Oh, this one is so much fun! (and delicious!)
I really wanted to do some sort of peanut butter baked oatmeal, but I couldn’t figure out what to put with it… until I thought about how mashed bananas have made the best baked oatmeals, texture-wise. And then it all just came together. What goes better with peanut butter and banana than coconut and chocolate chips? Nothing! It’s Funky-Monkey-Fun up in here!
I wanted to use large flake unsweetened coconut to reduce the sugar content and add texture, but I wasn’t able to make it out Whole Foods (they have it in bulk bins). My local grocery store only had the finely shredded, pre-sweetened coconut, so I went with it. I reduced the sugar content from my normal baked oatmeal recipes by half to compensate for the sugar in the coconut and chocolate chips, but honestly, I might even try it without any extra sugar next time.
This oatmeal has just a hint of peanut butter flavor, so if you like super peanutty-ness, increase the PB to 1/3 cup. And, as always, natural peanut butter has loads more peanut flavor than other peanut butter (you know, the big name brand kinds).
And lastly, with all off the goodies baked into this, you really don’t need to add coconut, bananas, and chocolate chips on top in the bowl like I have in the pictures. I did that purely for illustrative purposes… you know, so people would be able to instantly see what’s in there and not wonder what that brown blob of stuff is in the bowl. It’s super flavorful by itself and super tasty with some cold milk poured over top!
Funky Monkey Baked Oatmeal
funky monkey baked oatmeal
Servings 6 to 8 servingsIngredients
- 3-4 medium bananas ($0.88)
- 2 large eggs ($0.50)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.04)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.14)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.04)
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter ($0.57)
- 2 cups milk ($0.50)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2.5 cups old fashioned rolled oats ($0.43)
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ($0.50)
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut ($0.26)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mash the bananas with a fork until they are about half liquidy and half chunky. Start with just three bananas and add another if needed to make 1.5 cups.
- Add the mashed bananas to a large bowl. Warm the peanut butter slightly in the microwave so that it is more fluid and can mix in easier. Add the peanut butter, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Whisk these ingredients together until smooth. Add the milk and whisk again.
- Add the dry oats, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut to the bowl. Stir everything together until evenly combined. Lightly coat the inside of an 8×8 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour the oat mixture into the casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Step By Step Photos
First begin to preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then, mash your bananas. I left mine a little chunky this time… because this is funky monkey! It usually takes me 3-4 bananas to make 1.5 cups. If you get a little extra, it’s okay.
Add the mashed bananas, eggs, peanut butter, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk these together until smooth.
Once you have the thicker ingredients mixed well, add the milk and whisk again. I find it easier to do the thicker ingredients first and then add the milk, or else it gets too splashy.
Lastly, add your dry ingredients: old-fashioned rolled oats, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut. Stir them into the liquid (use a large spoon as this stuff will get stuck in a whisk).
Pour the finished mixture into an 8×8 inch casserole dish coated with non-stick spray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then serve!
You really don’t need to add anything to the top, just a splash of cold milk!
The stuff on top just made it SO much prettier!
Baked Oatmeal FAQ’s
Is baked oatmeal crunchy? Nope, it’s like a more solid version of regular oatmeal. A little chewy around the edges, but soft and custardy on the inside.
Can I use quick oats? Yes, but it will have a LOT less texture… more mushy, in other words.
Can I used steel cut oats? I haven’t experimented with this, but in general steel cut oats require a LOT more liquid and a much longer baking time, so you’d have to do some major tweaking to this recipe.
Can I use soy/almond milk instead of dairy milk? Readers have used those substitutes in my other baked oatmeal recipes with success, although I have not tried it myself.
This is our favorite baked oatmeal recipe! Thank you!
I’m on a kick of trying all your baked oatmeal recipes and this one is a definite keeper! Every element of this recipe adds something to it and it’s all so lovely together. I love the moist, cake-like texture, all while being quite healthy! I top it with Greek yogurt and it’s a perfect start to the day.
I’m obsessed. Will definitely make again! Would love some more baked oatmeal recipes! Cinnamon roll maybe? Tiramisu? Lemon? I don’t know… if you write it, I’ll try it!
I have tried a few of your baked oatmeal recipes and they never disappoint. This one might be my favorite!
Do you have any suggestions for make me this vegan. The milk is easy, just not sure what I would add to replace the egg. Thanks so much. I used to make the regular version all the time but am transitioning to a vegan lifestyle now!
I think some commenters have mentioned that they’ve done the flaxseed + water egg replacement for the baked oatmeal recipes and had good results, but I’ve never tried it myself.
You can actually just skip the egg completely, I’ve tried it! I’ve seen mashed bananas (and even peanut butter) used as egg substitutes in vegan recipes, and this recipe uses those already. One fateful day I was out of eggs and too lazy to go to the corner store so I thought what the heck; honestly I thought it turned out great — nice consistency compared to other baked oatmeal recipes (it still binds well) and obviously the flavor is unchanged. Laziness is once again the mother of invention!
