Quick And Easy Homemade Banana Oatmeal
Banana oatmeal is one of those breakfasts that just feels like comfort food. Best part is it’s easy to make, super cozy, and full of flavor. If your mornings are busy, or you just want something warm and filling to start your day, this recipe is perfect for you.
With just a few basic ingredients like ripe bananas, oats, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, you can whip up a bowl of creamy oatmeal in no time. It’s healthy, satisfying, and totally customizable, so you can make it exactly how you like it.
Great Reasons You Will Want to Make This Banana Oatmeal
Banana oatmeal is a fantastic breakfast because it’s naturally sweet, filling, and packed with fiber to keep you energized throughout the morning. It’s quick and easy to make, and you can even add toppings like peanut butter or chia seeds for a little extra boost.
- Comfortingly Sweet: The natural sweetness of the banana blends perfectly with the oats, giving you a warm, comforting bowl to start your day.
- Effortless: No fancy skills required—just cook oats with the milk base and mash a banana into the mix. It makes for a super easy breakfast treat.
- Time-saver: You can have the oatmeal ready in 15 minutes, making it perfect for busy mornings.
- Budget-friendly: Oats and bananas are both affordable pantry staples, so you don’t have to spend much just to make a delicious breakfast.
- Prep ahead: You can even make the oats the night before for an even faster breakfast the next day.
- Customizable: If you want a little extra nutrition, add chia seeds, flax, or peanut butter to take your banana oatmeal to the next level.
- Serving suggestions: You can get creative with the toppings. Add nuts for some extra crunch or berries to add a nice burst of fruity flavor.
Here’s Your Grocery List For Banana Oatmeal
For this recipe, you’ll need a handful of simple ingredients, which you probably already have in your pantry or fridge.
- Old-fashioned oats: Look for plain old-fashioned oats without sugar. Avoid instant quick oats, as they can get too mushy.
- Bananas: You’ll want ripe bananas but not overly brown to mash easily. Take note that a banana is sweeter the more spots it has. Mash the bananas to blend into the mix more evenly.
- Milk: Choose whole milk to give a rich texture to your oatmeal. Check the expiration date to ensure it’s fresh.
- Heavy cream: To give your oatmeal a rich, creamy texture, look for heavy cream with at least 36% fat content. Cream should just be its ingredient and not any unnecessary stabilizers or thickeners.
- Brown sugar: Check the texture. It should be soft and moist, not hard or clumpy.
- Ground cinnamon: This spice may lose its flavor over time, so check the expiration date to guarantee a more vibrant flavor. The color is a great freshness indicator—it should be reddish brown.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best results. Stay away from brands that use sugars or artificial flavors.
Note: You can find the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Homemade Banana Oatmeal
Step 1: Prepare The Flavorful Base
In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Heat it up over medium heat until it starts to boil. Stir occasionally so everything blends together. You’ll be surprised at how it already smells fragrant and delicious in your kitchen.
Step 2: Add Oats And Banana
Once the milk base is boiling, stir in your old fashioned oats and mashed banana. Reduce to medium-low heat and let the mixture simmer gently for 6–8 minutes. You don’t want your oats to stick to the bottom of the pan, so stir occasionally. Cook until it’s as thick or creamy as you like.
Step 3: Stir In Vanilla
Once the oatmeal has reached your desired consistency, take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 4: Serve
Spoon the oatmeal into two bowls (one for you and another for your partner, perhaps?). Add fun toppings like a drizzle of heavy cream for richness, banana slices for extra flavor, and a pinch of cinnamon to finish it off. While still warm, serve it immediately with a spoon and enjoy this cozy, delicious breakfast.
Tips and Variations
- Consider toasting the oats lightly in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes before cooking them. This is a great way to elevate the taste of your oatmeal without spending an additional cost.
- If you want a smoother oatmeal, use a blender to blend the oatmeal after cooking.
- Replace old-fashioned oats with steel cut oats to get more nutritional value. They’ll take a bit longer to cook, though.
