Make these chocolate chip baked oats the next time you’re looking for a quick and easy breakfast meal prep idea that you can make ahead of time to enjoy on busy weeks. They’re warm and gooey, but also healthy and nutritious. You’ll feel like you’re having (healthy) cake for breakfast!
Baked oats (aka baked oatmeal) has become such a popular breakfast with everyone sharing their favourite flavour combinations on social media. I’ve noticed especially over the last few months, so many baked oats Reels have gone viral on Instagram and TikTok.
I thought it was about time I share my basic chocolate chip baked oats recipe, which is based on my all time favourite chocolate baked oats that I’ve been making for years!
Why I love making this chocolate chip baked oats recipe:
Oats usually feature in my breakfasts, either in the form of porridge, overnight oats, smoothies or even things like pancakes and waffles. My love and appreciation for oats knows no bounds. I also use them heavily in my dessert and snack recipes. Everything from brownies and cookies, to cakes and dessert bars. I blend them into a fine flour and use them as a healthier replacement for plain wheat flour.
I only started experimenting with baked oats around lockdown, when I had more time in the morning to spend on making breakfast. Before then, it never occurred to me that I can prepare my baked oats ahead of time and simply reheat them in the morning for a speedy and convenient healthy meal.
Since then, I’ve been making them weekly, especially in winter time, but also whenever I know I’ll be having a super busy week and need the peace of mind of knowing that breakfast is prepped and ready to go when I get out of bed in the morning.
I love this chocolate chip baked oats recipe, not only because it’s convenient, but also because it’s balanced, nourishing and so tasty! It honestly feels like having cake for breakfast, but without feeling heavy and lethargic afterwards the way regular cakes make me feel. It’s sweet enough without being overly sweet, so the perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth in the morning.
Why you need to try these chocolate chip baked oats:
Nutrient dense – This breakfast recipe offers fibre from the oats, particularly beta-glucan, which helps with digestion and can lower cholesterol. Healthy fats from the peanut butter and protein from the added protein powder. It’s also packed with vitamins and minerals to give you a great start to your morning.
High in protein – Each serving of this chocolate chip baked oats offers 23g protein. A high-protein breakfast is essential for sustained energy as well as for balanced blood sugar levels and hormones.
Sustained Energy – The complex carbohydrates in oats coupled with the healthy fats and protein means a slow release of energy throughout the morning, keeping you full and energised until lunch time. This can prevent mid-morning hunger and blood sugar crashes leaving you wanting to reach out for unhealthy snacks.
Customisable – This chocolate chip baked oats recipe can be easily customised with a variety of ingredients like fruits, nuts, seeds and spices. You can change the flavours around each time you make it, keeping breakfast interesting and allowing you to tailor it to your dietary/nutritional needs or taste preferences.
Convenience – You can prepare these chocolate chip baked oats in advance, making them an ideal option for busy mornings. They can be baked in large batches and stored in the fridge or freezer, ready to be reheated when needed.
Satisfying texture – Baking oats gives them a cake-like texture, making them feel more indulgent and satisfying compared to traditional oatmeal/porridge. This can make them a more appealing option, especially for those who may not enjoy the texture of regular porridge.
What you’ll need to make these chocolate chip baked oats:
Oats – I use porridge oats (rolled oats) – they’re highly nutritious and provide a variety of health benefits due to their rich content of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants
Banana – This will act as a binder, but will also add natural sweetness. The riper the bananas the sweeter your baked oats will turn out. If you don’t like banana you can use 2 small eggs instead.
Peanut butter – I love the nutty taste peanut butter adds and it goes so well with the taste of the chocolate and banana. You can of course use any nut butter you prefer or a seed butter for a nut-free version.
Protein powder – This will help pack in the protein, but it’ll also add flavour and sweetness. I usually use a vanilla whey protein powder, but a vegan vanilla powder will also work.
Milk – Any milk will work here.
Chocolate chips – I use dark chocolate chips, but milk or even white chips will also work.
Baking powder – To help the oats rise in the oven and give your baked oats a more cake-like consistency.
Maple syrup – This is optional depending on how sweet you’d like your baked oats to be. I would recommend tasting the batter before deciding whether or not you’d like to add any.
How to make this chocolate chip baked oats recipe:
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Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
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Lightly oil a square baking dish, then add the bananas and mash with the back of your fork. Add the peanut butter and milk and mix to combine.
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Fold in the oats, protein powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Give it a taste to make sure the sweetness is to your liking. If not, you have the option of adding 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey.
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Top with a few more dollops of peanut butter and swirl it around with a sharp knife or skewer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and bake for 35-40 minutes.
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Serve warm or cold on its own, or with a dollop of yoghurt and berries/fruit.
How to store your chocolate chip baked oats:
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, reheat in a 180C/160C fan/350F oven for 5-10 minutes, or in the microwave for 1 minute.
This chocolate chip baked oats recipe is:
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Dairy-free
- Can be made gluten-free
- Can be made nut-free
- Healthy
- Packed with 23g protein
- A source of fibre
- Filling and satiating
- Balanced and well rounded.
- So tasty!
Chocolate Chip Baked Oats
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 200g porridge oats
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder around 60g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp smooth peanut butter or nut butter of choice
- 400ml milk of choice
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup optional
Toppings
- 2-3 tbsp dark chocolate chips
- A few dollops of peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
- Lightly oil a square baking dish, then add the bananas and mash with the back of your fork. Add the peanut butter and milk and mix to combine.
- Fold in the oats, protein powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Give it a taste to make sure the sweetness is to your liking. If not, you have the option of adding 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey.
- Top with a few more dollops of peanut butter and swirl it around with a sharp knife or skewer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Serve warm or cold on its own, or with a dollop of yoghurt and berries/fruit.
Notes
Nutrition
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I think the bananas got left out of the ingredients list! 😊
Thank you for pointing it out Stephanie! That’s now been corrected 🙂 x
Any substitute ideas for the protein powder?
Hi Maria 🙂 You can add some plain flour or oat flour instead of the protein powder.
Thank you so much!!
This looks great! The nutritional values listed, could you confirm how many pieces to cut it up into, for them to correspond? (ie what’s the portion size?).
Many thanks!
Hi Fran 🙂 Thank you! The recipe serves 4 and the nutritional breakdown is per serving.
Amazing, thanks!