These delicious chocolate baked oats are an easy breakfast made with healthy ingredients and ready in under an hour. Filling, full of protein thanks to peanut butter, fiber, and chocolate chips in every bite. A quick breakfast of brownie baked oatmeal!
These popular chocolate baked oats with protein are an easy breakfast for one ro for a group! Many baked oats recipes have gone viral on TikTok because they are so easy to make and taste like dessert for breakfast. This baked oat recipe, made in an 8-inch square pan, is no different. Made with rolled oats or quick oats, this dish tastes like brownie baked oatmeal with peanut butter!
This rich chocolate baked oats recipe is no banana, but is chewy and delicious, high in protein thanks to peanut butter, easy to make in one bowl and in under an hour. Make a single-serving baked oats or for a group. Like my chocolate oatmeal bars , my peanut butter oatmeal bars, and my chocolate overnight oats, these baked chocolate oats are rich in nutrients, and are free of refined sugar. Serve these chocolate oats alone on a plate, or with a side of fruit, or topped with frosting or whipped cream.
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Why You'll Love These
Easy to make in one bowl. Mix these brownies baked oatmeal bars in minutes in one bowl, then bake and enjoy! These oats have peanut butter, chocolate chips and cocoa - all ingredients that are probably in your kitchen right now.
They are good for you. These baked oats are no banana, no sugar, no oil, no butter. Instead, they are full of healthy fats, complex carbs, healthy fats, inflammation-fighting antioxidants, and all the nutrition of oats, with each of the 16 servings providing 4 grams protein and 3 grams fiber.
Perfect for all diets. This chocolate baked oats don't have butter, sugar or eggs and are dairy free, gluten free, egg free and vegan, as well as oil-free, flour free and refined sugar free.
Ingredients
Rolled Oats. Or use quick oats. Don't use steel cut oats as they won't give you a good texture.
Cocoa Powder. Choose unsweetened. Dutch processed is darker and will be sweeter, but regular cocoa is fine too.
Dates. Or use maple syrup. To use dates, softened 6-7 dates in just-boiled water for 5 minutes, pit them, and blend with ⅓ cup of water to make a paste.
Peanut butter. Or any nut butter. Use a runny or natural peanut butter with only peanuts in the ingredients. If you don't want a peanut butter flavor to your oats, use almond butter or cashew butter, both of which have a more neutral flavor.
Apple sauce. Apple sauce here replaces eggs used in traditional baked oats recipes. Apple sauce works likes eggs as a binder because it is high in pectin, a naturally occurring starch in fruits that acts as a thickening agent and stabilizer in food.
Vanilla, baking powder, salt These simple pantry ingredients add a punch to the flavor.
Chocolate chips. Mini chips work best. Melt some to add to batter and top with some whole for extra chocolate flavor. I use Enjoylife mini chips because they are allergen free, and taste delicious.
Substitutions
Peanut butter. If you don't like peanut butter, use almond butter or cashew butter. To make your oats nut-free, use instead a small banana (⅔ cup), or ¼ cup of butter.
Rolled oats. Rolled oats work best for this recipe, but you can also use quick oats although the texture of your oats won't be as filling and chewy. Don't use steel cut oats; the texture will be too tough.
Dates. Instead of dates, you can use maple syrup, agave, honey or even cane sugar. Taste-test as you add a different sweetener to the batter as each one varies in sweetness levels.
Apple sauce. Instead use the same amount of ripe banana, pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are general steps to make this chocolate baked oats recipe. For specific measurements and instructions, scroll down to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe card.
Preparations:
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- If using dates, soak them in just-boiled hot water for 5 minutes, pit and blend with ⅓ cup of water.
- Rinse the oats briefly in a strainer to remove the dusty coating which can cause a sour flavor.
- Melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips in a microwave for 30 seconds. Stir smooth. Heat another 10 seconds if necessary.
Step 1: Add the melted mixture to a mixing bowl, and add the apple sauce, vanilla, and date paste (or maple syrup). (Image 1)
Step 2: Stir until all are combined. Then, add in the cocoa, baking powder and salt. (Image 2)
Step 4: Stir until combined and fold in the rolled oats and chocolate chips, holding back a few chocolate chips to put on top. (Image 3)
Step 5: Press the mixture into a pan. (Image 4)
Step 6: Press mixture in, level it off. Sprinkle with chips and bake for 30-35 minutes. (Image 5)
Step 7: Remove when there are cracks on top and the tester comes out clean. Cool the baked oats 15 minutes in the pan, then lift it out using the sides of the parchment paper and cut into 16 squares. (Image 6)
Recipe Tips
- Rinse rolled oats before you add them to the batter - this will remove the dusty coating that can add a sour flavor.
- For more cake-like baked oats, put dry rolled oats (don't rinse) in a blender and blend for 15 seconds to break down the flakes before adding to batter.
