Photo by Abby Ladybug
Cold winter mornings are the worst. Knowing that I have to crawl out of my nice warm bed into the cold air, stumble down the stairs and get the kiddos ready for school. . . Sometimes I just wish there were a nice, hot breakfast waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.
Well, with Overnight Crock Pot Oatmeal there is! With this recipe there will be plenty of oatmeal to feed 4-6 adults. Don’t need to feed that many? Just toss it in the fridge and reheat the next day.
Oatmeal is a frugal person’s friend. Oats can be purchased inexpensively at most stores-and if you have the option of a bulk food/healthfood store you can pay even less. Oatmeal is also an extremely healthy & filling breakfast. It is naturally high in fiber and low in fat.
*****NOTE: People have been experiencing difficulty with this recipe-coming out way too soupy & mushy. I did a huge experiment, with help from readers, to try to figure it out. Please check the info out before you cook.*****
Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal
1 cup steel cut or regular oats (NOT Quick Oats!)
4 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 TBS butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
Combine all in crockpot and cook on low for 8hrs. Serve with milk & cinnamon sugar.
Variations:
Add up to 1 C raisins/dried fruit before cooking.
Add 1 chopped fresh apple before cooking.
Top with fresh fruit (in season) or canned fruit (drained).
Add a pat of butter or a dollop of jam/preserves.
Drizzle with honey.
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Heading to bed now…. can’t wait to smell oatmeal in the morning! I’ll let you know how it goes!!
Turned out great! Thanks! Next time I am going to add some cocoa powder to make it chocolatey!
Yay! Glad it worked out well Ashley!
I just wanted to let you know that I tried variation 1 last night and served it to a crowd of hungry teachers this morning and they were in awe! Thank you for this very successful recipe
Woohoo! Glad everyone enjoyed it!
Another variation…
Sense most of us know that oat meal is good for lowering your cholesterol, another great variation for adding to those benifets would be to add chopped walnuts and craisins. Both heart healthy and tasty. You’re basic recipe is what I always do as well. Love the van, cinn and brown sugar!! This is a great idea to make on a Sunday nite and wake up to a hot breakfast on Monday. Then just store single serving bowls in the fridge for the rest of the week with the left overs. Thanks for the idea!
This is how I make mine, also. I didn’t know what I was missing until a year ago when I tried steel cut oats. Wow – I love them now. Great with walnuts or almonds, cinammon, craisins or bananas, I use Truvia instead of sugar, and use 1/2 milk and 1/2 water. I take it to work and share it with my friends. When it gets cold (if it ever does in Florida) I’m going to take a crock pot in for my office. It’s amazing.
Steel cut oats are wonderful, aren’t they?
I just came across this recipe on Pinterest and I can not wait to try it…It sounds so yummy!
This is the first time I’ve ever made crock pot steel cut oatmeal and it was fabulous! My 18 month old daughter ate an entire bowl, which is a first. I have made it at least a dozen times now and it’s SO good. It always makes the house smell wonderful!
Your recipe worked perfectly. Enjoying a big bowl as I type this!
I’m so glad!
Tried this last night and it turned out too watery. I want to try it again (afterall I bought all that steel cut oats) but will try with less water.
I hope you find the magic proportions that work for you!
Interesting points on crocks…. I have one I got as a wedding gift 8 yrs ago, my grandmothers and one my mil gave me and I favor the older ones and had been wondering why my sil says everything burns in her crockpot!!
Noelle-exactly! The new ones run just enough hotter to make a difference.
U said no quick oats, is that the one with the big tub and the old guy on it?,
Alex-well you have to look at the wording on the label. I believe the “old guy” comes in both quick/instant style or it might say “Old Fashioned” instead. What you want it oats that it tells you in the directions would take at least 10 minutes cooking in a pot on top of your stove.
I have been making this recipe for about a year now. Comes out great every time and we love it.
How are you going to feed 4-6 adults on 1 CUP of oats?? Is there something wrong with this, or am I missing something???
Paul-it expands a lot more than you would think.
Gonna try this soon! Can it be doubled and frozen?
I think freezing it would result in the oatmeal completely loosing its integrity…ie becoming just sludge. However if your crockpot is big enough you should be fine doubling it, although I haven’t tried it myself.
