Recipe: Banana Baked Oatmeal
Like many, I’ve eaten hundreds of bowls of oatmeal. Rugged, rustic, and homey, it’s often accused — by its detractors — of being akin to pale porridge or gruel. (Enter the unromantic images of the 19th-century London workhouses and orphanages of Dickensian novels such as “Oliver Twist,” with the famous line: “Please, sir, I want some more!”) But a delicious baked oatmeal recipe can change all that.
Complete with comforting flavors and aromas from oats, nuts, spices, sweet bananas, and berries, this banana baked oatmeal recipe is nutritious and filling in all the right ways. This recipe not only keeps beautifully (simply cut off and reheat pieces), but it also can be made ahead of time for a celebratory breakfast or brunch.
My most well-loved and widely shared version routinely delights even non-oatmeal breakfasters. In this recipe, I’ve used toasted pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts. And be sure to use rolled oats, not instant oats. That is my only word of caution.
Although optional, the blueberry topping with zested Meyer lemon adds a welcome tang to the dish. Some may even choose to dress it up with golden raisins and a drizzle of half-and-half. For an extra special version, use coconut milk.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans (or other nuts), chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain salt
- 2 cups milk (or any combination of soy, oat, and/or coconut milk)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries or mixed berries
- 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest (optional)
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter the inside of a square (preferably glass) 8-inch baking dish.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 3
In a second bowl, whisk the milk, maple syrup, egg, butter or oil, and vanilla.
Step 4
If using Meyer lemon, toss the berries with the citrus zest and set aside.
Step 5
Create a single layer of bananas on the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle about two-thirds of the berries over it. Cover with the oat mixture. Drizzle with the milk mixture. Jiggle the pan to let the milk sink in. Finally, scatter the remaining berries and nuts over the top. Optionally, sprinkle with shredded coconut.
Step 6
Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is golden and oats are set. Let cool for a few minutes.
Whether you prefer them for breakfast or dessert, oats prove yet again to be incredibly versatile and delicious.
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