- Use maple syrup instead of brown sugar for a more natural, rich sweetness.
- Stir in some protein powder or a spoonful of peanut butter to boost your protein intake.
- Add a dash of pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg for a cozy, fall-inspired twist.
- To make this recipe vegan or dairy-free, swap whole milk for plant-based milk like oat milk or coconut milk. Skip the heavy cream and use coconut cream instead. Make sure your vanilla extract is alcohol-free.
- If you follow a low-sugar diet, skip the brown sugar and rely on the natural sweetness of bananas. Add stevia or monk fruit sweetener to add extra sweetness without the sugar. Try using unsweetened milk to keep things low in sugar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Just store cooked oatmeal in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, reheat it on the stovetop for 3-5 minutes or in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Add a splash of milk to adjust the consistency.
Yes, you can prepare overnight banana oatmeal. Simply combine rolled oats, milk, mashed banana, and any desired sweeteners in a jar. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, the oats have already soaked up the liquid and softened, ready to eat.
Serving Ideas
- Serve banana oatmeal with fresh fruit like sliced apples, pears, or berries to add a burst of color and antioxidants.
- Top with nuts like almonds and walnuts for extra crunch or caramelized bananas to add a rich, indulgent flavor.
- Pair with Spirulina smoothie or any green smoothie to balance the meal and add extra nutrients.
- Complement the warmth and richness of the oatmeal with a hot cup of turmeric coffee or dirty chai tea latte.
- Serve banana oatmeal with Blueberry toast to provide a nice contrast of flavor and texture.
- If you need to keep it warm for a few hours, store the oatmeal in an insulated food container or thermos. Pack your banana oatmeal in portable food containers or mason jars to serve on the go.
Quick And Easy Banana Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk any type, dairy or non-dairy
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for topping
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats use gluten-free if needed
- 2 bananas 1 mashed, 1 sliced for topping
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or thick coconut cream for dairy-free
Instructions
Prepare the Base
- In a medium saucepan, mix water, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.1 cup water, 1 cup milk, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
Add Oats and Banana
- Stir in the oats and mashed banana. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to your liking.1 cup old-fashioned oats, 2 bananas
Flavor Boost
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Serve
- Divide the oatmeal into two bowls. Top with heavy cream, sliced banana, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy warm!2 tablespoons heavy cream
Notes
- Consider toasting the oats lightly in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes before cooking them. This is a great way to elevate the taste of your oatmeal without spending an additional cost.
- If you want a smoother oatmeal, use a blender to blend the oatmeal after cooking.
- Replace old-fashioned oats with steel cut oats to get more nutritional value. They’ll take a bit longer to cook, though.
- Use maple syrup instead of brown sugar for a more natural, rich sweetness.
- Stir in some protein powder or a spoonful of peanut butter to boost your protein intake.
- Add a dash of pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg for a cozy, fall-inspired twist.
- To make this recipe vegan or dairy-free, swap whole milk for plant-based milk like oat milk or coconut milk. Skip the heavy cream and use coconut cream instead. Make sure your vanilla extract is alcohol-free.
- If you follow a low-sugar diet, skip the brown sugar and rely on the natural sweetness of banana. Add stevia or monk fruit sweetener to add extra sweetness without the sugar. Try using unsweetened milk to keep things low in sugar.
The ingredients in this reminds me so much of bananas fosters, and I am into it. Thanks for the easy recipe.
You are so welcome, I am glad you loved it!
I LOVE this recipe. I could eat bananas everyday but I am trying to find recipes that have bananas, so I don’t eat them just plain. It gets boring. Man this recipe was awesome
This is a popular recipe today! So glad you love it and yes, it is good to take your fav food and then put it into a variety of dishes!
My new favorite breakfast!! ??
So glad you enjoyed it!
Best Oatmeal ever! I’ve been eating it now for a year and I just served it to my 14 month old name he loves it just as much as I do!
Kristen, Thanks for sharing! Glad he enjoyed it!