Banana Bread Overnight Oats
56
Published Nov 05, 2018, Updated Oct 11, 2022
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
These banana bread overnight oats offer all the flavor of banana bread served up in a mason jar. They’re so easy to prep ahead of time.
Somehow out of all the overnight oats recipes that I have posted before there isn’t a banana bread overnight oats recipe!? As much as I love banana bread, I find this hard to believe, but it’s happening today!
Ingredients Needed for Banana Overnight Oats
- old fashioned rolled oats – rolled oats are the best for overnight oats. Instant/quick oats and steel cut oats don’t work well because they don’t absorb liquid the same way rolled oats do
- bananas – you can’t have banana bread overnight oats without bananas!
- almond milk – I like using unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but any type of milk will work
- Greek yogurt – yogurt gives overnight oats an extra creamy texture while adding a bit of protein. I personally like using plain Greek yogurt since it’s the highest in protein and lowest in sugar. To make this recipe vegan or dairy-free you can use a non-dairy yogurt or skip the yogurt all together and use additional milk
- maple syrup – pure maple syrup is the perfect natural sweetener to use because it’s liquid so it blends in nicely with the oat mixture and I personally love the flavor. Honey or another natural liquid sweetener will work here. If you want to reduce the sugar in this recipe, feel free to use a sugar alternative like stevia or monk fruit
- vanilla extract and almond extract – these aren’t must-haves, especially the almond extract, but they add such a nice flavor so if you have them use them
- sea salt – a pinch of sea salt is the perfect flavor enhancer and brings out the nutty flavor of the oats
- cinnamon – adds a touch of spice!
- walnuts – banana bread with walnuts is my fave and I love the added crunch the walnuts add to the oats
Overnight Oats Ratio
The base “recipe” for overnight oats is so simple! The hardest part is getting the right ratio of oats to liquid, but if you follow my recipes you’ll be set!
I aim for a 1:1 ratio of rolled oats to milk, plus half as much yogurt. So for 1 cup of oats, I use 1 cup of milk + 1/2 cup of yogurt (or an additional 1/2 cup of milk). This seems to give the oats the perfect consistency, not too thick, but not soupy. For the liquid, I usually go for non-dairy milk like almond milk, but you can use whatever milk you have on hand and if you really want to experiment you can try using different liquids like fruit juice.
How Long Do Overnight Oats Need to Soak?
Given the name, you’d assume overnight oats need to soak overnight, but you can actually make them in 2-4 hours if you’re in a rush. While it does take some time for the oats to absorb the liquid, they don’t necessarily have to be soaked overnight. I recommend at least 8 hours for true overnight oats, but there have been mornings where I decide I want overnight oats for breakfast even though I didn’t prep them the night before. When this happens I’ll make them the morning of and let the oats soak for just 2-4 hours. With this quick soak, they’re not as soft as overnight oats that have soaked longer and they’re a bit more liquidy, but they’re still delicious.
Can You Eat Overnight Oats Hot?
Short answer, yes! You can definitely warm up overnight oats, but the whole point of overnight oats is to eat them cold like muesli. Even if you think cold oats sound strange, I recommend giving it shot before you write them off. Of course, if you simply can’t do the cold oats you can always heat them up. Just pop the overnights oats in your microwave, cooking in 30 second increments until the oats are warm throughout and enjoy.
The best part about overnight oats is that the oats absorb everything, so the flavors turn out to be well-rounded and balanced. I like to add flavors like vanilla or cinnamon and sweet components like fruit, honey or maple syrup. For this recipe I went with bananas (because banana bread…), vanilla and almond extract. The almond extract isn’t 100% necessary, but it gives the oats that “quick bread” flavor that makes the oats taste even more like banana bread. Cinnamon is optional since traditional banana bread recipes don’t add cinnamon, but I like it in banana bread and in these oats!
So next time you’re craving banana bread, but don’t have the time to bake a batch or want to have a healthier, lighter version, I hope you whip up a batch of these delicious banana bread overnight oats! They’re perfect for an everyday breakfast or snack, but could also make a fun brunch… single serve overnight oats in mini mason jars anyone?! Who wants to come over for brunch?
More Oatmeal Recipes to Try:
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Berry Baked Oatmeal Bars
- Easy Protein Balls
- Baked Oatmeal Recipes
- Protein Oatmeal
- Blended Overnight Oats
Banana Bread Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, or your favorite milk
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, or coconut yogurt
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch of cinnamon, optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons walnuts
- toppings: additional banana slices, maple syrup, nut butter
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except the walnuts in a container and stir until well combined. Seal with a lid and place in the fridge overnight (or at least a couple hours).
