Cinnamon Swirl Protein Banana Baked Oats (Printable Version)

Warm, fluffy banana baked oats with a cinnamon swirl. Protein-packed single-serve breakfast ready in 35 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 scoop vanilla or cinnamon protein powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
06 - 1/3 cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Swirl

09 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/2 teaspoon melted butter or coconut oil

→ Optional Toppings

12 - Sliced banana
13 - Greek yogurt
14 - Chopped walnuts or pecans

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10-12 ounce ramekin with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Using a blender or food processor, blend rolled oats until a fine flour consistency forms.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together oat flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together mashed banana, milk, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir until well combined with no dry streaks.
06 - Pour batter into prepared ramekin and smooth the top surface with a spatula.
07 - In a small bowl, mix maple syrup, cinnamon, and melted butter. Drizzle mixture over batter surface and gently swirl using a knife or toothpick.
08 - Bake for 22-25 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
09 - Allow to cool slightly, add desired toppings, and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes decadent enough to feel like a treat but delivers the protein punch your body actually needs to stay full.
  • The cinnamon swirl creates this beautiful marbled top that makes you feel like you spent way more time on breakfast than you actually did.
  • You can make it in one ramekin while your coffee brews, which means no massive cleanup before your day starts.
02 -
  • Don't skip the blending of oats into flour, this step is what separates a real baked oats experience from eating oatmeal that happened to be baked.
  • The egg is what transforms this from dense granola-like situation into something with actual structure and tenderness, so don't try to omit it.
  • If your center isn't set after 25 minutes, give it another 2 to 3 minutes because a slightly jiggly center will firm up as it cools and an overbaked one is dry and sad.
03 -
  • If your ramekin is deeper than 12 ounces, add a few extra minutes to the baking time so the center actually sets instead of staying custardy.
  • Use a ramekin that's oven-safe, which I only mention because I once tried this in a glass mug that wasn't rated for oven use and learned a valuable lesson about reading labels.
  • Keep your mashed banana at room temperature because cold banana will cool down your entire batter and affect how it bakes.
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