Save There's something deeply satisfying about the smell of baked oats filling your kitchen at 7 AM—like someone decided breakfast didn't have to choose between wholesome and indulgent. I stumbled onto this recipe on a random Tuesday when I had overripe bananas staring me down and genuinely wanted something that tasted like cake without the guilt. What emerged from the oven wasn't a compromise; it was exactly what my mornings needed. Warm, subtly sweet, and impossible to stop at just one square.
I made these for a lazy Sunday brunch with friends who showed up in sweatshirts and bad hair, the kind of morning where nobody wants to pretend they have their lives together. I pulled the warm pan from the oven just as someone was mid-complaint about their week, and honestly, the smell alone shifted the whole mood. We sat at the kitchen counter with our squares still steaming, and somehow a simple baked oat became the thing we actually remembered from that day.
Ingredients
- Oat flour: The foundation that gives you that tender crumb—regular rolled oats blended for 30 seconds works perfectly if you don't have it on hand.
- Granulated sugar: Keeps things light and dissolves cleanly; brown sugar makes it denser and chewier if that's your preference.
- Baking powder: Just enough to lift the batter so it rises in the oven without becoming cake-y in the structural sense.
- Salt: A whisper of salt that somehow makes the banana and vanilla sing instead of just existing.
- Ripe banana: The overriper the better—those brown-spotted ones with almost zero firmness are exactly what you want here.
- Egg: Binds everything together and adds structure; there's no replacing this one.
- Milk: Dairy, oat, almond—whatever you have creates the right wet-to-dry balance.
- Melted butter or coconut oil: Adds richness; coconut oil makes it feel lighter while butter deepens the flavor.
- Vanilla extract: A teaspoon feels small until you taste how it rounds out the whole thing.
Instructions
- Prep your pan and heat your oven:
- Grease or line an 8x8-inch dish while you preheat to 350°F. This gives everything time to get ready while you work.
- Whisk the dry team:
- Combine oat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, whisking until there are no hidden pockets of baking powder. You're looking for an even, pale mixture.
- Blend the wet ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, mash your banana until it's mostly smooth (a few small lumps are fine), then add the egg, milk, melted fat, and vanilla, stirring until everything is unified and there are no streaks of banana peeking through.
- Bring them together:
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined—about 10-15 strokes. Overmixing is the enemy here and creates a tough, dense result. If you're adding chocolate chips, nuts, or cinnamon, fold them in gently at the very end.
- Pour and smooth:
- Transfer the batter to your prepared dish and use a spatula to even out the top so it bakes uniformly.
- Bake until golden:
- Set a timer for 22 minutes, then check by inserting a toothpick into the center—it should come out clean or with just a crumb or two clinging to it. The top should be light golden brown, not pale.
- Cool and cut:
- Let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes so it firms up enough to cut cleanly, then slice into squares. Serve warm if you want that soft, just-baked feeling, or room temperature if you're eating it later.
Save My neighbor once asked for the recipe after I handed her a square through the fence, and she came back a week later to tell me she'd made it three times. That moment—when something simple you made becomes part of someone else's rotation—that's when you realize it's more than just breakfast.
Customization Is Your Friend
This recipe is a gentle canvas that handles additions gracefully. Chocolate chips are the obvious move, but I've added everything from shredded coconut to chopped pecans to a swirl of almond butter across the top before baking. The key is not overloading—chocolate chips and cinnamon together works, but adding five different things creates confusion instead of flavor. Trust one or two additions and let the banana-vanilla base do its job.
Sweetener Swaps and Dietary Shifts
If you're using honey or maple syrup instead of sugar, reduce the milk by 2-3 tablespoons since these liquid sweeteners add moisture. I did this once by accident and ended up with something closer to a pudding cake, which honestly wasn't terrible—just different. For extra protein, a spoonful of Greek yogurt stirred into the wet mixture or dolloped on top afterward adds richness without changing the bake time.
Storing and Reheating Your Squares
These keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature, or you can wrap individual squares and freeze them for up to a month. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven for about 8 minutes to restore that warm, tender feeling, or just eat them cold straight from the fridge—they're good either way. The texture stays soft even after a day in the container, which is honestly the dream for make-ahead breakfasts.
- Cover tightly to prevent them from drying out or absorbing other fridge smells.
- A 15-second microwave blast works if you're rushing, though the oven keeps them more tender.
- These are perfect breakfast prep material if you slice them on Sunday and grab one each morning.
Save This recipe became a weekday staple in my kitchen because it asks so little and gives back so much. Make it once and you'll understand why.