These banana bread overnight oats have all the flavors of banana bread served up in a bowl. Make this easy, quick, healthy, and super delicious make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings. It’s gluten-free and can be easily made vegan.
If you are looking to add more oats-based breakfast recipes to your everyday menu, then here are some of them for you – Oats Idli, Oats Vegetable Khichdi, Beetroot Oats Idli, and Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats.
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About This Recipe
These banana bread overnight oats are your favorite banana bread served in a bowl, no kidding!
With the everyday busy schedule and hectic days, I am always looking for breakfast recipes that are healthy, delicious, easy, and keeps me full for a long time. Overnight oats fit the bill perfectly and I keep experimenting with a lot of flavors like coffee overnight oats or strawberry overnight oats.
While you can make many different variations, my recent favorite is this overnight banana bread oats.
Loaded with banana bread flavors, these come together in just 5 minutes. What I love even more? Make it the night before and you will have your breakfast ready in the morning. In fact, you can meal prep it for the entire week.
Not only breakfast, but you can have them whenever hunger strikes, snack in between meals, post work out, or even as a dessert post meals.
These oats are highly customizable too. Will a few alterations, you can make these vegan, dairy-free, adjust the sweetener and change the toppings. These are so easy to make, even children can attempt making them.
Ingredients
Banana – This is a great recipe to use those overripe bananas. In fact, it’s tastes better with them as they are super sweet. They help to naturally sweeten the dish too.
Rolled Oats – Rolled oats or old-fashioned oats are best to make overnight oats. They do not become mushy after soaking yet absorb all the flavors. You can also use instant oats but they will turn a little mushy after soaking.
Milk & Yogurt – Milk and yogurt add creaminess to the overnight oats. You can use dairy-free milk and yogurt for a vegan version.
Honey – Add in some honey to add a little hint of sweetness. You can also use maple syrup or sugar to make this vegan. You can also use sugar-free options like monk fruit or stevia.
Vanilla Extract – Opt for a good quality vanilla extract as it really makes the difference. You can also replace it with almond extract for a flavor change.
Cinnamon – Banana, and cinnamon are a match made in heaven. You can try other spices like ground cardamom or nutmeg too.
Walnuts – Walnuts add a lovely crunch to the oats. You can replace them with toasted almonds or pecans.
How To Make Banana Bread Overnight Oats
Combine ½ cup rolled oats, 1 large banana (mashed), ¼ cup plain yogurt, ¼ cup milk, 2 teaspoon honey, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts in a medium mixing bowl.
Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate the mixture overnight or for at least 4 hours. Add some more milk if the mixture is too thick. Transfer in serving bowls and garnish with banana slices, ground cinnamon, and chopped walnuts and serve chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make it vegan, you can use coconut milk, soy milk, or almond milk instead of regular milk. Opt for vegan yogurts like coconut yogurt, or soy yogurt along with a dairy-free milk option. Instead of honey, use maple syrup.
Ideally, 7-8 hours of soaking is best but if you are in a rush, you can soak the oats for 3-4 hours minimum. They will be a little liquidy and not as soft as overnight oats but they’ll still be delicious.
These oats stay good in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and hence they are a great meal prep option too.
Topping Ideas
You can serve overnight banana bread oats as it is or tops with some freshly chopped fruits such as banana, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, dragon fruit, papaya, kiwi, or any other fruit that you prefer.
You can also sprinkle some toasted nuts such as almonds, walnuts, raisins, pistachios, pecans, or seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, etc on top.
Nut butter like peanut butter, almond butter, or pistachio butter also makes a great topping.
Want to add some more crunch? Then top it with some granola, chocolate chips, or coconut flakes.
You can also sprinkle a little cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, or ground cinnamon on top, for an added flavor.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve overnight oats chilled, but you can definitely heat them up if you like warm oats.
If the oats are too thick for your liking, feel free to add some more milk to thin them out.
Make these in a large bowl and scoop them out in individual bowls later or to save time, you can make them in individual portions in mason jars. Just grab one jar and you have a healthy and nourishing breakfast on the go.
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Recipe Card
Banana Bread Overnight Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 large over ripe banana (mashed)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
Instructions
- Combine ½ cup rolled oats, 1 large banana (mashed), ¼ cup plain yogurt, ¼ cup milk, 2 teaspoon honey, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts in a medium mixing bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate the mixture overnight or for at least 4 hours. Add some more milk if the mixture is too thick. Transfer in serving bowls and garnish with banana slices, ground cinnamon, and chopped walnuts and serve chilled.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!