Mix 1 tablespoon chia seeds to 2.5 tablespoons water for each egg that you are replacing. Wait about 5 mins for it to gel, then add to you recipe☺️
Do you think that I could omit the coconut and add a little more oats and get the same texture?
I don’t think you’d need to add more oats to replace the coconut. The coconut doesn’t really absorb any moisture, whereas the oats absorb a lot, so it may turn out quite a bit more dry if you do.
Oh. My. Goodness. The Funky Monkey Baked Oatmeal is so good!!!! I forgot to purchase bananas when I went grocery shopping yesterday, so I had to make a quick stop again this morning. I used all four bananas to make 1.5 cups. While the oatmeal was baking in the oven, the aroma of peanut butter and chocolate filled my apartment. I served the baked oatmeal with some sausage links. This is the fourth baked oatmeal that I’ve made from your blog and it’s not only filling, but affordable. I’ll definitely make this recipe again. Thank you, Beth!!! :-)
Weird question. I absolutely love this. I would like to take some on a trip where I won’t have access to a fridge or cooler, but I know from experience it doesn’t keep well. However, I’m not a creative baker by any stretch. Do you have any thoughts on how to turn these into muffins so they might do better out of the refrigerator? Thank you either way for the excellent recipes, they are a staple in my house!
Hmmm. That’s really tricky. Baking is such an exact science that it would definitely take some experimentation. I do know that you’d probably have to start by reducing the moisture in the recipe (that helps it be more shelf stable), but I’m not sure what else would need to be changed.
Well I am going to make a brave attempt and see if I can tweak it prior to my trip. Wish me luck!
This is my second one of your baked oatmeal recipes that I’ve made, and I think I love this one even more than the first (the apple pie one)! They are so, so easy to make and so affordable. I only had to buy chocolate chips, coconut, and natural peanut butter (which I know I’ll use in some of your other recipes). It came together quickly and has made breakfast my favorite meal this week! I can’t wait to try some other ones.
Awesome and easy. I only had 2 bananas and used 1/4 cup maple syrup instead of brown sugar. Used non-dairy milk and almond butter instead of peanut (again, all I had : )–super good. Plan to make this for breakfast for 11 people that will be staying at my house with some sort of smoothie to go with. Thanks again.
Beth,
Thank you so much for all these wonderful baked oatmeal recipes! They’re so budget-friendly, nutritious and delicious. I’ve made six or seven of them and loved them all (and am always recommending them to friends). Thank you for making breakfast so much more interesting and fun!
Could I mix protein powder into these? They sound great! I just want to pack as much nutrition into them as I can.
That I’m just not sure about. I’ve never used protein powder in cooking before. :)
I had some extra-ripe bananas on my counter and remembered that there are a couple baked oatmeal recipes using bananas I hadn’t tried yet. I had everything on hand for this one, and whipped it up today. I used crunchy natural peanut butter and a unsweetened almond milk and it turned out great! I couldn’t help myself and ate a scoop with some almond milk right out of the oven. So, so good!
Hello! I’ve recently discovered your site and I’ve already tried two recipes–can’t wait to try more!
This baked oatmeal was a bit of an experiment for me. I didn’t know if I would like the texture but the ingredients all sounded delicious and I figured if I didn’t like it at least my husband surely would.
I had it this morning and it was definitely… different. It will take some getting used to. But the *taste* was lovely! And more importantly–I cannot believe how filling this was. It was “cake day” in our office today (we have them once a month to acknowledge that month’s birthdays) and I had no problem skipping it because I was still totally full from breakfast. I will definitely be trying some other baked oatmeal recipes in the future! I think the oatmeal cookie flavor will be next.
One question: could this be baked in a muffin pan instead? It seems like that could be more convenient in terms of rationing it out for breakfast each day. Do you have any thoughts on how that would affect the cooking time?
I haven’t done it in muffin tins, but many of my readers have mentioned that they have and it works great. Baking time will probably be shorter because there is more exposure to the heat around each well in the tin. I’m just not sure how much shorter!
I’m a little bit addicted to this. I have it for breakfast, and I have it as a pre and post workout snack. I used Almond butter too, and honey instead of sugar. :)
Made this today – excellent! My kids loved it. I used almond butter instead of PB because I had some I needed to use up. I also served with just a dab of maple syrup on top.
Hi! What is the consistency supposed to be? Mine was soft and spongy
I Just read the bottom where you say the consistency ;P is there a way to make it crunchy?
No, unfortunately it won’t ever be crispy. It’s a custard baked oatmeal, so it’s always going to be soft and moist. Were you hoping for a granola type texture?
I was expecting more of a granola texture but I really liked this! Definitely going to try the others too!
