Protein Baked Oatmeal
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Last updated on Jun 28, 2024
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Have your oatmeal and get your protein in with this protein baked oatmeal! It’s easy to make, perfect for meal prep and packs over 17 grams of protein per serving.
One of the most popular questions I receive when it comes to baked oatmeal is “can I add protein powder to baked oatmeal?” While you can definitely add protein powder to any of my baked oatmeal recipes I thought it was time to create a specific protein baked oatmeal recipe.
Oatmeal on its own is not super protein-rich and can sometimes leave me feeling hungry 1 hour after eating it, which is why I’m all about adding protein and healthy fats to help keep me full and satisfied all morning long!
I’ve previously created protein overnight oats and protein oatmeal recipes, but this protein baked oatmeal might just be my new favorite way to eat protein oats (aka proats)!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make and only requires one bowl and one pan!
- Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast for busy days.
- It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and can easily be made vegan!
- Has 17 grams of protein per serving!
Ingredients Needed
- old fashioned rolled oats – my fave brand is Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old fashioned rolled oats.
- vanilla protein powder – for this recipe I used the vanilla Warrior blend by Sun Warrior, but feel free to use your favorite brand of protein powder. Nuzest is also one of my favorite brands. It’s plant-based and has a minimal, clean ingredient list. Plus, the chocolate flavor is delish. You can use my code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order.
- unsweetened almond milk – I used unsweetened almond milk, but any non-dairy milk will work.
- peanut butter – adds some more protein and great flavor to this baked oatmeal. Feel free to use your favorite nut or seed butter.
- eggs – the eggs will help bind all the ingredients together. See vegan alternatives below.
- maple syrup – pure maple syrup is the perfect natural sweetener to use for baked oatmeal in my opinion! Just be sure to use pure maple syrup, not the artificial kind labeled “pancake syrup” and made from corn syrup… NOT the same!
- coconut oil – make sure you’re using coconut oil that’s melted. I’ve purchased several different brands of coconut oil before, but Nutiva organic extra virgin coconut oil is my favorite.
- vanilla extract – a flavor enhancer.
- salt – can’t forget the salt! This brings all the ingredients together.
- fresh blueberries – I love the addition of fresh blueberries in this baked oatmeal. Frozen berries will also work.
Substitutions & Notes
- Protein powder: I prefer to use a plant-based vanilla protein powder, but feel free to use your favorite flavor and brand of protein powder. I’m sure whey protein or hemp protein would both work, I’m just not sure what the end result would taste like as I haven’t tried either of these options. If you don’t have protein powder on hand I suggest making one of my other 22+ baked oatmeal recipes instead.
- Peanut butter: If you have a peanut allergy or don’t have any on hand, feel free to swap it out with any nut or seed butter. Almond butter would be my second choice, but cashew butter, tahini or sunflower seed butter are all great options.
- Eggs: To make this recipe vegan use flax eggs or chia eggs instead or regular eggs.
- Maple syrup: Feel free to use your favorite liquid sweetener like honey or agave. To keep this recipe low-sugar use monk fruit maple syrup.
- Blueberries: I prefer fresh blueberries, but you could really use any fruit of your choice. Some options I would try are strawberries, raspberries, cherries or blackberries. If you want to skip the fruit and add a different mix-in, go for it! Chocolate chips or chopped nuts would both be delicious.
- Want to make this a blended baked oatmeal? If you’re a fan of the blended baked oats and want to make a blended version of this protein baked oatmeal just add all the ingredients (except for the berries) to a blender and blend until smooth, add blueberries, pour into a baking dish and bake!
How to Make
Just like all of my baked oatmeal recipes this one is super easy to whip up. Start by preheating your oven to 375°F and spraying an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray or oil. You could also line it with parchment paper.
In a large bowl mix together the oats, protein powder, almond milk, peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt. Once combined, stir in the blueberries and carefully pour the mixture into baking dish. Top it off with additional blueberries.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Portion and serve with a drizzle of nut butter!
What to Serve With Baked Oatmeal
This baked oatmeal is packed with fiber, healthy fats and 17 grams of protein per serving, so it’s a great breakfast option and can definitely be eaten on its own, but if you want to serve it with some sides here are some ideas that would pair well with it:
- A savory egg dish – baked egg muffins , egg white bites, dairy-free spinach quiche or kale and feta crustless quiche
- A fresh fruit salad – easy fruit salad or fruit salad with mint
- Meat – regular bacon, tempeh bacon, chicken sausage, breakfast sausage or veggie sausage
- Yogurt – a side yogurt bowl
Can I Make Baked Oatmeal Ahead of Time
Yes, you can totally make baked oatmeal ahead of time. Here are a couple of options that work well.
OPTION 1: BAKE AND THEN REHEAT BEFORE SERVING
- Prepare baked oatmeal as the recipe suggests. Once baked, let the oatmeal cool, cover the baking dish and place in the fridge. You can do this 1-2 days in advance. When you’re ready to serve, take the baked oatmeal from the fridge, cover with foil, and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. For individual portions, set the toaster oven to 350°F and bake for 5-10 minutes. Or you could use a microwave for 1 minute.
OPTION 2: PREP AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WITHOUT BAKING
- Mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl, cover, and let sit out on the counter until morning.
- Mix together all the wet ingredients in a different bowl, cover, and store in the fridge until morning.
- In the morning just mix your dry and wet ingredients together and pour the mixture into your baking pan, and prepare in the oven as suggested above.
How to Store and Reheat
This baked oatmeal is a great meal prep recipe and stores really well in the fridge or freezer.
