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Banana Overnight Oats taste like banana bread, only easier! This healthy recipe makes an easy breakfast on the go, and you can eat it hot or cold.
This is the perfect way to use up any ripe bananas you have on hand, and you can prepare two breakfasts (or more) in less than 10 minutes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make banana overnight oats, you’ll need just 5 simple ingredients.
- Banana (the riper, the better)
- Old fashioned rolled oats
- Milk of choice (see notes below)
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
I also like to add in some healthy fat to make it more filling, like peanut butter, almond butter, or a handful of chopped walnuts, but that’s optional. You can customize this to your liking!
The banana adds a natural sweetness, but I also like to add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup, to boost the overall flavor. It really reminds me of banana bread!
Which Milk Works Best for Overnight Oats?
Soaking oats in water helps to reduce their phytic acid content, and it seems to be most effective at boosting iron absorption when water is used, rather than cow’s milk. That’s why I suggest using a non-dairy milk, such as almond milk or cashew milk, which is basically water-based. (Especially if you’re using a homemade milk!)
Use oat milk or hemp milk, if you want to keep this recipe nut-free.
How to Make Banana Overnight Oats
First, you’ll need to mash the ripe bananas. Mash them on a plate for the best texture (it’s easier to mash on a flat surface!) then transfer them to two jars that will hold your oats overnight in the fridge.
Make sure the jars have lids, so you can keep them airtight.
Add in the nut butter, if using, cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and the milk, and stir. It’s okay if the mixture isn’t perfectly smooth!
Finally, add in the oats and give the mixture a stir. (I’ve linked to the ones I use in the recipe below!)
It helps if you use a jar that is 14-16 ounces in size, so you have some space to stir.
Cover the jars with the lids, then place in the fridge to thicken overnight!
In the morning, you can just give the oats a stir, and add an extra splash of milk, if you’d like to loosen up the texture. You can also add a splash of maple syrup, if you’d like a sweeter flavor.
More Oatmeal Recipes
- Zucchini Oatmeal
- Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Oatmeal Smoothie
- Pumpkin Oatmeal
- Instant Pot Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (optional; or handful of walnuts)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup , or to taste
Instructions
- Peel and mash the bananas. I like to do this on a plate, so they will mash evenly. Transfer them evenly between the two glass jars.
- To each jar, add in 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and a 1/2 cup of milk. Stir well. (It doesn't have to be perfectly smooth!)
- Add a 1/2 cup of rolled oats to each, and stir well. Place the lids on the jars and set them in the fridge to chill overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
- When you are ready to eat, grab a jar from the fridge, remove the lid and stir well. You can add an extra splash of milk to loosen the texture, and then add a splash of maple syrup, to taste. You can eat these cold right away, or transfer to a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oats are warm. (In that case, add an extra splash of water, as the oats will thicken even more.) Oats can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try these Banana Overnight Oats, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too! We can all benefit from your experience.
This recipe delivered! Good overnight oats are all about the ratios, and this one nailed it. A perfectly cinnamon-y, banana-y flavor experience, with a little peanut butter kick. As others have said, you don’t need the maple syrup, especially if you use ultra-ripe (spotty! mushy!) bananas. They are perfect for this recipe. Thanks for sharing such a yummy breakfast idea!
These are so good! Amazing! Best overnight oats ever. Use crunchy peanut butter for extra crunch. We pack these for early morning car trips or for camping. And of course just regular old weekdays too. Makes you want to get out of bed when you know there’s a jar of this goodness waiting for you in the fridge!
Not bad, but needs more banana. The only thing I tasted was peanut butter.
Great recipe, Megan. I like to use 2 tablespoons of quick steel cut oats as part of the oats. Also like to add 1 tablespoon protein powder and 1 teaspoon psyllium husk. This has become my go-to breakfast. Thank you!
Forgot to mention I, too, skip the maple syrup 🙂
So good! The mix is just right, it didn’t need the maple syrup, I will be making this again and again. Thanks for this recipe.
I wish I could give these more than 5 stars! They were so good. I made them last night and had them for breakfast this morning. The peanut butter banana combo was splendid. I had a decently ripe banana, so it was sweet enough that I didn’t bother with the maple syrup. I can’t wait to make these again.
Delicious Overnight Oats recipe to add Bananas! So tasty with some PB as well added.
really satisfying ! I got my bananas that were in the freezer out in the morning so that I could mash them up easily in the evening. Considering the sweetness of the bananas I did not add maple syrup – thanks for such an easy & tasty recipe, I was actually craving a banana bread and did not feel like baking one & this hit the spot for me !
I love overnight oats. I add cinnamon ginger and turmeric walnuts and strawberries no pb or banana usually.
These are so tasty and I didn’t even add the maple syrup yet! Thanks for sharing!