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Sliced loaf of moist banana bread on a wooden board with fresh bananas in the background.

Oatmeal Banana Bread

A comforting and hearty banana bread recipe elevated with wholesome rolled oats, offering a delightful texture and a touch more fiber. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Wet Ingredients
  • 3 very ripe bananas mashed (about 1.5 cups)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats plus 2 tbsp for topping
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Optional Mix-ins
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Equipment

  • 9x5 inch Loaf Pan
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Fork or potato masher
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wire Rack

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, mash the very ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining.
Combine Wet Ingredients
  1. To the mashed bananas, add the melted butter (or oil), granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Whisk until well combined.
  2. Crack in the two large eggs and add the vanilla extract. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and evenly colored.
Combine Dry Ingredients
  1. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of rolled oats, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps.
Final Mixing and Baking
  1. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay.
  2. If using, fold in the chopped walnuts/pecans or chocolate chips now.
  3. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of rolled oats over the top of the batter for a nice finish.
  4. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
  5. Once baked, remove the loaf pan from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Carefully remove the banana bread from the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack before slicing and serving. Cooling completely helps prevent the bread from crumbling.

Notes

For extra moisture and flavor, you can add 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream to the wet ingredients. Store leftover banana bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. The riper your bananas are (brown spots all over), the sweeter and more flavorful your banana bread will be.