Crockpot Oatmeal (Steel Cut Oats)

Crockpot oatmeal is a healthy and satisfying hot breakfast that’s ready when you wake up. Get a good old-fashioned start to your day!

About This Recipe

This oatmeal is so easy to stir up the night before. You only need oats, water, and a pinch of salt. And a crockpot, of course!

In the morning, just lift the lid off your slow cooker, spoon steaming hot oatmeal into your bowl, top with anything you like, and eat!

No half-awake breakfast making. No standing by the stove, stirring a pot while you listen to your stomach growl. Granted, quick oats don’t take long to make but if you prefer the texture of steel cut oats, you’re looking at thirty-five minutes minimum. That definitely doesn’t work for my family and probably not yours either.

Note: Some cooks like to cook the oats overnight in milk. We tested this recipe many times and found that it works best to make them with water. Oats made with milk have a tendency to burn or scorch. Add a bit of milk to the oats when you serve them, if you like.

If you have an Instant Pot, you may want to try Instant Pot steel cut oats.

I’ll give you the basics of this easy recipe here but as always, you’ll find the printable recipe card below with complete instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.

What You’ll Need

• Steel Cut Oats: No substitutions here, other types of oats won’t work in this recipe. Try our baked oatmeal with rolled (old-fashioned) oats if that’s what you have on hand. Homemade granola is always a great option, too.
• Water: Essential to hydrate the oats.
• Salt: Just a pinch of salt keeps the oats from tasting flat.
• Nonstick Spray, Butter, Or Coconut Oil: To make clean up easy for you.
• Slow Cooker (Crockpot): You’ll need a four to six quart crockpot with a lid.
• Optional Toppings: Milk (both dairy and non-dairy), fruit, dried fruit, seeds, nuts, nut butters, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, you name it, it’s good on oatmeal. Keep reading for even more topping ideas!

How To Make This Recipe

It’s so easy and that’s a good thing, right? Who wants to spend a bunch of time the night before making breakfast for the next day? I’m pretty tired by the end of the day but a five minute task I can handle.

Here’s how to do it. Spray the inside of the crockpot with nonstick spray or grease it with butter or coconut oil. This will prevent the oats from sticking to the sides and will be easier to clean up.

Add the steel cut oats, water, and a bit of salt to the crockpot and stir. Put the lid on, set it for Low, and walk away.

In seven or eight hours, you’ll have perfectly cooked steel cut oats! Have a good night’s sleep!

In the morning, give the oats a stir and scoop up a bowlful.

Unless you’re really a purist, you’ll want to top the oatmeal with something. Here’s a few ideas but don’t be limited by this list.

Topping ideas

• Milk, cream, yogurt, non-dairy milk such as almond milk
• Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, molasses, chocolate syrup (or chocolate chips!)
• Spices: add a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger. Pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice are great additions to oatmeal. Try mild curry powder for something different!
• Fresh fruit such as sliced bananas, berries, peaches, mango, etc.
• Dried fruit (raisins, dried cherries, dried apricots, dates, figs)
• Apple compote is one my favorite things to add to oatmeal. It’s great on French toast or pancakes, too!
• Toasted nuts and seeds (walnuts, pecans, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds). For an extra special breakfast, garnish the oatmeal with spiced pecans.
• Nutrition boosters like ground flaxseed, chia seeds, wheat germ, nut butters
• Add a fried egg to your bowl of oatmeal for a more savory treat.

FAQs

Make-Ahead Ideas

You can easily double the recipe. It’s a great make ahead recipe because the oatmeal is really good reheated the next few mornings.

You may like this idea: For serving size portions, freeze the cooked oatmeal in muffin tins sprayed lightly with cooking spray or greased (silicone muffin tins work great for this). Once it’s frozen, pop it out of the tins and put the disks into freezer bags. To reheat, put one into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes. Bingo, breakfast is ready!

Storage & Reheating Tips

Cooked oats can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or frozen for up to six months.

Uncooked oats should be kept in an airtight container in a cool dark place. For longer storage, keep oats in the refrigerator or freezer.

Rather Have Oatmeal Cookies?

I get that! Try these crispy coconut oatmeal cookies, soft and chewy iced oatmeal cookies, or whole wheat oatmeal raisin cookies. We really love chocolate walnut breakfast cookies for breakfast on-the-go or a healthy snack. Energy balls are high in protein and are usually made with oats, too. Try cranberry oatmeal energy balls or apple cinnamon energy bites.

If you’re loving the idea of crockpot oatmeal, be sure to try carrot cake slow cooker oatmeal or pumpkin pie slow cooker oatmeal.

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