Oh, this one is so much fun! (and delicious!)

I really wanted to do some sort of peanut butter baked oatmeal, but I couldn't figure out what to put with it... until I thought about how mashed bananas have made the best baked oatmeals, texture-wise. And then it all just came together. What goes better with peanut butter and banana than coconut and chocolate chips? Nothing! It's Funky-Monkey-Fun up in here!

I wanted to use large flake unsweetened coconut to reduce the sugar content and add texture, but I wasn't able to make it out Whole Foods (they have it in bulk bins). My local grocery store only had the finely shredded, pre-sweetened coconut, so I went with it. I reduced the sugar content from my normal baked oatmeal recipes by half to compensate for the sugar in the coconut and chocolate chips, but honestly, I might even try it without any extra sugar next time.

This oatmeal has just a hint of peanut butter flavor, so if you like super peanutty-ness, increase the PB to 1/3 cup. And, as always, natural peanut butter has loads more peanut flavor than other peanut butter (you know, the big name brand kinds).

And lastly, with all off the goodies baked into this, you really don't need to add coconut, bananas, and chocolate chips on top in the bowl like I have in the pictures. I did that purely for illustrative purposes... you know, so people would be able to instantly see what's in there and not wonder what that brown blob of stuff is in the bowl. It's super flavorful by itself and super tasty with some cold milk poured over top!

Funky Monkey Baked Oatmeal

Total Recipe cost: $3.88
Servings Per Recipe: 6-8
Cost per serving: $0.49 (for 8 servings)


Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 1 hr.

INGREDIENTS		COST
3-4 medium	bananas	$0.88
2 large	eggs	$0.50
2 Tbsp	brown sugar	$0.04
1/2 tsp	vanilla extract	$0.14
1 tsp	baking powder	$0.04
1/4 cup	natural peanut butter	$0.0.57
2 cups	milk	$0.50
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
2.5 cups	old fashioned rolled oats	$0.43
1/3 cup	semi-sweet chocolate chips	$0.50
1/3 cup	shredded coconut	$0.26
TOTAL		$3.88

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mash the bananas with a fork until they are about half liquidy and half chunky. Start with just three bananas and add another if needed to make 1.5 cups.

STEP 2: Add the mashed bananas to a large bowl. Warm the peanut butter slightly in the microwave so that it is more fluid and can mix in easier. Add the peanut butter, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Whisk these ingredients together until smooth. Add the milk and whisk again.

STEP 3: Add the dry oats, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut to the bowl. Stir everything together until evenly combined. Lightly coat the inside of an 8x8 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour the oat mixture into the casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

SERVE: After baking, divide the dish into 6 or 8 servings. Scoop the oats out of the dish and break them up slightly in the bowl. Pour cold milk over top and enjoy!

The cooked oats can be placed in individual resealable containers and either refrigerated or frozen until ready to eat. Simply reheat in the microwave before eating or enjoy cold!

Step By Step Photos

First begin to preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then, mash your bananas. I left mine a little chunky this time... because this is funky monkey! It usually takes me 3-4 bananas to make 1.5 cups. If you get a little extra, it's okay.


Add the mashed bananas, eggs, peanut butter, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk these together until smooth.


Once you have the thicker ingredients mixed well, add the milk and whisk again. I find it easier to do the thicker ingredients first and then add the milk, or else it gets too splashy.


Lastly, add your dry ingredients: old-fashioned rolled oats, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut. Stir them into the liquid (use a large spoon as this stuff will get stuck in a whisk).


Pour the finished mixture into an 8x8 inch casserole dish coated with non-stick spray.


Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then serve!


You really don't need to add anything to the top, just a splash of cold milk!


The stuff on top just made it SO much prettier!

Baked Oatmeal FAQ's

Is baked oatmeal crunchy? Nope, it's like a more solid version of regular oatmeal. A little chewy around the edges, but soft and custardy on the inside.

Can I use quick oats? Yes, but it will have a LOT less texture... more mushy, in other words.

Can I used steel cut oats? I haven't experimented with this, but in general steel cut oats require a LOT more liquid and a much longer baking time, so you'd have to do some major tweaking to this recipe.

Can I use soy/almond milk instead of dairy milk? Readers have used those substitutes in my other baked oatmeal recipes with success, although I have not tried it myself.