- Use a metal pan if possible as it heats such a thick batter more uniformly.
- Line the 8-inch square pan with 1 sheet of parchment paper that is 8-inches by 12-inches. That will allow the ends to hang over and provide you with handles to lift out the baked oats.
- Stir up that batter quickly and get oats into the oven fast to get baking going as the window for the batter rising is short.
Storage & Reheat
Room temperature. These baked oats are fine at room temperature in a sealed container for 1 day before they will begin to get soggy.
Make Ahead & Refrigerated. Store them sliced or unsliced in the refrigerator for a week.
Frozen. The baked oats can be stored a month in the freezer in a sealed container. To defrost, let it sit at room temperature for an hour.
Reheat. To reheat a single serving, microwave it for 20 seconds uncovered.
Variations
Individual Portions. To make individual chocolate baked oats portions, divide the batter evenly between these (6 ounce) ramekins and bake around 20 minutes but start testing with a toothpick around 15 minutes to see if it is clean)
Add-ins. Add ¼ cup walnuts or pecans, or pumpkin or sunflower seeds to add extra crunch, shredded coconut, fresh berries, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or instant coffee contributes flavor.
Frosted. You can frost these chocolate baked oats because breakfast can never have enough chocolate. Just melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and stir with ¼ cup of hot milk. Spread this frosting on a cooled oatmeal base and allow the chocolate to set before cutting.
FAQS
If your baked oats are mushy, put them back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Then test the center with a toothpick to make sure the center is cooked.
Yes, you can microwave single servings in a small ramekin. Spray it with cookie spray, and pour the batter into the ramekin, leaving ½ inch from the top. If your ramekin is small, around 3-inchs across, microwave around 45 seconds to a minute. Top with chocolate chips while hot and enjoy!
To air fry these oats, use a baking pan that fits inside your air fryer basket. Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the batter. Place the pan into air fryer basket. Set your air fryer at 300 degrees. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes. Once baked oatmeal is done, remove the pan from basket using oven mitts. Cut and serve.
Yes, chocolate baked oats are healthy, rich in macronutrients, high in protein from nut butter, antioxidants from cocoa powder, but primarily fiber and other micronutrients from oats which can lower your disease risk, support your gut and help you feel full.
More Oatmeal Recipes
If you tried these easy chocolate baked oats recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Baked Oats (Brownie Baked Oatmeal)
Equipment
- Measuring cups & spoons
- strainer to rinse oats
- mixing bowl, spoon
Ingredients
Baked oats
- 11/4 cups rolled oats (100g)
- ⅔ cup nut butter (152g)
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (43g)
- ½ cup dates About 6-7 dates, or use maple syrup or sugar*
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30g)
- ⅓ cup applesauce, unsweetened (83g)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Mix-ins
- ½ cup chocolate chips (170g)
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat your oven to 350 F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make a simple date paste by soaking the dates in just-boiled water for 5 minutes, pit and blend with ⅓ cup of water.
- (optional) If you want a more cake like texture to this oatmeal bake, then process the DRY rolled oats in a blender or food processor for 15 to 30 seconds to break down the flakes.
- Whether your process the rolled oats or not, RINSE the rolled oats briefly in a strainer to remove the dusty film which can interfere with digestion and give off a sour flavor. I pour a glass of filtered water over them in the strainer.
Make baked oats
- To a microwave-safe container, add the chocolate and nut butter and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until melted. Microwave another 10 seconds if needed to melt.⅔ cup nut butter (152g), ¼ cup chocolate chips (43g)
- Add the melted mixture to a mixing bowl, along with the dates, applesauce, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined with a spoon or spatula.⅓ cup applesauce, unsweetened (83g), 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup dates
- Fold in the rolled oats, cocoa, baking powder and chocolate chips. Sift the cocoa if it's clumpy. Hold back a few chips to sprinkle on top.11/4 cups rolled oats (100g), ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30g), ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ cup chocolate chips (170g)
- Pour the mixture into a pan, and tap on the counter to level it off. Sprinkle the left over chips on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top has little cracks, and a tester comes out clean.
- Cool the baked oats 15 minutes in the pan, then lift them out using the sides of the parchment paper, and cut into 16 squares or cut into 9 bigger squares.
Pamela
I made these and really enjoyed them! They smell like Hershey's chocolate cake and taste great and are so filling! I used Greek yogurt and cacao powder.
Dee Dine
Those are awesome changes! Thanks for sharing!
Stevie
I made these exactly as the recipe said and they were perfect. Chewy and chocolate flavor was strong although I used dutch processed. Does it freeze well?
Dee Dine
Yes they freeze well. Store them in a sealed container for a month. They might thaw with condensation so you could reheat a slice in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes to restore a dryer texture and any crunchy edges.
Marilyn
Made these for hubs and he said this is the best baked oats he tasted thus far.