In the fridge: store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
In the freezer: store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When freezing, I recommend cutting the oatmeal into portions, wrapping each in plastic wrap and placing the portions in a large freezer bag. The individual servings make it easier for reheating.
To reheat the entire pan of baked oatmeal: cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes or until warm.
To reheat individual portions: set oven or toaster oven to 350ºF and bake for 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave for 1 minute. Once warm, add your toppings and enjoy!
FAQ’s
For this recipe I used Sun Warrior, but Nuzest is also one of my favorite brands. I have a more detailed guide on the best protein powders out there if you’re interested in learning more.
The one fault oatmeal has is that it’s usually not very high in protein. For those of you that think oatmeal isn’t very filling or you’re hungry 1 hour after eating it, all you need to do is add some protein and healthy fat. That’s why I’m a huge supporter of making protein oatmeal. Adding protein powder to my oatmeal ensures that breakfast will keep me full for hours and the vanilla protein powder I use adds extra flavor (and sweetness) as well.
You can use steel cut or quick/instant oats for baked oatmeal, but you need to follow a recipe that calls for those oats because the liquid ratio is different. I do have a baked steel cut oatmeal recipe I would suggest making if you’re looking for a recipe that calls for steel cut oats.
This recipe is a bit soft, but shouldn’t be too soggy. If yours turns out super gooey or soggy, you either added too much milk, or you might need to cook it longer.
Definitely! Adding protein powder to recipes is a great way to make certain ones more filling and add more protein to your diet. I bake with protein powder all the time and have so many protein recipes here on EBF.
Everything You Need to Make Protein Baked Oatmeal
Bob’s Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, 32-ounce (Pack of 4)
Buy Now →
8×8 inch Square Porcelain Baking Dish
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Glass Food Storage Container with Silicone Sleeve
Buy Now →More Protein-Packed Recipes
More Baked Oatmeal Recipes
Be sure to check out all of my baked oatmeal recipes as well as all of the protein recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Protein Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder, I used Sun Warrior
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, or any dairy-free milk
- ¼ cup peanut butter, or any nut butter
- 2 large eggs, or flax eggs
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup fresh blueberries, plus more for topping
- nut butter, for drizzling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, protein powder, almond milk, peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt.
- Stir in blueberries and carefully pour oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with additional blueberries.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Portion and serve with a drizzle of nut butter.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
- 8-inch Baking Dish (my favorite for baked oatmeal)
Can’t wait to eat this, it smells amazing. I used 3/4 cup of blueberries and just mixed them all in to the batter. I can see lots of blueberries on top, but the blog picture looks more like a blueberry crisp or something? It looks like a lot more blueberries on the bottom as you can see them on all edges.
I’m sure it will be delicious either way, the blog photo just looks like there are double the blueberries called for.
Ok, I’m back. I would probably change my rating from 4 stars to 3.
The texture was very dense, almost spongy, and I think the peanut butter made that worse. Also, the oatmeal didn’t have a lot of flavor going on.
If I were to try this one again, I think I would maybe omit the pb and use a mashed banana for moisture and add cinnamon for flavor. Of course then it would be a different recipe.
I used the Sun Warrior vanilla protein and I used 2 scoops of it (50g).
Thanks so much for coming back to share your experience — I really appreciate the honest feedback! I used Sun Warrior in this recipe too, so it’s helpful to know it still turned out a bit too dense or spongy for your taste. Protein baked goods can definitely have a unique texture, especially with plant-based powders — and personal preference plays a big role there.
Your ideas for customizing it sound great! Mashed banana and cinnamon would definitely add more flavor and natural sweetness. And reducing or swapping out the peanut butter could help lighten the texture a bit if you’re looking for something less dense. It would change the recipe a bit, but I’m all for experimenting to make it work for you!
Thanks again for trying the recipe and sharing your notes — it’s always so helpful for me and the community! 😊
Hey Angela – I used the 1/2 cup blueberries, but added more on top before baking, which I do note in the recipe! 🙂
Super easy to make – whipped up a batch while WFH on my lunch and it’s soooo yummy!! I used Fairlife skim milk instead of almond milk which bumped the protein up to 29g per serving. Love it served warm with a drizzle of PB!
Love the added protein boost with the regular milk! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
I’ve meal prepped this once weekly for the last month and I still love it! I’ve given the recipe to a few of my coworkers, they’ve all been asking what I make because it looks and smells so good. Really a great recipe!
Yay! So glad this recipe has been a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I absolutely LOVED this recipe. it will be going into my breakfast rotation for sure. Warm, nourishing and like comfort in a bowl. My teenager and husband enjoyed it as well!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Jordan. So glad it brought cozy vibes to your breakfast table. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Loved it! It’s so easy to make and the texture and taste were spot-on!
Yay! So glad you loved it, Sarah. Thanks for making it and for leaving a review. I really appreciate it!
If I were to make a 2x batch of this recipe do you think that it would bake evenly in a 13×9 at longer bake time?
Going to do a mash-up of your carrot cake baked oat recipe with this one to try to make high protein carrot cake baked oatmeal. I will let you know my findings and also how the 13×9 bake pans out.
Hey Jesse – It should bake evenly in a 9×13 pan. I would just keep an eye on the bake time. Excited to hear how this turns out for you!
This is fantastic! I used peanut butter powder and egg whites in mine and it is delicious! I’ll keep this recipe on a regular rotation for sure.
So glad you loved this recipe, Monica! Thanks for making it and for coming ack to leave a review. I so appreciate it!