Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Five minutes before bed, a hot breakfast when you wake up.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 8 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 5 min
- Makes
- 4 bowls
- Difficulty
- easy
Steel-cut oats need a long, gentle cook, which is exactly what a slow cooker does while you sleep. They come out creamy but still chewy, nothing like the paste instant oats turn into. Make a batch on Sunday night and reheat it all week.
Ingredients
Toppings
Gear
- 3 to 4 quart slow cooker
Method
Tap a step to mark where you are. Tap a time to start a timer.
-
Grease
Rub the inside of the crock with butter, up past where the oats will reach. This keeps the edges from sticking and browning overnight.
-
Load it
Add the oats, water, salt, and cinnamon. Stir once.
-
Leave it
Cover and cook on low until the oats are tender and creamy. Go to bed.
-
Stir and serve
Stir well, loosen with a splash of milk if it has thickened, and top each bowl however you like.
Notes
- warningUse steel-cut oats only. Rolled or instant oats turn to glue over eight hours.
- tipA big slow cooker with a small batch runs hot and scorches. Use a 3 to 4 quart cooker, or double the recipe for a large one.
- tipLeftovers set firm in the fridge. Reheat a portion in the microwave with a splash of milk, stirring halfway.
- variationStir in a handful of raisins or chopped apple before cooking for a sweeter pot.