This Gluten-Free Baked Protein Oats recipe is simple to make and is the perfect combination of hearty and sweet. The Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and collagen powder are all good sources of protein while bananas and maple syrup add subtle sweetness. This high-protein breakfast will keep you full and satisfied all morning long but also makes a delicious and satisfying snack in the afternoon!
This banana baked oats recipe is both easy and convenient, using sprouted rolled oats to maximize nutrition. With a focus on traditionally prepared grains using WAPF principles, it offers a simple and protein-rich option for baked oats. And I'm here for it!
They're similar to these steel cut oatmeal bars but differ in how they're served. I liken this baked protein oats recipe to a cozy bowl of hearty, chewy, delicious, properly-prepared oatmeal.
Looking for more healthy breakfast ideas? Try cottage cheese and fruit bowl, protein roll up crepes, protein coffee recipe, and air fryer sausage patties.
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Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep and 30-40 minutes to bake
- Cooking Method: Oven-baked or use your air fryer
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free with ancestral diet approach
- Tools Needed: mixing bowl and a square baking dish
- Skill Level: Easy
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Using Sprouted Oats in Protein Baked Oats
If you're familiar with phytic acid and its role in grains, then you can probably understand my frustration with baked protein oats recipes on the internet. The hard truth is that baked oats aren't easily digestible.
Why? Oats are high in phytic acid, a natural compound found in grains, nuts, and seeds. It's often referred to as an "antinutrient" because it can bind to minerals like calcium, zinc, and iron, according to PubMed.
And if you've been here any length of time, you know I greatly admire the work of WAPF and the traditional methods in food preparation. According to Dr. Price, there's only one way to properly enjoy oats so you're getting maximum nutrition from them.
Soaking, sprouting, or fermenting foods high in phytic acid can significantly reduce phytic acid levels and make the minerals more accessible. If you're interested in all the nerdy details, check out this WAPF article on Sprouting: The Secret to Digestible Grains.
But back to these baked protein oats.
Up until recently, baked oats was an arduous task of soaking and sprouting and then hitting the proportions just right to get the perfect texture. Not too runny. Not too dry.
Then, as the crunchy community grew and the market shifted, the need for sprouted oats became real. A small handful of grain companies started producing sprouted oats. And the rest, as they say, is history. In short, sprouting oats brings out the best flavor, texture, and, most importantly, nutrition.
Today, we have the convenience of making high-protein baked oats without the need to soak or sprout, all thanks to a few pioneers in the real food business who saw a need and ran with it. And we're all better for it.
Ingredients for Protein Baked Oats
Learn how to make protein baked oats with 7 simple ingredients. This easy recipe takes only 10 minutes to whip up. See the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Rolled oats: Of course any rolled oats will work here but if you're wanting to maximize nutrition and digestibility, go with sprouted oats. My favorite brand is One Degree Organics - I love their company, their products, and their push for transparency!
- Greek yogurt: Adds moisture, protein, and richness to the baked oats.
- Bananas: Provides natural sweetness and moisture. Use 3 very ripe bananas with brown spots.
- Eggs: Act as the binding agent, helping to hold everything together and provide structure.
- Chia seeds: Add texture and thickness as they absorb liquid. They also provide fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Collagen peptides: Use your favorite protein powder but I will always take up any opportunity to add my favorite collagen peptides. Clean and glyphosate-free collagen! Use discount: PREPARE10.
- Maple syrup: Sweetens the baked oats and adds a rich caramel flavor.
- Baking powder: Just a touch to help the baked oats rise and become light and fluffy.
- Toppings: Fresh fruit, maple syrup, or whipped cream to serve as toppings for extra flavor, sweetness, and an attractive visual appeal.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add nuts - I love adding chopped walnuts or crushed pecans into the oat mixture or sprinkle them on top before baking.
- For the chocolate lovers - Toss in your favorite chocolate chips or drizzle some chocolate ganache to make it extra indulgent.
💭Tips to Make it Nutrient-Dense Take care to use quality ingredients like organic sprouted rolled oats, pastured eggs, and real maple syrup. These small changes all add up.
How to Make Baked Protein Oats
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Whisk
In a large bowl, mash bananas until they are smooth. Add eggs, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup and whisk to combine well.
Step 2. Combine
In a small bowl, combine rolled oats, chia seeds, protein powder, and baking powder together.
Step 3. Fold
Add the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the wet ingredients and fold until everything has been incorporated.
Step 4. Transfer
Pour the baked oats batter into a generously greased 9x9 baking dish, smoothing out the top so it's even.
Step 5. Bake
Top with banana slices and bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the center is set.
Step 6. Rest
Rest the baked protein oats for 5 minutes. Cut into 9 squares and serve warm.
Helpful Tips for Protein Baked Oats Recipe
- Grease pan well - Generously grease the baking pan with butter to prevent sticking and make it easier to remove the oat bars. You can also line it with parchment paper. It's also best to remove the baked oat bars from the baking pan when they are still slightly warm.
