Chunky Monkey Banana Baked Oatmeal

After a week of all things Thanksgiving followed by a week-long cookie party, I thought it was the perfect time to get back to basics with a delicious, easy, meal-prep-able breakfast. CHUNKY MONKEY BANANA BAKED OATMEAL is calling. In all caps, because it’s just that damn good.

This chunky monkey banana baked oatmeal is seriously the best way to wake up in the morning. It’s easy to make, packed with whole grains, healthy fats & protein to keep you satisfied, and it pretty much tastes like your fav banana bread.

Sidney & Viggo loved every last bite (even without chocolate chips) of this so it’s perfect for kiddos, too! Prep this pan of breakfast goodness for the week (it’s freezer-friendly) and add the chocolate chips for good measure. Enjoy!

What is baked oatmeal?

Instead of cooking oats in hot water or milk like traditional oatmeal, we’re adding a few special ingredients and baking it right in the oven. The result is like a delicious mix of tender oatmeal and banana bread – a sweet, yet nutritious, healthy breakfast oatmeal you’ll love.

Baked oatmeal is perfect for meal prep; you can make it ahead of time and place it in the fridge for eating throughout the week, or freeze it for later!

Ingredients you’ll need for banana baked oatmeal

This easy banana bread baked oatmeal recipe uses simple ingredients with delicious mix-ins you’ll love. Here’s what you need to make it:

• Bananas: you’ll need 3 ripe bananas (with lots of brown spots!) to naturally sweeten the baked oatmeal and give it the right texture.
• Eggs: this recipe calls for two eggs to help the baked oatmeal bake up properly. I think flax eggs could work well, but I haven’t tried it. Let me know you do!
• Sweetener: along with the bananas you’ll just need a couple tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
• Baking essentials: you’ll also need vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon & salt.
• Rolled oats: the base of this banana baked oatmeal is made with rolled oats. Feel free to use regular, old fashioned rolled oats or gluten free oats.
• Mix-ins: the delicious, “chunky monkey” flavor comes from unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. Feel free to use dairy free chocolate chips!

Optional recipe swaps

• For the maple syrup: you could also use a couple tablespoons of honey, coconut sugar, or brown sugar.
• For the walnuts: feel free to use pecans or omit the nuts if you’d like.
• For the chocolate chips: you can also leave out the chocolate chips or swap for blueberries or raspberries!

Can I use steel cut oats or quick oats?

I would not recommend using steel cut oats or quick oats in this banana baked oatmeal recipe as the texture will be much different than with regular, rolled oats.

Can I make this banana baked oatmeal vegan?

You can try using a flax egg or two in this recipe, but please know I haven’t tested it so I can’t be certain, although I think it could work well!

How to make banana baked oatmeal

1. Prep your pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×9 inch pan with oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. Mix your wet ingredients. Add all of the wet ingredients to a bowl and whisk them until they’re well combined. Make sure to mash your bananas first though!
3. Add the dry. Add all of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Mix-ins. Fold in the shredded coconut, walnuts & chocolate chips.
5. Bake it! Pour the banana baked oatmeal mixture into your pan and bake it until the edges are slightly golden brown.
6. Top it. Add extra banana slices, chopped walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup! Sometimes I love to serve it with a little warm or cold coconut or almond milk.

Ways to serve baked oatmeal

One of the great things about baked oatmeal is that it’s delicious served many different ways:

• Serve it warm with maple syrup drizzled on top.
• Add a dollop of almond or peanut butter for extra flavor (and a boost of protein!)
• Enjoy warm and pour some milk right over the top just like cereal. The milk becomes like chocolate milk thanks to the chocolate chips!

Storing & reheating tips

• In the fridge: be sure the banana baked oatmeal has completely cooled, and then cover your 9×9 inch pan with tinfoil before transferring it to the refrigerator. It will stay good covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. You can also store individual slices in airtight containers for quick, on-the-go breakfasts.
• In the freezer: once the baked oatmeal has completely cooled, cut it into 6 squares and wrap each square in plastic wrap and tinfoil. When you’re ready to eat it, place the unwrapped frozen square of baked oatmeal on a microwave safe dish and microwave it at 30 second intervals for 1-2 minutes. If you’d like to freeze the entire banana baked oatmeal for later, simply reheat it in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F while it’s covered with tinfoil.

More oatmeal recipes to try

Get all of my oatmeal recipes here!

I hope you love this banana baked oatmeal recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on December 8th, 2020, and republished on December 14th, 2022.