Protein Baked Oatmeal

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

1. 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

1. Mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl, cover, and let sit out on the counter until morning. 
2. Mix together all the wet ingredients in a different bowl, cover, and store in the fridge until morning. 
3. 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

More Protein-Packed Recipes

• Protein Overnight Oats
• 5 Ways to Make Protein Oatmeal
• Protein Brownies
• Protein Cookies
• Peanut Butter Protein Bars
• Protein Muffins
• Easy No Bake Protein Balls – 4 Ways
• Protein Waffles

More Baked Oatmeal Recipes

• One Pan Baked Oatmeal
• Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
• Cherry Baked Oatmeal
• Maple Pecan Baked Oatmeal
• Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
• Baked Oatmeal Cups 4-Ways
• Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
• Blended Baked Oats

Be sure to check out all of my baked oatmeal recipes as well as all of the protein recipes here on EBF!