Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal

A simple and delicious Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal free of refined sugar that makes the perfect hearty breakfast that will keep you full all morning. It's a constant in our home for breakfast along with this easy Microwave Oatmeal and Oatmeal Smoothies.

Lately, I have been making baked oatmeal pretty much every week. We can't get enough. It all started a few weeks back when I knew we had a particularly crazy week ahead of us. Not wanting to waste time making breakfast in the morning, I made a big batch of baked oatmeal and some freezer quesadillas to get us through the week.

Then something crazy happened - the oatmeal was gone first. In this Mexican loving, cheese-loving, bean loving house - that was quite the feat. But something about the hearty oatmeal on a cold morning drew us all in. Personally, I like to warm mine up in the microwave first and then pour some extra milk on top. Truth be told, I am eating a big bowl of this oatmeal while I am writing this post.

Since we have been eating all the baked oatmeal, I have been trying out all different combinations but this Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal has definitely been a standout. The bananas act as a natural sweetener and also add a richness and creaminess to the oats. They are the secret weapon to really tasty baked oats in my opinion. Then it is just the standard cast of characters - oats, milk, eggs, baking powder, cinnamon, and vanilla - with some added strawberries because they make everything taste better.

Also,no one will blame you for throwing some chocolate chips on top. So good.

What is baked oatmeal? 

Baked oatmeal is basically a mash-up between creamy stovetop oatmeal and heartier oatmeal bars. It's got a lot more texture than stovetop oats but isn't quite as sturdy as an oatmeal bar. It's a little chewy, a little creamy, and all kinds of delicious. Plus you can make it with so many different combinations of toppings and ingredients, it's one of those recipes you will use over and over again.

To get a little more technical, baked oatmeal is made with a combination of old fashioned rolled oats, milk, eggs, baking powder, and sweetener. It is cooked in the oven until golden brown and can be made with all different spices, fruit, nuts, and seeds. 

Does baked oatmeal need to be refrigerated?

This oatmeal keeps well in the fridge, just make sure to let it cool before refrigerating it. To reheat, you can microwave it plain or with some added milk to make creamier oatmeal. I have also been known to eat baked oatmeal cold when I am in a rush, but it's definitely better warm. Don't be afraid to add some extra topping either. It's delicious with chopped nuts, yogurt, nut butter, or a drizzle of honey.

Should I use quick oats or old fashioned oats for baked oatmeal?

Both options will work but I find it comes out best with old fashioned rolled oats since it gives the oatmeal more texture. Quick oats will work, but it will come out creamier. Steel cut oats will not work in this recipe.

How to freeze baked oatmeal?

This is a great recipe to have in the freezer for a quick breakfast or school lunch. Let it cool completely and then cut into individual portions. Wrap each one and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of milk. You can also let them defrost naturally overnight in the fridge. One more trick? Throw them frozen into a school lunch and by lunch comes around, they will be fully defrosted.

Recipe Ideas and Tips

There are so many different ways to make this baked oatmeal recipe your own. 

• Swap in a different berry like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. 
• If you don't like bananas, you can use applesauce or canned pumpkin instead. However these tend to be less sweet, so you may need to add some extra maple syrup or honey.
• Try using different spices like nutmeg, ground ginger, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice,
• Add some veggies with shredded carrots to zucchini.
• Add sweetness with some chocolate or peanut butter chips. Or turn this into Chocolate Baked Oatmeal with strawberries - so good!
• Try this with all different combinations of fruits, nuts, and seeds.
• Add some ground flaxseed meal or hemp hearts for added nutrients. 
• If using this for meal prep, consider mixing up how you serve it to keep things interesting. Add Greek yogurt and honey one day. Layer on nut butter and hemp seeds the next. End the week, adding extra milk to make it creamy and topping it with fresh fruit.

How to make baked oatmeal muffins?

If you prefer to make these as muffins, simply spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and add the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

More healthy baked oatmeal recipes

• Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
• Baked Blueberry Buttermilk Oatmeal
• Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal
• Baked Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
• More oatmeal recipes