Many times, I make baked oats with bananas. But this time I wanted to try a different flavor. So I tried baked oats without banana air fryer recipe.
And that is because I wanted to have a healthier and better recipe using my air fryer.
So in this post, I will show you how you can make these banana oats without bananas in an air fryer, step by step.
Plus, I will share some healthy substitutes, what you can serve with it, how you will store it, and some more variations to try, including making it chocolate flavored using cocoa powder or chocolate chips, a peanut butter version, etc.
Why Make Baked Oats in an Air Fryer Without Banana?
Here are a couple of reasons why I like and you would like to make baked oats in an air fryer without bananas.
- No Banana Taste: Sometimes we get bored eating the same oats recipe again and again, or simply don’t want an overpowering banana flavor. I’ve also seen some people who are allergic to it.
- Perfect for Quick Mornings: If you’re short on time, you don’t want to mash or blend bananas.
- Air Fryer Makes It Crisp on Top: If we compare this without banana oats recipe to the oven, the air fryer makes the top nicely golden and crisp while the inside still stays soft and kinda cake-y.
- You Can Add Anything: If you like chocolate (I do), you can add cocoa powder or chips. If you want peanut butter or cinnamon, that’s also possible. (I’ll talk about that in variations below.)
- Healthy & Protein-Packed: If you make it without banana oats in the right way, with good ingredients, it will be very healthy, gluten-free, filling, and even sugar-free if you want.
So this air fryer baked oats recipe is not only easy, but you can make it without banana, dairy, or refined sugar, as it’s highly customizable.
Also read: Vegan Protein Shake Recipe without Protein Powder Recipe
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
You don’t need anything fancy for this baked oats without banana air fryer recipe.
Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, and I’ve also included healthy substitutes just in case you want to make it cleaner or plant-based.
1. Rolled Oats or Quick Oats
Rolled oats are good if you want texture and nutrition. Besides this, you can also use quick oats, but you should avoid instant oats.
Also, if you’re gluten-intolerant, you want to make sure that you are using gluten-free certified oats.
2. Milk of Choice
You can use any milk, but I personally prefer oat milk because of its creaminess, or you can use almond milk to keep it light and dairy-free.
Besides this, regular whole milk also works well; if that’s what you have, you can use that.=
3. Egg or Substitute
If you use just one egg, it will help give a cake-like texture.
However, if you want baked oats without banana or eggs, you should use flaxseed egg (1 tbsp flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water) or even chia egg. They both bind the oats well.
4. Sweetener
You can use honey, maple syrup, agave, or stevia. They are all good if you want to make a low-carb oats recipe.
However, I personally used maple syrup for this baked oats recipe without banana, as it also gives depth to the flavor.
5. Baking Powder
Just a small amount (around 1/2 tsp) will help your oats rise like a mini cake.
6. Vanilla Extract
This will give aroma and warmth to your oats.
Though it is optional, I recommend it.
7. Cinnamon or Nutmeg (Optional)
I prefer adding cinnamon because it’s so cozy and goes well with oats.
A pinch of nutmeg is optional if you want warm spice.
8. A pinch of Salt
It’s a very small amount, but quite important to balance the sweetness and make everything pop.
Optional Add-ins (But Don’t Worry, You Can Skip)
These add-ins are totally optional, plus, you can also adjust them depending on your mood:
- Berries: You want to use them like blueberries or raspberries; they will add freshness and light sweetness.
- Chopped nuts: If you want some crunch.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: It will add a nice tropical vibe.
- Cacao nibs or chocolate chips: if you want a treat-like twist.
I will also talk more about chocolate and other variations later below — this is just a base idea.
Also read: Blueberry Chocolate Smoothie No Banana Recipe
How to Make Baked Oats in an Air Fryer (Without Banana)
Here is the step-by-step process on how I made this baked oats without banana in the air fryer recipe. It took me less than 5 minutes to prepare and around 12 minutes to cook.
