Cinnamon Swirl Protein Banana Oats (Printable)

Single-serve warm baked oats with cinnamon swirl, banana, and protein for a fluffy breakfast

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 to 12 ounce ramekin with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Place rolled oats in a blender or food processor and blend until a fine flour consistency forms. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
03 - Add protein powder, baking powder, and salt to the oat flour. Whisk until evenly distributed and no lumps remain.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together mashed banana, milk, egg, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and smooth.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix; the batter should be thick and uniform.
06 - Pour batter into prepared ramekin and use a spatula to smooth the top surface evenly.
07 - In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, cinnamon, and melted butter. Drizzle mixture over batter surface and use a knife or toothpick to gently swirl through the top layer in a figure-eight pattern.
08 - Place ramekin in preheated oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Top with desired toppings and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It bakes in a single ramekin, so cleanup is practically nonexistent and you don't heat your whole kitchen.
  • That cinnamon swirl on top creates little pockets of sweetness that feel like you're treating yourself, even though it's just 23 grams of protein.
  • The texture is somewhere between a dense pancake and banana bread, which somehow satisfies cravings for both.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial oven preheat by even a few minutes, because if the oven isn't fully hot, the center stays gummy instead of setting into that perfect fluffy texture.
  • Your banana needs to actually be ripe, not just yellow, or you'll end up adding more sweetness later and throwing off the balance.
  • The swirl looks fancier if you use a toothpick instead of a knife because you can make thinner, more intentional lines rather than big goopy streaks.
03 -
  • Use a toothpick to test doneness rather than the knife test, because a knife can make the swirl collapse when you remove it, and you'll feel oddly cheated by your own breakfast.
  • If your ramekin is on the smaller side, reduce baking time to 20 minutes and check earlier, because different ramekins bake at slightly different speeds depending on thickness.
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