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This blueberry-coconut-walnut baked oatmeal gets natural sweetness from banana and dates with bursts of juicy blueberries and a nutty crunch from walnuts. This hearty dish is perfect for meal prep or sharing at brunch, offering a nutritious start to your day. Serve it warm with a dollop of yogurt.
This Blueberry-Coconut-Walnut Baked Oatmeal is the ultimate breakfast. Naturally sweetened with mashed ripe banana and dates, it’s bursting with juicy blueberries and crunchy walnuts. It’s like dessert meets breakfast—but packed with nutrients to power your day. Oats are packed with fiber to keep you feeling full and energized, while walnuts offer omega-3 fatty acids. Perfect for meal prep, this baked oatmeal is as versatile as it gets. Bake it over the weekend and pop the leftover slices to warm in the microwave to enjoy throughout the week. Keep reading for our top baking tips to make this breakfast a staple part of your weekly lineup!
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
- The dates will blend more smoothly if they’re softened in hot water before they hit the food processor. Even though we call for pitted dates, it’s a good idea to check for pits or pit fragments before you blend them.
- Be sure to use a ripe, soft banana here to maximize the sweetness. The perfect banana should feel soft when you squeeze it (but not be totally mushy), and the skin should have plenty of brown spots throughout.
- We recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. Quick or instant oats are too thin and do not offer the same consistency when baked.
- To toast shredded coconut, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition Notes
- Oats are a good source of fiber, specifically a type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucan. Eating enough fiber can lead to feeling full for longer periods of time, better digestive health, improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels and can help support weight-management efforts.
- Blueberries are loaded with anti-inflammatory compounds called polyphenols. Too much inflammation in the body can lead to chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease, so incorporating anti-inflammatory foods like blueberries into your diet may help decrease your risk.
- Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help improve memory and overall cognitive health. These anti-inflammatory nuts also support heart health because they’re low in sodium and saturated fat.
- Unsweetened coconut milk adds moisture to these oats, but that’s not all it brings. Coconut milk contains lauric acid, which has been shown to help decrease inflammation, although more research is needed. It is also a good source of potassium, a nutrient that helps manage blood pressure.
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried pitted Medjool dates (about 7 dates), chopped
- 8 tablespoons hot water, divided, plus more for soaking dates
- 3 cups frozen blueberries, divided
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- ½ cup well-shaken and stirred unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 ripe medium banana
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 2¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1½ cups chopped walnuts, divided
- ¾ cup toasted unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
step 2
Place ½ cup dates in a medium heatproof bowl; add enough hot water to fully cover by ½ inch. Let stand at room temperature until the dates are slightly softened, about 20 minutes.
step 3
Meanwhile, combine 2 cups blueberries, 1 tablespoon water and ½ teaspoon vanilla in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until the blueberries are mostly broken down and the sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
step 4
Drain the dates and transfer to a food processor; pulse until finely chopped and sticky, about 10 pulses. With the processor running, slowly pour the remaining 7 tablespoons hot water through the chute, a few tablespoons at a time, until a semi-smooth paste forms, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the date paste in a medium bowl.
step 5
Add ½ cup coconut milk, 1 banana, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons coconut extract and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla to the food processor with the remaining date mixture; process until smooth, about 1 minute.
step 6
In a large bowl, combine 2¼ cups oats, 1 cup walnuts, ½ cup coconut, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add the date-banana mixture; stir until combined. Gently fold in the remaining 1 cup blueberries. Spoon half of the oat mixture (about 3 cups) into the prepared pan; spread in an even layer to fully cover the bottom. Spread the blueberry sauce evenly over the oat mixture, top with remaining oat mixture, spreading evenly over the sauce.
step 7
Add the remaining ½ cup walnuts and ¼ cup coconut to the reserved date paste; stir until well combined. Sprinkle evenly over the oat mixture.
step 8
Bake until just set in the center and the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the baking dish on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