Step 1: Prep the Air Fryer and Ramekins
Firstly, you want to preheat your air fryer to 340°F (170°C). You want to run it empty for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, you can take your ramekin, mini-cake pan, or any oven-safe bowl that can fit in your air fryer basket.
Then grease it a little using butter, oil, or cooking spray so that your baked oats don’t stick later.
Step 2: Mix the Ingredients
Take a bowl and mix the following ingredients together:
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup milk (any you like)
- 1 egg (or flax/chia egg if vegan)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
You will mix everything until it forms a smooth butter.
And you won’t need to blend this unless you want a completely cake-like texture.
If you want it more like oat cake, you should blend it using a hand blender.
But I kept it unblended because I like the oats’ texture.
Step 3: Pour and Smooth
You want to pour this batter into the greased baking pan or whatever you are using. But don’t fill it to the top. Just go around ¾ full.
If you want to add toppings like berries or sprinkle some cinnamon sugar or cocoa dusting, you can do that now.
Step 4: Air Fry
Now place your ramekins in your airfare basket and let them bake for around 10 to 12 minutes.
You want to check in around 10 minutes.
And if you notice that your oats are turning golden on top and firm when you touch the surface, it means they are done.
Otherwise, you can wait for a few, one or two minutes, or more.
Remember that it should look like oat cake, which is soft from the inside and a bit crisper on the outside.
Step 5: Cool and Serve
You want to let your oats get cool for around 1 to 2 minutes before you start digging in.
Because they are very hot from the inside, you will burn your mouth.
Besides this, you can top your oats with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, peanut butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, or even coconut cream for a creamy touch.
Also read: Chocolate Almond Milk Smoothie No Banana Recipe
What to Serve with Baked Oats
This baked oats without banana air fryer recipe is actually a full breakfast in itself.
But if you want to pair with something else to make it a full plate meal, then here are some of my favorite combos you can try.
- With Black Coffee or Herbal Tea: You wanna try it if you want a bitter and sweet contrast.
- Fresh Fruit on the Side: A few orange wedges, apple slices, or kiwi taste really well.
- Greek Yogurt + Berries: By adding them, you can add protein to it and make it a super breakfast.
- Nut Butter Drizzle: Almond butter or peanut butter will take your oats to the next level.
- Whipped Coconut Cream: Oats are good if you want a more dessert-style vibe.
How to Make It Extra Healthy (Tips)
If you want to keep your baked oats without a banana air fryer recipe, clean and nutrient-dense, just because you are fitness conscious, here is what I recommend. And I have also tried them.
- You should use unsweetened almond milk instead of dairy milk.
- Consider skipping maple syrup and using stevia or monk fruit.
- If you’re vegan, you should use a flax egg instead of a regular egg to keep it plant-based.
- Add chia seeds or hemp seeds to the batter if you want extra protein and omega-3s in your air fryer oats recipe.
- You can top your oats with plain yogurt or cottage cheese for more protein, if you’re not dairy-free.
- Add grated zucchini or carrot (just 1 or 2 tbsp) into the mix for hidden veggies. I know it sounds weird, but it works.
Baked Oats Variations You Should Try
Now, if oats are your regular breakfast routine, or you wanna try them frequently, I would recommend trying a different version, like the chocolatey one.
So, here are some delicious oat variations that will keep your oats healthy, but will give you a different taste.
1. Chocolate Baked Oats (Without Banana)
You have to add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the batter. It will give you a rich chocolate flavor without using chocolate chips.
However, if you want more indulgence, you can add a few dark chocolate chunks (70% or higher).
This is great if you want a dessert-style oats, but without a sugar overload.
Plus, the cocoa powder has antioxidants, so it’s not a bad idea to try.
2. Peanut Butter Baked Oats
You can add one tablespoon of peanut butter into the batter and swirl some more on top.
It will give you a nutty taste and make your oats more filling. And if you want sweeter, you can combine peanut butter with honey before swirling it on top.
This one tastes like a peanut butter oatmeal cookie.