- Fold gently - Fold the dry ingredients into the we mixture gently just until combined. Overmixing can result in dense and tough baked oats.
- Softer oat bars - Remove the baked oats from the oven when the center appears fully set but not quite fully baked. The oats will continue to cook from residual heat even after you pull the baked oatmeal from the oven.
Troubleshooting
- Too dry or crumbly? This could be due to overbaking. To prevent this, check for doneness a few minutes earlier than recommended and remove it when it is still slightly moist. To salvage it, serve it with whipped cream and maple syrup or honey for added moisture.
- Too chewy? Sprouted oats do tend to have a more chewier texture so it could be just how they are naturally. However, make sure that the baked oats have absorbed all the liquid during the baking.
- Not sweet enough? That's an easy problem to correct. I purposefully kept this baked protein oats recipe subtly and naturally sweetened with 3 overripe bananas and a touch of maple syrup. Feel free to add more natural unrefined sugar.
💭Meal Prep Suggestion: This recipe is not ideal for make ahead preparation because the oats will absorb all the liquid before baking. However, these baked protein oats bars are very freezer-friendly. So make a bunch and freeze for an easy breakfast. And while you're at it - whip up some eggless banana muffins as well so your freezer will be well stocked.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving this high protein baked oats as a treat after a savory breakfast. One square offers 7 grams of protein, which is insufficient on its own as a meal but excellent as a treat or a snack. If you want to make it a light breakfast, here's how I would dress it up to increase the protein and satiety: Serve two warm squares of baked oats with a cup of Greek yogurt on top. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup and top with fresh or stewed fruit. That clocks in over 31 grams of protein. You can take that further and add a serving of air fryer sausage patties or protein coffee. But if you want to just enjoy it as a treat, serve it as a healthier dessert. Drizzle some DIY sweetened condensed milk or healthy chocolate syrup to take it up a notch. Can I serve this recipe cold? While I personally prefer these baked oats warm (just like a cozy bowl of hearty oatmeal), you can certainly serve them cold if preferred. But if you're looking for a grab-and-go snack, you may want to consider these steel cut oat bars.
More baked oats pairing suggestions:
Storage and Reheating Instructions
How long does protein baked oats last in the refrigerator?
To store: Store the cooled baked oats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Storage containers: These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers.
To freeze: To freeze baked protein oats for longer storage, first cut them into squares and allow them to cool completely. Transfer the invidual squares to a freezer-safe container, separating them with a piece of parchment paper to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Bake in a non preheated oven at 350° F for 10 minutes or until warmed through to your liking. The preheating mode will thaw out the bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oats are naturally gluten free but can be contaminated with gluten during processing. Therefore, if you have gluten sensitivity, it's important to look for oats that are labeled as "certified gluten-free" to inadvertently avoid being glutened.
The baked protein oats are done baking when the center is almost set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking as that will make it dry.
Yes, you can air fry baked oats if you have the proper air fryer. I love and use a stainless steel convection-type air fryer that accomodates square pans. You would bake it for the same amount of time using the same oven temperature.
Looking for more healthy ideas? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this Baked Protein Oats? Please leave a ⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Gluten-Free Baked Protein Oats Recipe with Bananas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas, ripe with brown spots approximately 1 ½ cup
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup protein powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- fresh fruit, maple syrup, whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 9"x9" baking pan generously with butter.
- Whisk: In a large bowl, mash bananas until they are smooth. Add eggs, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup and whisk to combine well.
- Combine: In a small bowl, combine rolled oats, chia seeds, protein powder, and baking powder together.
- Fold: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold until smooth and mixed well.
- Bake: Pour into the greased pan and top with banana slices. Bake for 25 minutes or until center is almost set. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve: Cut into 9 squares. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream or Greek yogurt, drizzle of maple syrup, and fresh berries.
Notes
- Grease pan well - Generously grease the baking pan with butter to prevent the sticking and make it easier to remove the oat bars. It's also best to remove the baked oat bars from the baking pan when they are still slightly warm.
- Fold gently - Fold the dry ingredients into the we mixture gently just until combined. Overmixing can result in dense and tough baked oats.
- Softer oat bars - Remove the baked oats from the oven when the center appears fully set but not quite fully baked. The oats will continue to cook from residual heat even after you pull the baked oatmeal from the oven.
- Best oats - Use sprouted gluten-free, organic oats for maximum nutrition.
- Meal prep - This recipe is not ideal for meal prep because the oats will absorb all the liquid before baking. But you can make it ahead and freeze.
Tanya says
My family loved this!
Dee says
Awesome meal prep bars! Thank you!! I used cottage cheese and added blueberries cuz that’s what I had on hand. Baked 5 extra minutes. Perfect pre-workout meal prep. I reheat 10min at 350 in the toaster oven. They’re soft bars - right between finger food vs needing a fork.
Anya says
So great to hear that Dee. Cottage cheese and blueberries sound like a delicious addition!