No, wont’ freeze well, but there’s no need if you can use it within a week. Traditionally in Scotland, you make a whole BIG potful and pour all but the first day’s into a wooden drawer – I kid you not – then slice off cold porridge as required each morning. It reheats well, by the way.
Forgot to add – this was in pre-fridge days, so it was kept at room temperature. This probably aids digestion, too, as the storage at room temperature will help break down the phytates in the oat bran.
Frying leftover oatmeal is also wonderful. Just stir an egg into a cup or two of cold oatmeal and fry in a little butter or coconut oil. Mild and delicious.
Susan-that sounds yummy.
Having this this morning! Will stir the cinnamon into the oats next time, as there were dried glops of it on top, and might only use water with the oats (that’s what the stove top recipe calls for), but thanks for all the research & the great recipe! made our morning that much smoother…and we needed that!
Made this for breakfast this morning – so good! I already shared the recipe with my recipe exchange! Thanks for sharing – I will be making this over and over
So glad you enjoyed it.
Just made this for the family and it turned out great. I used steel cut oats and 3.5c of water. Next time I will use 4c water as it was a bit thick. I would also add just a pinch of salt. It was very tasty and the perfect amount for my family. Thank you for posting an easy and filling breakfast!
Just tried this recipe last night. Woke up to a wonderful crock full of oatmeal. I did use 4 cups water, 1 cup steel cut oats, a splash of vanilla, some salt, and a cinnamon stick, and some dried cranberries. When I went to get my bowl this morning, I added 1/2 banana to my individual bowl. Yummy. I wonder how it would turn out if I added the bananas while cooking.
I wish I had read the great oat experiment before making this. It was completely runny and nasty. I imagine the grool that was served to Oliver Twist was something like this. I will have to try it with steel cut oats next time.
Oops, sorry Russ!
How big of a crockpot are you using?
I usually use my big old one from my mom–a 1980′s version.
I am making this tonight.. After reading most of the comments, since I have a newer crockpot I am putting it on “keep warm” for the 8hrs.. Also I do not have steel cut oats just the old fashioned oats I used the amount of water it calls for minus 3/4 cup an used 3/4 cup of milk (I doubled the recipe as I have 2 adults and 3 kids that eat more than I do lol) will let you know how it comes out
Ohh, if the “keep warm” thing works then a lot of folks are going to be happy! Can’t wait to hear how it goes. . .
Like many others, I found this on Pinterest. I read the comments and the variations. I’m following variation 5 using 2 cups regular oats and all else as-written. I will probably add raisins in the morning. I have a new crock-pot. I just got married 4 months ago and a crock-pot is a staple right? Since it’s a new crock-pot, I will leave on “warm” setting and see how it goes. I’ll let you know in the morning. Thanks for the inspiration!
So good!!! The brown sugar and cinnamon is awesome after it simmers all night. I added some raisins before serving. (about 1/2 cup) Yum! I was nervous with it just on “warm” because it didn’t seem to get very hot. I kicked it up to “low” about 2 hours into cooking time and left it there. I then put it back on “warm” until ready to eat. It will probably need to soak in the sink but everything turned out great. I agree with the other posts that you just need to try your crock-pot and use your judgment because they vary so much. Variation 5 with 2 cups oats (NOT steel cut) was a perfect consistency. We will be using this recipe a lot!
I tried this last night and 8 hours later I woke to runny brown watery sludge. I doubled the recipe. Could have that been it? Cuz it wasnt edible.
Meagan–I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. This recipe works great for some, terrible for others. There is such a variety in the heat put out by crockpots and with the different types of oats available everyone seems to get a different result.
Wow! I made this using Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain Rolled Hot Cereal and it is divine! I used Version 5, with 2 cups of cereal and 4 cups of water. After 8 hours, I just set it to “warm” for a couple of hours, until it was time for breakfast. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Great! I’m so glad you found a version that works for you
Turned out great. I added chopped apple and dried cranberries. I have a new crock pot and was concerned about cooking time. I cooked on low about 5 hours and then kept on warm about 3. Will definately make again!
Like Lisa B., I used Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain Rolled Hot Cereal and it was tasty. I used Version 5, with 2 cups of cereal and 4 cups of water. I added a chopped apple, dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. After 8 hours, I just set it to “warm” for a couple of hours, until it was time for breakfast. Thank you so much for this recipe! BONUS – I have leftovers for the entire week and my parrot loves it as well!
