Double Chocolate Banana Baked Protein Oatmeal is a chocolate-infused version of classic oatmeal in sliceable form. If you love a morning bowl of oatmeal, baked protein oats is a great recipe for meal prep as it can be made in advance and stored in single-serve portions.
Follow me on this scintillating breakfast journey, where we combine traditional oatmeal with banana bread and fudge brownie vibes with a burst of protein to balance it all out.
Baked oatmeal has been one of my favorite ways to enjoy my morning oatmeal ever since I shared my Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal recipe back in 2013.
Over the years, I have shared numerous renditions of baked oatmeal, with no flavor left behind.
Inspired by classic banana bread, delicious brownies, and a cozy bowl of oatmeal, we’re bringing together three delightful favorites in this double chocolate banana baked protein oatmeal recipe.
One of the best parts? We’re getting a dose of protein to bring a little balance to these chocolate oats.
If you’re new to baked oats, here’s the general concept. We mix up delicious ingredients in a mixing bowl, pour it into a casserole dish and bake it. The end result is a sliceable consistency, with a texture similar to very dense cake.
If you’re looking for a sweeter treat with a breakfast bar texture, make my Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars.
Because I love sweet treats that aren’t overly high in sugar, I typically employ baked oatmeal recipes like this as a healthier dessert rather than breakfast.
This chocolate version of baked oats quenches my chocolate craving while providing some added health benefits.
Each slice contains 13 grams of protein, which is just great if you’re enjoying it as a snack. For a high protein breakfast, enjoy two slices or add some lean animal protein (like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken or tuna) to the side to get what I consider to be adequate protein for one meal.
Let’s chat about the simple ingredients for this easy chocolate baked protein oatmeal recipe. The full ingredient list with all of the measurements is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredients for Double Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal:
Quick Oats: The star of the show! Quick cooking oats are the backbone of this dreamy baked oatmeal recipe. You can use quick cooking oats, rolled oats, instant oats or old-fashioned oats.
If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.
Ripe Bananas: Overripe bananas bring that familiar banana bread flavor and natural sweetness to the chocolate baked oats.
Be sure to use bananas that have plenty of brown spots for the best results because they will taste sweeter and more banana-forward than unripe bananas. You will be able to taste the banana flavor.
Eggs: A couple of eggs helps the baked oatmeal rise so that it has a fluffy texture.
Use two flax eggs for a vegan option. To do so, mix 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Allow this mixture to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until a beaten egg-like consistency forms.
Unsweetened Almond Butter: Adding almond butter (or your favorite nut butter) adds healthy fats and a little fiber to the recipe.
It also brings richness so that the oats have great flavor. Use peanut butter or cashew butter if you’d prefer.
Milk of Choice: Pick your favorite milk. It is used to hydrate the oats to bring moisture. I use oat milk, but regular cow’s milk, cashew milk, soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk all work.
Pure Maple Syrup: Used to enhance the sweetness of the oats because the bananas can’t do it all alone.
If you make the recipe without the chocolate chips, I recommend adding a little additional pure maple syrup or brown sugar, as the recipe isn’t very sweet without the chocolate chips.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: A portion of the chocolate flavor comes from unsweetened cocoa powder.
I don’t recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder because it has a bitter flavor that will need to be offset with additional sweetener.
I prefer using raw cacao powder because it has a creamier, less bitter flavor than regular cocoa powder.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Bringing some warm flavor to the baked oats, a splash of vanilla is delicious here. If you don’t typically keep vanilla extract on hand, you can omit it and the baked oats will still taste great.
Protein Powder: Bringing a boost of protein to this easy breakfast recipe, add your favorite kind of protein powder. You will be able to taste the protein powder, so pick one you really enjoy.
I use unflavored, unsweetened goat whey protein powder. Vanilla protein powder or chocolate protein powder are great options.
Chocolate Chips: The majority of the rich chocolate flavor comes from the chocolate chips! The chocolate chips also bring fudgy texture to the baked oatmeal for a sort of fudge brownie oatmeal appeal.
I use semisweet chocolate chips but you can use dark chocolate chips, sugar-free chocolate chips, vegan chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips. Peanut butter chips and butterscotch chips are great options too.
Baking Powder: The leavening agent here, baking powder helps the recipe rise and also ensures the individual portions hold together nicely when sliced.
Ground Cinnamon and Sea Salt: While cinnamon is optional, I love that it brings that warmly-spiced flavor. Be sure to include the sea salt, as it enhances the chocolate flavors and makes the recipe taste sweeter without the need for added sugar.
