High-Protein Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake Oats (Printable Version)

Baked oat dish featuring cinnamon swirl layers and protein-rich ingredients for a satisfying morning meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Oat Base

01 - 2 cups rolled oats
02 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
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 mixture is thoroughly blended with no dry pockets of oats remaining.
03 - In a separate small bowl, stir together brown sugar, ground cinnamon, melted butter, flour, and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly across the bottom.
05 - Sprinkle half of the cinnamon crumble mixture evenly over the oat layer.
06 - Pour remaining oat mixture on top and finish with the remaining cinnamon crumble, distributing evenly across the surface.
07 - Using a knife, gently drag it through the mixture in a back-and-forth pattern to create a marbled swirl effect throughout the cake.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into four equal portions and serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It actually tastes like dessert for breakfast, which means you'll actually make it again instead of pretending you will.
  • Fifteen grams of protein per serving that doesn't announce itself with a chalky aftertaste.
  • The whole thing bakes in thirty minutes, so even rushed mornings feel manageable.
02 -
  • The difference between this being tender and dense depends entirely on not overmixing the base—fold rather than stir aggressively, and stop the moment you don't see dry ingredients.
  • If your protein powder is unflavored, add a tiny pinch more vanilla extract because the protein can sometimes flatten the vanilla note in the base.
03 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients blend together more smoothly, so pull your yogurt and eggs out of the fridge while your oven preheats.
  • If you can't find unsweetened almond milk, any milk works—the maple syrup provides enough sweetness that you won't miss it, and it might even be better with a milk that has more body.
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