Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

Slow-cooker oatmeal, sweetened with brown sugar, raisins and apples, is a simple way to get breakfast on the table. A warm bowl of oatmeal isn’t just a cozy way to start the day, it’s filling and nourishing.

Slow cook high-fiber oats with milk and fruit until creamy and then top your bowl with whatever you like. If cooking for a crowd, this cheese sausage strata can be made the day before and baked while the oatmeal is cooking.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

• Milk: Cooking oats with milk yields a creamy bowl of oatmeal.
• Old-fashioned oats: Instead of quick-cooking instant oats, old-fashioned oats hold up to the slow-cooking and have a heartier texture. If you need the dish to be gluten-free, make sure you get gluten-free oats.
• Apple: Use a tart apple to balance the sweet raisins and brown sugar.
• Raisins: Raisins plump up during the slow-cooking.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a rich, molasses sweetness.
• Walnuts: Chopped walnuts provide crunch.
• Butter: A small amount of butter adds to the flavor and richness.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is a classic oatmeal flavor, especially when combined with apples and brown sugar.

Directions

Step 1: Mix up oatmeal and cook

Spray the liner of a 1-1/2 quart slow-cooker and stir together all of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for three to four hours until the milk is absorbed and the oats are tender (check half way through, as some slow-cookers go faster than others).

Serve and top with anything you like: more milk, walnuts, apples or cinnamon. See a few of or suggestions below.

Slow-Cooker Oatmeal Variations

• Serve tip top oatmeal: You can customize your oatmeal toppings to what you like and have on hand, but consider additional nuts or dried fruit. Crunchy seeds like hemp, chia, flax or sunflower, flaked coconut, maple syrup or a dollop of cool Greek yogurt will give you delectable slow cooking oatmeal.
• Swap sweeteners: If you’d like to cut down on sugar, you can include a mashed ripe banana or some applesauce. Or use natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
• Make it vegan: Use a creamy non-dairy milk like coconut, cashew or soy and omit the butter. You can use a vegan butter, a little nut butter or just skip it.

How to Store Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

Store leftover oatmeal covered in the refrigerator for three to four days. To reheat, use a saucepan or a microwave to gently warm the oatmeal, adding additional milk to loosen up the oats.

Can you freeze slow-cooker oatmeal?

You can freeze cooked oatmeal for three months in a well-wrapped container. Let it thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as recommended above.

Slow-Cooker Oatmeal Tips

What’s the difference between old-fashioned, rolled and steel-cut oats?

Each oat type is processed differently, which results in slight differences in texture and cooking time. Processors flatten old-fashioned and rolled oats to cook faster than steel-cut oats. You’ll find that steel-cut oatmeal takes 20 to 30 minutes to cook and your finished dish will have a chewier texture than other kinds of oatmeal. Learn more about different types of oats.

Can I make this recipe on the stove-top?

Yes. If the timing of slow-cooking isn’t beneficial, mix all of the ingredients up on the stove-top and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to keep the bottom from scorching. Cook until milk is absorbed and oats are tender, about 20 minutes.

Would steel cut oats work in this recipe?

You can use steel cut oats in this recipe; double the milk and count on a longer cooking time. Another alternative is to use half old-fashioned and half steel-cut oats to get a balance between creamy and toothsome oats. Increase the milk to 3 cups if you go this route.