There are many ways you can customize this recipe to make it fit your palate and your dietary needs.
Recipe Adaptations:
- To add more protein to the recipe, add ½ cup of egg whites and use only 1/2 cup of milk
- Omit the protein powder and reduce the amount of milk to ½ cup.
- Add 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds, flax seeds or chia seeds for some added omega 3 fatty acids.
- Mix in ⅔ cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans for some nutty texture.
- To reduce the amount of fat in the recipe, you can omit the almond butter. Just note that the oats won’t taste as rich with this omission.
- Instead of ripe banana, use 1 and 1/4 cups of unsweetened apple sauce.
- For an egg-free vegan baked oatmeal, replace the eggs with two flax eggs or your favorite egg replacer. Use vegan protein powder such as hemp protein or pea protein if you’d like.
- For cake-like texture, use oat flour instead of oats or blend everything in a blender to make a smooth batter.
Now that we’re familiar with the healthy ingredients, let’s bake some oatmeal, shall we?
How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 13” x 9” baking pan or a 9″ x 9″ square pan with cooking spray.
As an alternative, line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal. This is what I do.
Mash the bananas in a large bowl until they are nice and creamy.
Add the eggs, oat milk (or milk of choice), almond butter, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the mashed bananas and mix the wet ingredients together until they are well combined.
If your almond butter is chilled from sitting in the refrigerator, microwave it for 20-35 seconds before mixing it into the other ingredients so that it stirs very easily. This will ensure it mixes with the other wet ingredients without clumping.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the oats, protein powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt.
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a smooth batter forms.
If you’re adding chocolate chips, do so now.
Pour the chocolate banana oatmeal mixture into the baking pan. If desired, sprinkle the top with chocolate chips.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 35 to 42 minutes, or until the oatmeal is cooked through.
To verify whether or not the oatmeal is done, you can insert a digital thermometer into the center of the baked oats to check the internal temperature. It is ready if it is 190 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Allow the chocolate baked oatmeal to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. The hardest part about this recipe is staying patient to cut the oatmeal, but it is easier to slice and holds together better if it is sliced when cooled.
Enjoy it with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt for a complete meal.
For cakey texture or a healthy chocolate cake recipe, simply blend all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender for 60 to 90 seconds or until a smooth cake-like batter forms.
Can I Turn This Recipe Into Muffins?
If you’re into muffins, no sweat! Turn this recipe into chocolate banana oatmeal muffins similar to my Banana Baked Oatmeal Muffins recipe!
Simply bake the batter in a muffin tray for 22 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to Store Baked Oatmeal:
Wrap the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
You can also store the individual slices in an airtight container or separate meal prep containers.
For my fellow meal preppers, whip up baked protein oats on repeat to enjoy with breakfast or as a healthy snack.
The next time you’re looking for a delicious oatmeal bake for a healthy breakfast, whip up this game changer.
The complete nutrition information for this protein-baked oats recipe in the recipe card below under nutrition facts.
If you enjoy healthy oatmeal recipes, also try out these reader favorites.
More Healthy Recipes with Oats:
- 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Banana Blended Baked Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Healthy Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- Vanilla Chai Overnight Oats
Protein oats that taste like banana bread and brownies gave each other a special hug? Let’s do this!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened oat milk , or milk of choice
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond butter , or nut butter of choice
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten-free quick oats, or rolled oats
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup protein powder*
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 13” x 9” baking pan or a 9″ x 9″ square pan with cooking spray. As an alternative, line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal. This is what I do.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl until they are nice and creamy.
- Add the eggs, oat milk (or milk of choice), almond butter, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the mashed bananas and mix the wet ingredients together until they are well combined. If your almond butter is chilled from sitting in the refrigerator, microwave it for 20-35 seconds before mixing it into the other ingredients so that it stirs very easily. This will ensure it mixes with the other wet ingredients without clumping.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the oats, protein powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a smooth batter forms. Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the chocolate banana oatmeal mixture into the baking pan. If desired, sprinkle the top with extra chocolate chips.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 35 to 42 minutes, or until the oatmeal is cooked through.
- To verify whether or not the oatmeal is done, you can insert a digital thermometer into the center of the baked oats to check the internal temperature. It is ready if it is 190 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
- Allow the chocolate baked oatmeal to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. The hardest part about this recipe is staying patient to cut the oatmeal, but it is easier to slice and holds together better if it is sliced when cooled.
- Enjoy it with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt for a complete meal.
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.