Small-batch Breakfast Brownies

4.59 from 12 votes

These chocolate banana oatmeal bars are legit brownies for breakfast

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: baked oatmeal, banana, brownies, gluten-free, oatmeal, plant-based, vegan

Servings: squares

Calories: 139kcal

1 ripe banana, mashed (120 g) about 1/2 cup, you can sub applesauce or pumpkin puree
1/4 cup nut/seed butter (64 g)
2 tbsp sugar (24 g)
2 tbsp cocoa powder (12 g)
2-3 tbsp (nut) milk (45 g) enough to make the batter spreadable like brownie batter

Preheat oven to 350F and line a standard loaf pan (or similar size baking dish) with parchment.
In a medium bowl mash your banana and mix with everything else but oats and chocolate chips.
Fold in oats and chocolate chips. Make sure to add enough milk to make the batter pourable and spreadable. It should resemble brownie batter.
Pour into pan and bake 30 minutes or so until the edges are done and the middle is springy to touch.
Let bars cool completely (ideally refrigerate overnight) and slice into fudgy squares. Keep refrigerated!

I've made these bars with gluten-free flours, such as oat, coconut or almond. You can probably use regular wheat flour as well, but try not to overwork the batter to avoid bars that are too chewy (gluten does that). First blend together the wet ingredients, separately whisk together the dry ingredients, add dry into wet and combine via folding. Fold in the oats and chocolate last.
If not using a food scale, use the spoon & level technique to measure your flour to avoid over-packing the flour which will lead to dry baked goods.