This vegan pumpkin baked oatmeal tastes like pumpkin pie and banana bread got together for breakfast: creamy, spiced oats studded with melty dark chocolate, baked in one dish in about 30 minutes. It's gluten-free, naturally sweetened with ripe banana, and it reheats beautifully, so one batch covers breakfast for most of the week.
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Oats are delicious all by themselves, but baking them makes it feel like you're eating dessert for breakfast, and this one is still full of fiber, whole grains and real pumpkin. After all, pumpkin spice got its own season for a reason. If you love a warm breakfast you can make ahead, browse our make-ahead baked oatmeal recipes for more ideas.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pumpkin puree. Canned works perfectly, or make your own pumpkin puree by roasting a sweet pie pumpkin and blending it. Make sure it's plain puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Mashed butternut squash or sweet potato also works.
- Banana. This is the secret to the texture and most of the sweetness, and it gives the bake a pumpkin banana bread flavor. Use a large, very ripe banana with plenty of brown spots. See the tips below if you want to make it without banana.
- Warm spices. Ground cinnamon plus whole cloves, which get blended right into the pumpkin mixture. You can swap the cloves for ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, or use 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of both.
- Coconut sugar. Adds a light caramel note. Coconut sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup or date syrup all work; leave it out entirely if your banana is very ripe and you like things less sweet.
- Peanut butter. Makes the oatmeal rich and satisfying. Any nut or seed butter works, including almond butter, cashew butter, tahini or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version. Our 5-minute homemade peanut butter is perfect here.
- Plant-based milk. Oat milk and almond milk are both great. Unsweetened is best so you can control the sweetness.
- Rolled oats. Use old-fashioned rolled oats, and choose certified gluten-free oats if you're cooking for anyone with celiac disease. Quick oats turn mushy and steel-cut oats won't soften in this short bake.
- Dark chocolate. Chopped dairy-free dark chocolate melts into gooey pockets. Dark chocolate chunks save you the chopping. Check the label to make sure yours is vegan.
Helpful Tips
Blend the wet ingredients until completely smooth. Blending the pumpkin, banana, spices, sugar, peanut butter and milk together is what gives this baked oatmeal its creamy, custardy texture. If you use whole cloves, blend for a full minute (a high-speed blender helps) so there are no gritty bits, or simply use ground cloves.
Use the right size dish. This is a small batch, so an 8-inch square baking dish or a similar small rectangular dish is ideal. In a bigger 9x13 pan the layer will be thin and will dry out before it's done. Doubling the recipe? That's when the 9x13 comes out, and it will need 5 to 10 extra minutes.
Don't overbake it. Baked oatmeal can go from creamy to dry quickly. Pull it out when the edges are set and lightly golden and the center no longer looks wet but still has a slight give. It firms up more as it cools for a few minutes.
Making it without banana. A lot of people ask whether they can skip the banana. You can: replace it with ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce or an extra ¼ cup pumpkin puree, and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to make up for the lost sweetness. The texture will be a little less rich but still delicious. If you love the banana flavor, go the other way and slice a second banana over the top before baking.
Prep it the night before. For an easy morning, mix everything in the baking dish, cover and refrigerate overnight, then bake straight from the fridge, adding about 5 minutes to the time. The oats soak up some of the liquid overnight, which makes the finished bake even softer.
Variations
- Pumpkin banana baked oatmeal. Double down on the banana: fan thin banana slices over the top before baking so they caramelize, or mash a second ripe banana into the oats for an extra-moist, banana bread-style bake.
- Nutty crunch. Stir ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the oats, or scatter sliced almonds over the top so they toast in the oven.
- Chocolate-free. Swap the chocolate for ⅓ cup raisins, dried cranberries or chopped dates for a more classic pumpkin pie oatmeal.
- Extra protein. Stir 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts or chia seeds into the oats (add an extra 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk), or blend a scoop of vanilla plant-based protein powder into the wet mixture with a splash more milk.
- Apple pumpkin. Fold in 1 small diced apple and a pinch of ginger and nutmeg for an apple-pie spin.
- Muffin-cup baked oats. Divide the mixture between 8 to 10 lined muffin cups and bake for 18 to 22 minutes for grab-and-go portions.
Serving Ideas
Serve squares of warm pumpkin baked oatmeal on their own, or spoon it into bowls and pour over a splash of cold plant milk, like a baked version of classic oatmeal. A dollop of dairy-free yogurt, a drizzle of runny peanut butter or tahini, fresh banana slices, toasted sliced almonds and a little maple syrup all make great toppings.
For a cozy fall brunch, set it out alongside vegan pumpkin pancakes, a bowl of fruit and a big pot of coffee or chai. It's also sweet enough to pass as an afternoon snack or a light dessert with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
Storing & Freezing
Let leftovers cool completely, then cover the dish or transfer portions to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. That makes this a great make-ahead breakfast: bake it on Sunday and reheat a square each morning in the microwave for 45 to 60 seconds, adding a splash of milk if it seems dry. It's also good cold, straight from the fridge.
To freeze, cut the cooled oatmeal into squares, wrap each one or layer them with parchment in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and microwave until warm, or reheat from frozen in the microwave for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. You can also reheat squares in a 350°F (180°C) oven, covered with foil, for 10 to 15 minutes.
More Pumpkin Breakfast Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Crazy Easy One Bowl Pumpkin Bread
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bars
- The Ultimate Vegan Oatmeal
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Recipes
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Conventional oven
- 8 inch square baking dish or a similar small rectangular dish
Ingredients
- ½ cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
- 1 large banana, very ripe
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon whole cloves, or ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 cup plant-based milk, unsweetened, such as oat or almond
- ½ cup dark chocolate, dairy-free, chopped, plus extra for topping if desired
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free oats, old-fashioned rolled oats
Optional toppings
- ½ banana, sliced
- 2 tablespoon sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter, or tahini, warmed, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish (or a similar small rectangular dish).
- Add the pumpkin puree, banana, cinnamon, cloves, coconut sugar, peanut butter and plant-based milk to a blender. Blend on high for about 1 minute, until completely smooth with no bits of clove left.
- Add the oats and most of the chopped dark chocolate to a mixing bowl, pour in the blended pumpkin mixture and stir well until all the oats are coated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Scatter the remaining chocolate and a few banana slices over the top if you like.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the center no longer looks wet. Don't overbake, or the oatmeal will dry out.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes, then top with sliced almonds and a drizzle of warmed peanut butter or tahini, if using. Serve warm.
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