Steel cut oats are the less-processed brother of rolled oats. Because they are less processed, they retain more nutrients than rolled oats, which of course means steel cut are the oats I want to consume. Until recently, I have only consumed them on a rare occasion, though, because they take so. long. to. cook. Who has 45 minutes in the morning to wait for breakfast to cook? I’m hungry when I wake up! I want food within 15 minutes, please.
In comes the slow cooker. Last fall when my sister-in-law, Jolynne, told me that she cooks her steel cut oats in the slow cooker, I immediately put “slow cooker” on my Christmas list. Now steel cut oats make a more regular appearance in my breakfast routine. I love being able to throw everything in the slow cooker and have it do all the work for me while I’m sleeping. I wake up to a creamy bowl of goodness without all the fuss. It doesn’t get any better than that. (Although yogurt parfaits are pretty good. I think it’s a tie.)
A few of you expressed interest in the recipe I use, so I am sharing it with you today. You know me, I’m going to keep experimenting with different flavors, but this is the basic recipe we’ve been enjoying. I don’t like runny oatmeal, so this ratio of milk/water to oats is perfect for me. If you like your oatmeal more on the liquid-y side, you may want to add a bit more milk or water. Remember that you can always add milk to your bowl in the morning, too.
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Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats
- Total Time: 485 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
A delicious and hearty breakfast
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup steel cut oats
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- dash nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Optional Toppings:
- more milk
- sliced banana
- walnuts
Instructions
- Start by lightly oiling or spraying your inner pot with cooking spray. Put the oats, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in the slow cooker. Add the milk, water, and vanilla and stir. Cook on low for 8 hours. In the morning, top each bowl with one teaspoon of pure maple syrup and toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 480 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 23.3g
- Sodium: 695mg
- Fat: 18.6g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Protein: 10.8g
I really want to try this recipe but not a fan of maple syrup. Any suggestions on substitutes or would it be okay to just leave out?
You could use honey or agave nectar. You can also leave it out if you don’t mind a less sweet bowl of oats. Good luck!
Trying this recipe today…..any idea how long to cook it if you wanted to cook it on high??
Oh, I’ve never tried that. Maybe half the cooking time?? Sorry, I don’t know!
good looking stuff. I’ve been looking the net for some projects I am engaged on and came across this. A good read.
HI I just came upon your site. It looks interesting. I see you have a passion for healthy eating. Do you soak your grains, beans, etc in an acidic medium to release phytates? Nourishing Traditions, a cookbook by Sally Fallon is a wonderful resource to read. She has so much information on good wholesome foods to eat and how to prepare them.
Hello, I haven’t gotten too much into soaking my grains in an acid medium. I tried soaking my oats overnight in yogurt once and really couldn’t stand the taste. Maybe it’s something you have to acquire a taste for. I am familiar with Sally Fallon and Nourishing Traditions. While I don’t agree with all of her ideas, I agree that it’s a good resource overall.
I love my steel cut oats in the crock pot! And mine get burnt too! Hmm, I’ll have to try the aforementioned tip. 🙂
I’ve never tried making oats with a slow cooker. They look so much more thick and hardy, definitely a filling breakfast.
Very filling–which I totally need in the morning!
i’ll definitely have to try using a slow-cooker. we use rolled oats, right now, and cook them on the stove-top in apple juice instead of milk or water. it adds a lot of flavor, and you can buy it unsweetened to control the sugar. you have to play with the amounts, since it won’t evaporate the same as milk or water. but it tastes great with your typical apple spices. also, i very thinly slice and mash bananas and then add them to the hot cooked oatmeal. the bananas practically melt into the oats and add a creaminess and richness that is our substitute for butter. using the juice and bananas eliminates any need for dairy, if you are looking for that. but when we do add milk, it usually makes a cold add-on appearance, english porridge style.
I use rolled oats a lot, too. We love it with thin-sliced banana, too. I put it in during the cooking time and then whip it so it melts into the oats. So delicious! I use almond milk rather than regular milk, but I love the apple juice idea–sounds great.
Yum, love steel-cut oats! I do mine in the slow cooker, too, but in a water bath–it keeps the edges from getting crusty/burned. You put the oatmeal ingredients into a heat-safe bowl inside the slow cooker, and pour water around it. Works like a charm!
I haven’t had a problem with the edges getting crusty or burned. Maybe because I oil the pot?