- Remove from the fridge in the morning and stir. You’ll notice that the oats soak up a lot of the liquid, so you may want to add a little more milk before serving.
- Top oats with walnuts and any other toppings you like. Enjoy cold.
- Overnight oats will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge in a sealed container.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good stuff! We heated it up, and it was great warm!
Preparing breakfast early is certainly an idea I can get behind. But this goes way beyond. I tried the recipe and the results were impressive. I haven’t been so excited about breakfast in a while, but that has changed, thanks to this amazing banana bread recipe.
Toasted the oats first, added salted date caramel – delicious!
Ahhhhh-mazing! This recipe just came on my radar and I decided to whip it up for lunch. I threw it together at 8:00 am and it was perfect when I broke my fast at 11:30. It’s so indulgent I felt like I was eating dessert, but with only 1/4 tsp of maple syrup I know the added sugar is super low. I cut the recipe in half to make a single serving. Absolutely perfect! Thank you for another great meal!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Emily!! So glad you enjoyed these overnight oats. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. The reviews are super helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it. <3
I was nervous to try overnight oats because I bought a store brand and they were awful! But your overnight oat recipes have me so excited to eat breakfast! They are delicious!!
Ahh that seriously makes me so happy to hear, Kristina! I’m glad you gave overnight oats another chance. Thanks for making my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. It means the world to me. <3
These Banana Bread Overnight Oats are THE BEST BREAKFAST I’VE HAD! These oats are just so perfect and sweet. It’s nice to have a prepared meal in the mornings so you don’t have to cook. I’ve recently gotten my mom into eating these oats in the morning with me, or even post-workout, and she’s obsessed too! Great job on another amazing recipe! ❤️
Ahh omg that makes me so happy to hear, EllaRose!! I’m so glad you enjoyed these overnight oats. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
Unofficially reviewed this recipe on Instagram but realized it’s much more helpful for you if I put it here!
I am not really into oatmeal but decided to try making this recipe since I happened to have all the ingredients on hand. I was floored when I tried it the next morning – the texture is fantastic and the flavors are so addicting! It was hard to put the jar down.
I’ve added chia seeds AND vanilla protein powder to this recipe and it’s super good. This is going to become a staple in my kitchen for an easy breakfast.
I have a strong dislike for oats, but let me tell you….you did the improbable! I loved this! I kept out the walnuts, not a fan, and used some cashew milk yogurt. Sliced banana on top with a drizzle of maple syrup and woooow!
The kiddo and I each had a bowl for breakfast. It’s just so good! Thank you for this!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Heather!! I’m glad you finally found an oat recipe you enjoyed. 🙂 Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it!
I used to love bananas and eat them all the time, but have gotten away from eating them (except for in smoothies). I would probably cut down to half a banana per serving in these overnight oats, but overall I loved them! Thanks!!
I’m glad you enjoyed this overnight oats recipe, Kelly! 🙂
Hello!
I’ve made ONOats in the past and enjoyed them, they have helped me personally to meet my weight loss goals. I am now a new mom, she is 10 months old and I have been working hard to get my body together and have successfully shed all the pregnancy weight and then some. I figured I’d start back up on the ONOats for breakfast and because it is so fulfilling, I am not hungry for hours, Im eating less, I probably eat a small snack like celery sticks & pretzels with homemade guacamole and then eat a balanced dinner. I am all about healthy eating and have been for years. Thank you Brittany for the recipes, I love all the different flavors. I made your banana bread ONO and I loved it!
I’ve also made the peanut butter style with some strawberries on top, as well as the blueberry crumble, all very good!
I can’t wait to try out the baked oatmeal and the Mason jar salads.
This is my go to when I have ripe bananas, it truly tastes like banana bread… it is magical!
So glad you’ve been loving this recipe, Jaclyn!! 🙂
Hi Brittany! Sorry this is a question instead of a comment – hoping to try this tonight (and many other soon). Can you add the Fiber count to the nutritional info on this recipe (Banana Bread Overnight Oats)? Thanks so much!!
Hey Sherie – I just added the fiber count! 🙂
AMAZING – MUST TRY!! I made this last night and enjoyed it this morning and I was in banana bread heaven LOL. I love the texture of the mashed bananas and all the flavour! Everything about it!! Yum yum. Thanks for all of your incredible recipes Brittany 💛
Yay!! I’m so glad these overnight oats were a hit, Lauren! Thank you so much for the review. I really appreciate it!!