I make the steel cut oats with almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla in the crock pot on high and they are done in 2 hours. Delicious!! Everyone just loves them.
I’ve been doing this for years. I place oats, water, vanilla, butter and salt in a small bowl and set it inside the crock. I fill the crock with water up to the level of the oatmeal mixture inside the bowl – sort of like a bain mare (sic) – a water bath. Turn the crock pot on low before I go to bed on Saturday night. I let it cook for 8 hours. I prefer my oats a little dry and chewy. After it cools, I divide in to 3/4 c. servings and seal each in a zip lock bag. Each workday, I empty the zip lock bag into a bowl or mug, maybe add a little more butter (sorry) and microwave it. I place it in a thermos and take it to work. I can’t eat anything until after 9am or so. Add some Splenda or Stevia and voila – I have a health, hearty breakfast at least five days a week.
Mine turned out PERFECTLY! followed the recipe exactly but added a little more brown sugar….my husband wanted it to taste sweeter… and cut up apple and raisins. So so good and i am not even an oatmeal person. thanks this is such a cheap delicious easy breakfast.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Found this recipe on Pinterest and have it cooking as I type. I added a 1/2 cup of craisins and 1/2 cup golden raisins. So excited to try it in the morning.
I hope it turned out well for you!
So sad! 😞I almost used my moms crockpot for this recipe. I used mine instead which was about 7 years old. My oatmeal was runny and scorched. I will definitely try this again with the older crockpot.
Hope it works out better for you the second time. Also, if you can use the steel cut oats folks seem to have the best luck with that.
Has anyone tried using frozen fruit, blueberries
Found this on Pinterest about 30 minutes ago, and I have it already in my crock pot cooking for morning! I added apple… I can’t wait to see how this is going to turn out!!!
Hope it turned out well for you!
Are Quaker old fashion Oats ok? I’m not familiar w/ steel oats:(
Well instant oats don’t work at all-they turn to mush. Some folks have had decent results with old fashioned oats–especially if you have an old crockpot from the 80′s or older. You may need to add some more oats to have it thicken up. Steel cut oats are the oat grain before it’s been flaked–it looks more like a grain of rice cut in half.
I also took notice of comments about the oatmeal sticking so I used slow cooker liners and sprayed it with Pam
Great ideas!
Well…we just mixed all of the ingredients in the crock pot and turned it on. We’re trying the WARM setting since our pot is relatively large. Maybe it won’t scorch. We are very excited about this recipe. Would LOVE for it to be a success so that it can become a breakfast regular! Thanks for sharing the recipe! Will report back in tomorrow morning!
Can’t wait to hear how it turned out for you!
Made this last night! It was probably the best oatmeal I’ve ever had! Thanks so much for the recipe
So glad you liked it!
Thank You for this recipe. I fixed it last night with the pretenses of eating it for breakfast this week, however, once Hubs got home, he sampled the wears… Very good, and even better this morn, reheated in the microwave. I had only tried steele cut oats one time before unsuccessfully. So I am pleased with this recipe. P.S. I’m going to link this recipe in my blog later. Thank You.
So glad you liked it. And using the steel cut oats is great-they are so healthy for you
I decided to try exactly as written this morning I woke up to a crusty brown milk skin which I had to spoon off the oatmeal underneath was mushy watery and tasteless stuck to the sides. I had to add sugar to give it any taste at all. I think next time I’ll try reg oats and use the warm setting.
Thanks
I’m so sorry Elaine. I hope you find a way that works for you-because when it works, it’s great!
I made my crock pot steel cut oatmeal with almond milk…I added cinnamon before cooking and it was great….I added craisans, but hardly any taste in those after all night cooking. I would recommend adding them right before eating.
I used almond milk too, I hope mine comes out well!
I hope so too! Make sure you let us know.
I made this last night to wake up to it in the morning… And it was great! The hubby was impressed ….I did read your comments that it may be a bit runny so I added another cup of oatmeal …once it was done i added a lil more brown sugar on top along with cranberries and walnuts, and it was perfect! Oh and I have a new crockpot ..after 4 hours of cooking on low i cooked it another 4 hours on warm …still was perfect!
thanks for your pin!
Just made this last night with the boyfriend. I wake up early, so I just checked on it. Really thick, tasteless gruel. I have a newer crockpot, so I put it from low to warm, added more milk, a TON of brown sugar….well, all the flavorings. Overnight, it seems like they all cooked out and/or stuck to the sides. Hopefully boyfriend doesn’t mind the total mush consistency. But we have bacon, so we’ll live.