Hey Beth – do you think this could be mixed up the night before to pop into the oven in the morning?
ps – I’ve been using your blog for a while now and I recommend it to everyone. I also got your book recently which has been awesome! Thanks for all the great ideas.
I think it can, yes, but the cooking time might change a bit since it will be ice cold going into the oven. You might have to experiment with it. :) And thanks for sharing with all of your friends!!
Just found your site after seeing your Pinterest on Dr. Oz! Made this recipe today and loved it. Very easy and it turned out perfect.
I just found this great website after hearing about it on the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. I only had steel cut oats, so I added another cup of milk and 15 more minutes of cooking time. It looked a little like a cake when I took it out but was delish oatmeal when I dug in. It maybe could cook a little more because of the steel cut oats, but I think I’m just used to the consistency of rolled oats. I’ll try it again with regular oats too. Yum!
I LOVE this recipe! We eat it as a healthy dessert alternative as well as breakfast. For your vegan followers: I tried a vegan version last night and it was fab – I followed your original recipe measurements, swapping out vegan chocolate chips, almond milk and eliminating the eggs. It was still GREAT! I was worried that leaving out the eggs would cause a big problem but it didn’t! It was even more gooey and just as yummy. I hope your vegan followers will give it a try!
This is probably my favourite of your baked oatmeal recipes (though the Cranberry Apple one makes a close second), and I’ve tried quite a few! I usually use rice or almond milk, whatever I have on-hand, and it turns out just fine. I used Scottish porridge oats this time (I’m in Scotland for a few months for school) because that’s all I could find for a low price, though I’m not sure what that equates to back in North America. Worked fine :) The first time I made it I had sweetened coconut so the sweetness was perfect, but this time I only had unsweetened and I should have added maybe an extra tablespoon. Either way though, I very much look forward to my breakfast for the next few days :)
I’ve also replaced the milk with low-fat coconut milk. It probably makes for a different moisture content, but it worked for me!
Tried this this morning. WOW! So yummy! 4/5 of our boys RAVED about it, the other doesn’t care too much for oatmeal so picked out the choc chips and his big brother ate the rest. Oh well his loss his brothers gain! lol I will definitely be trying some of the other ones! Thanks for a great recipe!
To the others who mentioned their pan was too small, I used a 10×6-ish glass casserole dish and worked great!
Is there any way this could be made in a slow cooker?
Probably, although I haven’t tried it so I don’t have any recommendations for how long or what setting. :/
Great recipe! We made it on Sunday and now we have breakfast for a few days! We froze some of it to eat later.
Easy to make with easy ingredients. Thank you!
This is the first recipe I’ve tried of you (I just found your page today) & it was amazing! I baked it up today and I can’t wait to make more!!
i just made this with quick cook oats and it was delicious. I like that it’s not over the top sweet too. Thanks!
This is one of my favorite budget bytes recipes.
I recently made this, but added cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins.
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! I’m thinking this would be delicious with greek yogurt or buttermilk instead of the regular milk.
I have been making a lot of Scottish Oatcakes for breakfast lately and wanted to suggest you share a recipe with your readers. The oatcakes bake up sort of like a flat biscuit, they have a wonderful toasted oat flavor, and are a perfect heart healthy breakfast for people who need to grab something fast. Also, there is no limit to the kinds of toppings you can put on Scottish Oatcakes.
I’ve used yogurt in the baked oatmeals before, and it was good. Just keep in mind that Greek yogurt has less moisture, so you may need more or the end product will be harder and more dense. I’ll have to look into Scottish Oatcakes! :)
Made this yesterday and it is great! I divided portions into individual containers and refrigerated. How long will they keep in the refrigerator? A week?
Yep, about five to seven days. The individual servings can be frozen if you want to keep them longer (about 3 months). The frozen portions reheat really quickly in the microwave :D
First let me say that I’ve really been enjoying so many of your recipes. I have one problem though…you always seem to call for an 8 x 8 inch pan, and the recipes never seem to fit into it. I even whipped out my ruler, thinking that maybe I had the wrong size, but no. I measure the ingredients precisely, but always have to transfer to a bigger pan. Any clue why?
Strange! I just had to whip out my measuring tape, too ;) So, my dish measures 8×8 at the bottom, but kind of flares out towards the top to about 9×9. But that small difference shouldn’t make or break fitting something like the oatmeal into it. Hmmm. I’m stumped! I guess just keep in mind that you’ll need a larger dish if I mention 8×8?
Maybe Laura’s dish is more shallow?
I’ve been waiting for some bananas to show up on the discount produce rack at the store just for this! Last night I got my wish, so tonight I’ll be baking. Hoorah!
baked this up just now and it’s soft and delicious! Perfect with yogurt. I replaced the chocolate chips with extra coconut and it worked out fine.
Thanks for the recipe!