High-Protein Cinnamon Swirl Oats (Printable)

Protein-rich baked oats featuring cinnamon swirl and crumble for a nutritious twist on coffee cake flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Oat Base

01 - 2 cups rolled oats
02 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, nonfat or 2%
05 - 1/4 cup vanilla or unflavored protein powder
06 - 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Cinnamon Swirl and Crumble

10 - 1/3 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
11 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
12 - 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or coconut oil
13 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or oat flour
14 - Pinch of salt

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, almond milk, eggs, Greek yogurt, protein powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until fully incorporated with no dry pockets of flour.
03 - In a separate small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, flour, and a pinch of salt. Mix with a spoon until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
04 - Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Distribute half of the cinnamon crumble evenly across the surface.
05 - Pour the remaining oat mixture over the crumble layer. Top with the reserved cinnamon crumble in an even distribution.
06 - Using a small knife, gently swirl the crumble through the oat mixture in a figure-eight or spiral pattern to create a marbled appearance throughout.
07 - Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top achieves a golden color and the center is set when lightly pressed.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Cut into portions and serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like coffee cake but actually fuels your body with real protein and whole grains.
  • You can bake it once and eat it all week, or slice warm portions whenever hunger hits.
  • The cinnamon swirl technique looks fancy but requires zero baking skills.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the base or your cake will be dense instead of tender, so stir just until combined and stop there.
  • If your protein powder is sweetened, reduce the maple syrup by 2 tablespoons or your cake becomes cloying.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs and yogurt mix in more smoothly, so pull them out 20 minutes before baking if you remember.
  • The knife swirl looks stunning but doesn't have to be perfect, and honestly, slight imperfections make it look more homemade and intentional.
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