Easy Blended Baked Oat Flavor with Chocolate Chips

Easy Blended Baked Oat Flavor with Chocolate Chips (Single Serve Breakfast)

Indulge in this easy blended baked oat flavor with chocolate chips for a perfect single serve breakfast. Honestly, if you told me a year ago that I’d be waking up excited for oatmeal, I would have laughed you out of the kitchen.

I grew up with the instant packets that always turned into a grey, gluey mess, but this recipe changed the game for me. It’s essentially a breakfast muffin you eat with a spoon, and it’s become my absolute go to when I want something sweet but don't want to deal with a sugar crash later.

I’ve spent months tweaking the ratios because, let's be real, nobody wants a dry oat brick. The secret I discovered isn't just in the ingredients but in how we handle the oats. We're turning them into a fine flour before they even touch the liquid, which creates a silky crumb that feels incredibly indulgent.

It's the kind of meal that smells like a bakery and tastes like a cheat day, even though it's packed with fresh, wholesome stuff.

We’re going to walk through exactly how to get that springy, moist texture every single time. Whether you’re a pro or someone who usually burns toast, this is manageable.

It’s all about the small details, like the ripeness of your fruit and the timing of your bake, to ensure you get those gooey chocolate pockets just right.

Creating the Ultimate Cake Like Texture

The magic of this recipe lies in the transformation of the oat's physical structure. By pulverizing the 45g of rolled oats into a fine powder, we increase the surface area significantly, allowing the 60ml of almond milk to hydrate the starches almost instantly.

The Science of Why it WorksStarch Gelatinization: When the blended oat flour reaches 140°F in the oven, the starch granules swell and burst, creating a stable, cake like network.

Chemical Leavening: The 1/2 tsp of baking powder reacts with the heat and moisture to release carbon dioxide, which gets trapped in the oat structure to provide lift.

• Mechanical Milling: Turning oats into flour breaks down tough cellulose fibers for a velvety mouthfeel.
• Pectin Binding: The 50g of mashed banana provides natural sugars and pectin, which acts as a glue, replacing the need for eggs.
• Emulsification: The small amount of fat in the almond milk helps distribute the vanilla and salt throughout the batter.
• Thermal Stability: Dark chocolate chips (15g) have a high cocoa butter content, allowing them to soften without becoming oily.

Essential Comparisons for Perfect Results

Choosing the right cooking method depends entirely on how much you value that golden, toasted crust. I personally swear by the oven because it allows the sugars in the banana to caramelize properly, giving the dish a deeper flavor profile.

If you find yourself craving something even more dessert like for a weekend brunch, you might also enjoy the technique used in my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe which masters that same balance of sweetness and texture.

Analyzing the Core Ingredient Chemistry

Selecting Your Pantry Essentials Carefully

• Rolled Oats (45g): These provide the structure. Why this? They blend better than steel cut oats, ensuring a smoother batter.
  • Substitute: Quick oats (1:1 ratio) - works perfectly but may need 2 mins less baking.
• Ripe Banana (50g): Our natural sweetener and binder. Why this? High pectin levels create the "bounce" in the finished bake.
  • Substitute: 60g unsweetened applesauce for a banana free version.
• Unsweetened Almond Milk (60ml): The hydrating liquid. Why this? Low calorie but adds a subtle nutty undertone.
  • Substitute: Oat milk or soy milk for extra creaminess.
• Maple Syrup (5ml): Adds a touch of caramel depth. Why this? Liquid sweeteners blend more seamlessly than granulated sugar.
  • Substitute: Honey or agave nectar.
• Baking Powder (1/2 tsp): The lifting agent.
  • Substitute: 1/8 tsp baking soda plus 1/4 tsp lemon juice.
• Pure Vanilla Extract (1/4 tsp): Enhances the chocolate notes.
• Sea Salt (1 pinch): Balances the sweetness.
• Dark Chocolate Chips (15g): The star of the show.
  • Substitute: Cacao nibs for a less sweet, crunchier alternative.

[!TIP] Chef's Tip: Freeze your chocolate chips for 10 minutes before folding them in. This prevents them from melting completely into the batter during the mixing phase, ensuring you get distinct, molten "pools" of chocolate in every bite.

Necessary Tools for Blended Success

You don't need a high end professional kitchen to pull this off, but a few specific tools make the process much smoother. A small, single serve blender (like a NutriBullet or similar) is your best friend here because it handles small volumes better than a giant pitcher.

If you don't have a small blender, a food processor or even a very strong immersion blender in a tall jar can work. You'll also need a 250ml (8 ounce) oven safe ramekin or small ceramic dish. Using a dish that is too wide will cause the oats to dry out, while one that is too deep might leave the center undercooked.

