My super easy Baked Oats are a versatile and simple dish that promises to transform your morning routine! Whether you’re a die-hard foodie or just looking to spice up your breakfast recipe options, baked oats offer a hearty, satisfying meal that is also comforting and fuss-free.
What sets my baked oats recipe apart is its incredible flexibility and the sheer joy it brings to the breakfast table. Perfect for those bustling mornings or leisurely weekends, my easy-to-follow recipe ensures you can tailor it to your cravings! You can stick to the simple base recipe for a classic taste or get creative by incorporating various fruits, nuts, and flavours. This means that no two mornings have to be the same, and you can always look forward to a meal that perfectly matches your mood and preferences.
Not only are baked oats delicious and versatile, but they're also packed with nutrition. Oats are a great source of fibre and offer a slow release of energy to keep you going throughout the morning. Combine this with the proteins from added nuts or yoghurt, and you have a balanced meal that supports wellness and energy all morning long!
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Rolled Oats – the foundation of my recipe, rolled oats blend into a perfect, smooth batter giving your baked oats that hearty, comforting texture.
Ripe Banana – an essential ingredient for sweetness and moisture, a very ripe banana makes your baked oats naturally sweet and oh-so-delicious!
Large Egg – it's all about the fluffiness and keeping things together. The egg is the binding agent that adds richness and structure to your baked oats.
Maple Syrup or Honey – drizzle in some maple syrup or honey for a subtle sweetness that perfectly complements the natural flavours of the other ingredients.
Baking Powder – my secret to making those oats rise and become wonderfully fluffy! A dash of baking powder goes a long way in achieving that cake-like texture.
Salt – just a pinch is all it takes to enhance the flavour and bring out the sweetness in your delightful baked oats breakfast.
How to Make Baked Oats
1. Get things started by heating your oven to 180°C/350°F. If you have a fan oven, set it to 160°C/320°F. Grab your blender and toss in the rolled oats. Give them a pulse or two until they start to look a bit like flour - this means they’re just right.
2. Add in the ripe banana, egg, a sprinkle of baking powder, and a touch of salt into the blender with the oats.
3. Add your choice of maple syrup or honey, then blend once more to mix everything up until it’s nice and smooth. You might need to stop and give the sides of the blender a scrape to make sure everything is mixed well.
4. Then, take a small ramekin (240ml in size, about 8 ounces) and give it a quick grease to make sure your baked oats don’t stick. Pour the batter into your greased ramekin. If you want to jazz it up with some flavours, have a peek at the notes section! Bake for about 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when it’s puffed up a bit and a cake tester (or a toothpick) comes out mostly clean. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before you dig in.
Substitutions And Flavour Alternatives
You can add various ingredients to change the flavour of the oats! Try stirring a small handful of fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, diced apples, and strawberries, or other mix-ins, like coconut, chopped nuts, and chocolate chips, into the blended oats.
- For chocolate: Add 1 tablespoon of natural cocoa powder to the blender with the banana. Stir 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips into the blended batter.
- For Carrot Cake: Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon to the blender. Stir ¼ cup grated carrots and a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts into the blended batter.
- For PB&J: Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter to the blender with the banana. Dollop a spoonful of strawberry jam on top of the blended batter in the ramekin and swirl it.
- For Blueberry Lemon: Add the zest of ½ lemon to the blender with the banana. Stir in a small handful of fresh or frozen blueberries into the blended batter.
Can You Use Oat Flour Instead Of Rolled Oats?
If you have oat flour, you can easily substitute it for rolled oats in this recipe. Just use the same weight, which is 60g of oat flour, and add all your ingredients to the blender at once, bypassing the initial step of blitzing the oats. This little shortcut doesn't just save you time, it also makes your baking process even more straightforward.
Can I Bake This In A Larger Baking Tin?
If you want to serve a crowd or batch bake, you can bake this delightful oats recipe in a larger baking dish. For a 20cm square or round baking dish, multiply the ingredients by 4-6 times, depending on your desired depth.
Remember, the baking time will need to be adjusted accordingly. Start checking for doneness at 25 minutes, but it may take up to 35 minutes or more.
Could This Be Made In Muffin Tins?
Turning this baked oats recipe into a grab-and-go breakfast is super easy using muffin tins! This method is perfect for those mornings when you're in a rush or prefer something portable.
