Protein Banana Oat Breakfast Squares

Soft, chewy, naturally sweet, and packed with oats, nuts, and protein. This recipe is designed to give you the dense, moist texture shown in your photo.

Ingredients
Base
2 large ripe bananas, mashed — about 1 cup

2 large eggs

2 cups rolled oats

1 scoop vanilla protein powder — about 25–30 g

½ cup milk of choice

2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Nuts & add-ins
Choose your favorite combination:

¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped

¼ cup almonds, chopped

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp sunflower seeds

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped dates

2 tbsp shredded coconut, optional

For the version pictured: walnuts + raisins/dates work especially well.

Optional sweetness
1–2 tbsp honey or maple syrup, if your bananas aren’t very sweet

1–2 tbsp dark chocolate chips, optional

Full Method
1. Prepare the pan
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F.

Line an 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some paper over the sides so you can lift the squares out later.

2. Mash the bananas
Place the ripe bananas in a large bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork.

The riper and more spotty the bananas, the sweeter and moister your squares will be.

3. Add the wet ingredients
Whisk in:

Eggs

Milk

Peanut or almond butter

Vanilla

Honey/maple syrup, if using

Mix until reasonably smooth.

4. Add the dry ingredients
Add:

Rolled oats

Protein powder

Baking powder

Cinnamon

Salt

Stir until everything is evenly combined.

5. Add the nuts and fruit
Fold in your:

Chopped walnuts/almonds

Raisins or dates

Seeds, if using

Coconut or chocolate chips, if desired

The mixture should be thick and spoonable, rather than runny.

6. Rest the mixture
Let the batter sit for 5–10 minutes.

This allows the oats to absorb some of the liquid and helps create the thick texture shown in the photo.

7. Bake
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.

Spread it evenly and gently press it down.

Bake at 180°C / 350°F for approximately 25–30 minutes.

The top should be golden brown and the center should feel set but still slightly soft.

8. Cool
Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes.

For cleaner squares, allow it to cool completely before cutting.

Cut into 9 or 12 squares.

Nut Guide
Nut Amount What it adds
Walnuts ¼ cup Rich, slightly buttery flavor
Almonds ¼ cup Crunch and mild sweetness
Pecans ¼ cup Extra buttery flavor
Cashews ¼ cup Creamy, mild flavor
Pistachios ¼ cup Distinctive flavor and color
Hazelnuts ¼ cup Toasty, slightly sweet flavor

You don’t need to use all of them. Pick one or two.

For a particularly good combination, try walnuts + pumpkin seeds + raisins.

Nut-free option
Replace the nuts with:

Pumpkin seeds

Sunflower seeds

Sesame seeds

Extra oats

If you’re avoiding nuts because of an allergy, also check that your protein powder, oats, chocolate chips, and nut-free spreads are produced in an appropriate allergen-controlled facility.

Protein Options
You can use:

Whey protein: softer, more tender texture.

Plant protein: tends to make the squares somewhat denser. You may need an extra 1–2 tbsp milk.

Unflavored protein: works well if you don’t want additional sweetness.

If your protein powder is already sweetened, you probably won’t need honey or maple syrup.

Important Baking Tips
Don’t overbake.
The biggest mistake with protein oat bars is baking them until completely dry. Remove them when the center has just set.

Use ripe bananas.
Very ripe bananas provide moisture and natural sweetness.

Don’t substitute quick oats blindly.
Rolled oats give the squares more texture. Quick oats will produce a softer, more uniform bar.

Let them cool.
They firm up considerably as they cool.

For extra-moist squares:
Add 2 tbsp Greek yogurt or an extra tablespoon of nut butter.

For firmer meal-prep bars:
Use 2½ cups oats instead of 2 cups.

Storage
Refrigerator
Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer
Wrap individual squares and freeze for up to about 2–3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.

You can warm one in the microwave for about 15–30 seconds.

Recipe Q&A
Can I make these without protein powder?
Yes. Replace the protein powder with about ¼–⅓ cup additional oats. They will still be delicious, but the protein content will be lower.

Can I use only egg whites?
Yes. However, whole eggs provide additional fat and richness. If using only egg whites, the squares may be slightly less moist.

Can I make them without eggs?
Yes. For each egg, you can use a flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2½ tbsp water, rested for about 5 minutes. The texture will be somewhat denser.

Can I use almond flour instead of oats?
Not as a direct 1:1 replacement. Almond flour behaves differently and can make the mixture too soft or greasy.

Can I use steel-cut oats?
Not for this version. They require considerably more liquid and cooking time. Rolled oats are the better choice.

Can I add chocolate?
Absolutely. Add 2–3 tbsp dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate.

Can I make them sweeter?
Yes. Add 1–2 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or a little brown sugar. Taste depends heavily on how ripe your bananas are.

Can I make them dairy-free?
Yes. Use plant milk and a dairy-free protein powder.

Can I make them gluten-free?
Yes, provided you use certified gluten-free oats and check that the protein powder and other ingredients are gluten-free.

Why are my squares dry?
Usually one of three things:

They were baked too long.

The bananas were too small or not ripe enough.

Too much protein powder/oats was added.

Add a little extra milk or Greek yogurt next time and remove them from the oven earlier.

Why are they falling apart?
They may need more cooling time, or the mixture may have been too dry. Let them cool completely before cutting.

Why are they wet in the middle?
Bake another 5 minutes and check again. Also make sure your bananas weren’t unusually large or watery.

Can I prepare the batter the night before?
Yes, although the oats will absorb more liquid overnight. You may need to add a splash of milk before baking.

My recommended combination
For a result closest to the golden, chunky squares in your photo, I’d use:

2 bananas + 2 eggs + 2 cups rolled oats + 1 scoop vanilla protein powder + ½ cup milk + 2 tbsp peanut butter + ¼ cup walnuts + ¼ cup raisins + cinnamon + vanilla.

Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.