These Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats sure make it easier to get up in the morning.
Good Morning Oatmeal
The warm and inviting fragrance of apple and cinnamon has filled the house while you were sleeping. And a hot and nourishing breakfast is right there, waiting for you. How awesome is that? If you have to get kids ready for school, you have just eliminated a lot of extra stress, too.
Steel Cut VS Rolled Oats
It's exactly what the names say. Rolled oats are steamed and then rolled flat. Steel cut oats are the whole grain which has been chopped with a steel blade. For more information check out: What's The Difference Between Steel Cut, Rolled, and Instant Oats.
Although they are pretty equal as far as nutrition, I prefer the texture of steel cut oats over rolled oats. The downside is that steel cut oats require a much longer cooking time. But, that's what makes them ideal for the slow cooker.
The oats stay just a little chewy, even after a long cooking time. And you can make a big batch, put it in the fridge, and reheat it for a few days because they keep their texture. Rolled oats will turn to mush with such a long cooking time. And that's just not appealing at all.
Add Some Delicious Flavours to your Oatmeal
I sliced up an apple and put in some dried cranberries and cinnamon, but the add-in possibilities here are limited only by what's in your pantry. Try raisins, pears, nutmeg, and cloves for another delicious combo.
The apple will cook right into your oatmeal if added at the beginning, which is so flavourful. And, when it's time for breakfast, we still like to have some fresh apple slices, too, for the crunch.
It's great to have a pot of these slow cooker steel cut oats, on hand, staying warm, if your family members are on different schedules, too. Anyone can dig in whenever they roll out of bed.
It can't get any easier to throw this together before going to bed. Every time I make this, I wonder why I don't do it more often. We like to eat ours with a drizzle of honey and a splash of almond milk.
And here's another way to wake up to your oatmeal: Overnight Oats–Maple Walnut
Oats are great for baking, too. Try Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Cranberry Date Squares , Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp or Rhubarb Blueberry Oatmeal Bars.
Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats – Overnight Oatmeal
Ingredients
Oatmeal
- 1 cup steel cut oats gluten-free, if required
- 4 cups water
- 1 apple cored, seeded, and chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
Toppings
- fresh apple slices
- honey or maple syrup
- almond milk or dairy milk, any other nut milk, soy, or rice milk
Instructions
- Put oats, water, apple, cranberries, and cinnamon in slow cooker on low setting.
- Cook for about 8 hours (longer is fine)
- Serve hot, with toppings of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Charlene Pors
I love steel cut oats! I never attempted to cook them in the crock pot before- I will have to give this recipe a try! Looks delish.
Colleen
Thanks, Charlene. If you love steel cut oats this is a perfect way to cook them! I hope you give it a try ?
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices
You are so right, have breakfast ready in the morning, and half of the stress has gone! 🙂 . I like this bowl of comforting oatmeal, where you can add whatever topping you like and enjoy a delicious, nutritious breakfast.
Colleen
Nicoletta, I know! Stress free mornings set the tone for the whole day, don't they?