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About This Recipe
Looking for a breakfast that’s both indulgent and nutritious? This Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal is the perfect excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast! This healthy treat is full of creamy peanut butter, ripe banana, and rich chocolate oats. It’s baked to golden perfection and is a warm, comforting dish that’s ideal for busy mornings, meal prep, or even a satisfying snack.
Packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, this sweet treat will fuel your day and satisfy your sweet tooth! Enjoy this chocolate peanut butter combo as is or add some fresh fruit and yogurt for extra protein and fiber!
If you’re looking for more of my favorite breakfasts try my single serving baked oatmeal, blueberry muffin baked oatmeal, or my baked zucchini oatmeal with nutella spread!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
- One bowl: Made with simple ingredients in one bowl for easy prep and cleanup!
- Meal prep: I love prepping this oatmeal bake for busy mornings! Delicious served warmed or chilled all week!
- Freezer friendly: Easy to stash in the freezer for busy weeks. Freezes for up to 3 months!
- High fiber: This delicious baked oatmeal is packed with fiber, healthy fats and protein!
- Naturally sweetened: Perfect for a healthy breakfast that taste like dessert full of some of my favorite flavors!
- Peanut butter: or any nut butter of choice! I like to use a natural peanut butter where the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. You can also sub for almond butter or cashew butter if you prefer. Or use sunflower butter if you have a nut allergy.
- Chocolate chips: semi-sweet chocolate works best for this one! (I think dark chocolate is a little too bitter and milk is a little too sweet) but feel free to use your preference. You could also use chopped chocolate.
- Overripe banana: make sure to use bananas that have some brown spots! Using an overripe banana is going to make this oatmeal taste the yummiest! As bananas ripen, they get sweeter and more flavorful (making sweeter and more flavorful baked oats!) If you’re bananas aren’t ripe enough yet, you can ripen them in the oven.
- Honey: or any other sweetener of choice. I loved the combination of honey with the banana and peanut butter but you could also sub for pure maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener.
- Milk: any choice of milk works! Use whole milk, 2% or skim milk. You can also use almond milk, oat milk, etc. Use dairy-free milk if needed.
- Oats: I really love the texture the old-fashioned rolled oats give this recipe! You can use quick oats but note that it won’t be the same texture. I would not recommend using steel cut oats for this recipe. Just make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- Cocoa powder: I used regular unsweetened cocoa powder, like Hershey’s, here.
- Collagen peptides: I like to add collagen peptides as an unflavored protein powder to increase the protein and also the benefits of collagen. You could also sub for regular protein powder if you prefer (I’d try a vanilla or chocolate – code Laurenfitfoodie to save) or omit completely.
- Baking essentials: vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Up the protein: Add 1 or 2 eggs to the batter, use dairy milk (instead of almond milk)
- Add a peanut butter swirl: Add 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter to the top of the batter. Swirl with a toothpick or butter knife.
- Nuts: Adding nuts adds a delicious crunch element. I love baked oats with chopped walnuts, pecans and slivered almonds
- Make vegan: use non-dairy chocolate chips (like Enjoy Life) and use pure maple syrup in place of honey
- Gluten-free as written (just make sure to use gluten-free certified oats)
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 7×11-inch (or 8×8) dish with nonstick spray. Add the peanut butter to a large pyrex or heat-safe bowl with the chocolate chips. Microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between until chocolate is melted.
2. Mix in the mashed banana, honey, milk and vanilla.
3. Add the oats, cocoa powder, collagen peptides (if using), baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. Mix until well combined.
5. Pour into a greased dish. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top.
6. Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven. Let cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing (this gives it time to set). Enjoy warm or chilled!
To store: keep stored in the fridge, covered or in an airtight container for up to a week. You can enjoy this recipe cold the next day or if you prefer reheated, pop in the microwave for 30-60 seconds (or until heated through).
To freeze: cut oatmeal bake into individual portions and wrap each one in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store in a Ziploc bag with all the air removed. The bars will stay fresh in freezer for up to 3 months.
Ways To Enjoy
- Heat and serve – the melted chocolate chips make it feel like dessert!
- Enjoy chilled with some vanilla greek yogurt and fresh berries (frozen work too!)
- Enjoy (warm or chilled) topped with a drizzle of peanut butter and sliced banana
What type of oats work best for this delicious breakfast recipe?
I prefer using old fashioned oats for this baked oats recipe. You can use quick-cooking oats for this recipe but the texture will be slightly different. If you use old-fashioned rolled oats, it will be a little nuttier and heartier and a little fluffier, cake-like texture if you use quick oats. Both will work fine and it’s just up to your preference. I would not use steel-cut oats for this recipe.
What type of cocoa powder should I use for this peanut butter chocolate oatmeal recipe?
For this recipe I used regular unsweetened cocoa powder (like Hershey’s). I feel like the combination of cocoa powder, banana and peanut butter creates a really balanced flavor for this oatmeal bake. If you prefer a darker chocolate flavor you could use special dark cocoa powder. Black cocoa powder (or dutch processed cocoa powder) has more of a cookies and cream chocolate flavor that I feel like may be a little too dark for this baked oatmeal recipe but give if you give it a shot let me know how it turns out!
Can I prep this chocolate oatmeal bake in advance?
You sure can, in fact there’s a ton of health benefits that come from soaking oats! Prep all the way through step 4, transferring the oat mixture to the prepared baking dish, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. When ready to bake, let baking dish sit out at room temperature while you preheat the oven. Bake as directed (you may increase the baking time 1-2 minutes if dish was still cold).
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (120g)
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (40g) + 2 Tbsp (20g) for topping
- 1 cup overripe mashed banana (240g) ~2 medium
- 2 Tbsp honey (42g)
- 3/4 cup any milk (180g) I used almond
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups old fashioned oats (144g)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (20g)
- 1/4 cup collagen peptides (30g) optional
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 7×11-inch (or 8×8) dish with nonstick spray.
- Add the peanut butter to a large pyrex or heat-safe bowl with the chocolate chips. Microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between until chocolate is melted.
- Mix in the mashed banana, honey, milk and vanilla.
- Add the oats, cocoa powder, collagen peptides (if using), baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix until well combined. Pour into a greased dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Remove from the oven. Let cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing (this gives it time to set). Enjoy warm or chilled!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
