Cinnamon Swirl Protein Banana Oats (Printable)

Warm, fluffy baked oats swirled with cinnamon and packed with protein—a perfect single-serve breakfast combining banana bread comfort with energizing nutrition.

# Components:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 scoop vanilla or cinnamon protein powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
06 - 1/3 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Swirl

09 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/2 teaspoon melted butter or coconut oil

→ Optional Toppings

12 - Sliced banana
13 - Greek yogurt
14 - Chopped walnuts or pecans

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10-12 ounce ramekin with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Blend oats in a blender or food processor until a fine flour consistency forms.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together oat flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together mashed banana, milk, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix; small lumps are acceptable.
06 - Transfer batter into prepared ramekin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, cinnamon, and melted butter until well blended.
08 - Drizzle cinnamon mixture over batter surface and use a knife or toothpick to gently swirl through the top layer in a figure-eight pattern.
09 - Bake for 22-25 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs.
10 - Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Top with sliced banana, Greek yogurt, or chopped nuts as desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like banana bread cake but actually keeps you full until lunch.
  • Everything happens in one ramekin, which means minimal cleanup before your coffee even cools down.
  • The cinnamon swirl bakes into ribbons that look far more impressive than the effort required.
02 -
  • Over-blending the oats turns them into a paste that won't bake right, so stop as soon as you have flour.
  • A ramekin that's too large will make it spread thin and bake too quickly, so stick to the 10-12 oz size.
03 -
  • A ramekin straight from the oven stays warm for almost 10 minutes, so you can make this while you're getting ready and it'll be the perfect temperature by the time you sit down.
  • The cinnamon swirl matters more than people think because it caramelizes slightly and creates little pockets of concentrated sweetness throughout.
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