Banana Bread Overnight Oats

Name: Banana Bread Overnight Oats
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant or steel-cut; 1 large (about ¾ cup mashed) (135 g) very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork until mostly smooth; 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice (dairy, soy or oat), cold; ½ cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt; 1 tablespoon (12 g) chia seeds; 2 tablespoons (40 g) pure maple syrup; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; ¾ teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon; ⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg (optional); ⅛ teaspoon (0.8 g) fine salt; ¼ cup (30 g) walnut halves, roughly chopped; 1 small (100 g) firm ripe banana, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices just before serving; 2 teaspoons (14 g) pure maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy no-cook oats that taste like a slice of warm banana bread. Mashed ripe banana, cinnamon, maple and vanilla soak overnight with rolled oats and chia, then get topped with toasted walnuts and sliced banana in the morning.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: 5 min
Wait: 8 hr
Total: 8 hr 17 min
Makes: 2 servings (about 1¼ cups / 300 g each)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

2 servings

For the oats
1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant or steel-cut
1 large (about ¾ cup mashed) (135 g) very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork until mostly smooth
1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice (dairy, soy or oat), cold
½ cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon (12 g) chia seeds
2 tablespoons (40 g) pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg (optional)
⅛ teaspoon (0.8 g) fine salt
For the topping
¼ cup (30 g) walnut halves, roughly chopped
1 small (100 g) firm ripe banana, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices just before serving
2 teaspoons (14 g) pure maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)

Equipment (6)

Two 12-ounce (350 ml) jars or lidded containers
Medium mixing bowl
Fork or potato masher
Small dry skillet (8-inch / 20 cm)
Measuring cups and spoons
Cutting board and knife

Steps

Before you start

Choose bananas that are well speckled with brown; they are sweeter and mash more smoothly.
Plan for at least 6 hours of chilling, ideally 8 hours or overnight.
You need two 12-ounce (350 ml) jars or containers with lids.
Toast the walnuts ahead if you like; they must cool completely before topping.

1
Mash the banana
- In a medium bowl, mash the large ripe banana with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with a few small lumps, about 1 minute.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Banana looks like thick, mostly smooth purée.
Tip: Very speckled bananas mash easily; underripe ones taste starchy and bland.
2
Whisk the base
- Add the milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using) and salt to the banana.
- Whisk with the fork for about 1 minute until the yogurt is fully blended and no white streaks remain.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is uniformly beige and free of yogurt streaks.
3
Stir in oats
- Add the rolled oats and chia seeds.
- Stir for 30 seconds, scraping the bottom, so the chia seeds are evenly distributed and not clumped.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All oats are wet and the mixture looks loose and soupy.
Tip: It will look thin now; the oats and chia absorb the liquid as they chill.
4
Portion into jars
- Divide the mixture evenly between two 12-ounce (350 ml) jars, about 1¼ cups (300 g) each.
- Tap each jar on the counter to settle, then stir once more to redistribute any chia that sank.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each jar is about three-quarters full.
Tip: Leave headspace so you can stir in the morning.
5
Chill overnight
- Cover the jars and refrigerate at least 6 hours, ideally 8 hours.
- Give each a quick stir after the first hour if you are nearby (optional).
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Oats are tender and chewy, and the mixture is thick like pudding, not soupy.
Tip: If it's too thick in the morning, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of milk.
6
Toast the walnuts
- Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped walnuts and toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and a shade darker.
- Tip onto a plate and cool for 5 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Nuts smell toasty and have light golden-brown edges.
Tip: Walnuts burn quickly once they smell nutty; remove them from the pan right away.
7
Top and serve
- Stir each jar well.
- Top with the sliced banana and toasted walnuts, and drizzle with maple syrup if desired.
- Eat cold, or let stand 10 minutes for a less chilled texture.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Oats are creamy and thick; toppings are arranged on top.
Tip: Slice the topping banana just before serving so it doesn't brown.

Good to know

Tips

Mashing the banana into the liquid, rather than stirring in chunks, spreads banana flavor through every bite.
Cinnamon floats; whisk it into the liquid before adding oats to avoid clumps.
Keep toppings separate until serving so the nuts stay crunchy and the banana doesn't brown.
For extra banana-bread flavor, add 1 tablespoon of raisins or chocolate chips to each jar.

Make ahead

"Prepare the oat base through step 5 up to 3 days ahead. Keep the walnuts and topping banana separate and add them just before eating."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate the unTopped oats, covered, up to 3 days. Toasted walnuts keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Not recommended to freeze, as the texture turns watery. To serve warm, microwave a portion for 60–90 seconds, stirring halfway, adding a splash of milk."

Substitutions

plain Greek yogurt → dairy-free yogurt or additional milk. With extra milk (½ cup / 120 ml), the oats will be slightly thinner; add 1 more teaspoon chia.
walnut halves → pecans. Toast the same way for a sweeter, buttery crunch.
pure maple syrup → honey or brown sugar. Use the same amount; stir well so it dissolves.
old-fashioned rolled oats → quick oats. Chill only 4 hours; the texture will be softer.