This protein baked oatmeal recipe kills two birds with one stone: By adding 6 entire eggs (💪💪!!), we add protein while also adding a rich, custardy texture. And all that comes as a great relief to me because:

1) I’ve never been a fan of baked oatmeal. It often emerges from the oven as a squelchy, sodden blob. Not this one though! Adding more eggs creates the perfect binder. If you’re a fan of egg tarts, bread pudding, or French toast, then this is the baked oatmeal for you.

2) I am always trying to find ways to add a bit more protein to my breakfasts. But I really, really dislike adding protein powder to baked things. I like protein powder in a smoothie, but it has a tendency to taste chalky when heated. Eggs are a whole other story though!

Read on for a bit more context, or jump to the recipe to hit the ground running.

What’s to love about eggs in baked oatmeal?

1. They add a custardy flavor and texture.

If you love custardy baked goods, you’re going to love this protein baked oatmeal. It’s inspired by my protein oatmeal recipe, where a couple eggs add both protein and a custardy vibe. There, they add creaminess, but here they also add a pleasantly chewy texture.

The banana, oat starches, and sugar help prevent the eggs from breaking or curdling. This isn’t flan or some complicated custard bake—it’s hard to go wrong.

2. They’re an easy way to add protein to baked oats (and you probably already have them on hand)

I asked Caroline Weeks, PA-C, RDN, about her take on eggs as a way of adding protein to oats, and she said, “Eggs are a refrigerator staple I most recommend to my patients because not only are they generally affordable[…], but they are a nutrition powerhouse. One egg contains 6 grams of high quality protein with only 70 calories and contains all nine essential amino acids important for building and repairing muscle while also supporting bone health. I also recommend eggs because they are one of the highest food sources of choline, a nutrient important for brain health and cognitive performance which about 90% of Americans do not get enough of.”

Substitutions

This protein baked oatmeal recipe is very adaptable. The recipe itself has substitution details, but here are the highlights:

• Mix-ins: Choose whatever mix-ins you’d like. In the recipe, I suggest chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or blueberries. But you could try another low-moisture fruit instead (like cherries, raspberries, etc.), which I suspect would work equally well. There is no baking powder or soda in the recipe, so you don’t have to worry about berries turning green.
• Sugar: In case you don’t use refined sugar, I’ve included maple syrup as an option. But if you need to scale back on added sugar in general, you can get away with adding less of either maple syrup or brown sugar. The amount in this recipe is not-too-sweet, so if you have a sweet tooth, you might want to add a bit more.
• Dairy-free: I make this all the time with soy milk instead of cow’s milk. You can use another milk substitute, but if you’re trying to increase the dish’s protein content, keep that in mind when selecting an alternative milk.

There’s just one thing you can’t really substitute here (womp womp):

• Egg-free? (sorry—the answer is no!): This recipe is hard to veganize, since the whole point is the eggy custard texture and flavor. I’ve been meaning to try it with a vegan egg substitute (e.g., JustEggs), but have not tried that yet, so I can’t say for sure it would work (let me know if you give it a try!). But I absolutely do not recommend using something like a flax/chia egg for this. It will not have the right flavor or texture.

Protein Baked Oatmeal (no powder required)

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• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup [80 g] mashed ripe banana (about 1 banana)
• 2 cups [200 g] rolled oats
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups [300 g] your milk of choice
• 1/4 cup [80 g] maple syrup or 1/3 cup [65 g] brown sugar*
• 3 Tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt
• Optional mix-ins (choose up to 2): 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 coarsely chopped nuts, and/or 3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, but do not thaw)
• Serve with optional yogurt, maple syrup, and/or fruit at the table.

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Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F [180°C]. Grease a 10-inch ovenproof skillet.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the banana, oats, eggs (mash the banana first if it is not already mashed). Whisk together until there are no longer streaks of yolks or whites.
• Add the milk (or “milk”), syrup or brown sugar, oil, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Whisk together to combine.
• Add the mix-ins and fold to combine.
• Pour into the prepared skillet and place in the oven.
• Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes,** until the center is set.
• Let it rest for about 10 minutes before scooping or slicing. Serve with additional maple syrup, yogurt, and/or fruit at the table.

Notes

* You can use more or less sugar than this if you’d like. Preferences vary, so here is a guide to help you decide:

• Just right: This amount of maple syrup or brown sugar in this recipe yields a batch that’s not-too-sweet (as long as you don’t accidentally add both). It is not particularly sweet, but you can always add more maple syrup at the table if it does not turn out as sweet as you’d like it to be.
• On the sweet side: If you like a sweeter baked oatmeal, feel free to add a tad more syrup or sugar than the recipe calls for.
• Less sugar: If you want less added sugar, you can scale it back. Most people prefer it with the amount of sugar in this recipe, so if you do scale it back, be sure to serve it with lots of fruit on top (sliced ripe bananas, berries, etc.). I’ve made it with as little as 3 Tbsp brown sugar.

** I used a 10 inch stainless steel skillet, which took 40 minutes to cook perfectly. Nonstick will behave similarly. If you’re using glass or cast iron, it should take closer to 45 minutes (possibly longer), but I have not tested it in glass. If you are not using any mix-ins, it may cook through slightly than the instructions. Adjust accordingly and keep an eye on it.

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