This easy tropical baked oatmeal with no added sugar is a healthy make-ahead breakfast with the delicious tropical flavors of banana, pineapple and coconut. Made mostly with pantry ingredients, it's sure to brighten up your mornings, especially in the dreary winter months. Great for baby led weaning, toddlers, and parents. (gluten-free, dairy-free)
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
Pineapple Coconut Baked Oatmeal
This tropical baked oatmeal is a great way to introduce both pineapple and coconut to your baby led weaning baby in an easy to eat, nourishing breakfast. With the delicious tropical flavors of banana, pineapple and coconut, this baked oatmeal is both cozy and bright - perfect for the middle of winter when not much fruit is in season. It is made mostly with pantry ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, and is naturally sweetened with just fruit, so it's appropriate for even the youngest of eaters - though it is great for the whole family if you want to make it ahead for a quick heat-and-eat family breakfast!
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Ingredients
- Over-ripe banana - The browner the better since this is where most of the sweetness comes from!
- Canned crushed pineapple - Be sure to buy pineapple canned in water or 100% juice to avoid added sugar. Don't drain it - you need some of the juice for moisture.
- Canned coconut milk - I used light, but regular will work, too.
- Shredded coconut - Buy unsweetened shredded coconut to avoid added sugar. You want it in fine shreds, not large flakes or chips.
- Egg - Adds protein and helps bind everything together.
- Rolled oats - Also called old fashioned oatmeal. Buy certified gluten-free oats if necessary.
- Flaxseed - Optional, but I like to add it to all of my baked oatmeal recipes for a little extra healthy fat and fiber.
Helpful Equipment: Parchment paper, small baking dish (I used this 6 x 8 inch dish, but one of similar size or even an 8 x 8 square will work).
Step By Step Instructions
For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mash the banana well in a large bowl.
- Whisk in the egg, coconut milk and crushed pineapple.
- Stir in the oats, flaxseed and shredded coconut.
- Pour the mixture into a small baking dish lined with parchment.
- Bake at 350°F fro 25-30 minutes or until set. Let the oatmeal cool in the dish before cutting into fingers for baby.
Tips and Recipe Variations
- I use light coconut milk (from the can) but you can use regular full fat coconut milk too. You could also use the refrigerated kind (in a carton), but the coconut flavor is not as strong.
- If your coconut milk is separated with the fat in one chunk at the top, whisk it together with a fork or small whisk before measuring it. (FYI- You can freeze leftover coconut milk to use in a recipe later!)
- I used a 6 x 8 inch baking dish. You can use any dish of a similar size. You could also use an 8 inch square dish for thinner oatmeal - make sure to decrease the baking time by a few minutes.
- You can swap the flaxseed for chia seeds, hemp seeds, or leave it out completely if you don't have it on hand.
- Egg free: I haven't tested the recipe without the egg, but if you have an egg allergy you probably increase the round flaxseed to 3 tablespoon to give it a little more binding power.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover oatmeal will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen oatmeal in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
The easiest way to reheat baked oatmeal is to pop a portion in the microwave for 15-30 seconds (for baby fingers). Be sure to test the temperature before serving to baby! You can also reheat it in the oven at 350°F covered, or heat in the air fryer or toaster oven at the lowest setting until warmed through. Baked oatmeal is also great to serve cold to teething babies to soothe sore gums.
How To Serve Tropical Baked Oatmeal To Babies 6 Months and Up
For baby led weaning babies 6 months and up (or babies in the finger food stage) who do not yet have a pincer grasp, cut baked oatmeal into long, thin pieces the length and width of 1-2 adult fingers. This shape is easiest for little ones to grasp and bring to their mouths.
For babies who have developed a pincer grasp, usually around 9 months, you can cut oatmeal into small bite-sized pieces, about the size of your fingernail, and allow baby to practice picking up between his index finger and thumb, or offer utensils for practice. You can also continue serving in fingers at this age.
Add side of plain Greek yogurt or a scrambled egg for extra protein and/or whatever fruit is in season, served in an appropriate shape and texture.
More Baked Oatmeal Recipes Great for BLW
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No Added Sugar Tropical Baked Oatmeal Recipe
This easy tropical baked oatmeal with no added sugar is a healthy make-ahead breakfast with the delicious tropical flavors of banana, pineapple and coconut. Made mostly with pantry ingredients, it's sure to brighten up your mornings, especially in the dreary winter months. Great for baby led weaning, toddlers, and parents. (gluten-free, dairy-free)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 small over-ripe banana
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup canned crushed pineapple, undrained
- ½ cup canned coconut milk, light or regular
- 1 cup rolled oats, certified gluten-free if necessary
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, optional
- ⅓ unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a small baking dish (I used a 6 x 8 inch dish) with parchment paper. Don't skip the lining, as this helps you remove the oatmeal and cut it into pieces more easily.
- In a large bowl, mash the banana well.
- Add the egg, coconut milk and pineapple and whisk to combine.
- Stir in the oats, flaxseed and shredded coconut.
- Pour the mixture into the lined baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set.
- Let the oatmeal cool in the baking dish before removing and cutting into pieces.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Coconut milk: I used light canned coconut milk. Regular or full-fat will also work. If it is separated into the fat in one big chunk and the coconut water, use a fork or whisk to mix it back together before measuring. You could also use refrigerated coconut milk (in the carton), but the coconut flavor will not be as prominent.
- Pineapple: Make sure to buy pineapple canned in water or 100% juice to avoid added sugar. Don't drain it - you need the moisture. If you want to use fresh pineapple (or thawed frozen pineapple), very finely chop it to the texture of crushed pineapple and include as much of the juice as possible.
- Flaxseed: You can skip the ground flaxseed if you don't have any on hand. You could also replace it with chia seeds or hemp seeds.
- Egg-free: While I haven't tested this recipe without the egg, if you have allergies, you could most likely leave it out and increase the ground flaxseed to 3 tablespoon for more binding power.
- If you're making for babies, let the oatmeal cool completely in the dish before removing and cutting into pieces so that you get clean cuts and pieces that hold together in finger shapes. For adults, feel free to scoop it warm from the dish.
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