Trust me, I've tried baking this in a muffin tin, and while it works, you lose that "pudding" center that makes this recipe so special.

Executing the Fail Proof Baking Process

1. Pulverizing the Dry and Wet Base

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Add the 45g of rolled oats, 50g of ripe banana, 60ml of almond milk, 5ml of maple syrup, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and the salt into your blender.

Pulse until the mixture is completely smooth and looks like a thick pancake batter. Note: Over blending for an extra 30 seconds ensures no gritty oat pieces remain.

2. Incorporating the Chocolate

Pour the batter into a greased 250ml ramekin. Sprinkle 10g of the chocolate chips into the batter and stir gently with a small spoon. Sprinkle the remaining 5g on top for a beautiful finish. Note: Pushing some chips into the center ensures a molten core.

3. Achieving the Golden Finish

Place the ramekin on a small baking tray (it makes it easier to remove from the oven). Bake for 25 minutes until the edges pull away slightly and the top feels springy to the touch. The center should have a slight wobble but shouldn't look wet.

4. The Crucial Rest

Remove from the oven and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch the center settle and the chocolate firm up slightly. This resting period allows the steam to redistribute so you don't burn your tongue.

Fixing Texture and Baking Issues

Why Your Baked Oats Are Soggy

If the center feels like liquid even after the full 25 minutes, it usually boils down to the banana. Bananas vary wildly in moisture content. If you used a very large banana (over 50g), the extra water content can overwhelm the 45g of oats.

Next time, weigh your banana pieces precisely to maintain the hydration ratio.

Why Your Baked Oats Are Dry

A rubbery or dry texture is often caused by over baking or using a ramekin that is too large. If the surface area is too wide, the moisture evaporates before the starches can fully set. Stick to an 8 ounce ramekin for the best results.

Common Mistakes Checklist

• ✓ Use a kitchen scale to measure the 45g of oats measuring cups can be notoriously inaccurate.
• ✓ Grease your ramekin with a tiny bit of coconut oil or butter to prevent sticking.
• ✓ Check that your baking powder is under 6 months old for the best lift.
• ✓ Let the oven fully preheat; putting the oats in a cold oven leads to a dense, flat bake.
• ✓ Don't skip the salt; it's what makes the chocolate flavor "pop" against the oats.

Modifying Quantities for Larger Groups

If you're cooking for two or prepping for the kids, doubling this is easy, but don't just dump everything in a large blender and hope for the best.

Scaling Up (2x or 4x): When doubling the recipe, you can use a standard blender. Use 90g of oats and 100g of banana. However, only increase the salt to 1.5x the amount to avoid an overly savory taste.

Bake in individual ramekins rather than one large dish to ensure the heat penetrates the center effectively without burning the outside.

Scaling Down: Since this is already a single serve recipe, scaling down further isn't recommended as the blender won't have enough volume to catch the blades. If you want a smaller portion, make the full recipe and save half for later!

If you're looking for other ways to use up your oats in a larger batch, you should definitely try my Classic Oatmeal Chocolate recipe, which scales beautifully for parties.

Debunking Common Oatmeal Preparation Facts

Myth: You must use eggs to get a cake like rise in baked oats. Truth: The combination of blended oat starches and the natural pectin in the 50g of banana creates a structural matrix that holds air bubbles perfectly without needing eggs.

Myth: "Blended baked oats no banana" recipes are always better. Truth: While you can use applesauce or yogurt, the banana provides a specific sugar profile that caramelizes at oven temperatures, creating a superior crust that other substitutes can't quite replicate.

Guidelines for Storage and Waste

Storage: You can keep these in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover the ramekin with foil or beeswax wrap. To reheat, pop it back in the oven at 170°C for 10 minutes or microwave for 45 seconds.

It won't be as "cakey" after reheating, but it's still silky and delicious.

Zero Waste: If you only used half a banana for this recipe, don't throw the other half away! Slice it up and freeze it in a bag for your next smoothie, or mash it and stir it into your next batch of pancake batter. Even the oat dust at the bottom of the container can be used to thicken soups or stews!

Finishing Your Morning Meal Correctly

While these oats are a powerhouse on their own, the right toppings can turn them into a Five Star experience. I love adding a dollop of Greek yogurt on top right before serving. The cold, tangy yogurt against the warm, chocolatey oats creates a temperature contrast that is absolutely addictive.

For a bit of crunch, add a spoonful of almond butter or some crushed walnuts. If you're feeling fancy, a few fresh raspberries provide a tart "shatter" of flavor that cuts through the richness of the dark chocolate. Just remember to add these after baking so they stay fresh and vibrant.

If you're into meal prep, you can even blend the dry ingredients (oats, salt, baking powder) into jars ahead of time, so you just have to add the wet stuff and bake when you wake up!