Oatmeal Banana Bread Recipe

This oatmeal banana bread recipe is a loaf of hearty, yet moist and delicious banana bread with nutritious ingredients that can be made in one bowl!

If you’re a fan of my incredibly popular oat flour banana bread, you’ll love this twist. Whole oats give the bread a chewy, oatmeal-cookie vibe that makes it extra special, while whole wheat pastry flour keeps it light, fluffy, and nutrient-rich. (No pastry flour? Whole wheat or all-purpose flour works too.) Originally posted in 2020, readers have called it “the best loaf I’ve ever had” and praised its versatility—some even turned it into muffins with pecans and cranberries. It’s as close as you can get to classic banana bread while still being wholesome and hearty. And as a Dietitian, that’s always my end goal: great taste, easy prep (just one bowl for streamlined clean up and limited mess), and serious staying power to keep you fueled all day. 

But don't take my word for it, check out these five-star reviews: 

Tips for Making Oatmeal Banana Bread 

• Always measure, don't just count your bananas. I know most recipes say “3 bananas,” but they can vary so much in size. Too much banana = bread that won’t cook through in the middle (trust me, I’ve been there), it's the number one reason for failed banana bread. Shoot for about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups mashed, and you’ll be golden.

• Give the oats a quick soak. Stir them into the wet ingredients and let them hang out for 2–5 minutes while you put away the stuff you’ve already used. It softens them just enough so the bread is hearty and chewy without feeling like you’re biting into raw oats.

• Mix gently. Once you add the flour, cinnamon, and baking powder/soda, stir until it’s just combined. If you overmix, you’ll lose that fluffy, soft texture.

• Line your pan (or regret it later). I always line mine with parchment paper because it's just easier to get the whole loaf out.  

• Check doneness in a few spots. Banana bread is naturally moist, so poke around with a toothpick in the center and a couple of other places. You’re looking for mostly clean with a few crumbs, not wet batter.

• Cool it (I know, the hardest part). For neat slices, wait until it cools completely—overnight if you can stand it. I almost never make it that long, but just know the texture is the best once fully cooled to room temperature. (the bananas won't be goey.) 

• Storage made easy. This bread keeps on the counter for 2–3 days, in the fridge up to a week, or slice and freeze for quick breakfasts and snacks.

Key Ingredients for Oatmeal Banana Bread

Let’s talk swaps and substitutions!

• Bananas – Make sure to select ripe (spotted and very yellow) bananas, or your banana bread will not be very sweet! The more yellow the bananas, the sweeter they are! Also, make sure to measure 2 cups of mashed banana.  Too much banana can result in banana muffins that seemingly didn’t bake all the way and is too wet/mushy. On the other hand, not enough bananas can make the bread seem not sweet enough or banana flavored enough! I don't recommend swapping out the banana for anything, not even applesauce or pumpkin.  
• Eggs – You can substitute flax eggs here (2 tablespoon ground flax + 6 tablespoon water, let gel 5 min) to make this recipe egg-free, I haven't tried it but I've been tagged on Instagram with people letting me know it works! 
• Maple Syrup – you can substitute any LIQUID sweetener for maple syrup, such as honey or agave.  I know someone will ask about using something like monk fruit, erythritol, or other low-calorie options. I don’t use those very often in my baking for various reasons, so I’m not very familiar with them. If you try them, please let us know how they turned out in the comments!  Also, keep in mind that if decrease or increase this ingredient, you'll need to make adjustments elsewhere so that the batter isn't too runny or too dry.  
• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk – you can substitute any dairy or non-dairy milk here.  In a pinch, you could even use water.    Just add a splash of vanilla extract to make sure you still get the depth of flavor.  
• Rolled Oats – Old fashion, quick-cooking, or rolled oats will work.  Steel-cut will probably not work. The best case scenario is old fashion as this is what it was tested with. 
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – I would not substitute this flour unless it was with all-purpose white flour or whole wheat four.  Whole wheat pastry flour is kind of the cheat code ingredient to having fluffy baked goods that are still whole grain, but it can be difficult to find.  You can sub all purpose white flour fine, but if you sub whole wheat flour it will still work, it will just be slightly more dense.  If you want to use another flour, I suggest trying my almond flour banana bread or my oat flour banana muffins. 
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg – adjust to your taste preferences!
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda – do not omit. 
• Add ins - Feel free to add in chocolate chips, nuts like chopped walnuts or pecans, or even coconut to the batter at the end!

Mr. Hungry and I love ours with melted butter, whereas KJ would prefer to eat this plain.  It's your banana bread world, and we are all just living in it, you do what feels right for you!  

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4.19 from 58 votes

Banana Oatmeal Bread

This banana oatmeal bread is a loaf of hearty, yet moist and delicious banana bread with nutritious ingredients that can be made in one bowl!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

0 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana oat bread, banana oatmeal bread, healthy banana bread

Servings: 10 slices

Calories: 182kcal

Author: Kelli Shallal MPH RD

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas mashed
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or any other milk
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda

Instructions

•  Preheat oven to 350F. Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Mash and measure bananas.  
  
• Add in eggs, maple syrup, and almond milk. Mix until well combined.
  
• Add in oats and let sit 2-3 minutes. (I usually just put away the ingredients I've already used.)
  
• Add in whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until just combined.  
• Pour batter in a parchment-lined bread pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  
  

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Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?I'd love to see what you made! Tag me @hungryhobbyRD or tag #hungryhobby if you try this recipe!

More Banana Treats:

• Looking for gluten free variations try my Oat Flour Banana Bread, Oat Flour Banana Muffins and Almond Flour Banana Bread.
• Looking for something sweeter?  Try my chocolate chip banana bread muffins,  Oat Flour Banana Cake or my Healthy Banana Cupcakes
• Or if you want something hearty and along the same lines as this oatmeal banana bread try my Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Muffins or Banana Walnut Quinoa Breakfast Bars