Name: Caramelized Banana Oatmeal
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup rolled/old fashioned oats; 2 cups non-dairy milk (I like soy or almond); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 2 bananas (sliced into disks); 1-2 tablespoons refined coconut oil; 2 tablespoon maple syrup (plus more for topping, if desired)

This caramelized banana oatmeal is creamy, delicious and only takes about 15 minutes to make. It’s vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and will be sure to impress! Add a drizzle of almond butter on top for a hearty and easy breakfast.

caramelized banana oatmeal in a bowl with chopped nuts

What’s your favorite breakfast? I’m a sucker for a good blueberry smoothie when the weather warms up, but oatmeal and sweet potato breakfast bowls are my go-to’s on colder fall and winter days. This caramelized banana oatmeal is one of my all time favorite recipes (an Eat With Clarity original), and yours too! I originally created this recipe over 6 years ago when my blog was just my instagram account and it was so popular over there I had to make it an official EWC recipe.

It’s creamy, vegan, gluten free super easy to make, and tastes like dessert yet is made with simple and wholesome ingredients.

It’s completely refined sugar free but somehow tastes like you’re eating a super decadent and fancy dessert, but it’s breakfast and only takes 15 or so minutes to make. The oatmeal is made on the stovetop, but you can definitely make it in the microwave instead and make this recipe even quicker! Use these caramelized bananas to top off my protein overnight oats or oat flour pancakes!

Before we get started…

If you want to up the protein content, you can mix in some chia or flax seeds into the oatmeal. They will absorb a good amount of moisture so you may need to add more milk or water to account for this.
To fry the bananas, you can use coconut oil or butter.
Oats are naturally gluten free, just be sure to use certified gluten free oats if you have Celiac because they are often contaminated during processing.

How to make caramelized banana oatmeal

If I had known how easy it was to caramelize bananas, I would have been doing it years ago! They’re so good and can take a boring bowl of oatmeal and make it a million times better.

Trust me, they’re amazing. Follow these simple steps to make the perfect golden brown caramelized bananas that you can use in oatmeal, on pancakes etc.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of refined coconut oil to a pan and let it melt over low-medium heat. Add in the maple syrup once it is sizzling and the sliced bananas.

Cook the bananas on each side for about 5-7 minutes. They will start to smell nice and sweet and become a golden brown color. That’s it! Making caramelized bananas is so simple and doesn’t require any refined sugar.

You can also have them as dessert with some coconut whipped cream, on top of pancakes, or with oatmeal like this recipe. Try my baked oatmeal cups next!

two images showing how to make the recipe

Key ingredients

Oats: I prefer old fashioned/rolled oats but steal cut or quick oats also work. However, the cook time and method will vary. The recipe is written for old fashioned oats.

Banana: When it comes to caramelizing bananas, I personally find it easier to use a banana that’s yellow. Not too ripe, but also not unripe. If it’s too ripe it will get a bit mushy, and if it’s too green then it won’t soften properly. Right in the middle is what you’re aiming for!

Oil: I suggest using refined coconut oil for this recipe to make sure there is no coconut taste. If you don’t have it, regular coconut oil is fine. I used 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to caramelize the bananas, but you can probably get away with only using 1, depending on the type of pan you use. If you notice the bananas sticking at all, just add some extra oil.

Non-dairy Milk: You can sub the milk for water, but the milk helps make the oats much creamier. I usually use almond milk, but soy, oat, coconut milk or cows milk all work. Or even my homemade walnut milk.

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Maple Syrup or Sugar: In order to caramelize the bananas, they need to come into contact with a sugar. I like using maple syrup but coconut sugar or brown sugar works well and helps brown the bananas really nicely.

Cinnamon: To help flavor the oats and because it pairs so well with the caramelized bananas.

Vanilla: You can use vanilla almond milk and leave this part out. I love vanilla, so I usually add extra!

Toppings of choice: Obviously the bananas make a great topping for oats, but I also love some almond or peanut butter, crushed walnuts, and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon for this recipe.

Flavor tips

To make this recipe even more flavorful than it already is, you can mash 1/2 or 1 full banana and cook that into the oats.

It gives it almost a banana bread vibe and really takes this oatmeal to the next level. This is totally optional, the oats will still be delicious without it!

Can I add protein powder?

Yes! If you want to make this a more protein rich meal, you can add in a scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder and cook that into the oats.

You may need to add in some more milk since it will thick the oats quite a bit. You can also try collagen peptides if you don’t want to change the flavor much.

angled view of the oatmeal with caramelized banana on top

Can I prep in advance?

You can prep the oatmeal in advance but I do not recommend preparing the bananas in advance. Once prepared, the oatmeal will keep for 3 days.

If you do prep the oatmeal in advance, it will thicken a bit as it sits in the fridge, so I suggest adding it to the stove with a splash of milk so it gets nice and creamy again. Just heat until its warm through the center and enjoy!

caramelized banana oatmeal in a bowl with almond butter

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4.97 from 33 votes

Caramelized Banana Oatmeal

by: claire cary

This caramelized banana oatmeal is creamy, delicious, and only takes about 15 minutes to make. Just the thought of this is enough to get me out of bed in the morning! It’s vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free.

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Prep: 5

Cook: 10

Total: 15

Ingredients

Oatmeal:

▢ 1 cup rolled/old fashioned oats
▢ 2 cups non-dairy milk I like soy or almond
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt

Bananas:

▢ 2 bananas sliced into disks
▢ 1-2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
▢ 2 tablespoon maple syrup plus more for topping, if desired

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Add the oats and non dairy milk or water to a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, add cinnamon, sea salt, and vanilla and let simmer until thickened.
While the oatmeal is cooking, add the coconut oil and maple syrup to a large saute pan. Once it is sizzling, add in the sliced bananas. It’s best to cut them a bit on the thicker side for this recipe.
Cook on each side for about 5 minutes, or until nice and golden brown.
When the oatmeal is done, top with the caramelized bananas and additional maple syrup if desired.
Top with an extra pinch of cinnamon, crushed walnuts, pecans, or nut butter and enjoy.

Notes

I used 2 tbsp of coconut oil to caramelize the bananas, but you can probably get away with only using 1, depending on the type of pan you use. If you notice the bananas sticking at all, just add some extra oil.

Refined coconut oil, unlike unrefined coconut oil, won’t have any coconut taste, so I prefer that in this recipe. Any neutral flavored oil should work!