Oatmeal can be a little boring, so why not level it up a bit? I was never a big fan of oatmeal until I got pregnant with Hayden and then it became my go-to breakfast cravings. Oatmeal can be super versatile, there are so many different add-ins or toppings you can use! You can make it sweet or savory, the options are endless really!

What you’ll need for Banana Foster Oatmeal:
- old fashioned oats (rolled oats): this type of oats is the best for this recipe, they cook quickly but also have more texture than quick oats.
- ripe banana: these are more sweeter, but if you don’t have ripe bananas, just add a little more sugar when cooking the oatmeal.
- milk + water: I like to use combination of both milk and water. This gives a nice creamy texture, without it being too mushy.
- salted butter: this gives more depth of flavor and heightens the sweet flavor overall.
- brown sugar: you can use white sugar as a substitute, but brown sugar gives a deeper caramel flavor.
- bourbon: this is optional if you don’t have any. I’d add a splash of vanilla extract instead.
- ground cinnamon: this is a must! Cinnamon goes so well with bananas and brown sugar.
- turbinado sugar (optional): I sprinkled a bit of this over the oatmeal at the very end and torched it to get a crackly crust like creme brulee. You can skip this part if you’d like.
How to make Banana Foster Oatmeal:
To make this recipe, you’ll want to use a 1:2 ratio of oats to liquid. I like to use a combination of milk and water, but you can use straight milk for a creamier consistency. Non-dairy milk such as almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk works great in this recipe too!
In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and banana slices. Cook until the brown sugar has melted, making sure to stir occasionally.
Pour in the bourbon (or vanilla extract if you choose not to use bourbon) and let the alcohol cook off a bit. I used a torch to flambé briefly, kind of like how Banana Foster is made. This step is totally optional!
Then add your ground cinnamon, oats, choice of liquid and let it cook to the consistency of your choice. I like to cook my oatmeal for about 8 minutes, to a porridge-like consistency.
Another optional step is to sprinkle some turbinado sugar over the oatmeal and torch it for a sugary crust, kind of like a creme brulee. Just to fancy it up some more!

Other breakfast recipes you may like:
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Earl Grey Sponge Cake
- The Best Moist Scones Recipe
- Overnight Chia Seed Pudding
- Healthyish Banana Bread
- Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast
Video Tutorial
Banana Foster Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 ripe banana sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 oz bourbon optional
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp turbinado sugar for torching
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and banana slices, stir to prevent the banana from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the bourbon and ground cinnamon to the pot. Allow the alcohol to cook off a bit, about a minute or so. Add your oats, milk + water mixture (or liquid of choice) and cook for about 8 minutes. Make sure to stir occassionally.
- Transfer your oatmeal to a heat-safe bowl. Sprinkle some turbinado sugar (white sugar works too!) and torch it to caramelize the sugar. This creates a yummy crackly crust like creme brulee. Feel free to skip this step if you'd like!
Video
Notes