This is so delicious…my favorite so far. It’s just like eating banana bread for breakfast! I savored every mouthful and was quite sad when I had my last spoonful!
Woo!! This makes me so happy to hear, Susannah! I’m so glad these overnight oats were a hit! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I made these overnight oats when I went camping and they were the perfect early morning breakfast! I ate them while watching the sunrise 🙂
Woo! I’m so glad you loved these overnight oats, Samantha! Thanks so much for the review 🙂
I was admittedly very skeptical about the recipe. I’ve tried other overnight oat recipes and was, frankly, unable to eat them. Not the case with this one! Oh my gosh, so delicious! I cannot encourage you enough to try this, even if you’ve had a bad experience with overnight oats before. The toppings put it over the top. (Pun intended)
I packed them before leaving for my daughter’s softball tourney and had a perfect healthy breakfast the next morning.
Yay! I’m so glad these overnight oats were a hit, Jodi! Thanks so much for making them and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
This is a question before I make them! When using the extra milk vs yogurt, do they come out very runny? Thanks!
They shouldn’t turn out to be super runny when using extra milk instead of yogurt. Let me know how these turn out for you, Kathy!
I love these over night oats! I leave out the yogurt because of dairy allergy, but they’re still delicious. I think the almond extra is what really makes this recipe special!
So glad you loved these, Courtney. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I thought banana bread would be a boring flavor but this is one of my new favorites. I halved the recipe for 1 serving but used only 1/2 banana and no walnuts. I thought a whole banana would be too much but next time I think I would use more for the stronger banana flavor. The almond extract gives it such a unique flavor, don’t skip it!
So glad you loved this flavor, Molly! Thanks for making it and for the review. I so appreciate it!
Can I add protein powder to this recipe?
Definitely! I’d start with one scoop and you shouldn’t have to add more liquid, but you can if you prefer.
Yes, you can!
Loved this recipe. I used vanilla oat milk and left out the extracts and they still turned out wonderful. Can’t wait to add those next time 🙂
Yay! So glad this recipe was a hit, Kim! Thanks so much for trying it and coming back to leave a review and star rating. It means so much to me!
Hi Brittany,
I am planning to make these oats for meal prep; however, my concern is that the banana will turn brown and not taste very good after a few days. I was hoping to prep four days worth of oats at once. Your recipe states that these last for about 5 days. Have you had any issues with the taste of the oats after that many days? Additionally, could I use kefir instead of the milk/yogurt combo?
Thank you in advance!
Sophie
I haven’t had any issues with the bananas in these oats when making them for meal prep. I’m sure using kefir would be just fine – you’ll have to let me know if you try it!
Great! Thank you for letting me know. I plan to make these within the next week and I will get back to you.
Thanks again!
Keep me posted on how they turn out, Sophie!
I rely on overnight oats a lot and love the idea of making a banana bread flavored version! Thanks for sharing!
Let me know how it turns out for you, Kelly!
hi! my wife and i made these recently and absolutely loved them! my favorite was the peach, she loved the banana bread. we made 5 each and were wondering how long these will last in the refrigerator in the case that we don’t eat 1 serving every day?
They should last about 5 days in the fridge!
This was pretty good, I made it last night following the recipe exactly and added 2 tablespoons of almond butter. This is the first overnight oats recipe I’m seeing without chia seeds, too, have you tried it with them?
It IS quite calorie dense, however. One full recipe is a little over 1k calories.
Hey Jasmine, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe. I have tried chia seeds, you can definitely add those in! Did you have just one serving of this recipe? It should make 2 servings at around 350 calories each.
Very good recipe! I cut the amount of almond extract in half because it’s so strong, but it’s a nice touch🙂
Happy to hear you enjoyed these overnight oats, Alana! Sorry to hear the almond extract was a bit strong, but cutting the amount was the perfect decision. So happy it worked out! Thanks for the review :).
Will bananas turned brown soaking after 3 days?
Hi! No, you shouldn’t notice the bananas turning brown in the oatmeal because they are all mashed up. I would recommend if you are adding sliced bananas to the top, to add those right before you are ready to eat. Enjoy!
So far I have tried the Banana Bread Oats, Peach Oats, and Apple Pie Oats. They are all FANTASTIC. I didn’t think I would like the cold oats but these recipes changed my mind. I even put the nuts in the mason jar at night and the are still good in the morning.
Ahh this is the best, Sharon! I am SO glad you are loving these overnight oat recipes. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I so appreciate it!
Could I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Hi Dom -Instant/quick oats don’t work well because they don’t absorb liquid the same way rolled oats do. Hope that helps!