3. Berry Coconut Delight
Add just 2 tbsp of fresh berries.
You can also use frozen berries; they all work well.
Then, add 1 tbsp of shredded coconut.
They will give you a tropical twist, and berries will release juice as they bake, which will make the inside super soft.
4. Mocha Baked Oats
Add 1 tsp of instant cocoa powder and 1 tbsp of cocoa powder into the base. It will taste like mocha cake in a bowl.
Besides this, you should also top with dark chocolate chips or a spoonful of Greek yogurt.
5. Cinnamon Roll Version
Add extra cinnamon + 1 tsp of cream cheese (just a dollop in the center of the batter).
When it bakes, it will melt and give you a cinnamon roll-like creamy center.
Also read: White Chocolate Peppermint Protein Shake Recipe (No Banana)
How to Store and Reheat
I personally like eating freshly-baked oats. But if you just want to make ahead or store the leftovers, here are some tips you wanna follow.
- Fridge: You should store your baked oats in an airtight container or keep them inside the ramekin itself, wrapped with foil. By doing so, they will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days.
- Reheat: When you want to eat store-bought oats next time, you have to reheat in the air fryer for 3 to 4 minutes at 320°F or microwave for 30–40 seconds.
- Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the batter and store it in the fridge overnight, then just pop it in the air fryer in the morning, and your freshly baked oats will be ready to eat.
I recommend you eat freshly baked oats without a banana air fryer, but you should store them only when you have a busy morning and you want a fresh and warm breakfast.
Conclusion
This was my baked oats without banana air fryer recipe. It is actually one of the easiest and healthiest ways to enjoy a warm cake-like breakfast without using a banana.
Moreover, you don’t need fancy ingredients. It doesn’t take too much time, and it can be ready within 12 to 15 minutes.
Mine was done in 12.
Plus, you can customize it. Like you can make its chocolate version, try the peanut butter oats version, etc.
And also make it dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free. Everything is in your control.
So, now I encourage you to try it at once, and probably you will want to make it again and again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are a few questions and answers regarding the baked oats without banana air fryer recipe.
Can I make baked oats without banana and without egg too?
Yes, you can make these baked oats without banana and also without eggs. Instead of using eggs, you should use flax seeds or chia seeds.
They both are perfect for this recipe.
But the texture will be soft and cake-like, especially if you blend the batter.
Also, you can skip the blending part, and your oats will still be tasty.
Why did my air fryer-baked oats turn out dry or not cook inside?
It happens because of two things.
First, the temperature is too high.
And the second, you have overcooked it.
So you want to make sure that your air fryer is preheated at 340 degrees Fahrenheit. And you want to check it and check your odds in 10 minutes.
Also, do not forget to add some kind of fat, like peanut butter, nut butter, or milk, enough to keep it moist inside.
Can I prepare this baked oats recipe the night before?
Yep, you can mix everything the night before and keep it in the fridge.
The next day, in the morning, you will only have to pour it into the ramekin and air fry.
You can also bake it fully and store it, then reheat it in an air fryer or microwave.
Baked Oats without Banana Air Fryer
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup milk dairy or non-dairy
- 1 egg or flax/chia egg if vegan
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Optional toppings: berries, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 340°F (170°C) for a few minutes. Lightly grease a ramekin or oven-safe dish.
- In a bowl, mix oats, milk, egg (or flax egg), maple syrup, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
- Pour into greased ramekin, filling about ¾ full. Add any toppings if desired.
- Place ramekin in air fryer basket and bake for 10–12 minutes until top is golden and firm.
- Let it cool for 1–2 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm with your favorite toppings.
Notes
As a passionate home cook and food enthusiast, I’m specialize in recreating popular café and restaurant-style chocolate recipes at home. I have experience in testing and customizing various chocolate-based dishes, I focus on using fresh, high-quality ingredients to make preservative-free, delicious treats. My goal is to help chocolate lovers enjoy their favorite recipes with a homemade touch and personalized twists.
