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These cozy Maple Pecan Banana Bread Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls are made by blending cottage cheese, eggs, oats, ripened bananas, and baking in individual bowls. They are topped with a maple pecan buttery topping. So simple to make with less than 10 minutes of prep, and a fantastic way to meal prep a high-protein breakfast you can enjoy all week!
You guys, I have a new favorite. These Maple Pecan Banana Bread Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls might be my favorite breakfast bowl yet, and that’s saying a lot, because my Baked Blueberry Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls and Baked Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls have been on repeat in so many of your kitchens this year!
This version takes everything you love about a warm slice of banana bread (ripe bananas, cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and real maple syrup) and bakes it into a soft, bread pudding-like breakfast bowl. Then it’s topped with a buttery maple pecan crumble that gets golden and crisp in the oven. It honestly tastes like dessert, but it’s made with wholesome ingredients like cottage cheese, eggs, and oats.
Why You’ll Love These Breakfast Bowls!
- Tastes like banana bread, eats like bread pudding. Soft, cozy, and warmly spiced, with a crunchy pecan crumble on top.
- Protein from cottage cheese and eggs. As a nutritionist, I love starting the day with protein, and these bowls make it so easy. They pack in almost 18 grams per bowl
- Perfect for meal prep. Bake once on the weekend and you have four breakfasts ready to grab all week.
- A great way to use up ripe bananas. The spottier, the better!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cottage cheese: I use low-fat, and it blends up silky smooth.
- Eggs: These give the bowls structure and that custard-like, bread pudding texture.
- Rolled old-fashioned oats: Blended right into the batter. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need these to be gluten-free.
- Ripe bananas: The star of the banana bread flavor. Spotty or browning bananas are sweeter and more flavorful.
- Pure maple syrup: Just enough to sweeten the batter.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla: The classic banana bread spices.
- Baking powder: Helps the bowls puff up as they bake.
- For the maple pecan crumble: chopped pecans, a little more oats, coconut or brown sugar, melted butter, and a pinch of cinnamon.
How to make Maple Pecan Banana Bread Breakfast Bowls
- Prep the bowls. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray four 2-cup oven-safe glass bowls with nonstick spray and set them on a baking sheet.
- Blend the batter. Add the cottage cheese, eggs, oats, bananas, maple syrup, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. This takes a few minutes, but it’s worth it for the smoothest texture.
- Make the crumble. Stir together the chopped pecans, oats, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Fill and top. Pour the batter evenly into the four bowls, then sprinkle the maple pecan crumble over the top.
- Bake. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, puffed up, and firm to the touch.
- Rest and enjoy. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes. Drizzle with a little extra maple syrup if you like, or cover and refrigerate for the week ahead.
Tips for the Best Breakfast Bowls!
- Use really ripe bananas. They make the biggest difference in flavor and natural sweetness.
- Blend longer than you think. A fully smooth batter gives you that soft, bread pudding texture with no cottage cheese curds.
- Don’t skip the crumble. It’s what makes these taste like a bakery-style banana bread.
- Ovens vary. Mine took right between 35 and 40 minutes. Look for a golden, puffed top that’s firm to the touch.
No Glass Bowls? Make in an 8×8 pan!
You can also bake this recipe in a greased 8×8-inch baking dish. My oven is likely slightly different, so keep an eye on it. A single pan is deeper than the individual bowls and will likely need longer in the oven. Start checking around 40 minutes, and bake until the center is set and firm to the touch. Then scoop or slice into four servings.
Storing and Reheating
Store the bowls covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love using these 2-cup glass bowls with lids because they go straight from the oven to the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for about a minute, and add an extra drizzle of maple syrup if you’d like.
Maple Pecan Banana Bread Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls
Ingredients
For the Bowls:
- 1½ cups low-fat cottage cheese*
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats**
- 2 ripe bananas
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For the maple pecan crumble:
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp rolled oats
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1 medium banana, , sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray four 2-cup glass bowls with nonstick spray and place them on a large baking sheet.
- Add the cottage cheese, eggs, oats, bananas, maple syrup, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth, a few minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together the pecans, oats, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon until crumbly.
- Pour the batter evenly into the bowls and sprinkle the crumble over the top. You can also add a few pieces of sliced banana
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, puffed, and firm to the touch.
- Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with extra maple syrup if desired. Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
