Oatmeal Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Oatmeal Banana Bread combines your favorite banana bread recipe with all the best parts of oatmeal cookies. It’s wholesome, easy to make, and bursting with incredible flavors!

There are few things that take me back to my mother’s kitchen faster than warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven banana bread. Well, except for oatmeal cookies. One day as I was trying to decide between the two, I thought… Why do I have to choose? Why not have both? Thus, this decadent recipe was born.

Banana Oatmeal Bread is a combination of my favorite banana bread recipes, with the addition of oats for a nutty flavor and tons of extra nutrients. Believe me, when I tell you, it’s amazing. The first time I baked this healthy dessert for my family, I think the entire loaf was gone within minutes.

This is the perfect breakfast option for when you’ve gotten bored of your usual bowl of oatmeal. It also serves as the ultimate brunch dish for special occasions. I’ve served this dish on dozens of occasions and it’s always been an enormous hit with friends and family. Banana bread lovers will also want to this Cinnamon Banana Bread, Nutella Banana Bread, and Chocolate Banana Muffins.

One of the best parts about this dish is that it’s freezer-friendly, so you can always have some on hand for the crazy mornings when you don’t have time to whip anything up. It’s delicious, wholesome, easy to make, and freezes well. Now that I think I’ve covered all my bases, let’s get baking!

What You’ll Need

To make this delicious recipe, you will need the following key ingredients:

• Ripe Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter they will be. I learned a great trick from a friend to always caramelize my bananas in the oven beforehand if you want to make them riper. It deepens the flavor and enhances the sweetness, which is a must when it comes to banana bread.
• Rolled oats: I make a lot of oatmeal recipes, so I always have a bag (or two, or three) of these on hand. They add a ton of nutrients and fiber, helping to keep you feeling satisfied throughout the day.
• Greek yogurt: A lot of recipes use sour cream to keep their banana bread moist, but I prefer to use Greek Yogurt. It’s naturally high in protein and probiotics. You can also opt for low-fat or vanilla flavored yogurt, if you prefer.
• Whole Wheat Flour: Feel free to swap this out for all-purpose flour if you want. I like to use the whole wheat variety for the added fiber.

Recipe Tips for Making Oatmeal Banana Bread

• You could easily make this recipe with or without chocolate chips. If you choose to add chocolate chips, feel free to use any kind you like.
• For an extra dose of nutrients and healthy fats, try adding some nuts to the batter! I find that walnuts pair brilliantly with the chocolate and banana flavors. Some of my favorite options include almonds, pecans, and walnuts.
• To make this recipe gluten-free, swap out the whole wheat flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour. You could also try almond or coconut flour, but you would need to adjust the proportions of the other ingredients and I’m not sure how it would turn out. You can also make this eggless banana bread if you need an option without eggs.

Recipe Variations and Ideas

There are tons of ways to customize this banana bread and make it your own. Everything from dried fruit to nuts and seeds. Here are some you will want to try:

• Make banana nut bread by adding in about 1/2 cup of toasted walnuts or pecans. 
• Add blueberries to make blueberry banana bread and sneak in even more flavor and nutrition. Strawberries and raspberries are tasty additions as well.
• If you need a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free baking flour in place of the whole wheat flour.
• Swap in white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, or caramel chips for a slightly different take on this recipe. 
• Turn this recipe in banana oatmeal muffins. Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin and then bake 20-25 minutes until they are cooked through and golden brown.

What Can I Eat with Banana Bread?

I find that peanut butter pairs nicely with the banana oatmeal flavor, so some mornings I’ll spread some over a slice for some added protein. You could also try pairing it with almond, cashew, or sunflower butter. Hard-boiled eggs are another great option for adding protein to this if it is a meal.

If you’re enjoying this dish as part of a larger breakfast, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of Greek yogurt. Here are some of my favorite yogurt bowl recipes to pair with this dish:

• Chunky Monkey Banana Peanut Butter Yogurt Bowl
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Yogurt Bowl
• Blackberry Granola Yogurt Parfait

Storage and Freezing

This is one of those recipes you’re going to want to double up on to have an extra loaf ready for later. Trust me. After baking this dish, make sure you let the bread cool completely before securing it in an airtight container.

To store: Line an airtight storage container with a paper towel and place the bread inside. Top it off with another paper towel to lock in the moisture. Seal, then store it at room temperature for up to a week.

To freeze: Place the bread in an airtight storage container and store it for up to 3 months. Personally, I like cutting the bread into single-serving slices before I freeze it. That way, you can thaw and reheat as you go and you will have a freezer full of on-the-go breakfasts.

To thaw: To defrost your oatmeal banana bread, simply let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Or, if you’re in a time crunch (as we often are), you can pop it in the microwave or oven until it is warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you can find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this healthy dessert recipe:

Is this dish healthy?

Yes! Most banana bread recipes rely on heaps of all-purpose flour and sugar. However, this dish substitutes whole wheat flour and is refined sugar-free, depending on which chocolate chips you use.

How do you keep the bread moist?

I’ll let you in on a little secret, it’s all in the Greek yogurt. This is what locks in the moisture during the baking process! To maintain moisture during storage, it’s important to line the container with a paper towel.

How ripe should my bananas be?

As ripe as possible. The riper your bananas are, the sweeter your bread will be. I keep a stockpile of brown-spotted bananas on my kitchen countertop at all times for this exact reason.

More Healthy Oatmeal Recipes

If you liked this banana oatmeal bread, try these healthy breakfast recipes next:

• Protein Packed Oatmeal Banana Pancakes
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins
• Strawberry Banana Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
• Creamy Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
• Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars