Switch up your breakfast routine with these Banana Split Overnight Oats! Naturally sweetened, totally vegan, and gluten-free - it's full of plant-protein and nostalgic flavors.
What are overnight oats?
If you're not familiar, overnight oats are a perfect way to enjoy protein-packed oatmeal without needed to cook or heat anything at all! By mixing the ingredients (namely, oats, milk, and yogurt) ahead of time and place in the fridge, they can soften as if they were cooked). Overnight oats are a perfect low effort-high reward style recipe, which is something I appreciate year round but especially in summer months, when hot oatmeal is not apealing.
Ingredient Details
This list is long but is comprised of a few sections - feel free to make just one or two of the components!
The base is made with old fashioned rolled oats, chia (or flax) seeds, a pinch of salt, mashed banana (for sweetness), yogurt, oat milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You can optionally include maple syrup to make things a bit sweeter. I also like adding walnuts for extra protein and omega-3s.
The banana split toppings are simply fresh berries, a sliced banana, shredded coconut and a healthy chocolate sauce. This deviates a bit from the traditional banana split but in a way that I think works well for morning.
I actually do not love chocolate anything in the early part of the day, but this tahini chocolate sauce is the perfect topper for a "fun" brunch. It's easily made with cocoa powder, runny tahini paste, and maple syrup.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! However, adding mashed banana can shorten their shelf life just a bit - you'll want to eat them within 3 days to avoid any "off" flavors from the added banana.
No, steel cut oatmeal is not recommended for overnight oats. Due to its coarser structure, it needs to be heated before enjoying to soften.
Yes! To omit chia seeds, decrease the amount of milk by ¼. This will make up for the lack of binding agent. Alternatively, you can directly substitute ground flax at a 1:1 ratio for chia.
To omit yogurt in the recipe, increase the amount of milk by ¼, until you have a thick but not runny consistency.
Yes, overnight oats can be prepped and frozen for up to 6 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight prior to enjoying.
To speed things up, use instant oats instead of old fashioned rolled oats. Decrease the suggested liquid by ¼-1/3. The end result will not be quite as chewy, but will still satisfy the craving!
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Ways to Customize this Recipe
Originally I thought this would just be a recipe for banana bread overnight oats, as the nutmeg and cinnamon evoke a very cozy flavor profile to me. However, turning this into a full-blown banana split is a lot more fun to eat (and for photos, hah). Feel free to just make the overnight oats base if you're meal prepping for the week.
Alternatively, double this recipe to have enough for a few more people (or days of the week). The banana does not start tasting "off" until around day four, so I've had a lot of success making this ahead.
Feel free to get creative with the toppings you use. I omitted maraschino cherries because they're not my cup of tea, but feel free to sub in whatever fruit you enjoy. If you like chocolate in the morning, try adding some chips! Plain peanut or almond butter would be a fine substitute for tahini in the sauce as well.
More Oatmeal Recipes
Banana Split Overnight Oats
Ingredients
For banana bread overnight oats base:
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 TBS chia seeds or ground flax (see notes to omit)
- Pinch of salt
- ½ of a small to medium banana mashed
- ⅓ cup plain unsweetened nondairy yogurt not Greek-style
- 1 cup unsweetened plain oat milk
- 1 TBS maple syrup optional if you prefer a sweeter recipe
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup walnuts optional
For banana split toppings:
- 2 small bananas peeled and sliced lengthwise into two pieces
- Mixed berries of choice I used strawberries and blueberries
- 2 TBS unsweetened shredded coconut
For tahini chocolate sauce:
- 2 TBS cocoa powder dutch process if possible
- 2 TBS runny tahini paste
- 1 TBS maple syrup
- 2 TBS plain oat milk
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Begin the night before you plan to serve this recipe (or at least 2-3 hours in advance). Combine all ingredients for overnight oats into a medium sized, sealable container (reminder: this makes enough for at least two servings). Let sit in the fridge - the oats will naturally soften and the chia seeds will help absorb liquid for a perfectly chewy texture.
- In two shallow bowls, place sliced banana halves down. Spoon half of the oats mixture inside each, and top with berries and coconut.
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for tahini chocolate sauce. Drizzle over each bowl and enjoy right away.
Sue says
I love all your suggestions for toppings and substitutions- so helpful! Am definitely trying this.
Emily says
Yay thank you, I hope you like it! The base recipe is a great packed meal!
Linda says
I am going to make these for breakfasts during the week - my kids will love them! Thank you so much for such an easy and healthy recipe.
Emily says
I hope you and the family love this, Linda! Thank you for rating!