These baked oats without banana are great for those who dislike the banana taste or want to switch things up. Full of peanut butter, berries and heart-healthy fibre to start your day right.

I have so many recipes for baked oats, but one of the top questions I get every time is if you can swap the banana. Personally, I love adding bananas to recipes for natural sweetness, but I get it if you don't like the banana taste. And as much as I love banana bread, sometimes I need a break from that flavour too.
I'm so excited to share these baked oats without banana, for all my banana haters who still want in on this amazing breakfast option. You can still make incredibly yummy baked oats with no banana, and this recipe is proof!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Meal prep friendly. I love a single-serve baked oats moment, but I'm also a big fan of batch prepping. This recipe makes enough baked oats for a week, so breakfast is ready from Monday through Friday.
- High fibre. Fibre is so important for our gut health, appetite, heart health and more. The oats and berries in this recipe are great sources of fibre to start your day.
- No banana. Like I mentioned earlier, these baked oats without banana are amazing whether you're allergic, dislike the taste, or want to switch it up.
Ingredients
Oats. Feel free to use quick, minute or rolled oats. I do not suggest using steel cut oats as they are quite tougher and will not absorb the liquid ingredients the same way rolled oats will.
Maple syrup. I like maple syrup for a touch of sweetness, but any other liquid sweetener like honey can work too.
Applesauce. This is the secret ingredient we're using to make baked oats with no banana. Applesauce is great for adding some moisture and a little extra sweetness. I recommend looking for one with no sugar added.
Hemp seeds. These can be found in the 'natural' or ‘health' aisle of the grocery store. They're are a great source of omega-3 fats and protein, especially if you want to make baked oats without protein powder.
Berries. Both fresh and frozen berries work. Berries are an amazing source of vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. Adding them into your breakfast is one of the easiest ways to give it a nutrition boost.
Instructions
Grease a 9x9’ square baking dish and preheat the oven to 375F.
Add eggs, milk, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine.
Add oats, hemp seeds, baking powder and cinnamon. Use a spatula to combine.
Mix in berries, leaving a few to add on top.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
For peanut butter drizzle, add peanut butter to a small microwave safe dish and microwave for about 30 seconds (this helps thin the peanut butter making it easier to drizzle).
Drizzle over the baked oats. Slice into 9 equal pieces and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.
To make dairy-free: Use dairy-free milk.
To make vegan: Try my vegan baked oats recipe!
To make nut-free: Skip the peanut butter or swap for sunflower seed butter.
The best part about this baked oats recipe is that it can easily be customized. Here are some ways to switch it up:
- Swap the berries for any diced fruit of choice. Apples, peaches, pears or even a fruit medley would be delicious.
- Add dried fruits or chopped nuts for some texture and crunch
- For a pumpkin spice twist, replace the applesauce with pumpkin puree and the cinnamon for 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice. Top with a cream cheese drizzle!
- Replace the peanut butter drizzle with a creamy yogurt drizzle. Mix 3 tablespoon of Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon of icing sugar (or powdered sugar) and thin with a bit of milk until it reaches the thickness you desire.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- 9x9" baking dish
Storage
Baked oats can be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days in an airtight container.For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight or microwave for about 1 minute.
Top Tip
To create a balanced meal, I recommend serving each bar with ½ cup of Greek yogurt for additional protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have not tested a vegan option. You could try substituting the eggs for flax eggs by combining 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoon of warm water however they may not rise the same. For a vegan recipe, give my chocolate strawberry baked oats a try!
I have lots of blended oat recipes already posted like my s'mores baked oats, but I have not tried to make a bigger batch version. I would suggest blending everything in a high powered blender and baking as directed! If you try this option please let me know.
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
I love baked oats and oatmeal for breakfast. I promise these recipes will convert any oatmeal hater!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these baked oats without banana, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Baked Oats Without Banana
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups oats quick, one minute or rolled
- ⅓ cup hemp seeds see notes below
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup berries of choice fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter
Instructions
- Grease a 9x9" square baking dish and preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Add eggs, milk, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine.
- Add oats, hemp seeds, baking powder and cinnamon. Use a spatula to combine.
- Mix in berries, leaving a few to add on top.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- For peanut butter drizzle, add peanut butter to a small microwave safe dish and microwave for about 30 seconds (this helps thin the peanut butter making it easier to drizzle). Drizzle over the baked oats and slice into 9 equal sized bars.
Amber S
Super delicious and easy to make! I used her suggestion of pumpkin puree instead of applesauce and pumpkin pie spice (1 tsp) instead of cinnamon. Still used frozen blueberries. This recipe is a keeper!!
Nicole Addison
Thank you so much for sharing Amber! I am so happy the pumpkin puree worked out for you!
The pumpkin + blueberry combination sounds amazing!
Nicole
Courtney
I've had oat bake before with banana and the kids don't love the texture.
They gobbled this up! Thanks for the recipe
Nicole Addison
Hi Courtney,
Thanks so much for sharing- I am so happy this was a hit with your family!
Nicole