peanut butter

Dessert for breakfast? Yes, please! This Peanut Butter Chocolate Baked Oatmeal is so decadent you won’t believe your tastebuds. It’s healthy, hearty, and seriously addictive. It’s the ultimate in comfort food without the sugar crash you typically get with sweet breakfast cereals and pastries. The rich peanut butter and chocolate is a classic flavor combo, and the cottage cheese and oats give you energy to fuel your day.

The texture is warm, chewy, and fudgy right out of the oven. It’s the perfect balance between nutritious and delicious. It has perfect natural sweetness from the mashed bananas and maple syrup, a big boost of protein (15g) from the Daisy Cottage Cheese, peanut butter, and egg, and fiber (8g) from the rolled oats.

Perfect for a weekend brunch or run of the mill weekday breakfast, this baked oatmeal is a fantastic way to start your day. Ideal for meal-prepping, you can make it once and eat it all week. It reheats quickly in the microwave and is great for busy mornings. It also freezes beautifully.

• Bananas (1/2 heaping cup, ripe and mashed): Ripe bananas work best for baking. As they ripen, bananas naturally become sweeter, eliminating the need for refined sugar. They add sweetness to the oatmeal and add moistness to the batter.
• Creamy Peanut Butter (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon): Creamy peanut butter works best for drizzling, but either creamy or crunchy will work in the batter. It provides delicious flavor, healthy fat, fiber, and protein.
• Large Egg (1): Provides richness and structure that makes differentiates baked oatmeal from stovetop oatmeal. It also adds a bit of protein.
• Maple Syrup (2 tablespoons): Along with the bananas, it adds delicious natural sweetness with just a touch of caramel flavor that helps balance the other flavors.
• Daisy Cottage Cheese (1/2 cup, blended): The secret ingredient in the oatmeal, it adds a major boost of protein and richness. It also helps the oatmeal stay moist as it bakes.
• Vanilla Extract (1/2 teaspoon): Helps round out the chocolate flavor.
• Rolled Oats (3/4 cup): Sometimes called Old Fashioned Oats, they add structure, a slight nutty flavor, fiber, and chewiness to the baked oatmeal. They are less processed than Quick Oats, which cook quicker and have a tendency to be softer and less chewy.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (1/3 cup): Gives the oatmeal its rich chocolate flavor. Your favorite unsweetened cocoa powder will work well. For a lighter chocolate flavor, try using dark cocoa powder. Dark cocoa powder has a smoother, less bitter, and less chocolaty flavor than traditional cocoa powder.
• Baking Powder (1 teaspoon): Helps the oatmeal rise and adds a fluffy lightness to the texture as it bakes.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon): Adds an extra boost of delicious chocolate flavor and sweetness to the oatmeal.

• Applesauce may be swapped for the mashed bananas. Since applesauce has more moisture than bananas, you’ll need to add another tablespoon of oats to absorb the extra moisture.
• Other nut butters such as almond or cashew butter may be used in place of peanut butter. For the traditional peanut butter and chocolate combo flavor, peanut butter is best. Natural peanut butter may also be used.
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water may be substituted for the egg to add structure and bind the oatmeal together.
• No maple syrup? No problem. You can use honey, agave, corn syrup, molasses, or granulated sugar instead. Molasses will have the most similar slight caramel flavor. Since it’s not as sweet as maple syrup, you’ll want to use an extra 1 teaspoon.
• Quick cook oats may be traded for rolled oats. However, as they are more processed, the oatmeal will not have the same chewy texture and will be softer.
• If your peanut butter is too thick to swirl, heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds at half-power. Then drizzle or swirl on top of the oatmeal.
• Milk chocolate or bittersweet chocolate chips may be used in place of semisweet chips. White chocolate chips may also be used.
• You can also swap out some or all the chocolate chips with chopped up peanuts, pecans or walnuts, or shredded coconut.
• Perfect for meal-prepping – you can bake once and then reheat portions as desired each morning.
  • This recipe may be doubled or tripled. Be sure to use a larger pan.
  • To store, simply place cooled and covered oatmeal in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second increments until hot.
  • This baked oatmeal also freezes wonderfully. Once cool, portion and wrap in plastic wrap. Then, wrap again in aluminum foil or place in a zip-top bag with the air squeezed out. No need to thaw when ready to enjoy. Simply unwrap, place in a microwave-safe bowl, and reheat in 30-second increments until hot (about 1-2 minutes).
• May also be made into individual “muffins” by pouring into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners. Bake about 18-20 minutes (until the oatmeal is set in the middle of the muffin).

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a small 7×5” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk to combine mashed banana, ¼ cup peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, blended cottage cheese, and vanilla extract.
3. Add oats, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Mix until incorporated. Stir in ½ cup chocolate chips.
4. Pour into baking dish and spread evenly. Dollop with remaining peanut butter on top, then swirl with a knife. Top with remaining chocolate chips.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until set in middle. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.