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These Banana Bread Overnight Oats are breakfast you can wake up to–5 minutes to prep, vegan and easily made gluten free. Ready right when you wake up! A perfect hearty and healthy breakfast for busy mornings!
~Same recipe from 2015, photos updated July 2020~
I love banana bread and just about in any form. But a 5 minute prep oatmeal version of banana bread? That’s exactly what this banana overnight oats recipe is!
Overnight oatmeal is such an easy way to fuel up in the morning. And since the prep is so minimal, it just makes sense. Get a few jars ready tonight, and have breakfast ready and waiting for you in the morning–the best part of waking up!
If you’re a huge fan of overnight oats like we are, try these other recipes as well: Triple Chocolate Overnight Oats, Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats, Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats, or Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats.
Why you will love these Banana Bread Overnight Oats:
- Simple ingredients and simple prep. You only need a handful of kitchen basics to prepare this recipe. Plus it uses up those brown bananas before they go to waste. To make these banana overnight oats, you just mash the banana and then toss the other ingredients into a jar or bowl and mix. There is really nothing else to it.
- Super kid friendly. My picky toddler is a fan of these oats. Some days he is cool with one flavor, others he is not. So I can easily tweak them to jazz them up with some white chocolate chips or a few berries and he is happy again.
- Great for weekly meal prep. Make an entire week’s worth of this banana overnight oats recipe in one sitting. It won’t take you more than about 10 minutes or so. Then you are set for the whole week!
- Simple to modify to meet dietary needs. Easily make these vegan overnight oats, gluten free or even nut free. Whatever you may need to adjust should still have a delicious breakfast as the result.
If you are new to Overnight Oatmeal, check out this post here for a great place to start!
Recipe Ingredients:
- Oats: That obvious?? But what kind of oats is the question. I use rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats. I have also made these, adjusting the milk slightly to taste, with quick oats and have found they work really great when I want the same recipe but right now. Some people like steel-cut oats, but I am not a fan. They are much too chewy for my taste. Gluten free oats will work as well.
- milk: your personal preference is ideal–any kind of milk should work. You can use regular or non-dairy milk when making overnight oatmeal. We usually use either whole milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk. These are both always on hand at our house, but whatever you love is great!
- ripe bananas. This makes them super mashable and sweet. Super soft and with brown spots will make for the perfect banana in this recipe.
- maple syrup: sweeten to taste and feel free to substitute for your preferred sweetener. Super ripe bananas add a lot of natural sweetness to these oats, so you can wait until serving to add sweetener.
- cinnamon: what is a banana bread inspired recipe without the cinnamon, right?
- pecans: you can use sliced almonds or chopped walnuts if preferred. The nuts can also be skipped completely.
- Fun add-ins: flax meal for a bit more fiber, chia seeds, a dollop of yogurt when serving, and hey, more bananas! Some coconut might be great as well.
How To Make These Oats:
- Mash the banana in a small bowl or jar that can be sealed later. As long as it’s an airtight container, you are good, doesn’t have to be a mason jar or anything fancy if you don’t have it.
- Add in all other ingredients with the banana.
- Stir up the banana overnight oats, cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Stir in an extra splash of milk the next morning before serving if they have thickened up. Garnish with some chopped pecans and sliced bananas. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Sweeten these banana bread overnight oats to your liking. The banana already adds a decent amount of sweet. I go back and forth on the maple–sometimes I just add a drizzle in the morning when serving.
- I find that overnight oats with banana are best if eaten within 3 days. If you want to make these for the week, add the mashed banana in just before serving for any servings that won’t be eaten until day 4 or 5.
- You can easily make these banana overnight oats vegan by using a dairy free milk. For gluten free, make sure the oats are certified gluten free.
Do you have to eat your oats cold?
Absolutely not! These banana overnight oats are so delicious warmed up in the morning. Some people enjoy cold oats, or are always eating on the run so they eat them cold, but it is not something you have to do.
I eat my oatmeal warmed up 99% of the time.
Recipe Variations:
We find this banana bread overnight oatmeal recipe to be perfection, but there are definitely some ways to change things up if you are like us and make them so often! Try the following:
- add a touch of brown sugar for a bolder flavor
- stir in some protein powder
- a dollop of cream cheese stirred in for a tangy, cheesecake like flavor
- mix in some chocolate chips
- add a touch of almond butter or cashew butter
- add protein with some Greek yogurt–vanilla yogurt is great to add some creaminess and flavor, you can use plain Greek yogurt, but may need to adjust the sweetness slightly
More overnight oats recipes:
- Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Overnight Oats
- Apple Pie Overnight Oatmeal
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oatmeal
- Triple Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats
- Vanilla Cold Brew Oatmeal
- Chocolate Peanut Butter
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Banana Bread Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/2 mashed ripe banana
- 1/2 cup rolled oats, regular or gluten free
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 2 T chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Dash of sea salt
- 1 T ground flax (optional)
- 2 tsp 100% pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Mash the banana in the bottom of a bowl or jar that can be sealed. Combine all other ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Refrigerate overnight or at least about 4 hours. Serve hot or cold.
- Garnish with some sliced banana or more nuts if desired.
Notes
- Sweeten these banana bread overnight oats to your liking. The banana already adds a decent amount of sweet. I go back and forth on the maple–sometimes I just add a drizzle in the morning when serving.
- I find that overnight oats with banana are best if eaten within 3 days. If you want to make these for the week, add the mashed banana in just before serving for any servings that won’t be eaten until day 4 or 5.
- You can easily make these banana overnight oats vegan by using a dairy free milk. For gluten free, make sure the oats are certified gluten free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Absolutely amazing! I will be adding this to my weekly breakfast rotation. The flaxseed was really good in it.
Delicious. Added chia instead of flax and a bit more almond milk because of the extra absorption.
I have a 15 month old- not sure he will like flax. Is it necessary to add?
You can totally skip it if you’re unsure! It will be fine without it
Can you just use water instead of milk to make it low calorie
Hi! You should be able to as it will still soak into the oats. The creaminess and flavor will surely be very different but it will definitely still work!
Do you cook the oats before putting them in the jar?
No need to cook, just add them raw!
This recipe is fantastic! I have been struggling to find breakfast options due to my dietary restrictions including gluten and eggs, so I finally decided to give overnight oats a shot. And this recipe does not disappoint! It’s simple and easy to make in only a few minutes to then let sit overnight in the fridge. I prefer to heat mine up before enjoying for 1 min, stirring after 30 seconds. Plus I make 2 at a time. I highly recommend this recipe and can’t wait to try the rest of Lorie’s overnight oat recipes!
Yay Jackie!!! This is the best news!!
Swapped the ground flax for chia seeds and added some lily’s dark chocolate chips… so good! I will definitely make this again!
Yummmmm! That sounds like my next batch right there!
The best overnight oats ever! I couldn’t eat oats cold before but these are so yummy! I wake up craving it!😊 We use banana milk which makes the flavor even better.
Our favorite as well. Banana milk?? I’m so intrigued!
This was super easy to make, and both my toddlers loved it! We made it with vanilla soy milk and swapped in mini chocolate chips for the nuts in the kids’ servings. My kids ate up every last bit of it, and my 3yo is asking when we can make it again.
So amazing to hear this one is kid approved!!! Thanks for sharing!
Hi! Made as written except used vanilla almond milk and skipped the nuts because I did not have any – super delicious!
Yes! Vanilla almond milk is amazing in this recipe!!