Just divide the batter evenly between greased muffin cups, bake, and voila—you’ve got yourself a delicious, nutritious snack ready to accompany you on any adventure. One batch of this recipe perfectly fills two muffin cups. If you want to bake a bigger batch at one time, you can multiply the recipe by however many servings you’d like. I often do the recipe three or four times and refrigerate or freeze the muffin-sized baked oats for later.
Can Baked Oats Be Reheated?
Baked oats can be reheated and are just as delicious the second time! If you have leftovers, simply place them in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds or until they're warm throughout.
Another great method is to pop them back in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5-10 minutes. This warms them up and can restore some of that fresh-from-the-oven crispness on the top layer.
Pro Tips for Making Baked Oats
- Don't Overmix the Batter: When making muffins, you want the batter to be mixed until just combined. Overmixing can lead to rubbery oats instead of a soft, cake-like texture.
- Use Ripe Bananas: The riper your bananas, the sweeter your baked oats will be. This natural sweetness allows you to cut down on added sugars. If the banana is a little small or dry, add some milk or non-dairy milk to boost the moisture levels.
- Experiment with Toppings: Before serving, add a dollop of Greek yoghurt, a drizzle of peanut butter, or a sprinkle of your favourite nuts and seeds for added texture and nutritional value.
- Adjust Sweetness: You can adjust the amount of maple syrup or honey depending on your preference. I like to start with less; you can always drizzle more on top if needed. If you want to leave out the maple syrup entirely, use an equal amount of milk in its place to accommodate for the needed moisture in the recipe.
- Use Silicon Muffin Cups: If you're baking these in muffin tins for an on-the-go breakfast, silicone cups make removal a breeze and clean-up even more effortless.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, steel-cut oats are not suitable for this recipe. Steel-cut oats don't blend as smoothly as rolled oats and require a much longer cooking time to become tender. This recipe is designed explicitly for rolled oats' texture and cooking time to achieve the perfect, cake-like baked oats we all love. For the best results, stick to using rolled oats or oat flour as suggested!
Prepping your baked oats in advance is a fantastic way to save time during busy mornings. You can fully prepare and bake the oats, then cover or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
When ready to enjoy, simply reheat them in the microwave or oven for a quick, satisfying breakfast. Plus, this make-ahead method makes it easy to enjoy a warm, comforting meal without waiting.
You can freeze the baked oats! After letting them cool completely, wrap each serving tightly in cling film, then place them in a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container. The baked oats can be frozen for up to 3 months. When freezing, I like to make a bigger batch and bake them in muffin cups or a larger baking pan and cut each serving into squares.
When you're ready to enjoy, there's no need to thaw; simply unwrap a serving and microwave it for about 1-2 minutes or until heated. This makes for a wonderfully convenient and quick breakfast option, ensuring you always have a healthy and tasty start to your day at hand.
If you’ve tried this Baked Oats recipe, don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Baked Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- 60 grams rolled oats
- 1 ripe banana peeled (very ripe is best)
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C /160°C fan (350°F). Lightly grease 1 ramekin (8-ounce/240ml capacity).
- Place the oats in a blender and blitz a few times until the oats start to break down and become floury. Add the banana, egg, maple or honey, baking powder, and salt. Blitz again until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Stop and scrape down the blender container as needed. Pour the batter into the ramekin. (see Notes for flavors!)
- Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are okay). Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don't Overmix the Batter: When making muffins, you want the batter to be mixed until just combined. Overmixing can lead to rubbery oats instead of a soft, cake-like texture.
- Use Ripe Bananas: The riper your bananas, the sweeter your baked oats will be. This natural sweetness allows you to cut down on added sugars. If the banana is a little small or dry, add some milk or non-dairy milk to boost the moisture levels.
- Experiment with Toppings: Before serving, add a dollop of Greek yoghurt, a drizzle of peanut butter, or a sprinkle of your favourite nuts and seeds for added texture and nutritional value.
- Adjust Sweetness: You can adjust the amount of maple syrup or honey depending on your preference. I like to start with less; you can always drizzle more on top if needed. If you want to leave out the maple syrup entirely, use an equal amount of milk in its place to accommodate for the needed moisture in the recipe.
- Use Silicon Muffin Cups: If you're baking these in muffin tins for an on-the-go breakfast, silicone cups make removal a breeze and clean-up even more effortless.
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