(dry)
- 1tsp.pure vanilla extract
- 1/2tsp.ground cinnamon
- 1/4tsp.ground nutmeg
- 1tbsp.honey(or to taste at serving)
- 1mediumbanana(brown, OR 2 yellow bananas)
- milk(as needed – I used unsweetened almond milk)
Instructions
- Begin cooking oats to package directions using milk instead of water. (Use the same amount of milk that the package calls for in water)
- To the cooking oats add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
- When the oats are done, mash the banana into the oats and stir in the honey.
