If you love brownies for breakfast, this baked chocolate oatmeal is your dream come true. It’s rich, fudgy, and packed with double chocolate goodness from cacao powder, chocolate protein powder, and choc chips. Plus, the banana and chia seeds keep it naturally sweet and extra moist—perfect for a high-protein Breakfast Meal Prep start to your day!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Chocolatey. This baked chocolate oatmeal is like having a brownie for Breakfast! If you're into rich, fudgy flavours, you might also love Single Serve Brownie or Chocolate Peanut Butter Baked Oats
Baked Oats. A cozy, oven-baked twist on oatmeal that’s soft, satisfying, and packed with flavour. Try other variations like Orange Poppyseed Baked Oats or Zucchini Baked Oats for something different.
Breakfast Meal Prep. Perfect for prepping ahead so you have a quick, high-protein breakfast ready to go. If you’re into easy make-ahead breakfasts, check out Carrot Cake Overnight Oats or a Single-Serve French Toast Bake
Ingredients
Banana. Mashed banana adds natural sweetness and moisture to the baked chocolate oatmeal; the riper, the better for enhanced flavour. I normally use one banana and one egg for baked oats recipes, but at the time of developing this recipe, eggs were expensive and there weren't many, so I adjusted to two bananas instead.
Rolled Oats. Provides a hearty, chewy texture and absorbs liquid well; using other types of oats will change the texture and milk ratio.
Flour. Helps bind the baked oats together, creating a more cake-like consistency.
Protein Powder. Chocolate works best for a rich flavour, though vanilla or neutral options will also work. This is optional, but if you're not using, substitute with additional flour.
Cacao Powder. Adds deep chocolate flavour without added sugar (as I find it is sweet enough from the banana); cocoa powder can be used instead but will make it sweeter.
Chia Seeds. These are optional, but I highly recommend using as they help with the overall texture when baked.
Milk. Provides moisture and helps blend the ingredients; use any milk of choice, including dairy or plant-based alternatives.
Choc Chips. A tasty topping for added sweetness; dark chocolate is recommended to balance the richness without making it too sweet.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
How to make chocolate baked oats
Step 1: Set your oven to 160°C (320°F) and lightly grease a baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until smooth then add in dry ingredients. Stir to combine (ensuring the cacao powder is evenly distributed).
Step 3: Pour in the milk and mix until everything is evenly incorporated. The batter should be thick but pourable.
Step 4: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
Step 5: Sprinkle choc chips over the top for extra sweetness.
Step 6: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-50 minutes (depending on whether you prefer it more moist, or more cakey).
Top Tip
Use ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your baked oats will be. This also helps with moisture and texture.
Blend for a smoother texture. If you prefer a cake-like consistency rather than a chewy oatmeal texture, blend the oats into a flour before mixing.
Recommended Equipment
I use a deep square baking container (approx. 26 x 6.5cm) for my baked oats recipes (which is pictured in the photos of the final dish. The mixture comes up about halfway to the top of the dish. If using a different sized baking dish, you may need to adjust baking times to accommodate the thickness.
Meal prep and leftovers
Having baked oats for a Breakfast Meal Prep is a go-to of mine each week. It's easy to prepare and once in the oven, you can forget about it and get on with your other Meal Preps. They're also really versatile with flavours from Biscoff and Raspberry to Orange Poppyseed so you can mix-and-match as you please each week.
Storing
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For easy grab-and-go servings, slice into portions before storing. If using a Bake n Store dish, you can pop the lid on and store in the same container you baked in.
Reheating
Warm individual portions in the microwave for around 60 seconds (depending on thickness) or in the oven at 160°C (320°F) for about 10 minutes until heated through.
You can also eat the baked oats cold.
Freezing
You can Freeze Baked Oats by wrapping individual slices tightly or store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or microwave from frozen in short intervals, adding a little milk if needed. For an extra treat, top with nut butter, yogurt, or extra chocolate chips after reheating.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Yes! Just replace the protein powder with extra flour or oats for a similar texture. It will still be rich and chocolatey.
If your bananas aren’t very ripe, add 1–2 tablespoons of honey, maple syrup, or an extra handful of chocolate chips. You can taste it before it goes into the oven to make sure it's to your liking - but note the baking will make it slightly sweeter because of the bananas.
Absolutely! Divide the batter into a greased muffin tin and bake at the same temperature for about 15–18 minutes.
Other breakfast meal preps
Or, you can have a browse through my Breakfast Meal Prep Category for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Double Chocolate Baked Oatmeal (without Eggs)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 bananas mashed (approx. 1 cup) substitutions Note 1
- 170 g (2 cups) rolled oats
- 100 g (¾ cup) flour
- 55 g (½ cup) protein powder optional, chocolate preferred, see Note 2
- 20 g (2 tbsp) cacao powder see Note 3
- 40 g (¼ cup) chia seeds optional but recommended
- 250 ml (1 cup) milk substitutions note 4
- 30 g (2 tbsp) dark choc chips for topping, optional
Instructions
- Set your oven to 160°C (320°F) and lightly grease a baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the 2 bananas until smooth then add in dry ingredients 170 g (2 cups) rolled oats, 100 g (¾ cup) flour, 55 g (½ cup) protein powder, 20 g (2 tbsp) cacao powder, 40 g (¼ cup) chia seeds. Stir to combine (ensuring the cacao powder is evenly distributed).
- Pour in the 250 ml (1 cup) milk and mix until everything is evenly incorporated. The batter should be thick but pourable.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Sprinkle 30 g (2 tbsp) dark choc chips over the top for extra sweetness.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-50 minutes (depending on whether you prefer it more moist, or more cakey).
- Let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Enjoy warm, or store for later as a meal prep breakfast.
athletelunchbox
If you're a fan of having a sweet breakfast, these brownie baked oats should be what you make next week. They are sweet enough to satisfy those morning cravings (for a brownie), but have wholesome ingredients that will keep you fuelled for the morning. Make sure you try them out and let me know your feedback!