Side note: I’ve made steel cut oats on the stove, and those were chewy and just the right consistency. Is there just no way to replicate that overnight?
I’m so sorry it didn’t work for you Nichole. I’m not sure why this recipe works so well for some folks and comes out so terribly for others
How many does this recipe feed? I am making for a group of wrestlers and want to have enough…thank you!
O gosh, I guess it depends on how big their bowls are
If the recipe works well for you then the oats pretty much absorb all the liquid and fill the slow cooker–so I’d say about 4 1/2 C.
I tried this recipe last week exactly as stated except I increased the brown sugar from 1/4 cup to 1/2 a cup and LOVED it. I used steel cut oats and a slow cooker that was 37 years old. I turned out INCREDIBLE. I did not do any of the ‘add-ins’ this time as it was my first time but I will experiment for sure next time. I had a bowl for breakfast and one again for lunch it was so amazingly good and creamy. My crock pot was very easy to wash as well – no sticky mess as some comments have stated. I read there is sometimes a problem with clumping. I stirred and mixed the dry ingredients and squashed lumps in the brown sugar and cinnamon before adding liquids. I stirred and mixed again after liquids were added before actually turning on low for over night. It stores so well in a covered casserole in the fridge. Leftovers taste as if they are freshly made. THANK YOU so much for such a fabulous recipe.
I am so glad that this worked out so well for you!
I also did 1/2 milk, 1/2 water. I ommited the brown sugar because kids & hubby put extra on after they fix a bowl! I prefer the sugar to be on top anyway.
I have a “newer” crock-pot, but I think it depends if you are a morning or night person. I am a night owl – so I put it on low for a couple hours before going to bed, then turn it down to “keep warm”. If you are a morning person, just put on warm before bed & if you are up for a couple hours before breakfast – crank it up to low!
I think that the Warm setting can help a lot of folks out with this recipe
Thanks for sharing your technique.
Made it last night, ate it this morning! YUMMY! Think the steel cut oats is the key, never even knew there was such a thing, but, easy to find. IT’S A KEEPER!! Perfect recipe!!!
Aren’t steel cut oats wonderful? And they are so healthy for you too!
I am making it now and was wondering how many servings it makes and how many weight watchers points per serving.
Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks.
I’m sorry Jackie–I don’t know the Weight Watchers points. I’ve never really measured the servings either other then “a lot”
Hope yours came out well and that you enjoyed it.
This was so great. I have two sets of twins. PreK and Kindergarten, getting them going in the morning is soo crazy. But this made it so much easier and they loved it!! thanks for sharing!! xoxo
I’m glad your kids liked it!
I am having a breakfast tomorrow morning for the moms in the neighborhood. I think oatmeal would be great as you can dress it up as you want. So I have a variety of dried fruits, almonds, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, milk, almond milk, fresh bananas and strawberries. But I bought old fashion oats not steel-cut! So here is hoping it is not too runny.
Hope it turned out for you!
Well I went with 4 cups oatmeal and 1cup milk and 8 cups water, 2 tablespoons butter , a little vanilla and cinnamon and a small amount of brown sugar. I set it for 8 hours on simmer, I hope it is not too watery now:(
Well it is now am eating time and the oatmeal smells and looks so creamy, cannot wait for my husband to get up and try it as this will be true test:)
I did this too and mine never turned out!
It was incredible and I have the small 3.5 quart cuisinart ! It was fantastic! Lot’s of left overs!
Yay! I’m glad it worked out for you. I tell you, no other recipe on the planet has given me as varied results as this one.
Get a good thermometer.
Different crock pots have different temps. Seriously, there can be a big variance between brands and even years…..olders ones seem to be a lot more consistant, but some of the really new CHEAP ones run pretty hot.
I am willing to bet money if you were to get ten people on here to participate by making the exact recipe and checking the temp after cooking you would find the unhappy results have higher temps.
Alex-I think you are right! It’s funny though, most crock pot recipes come out fine, regardless of the variations, but this oatmeal is a little more sensitive.
Newer crock pots cook hotter than the old ones from the 70s and 80s for safety reasons. If you are cooking meat the old one’s keep it at an unsafe temperature for too long. That being said, I may start scanning the thrift stores for an old one just for oatmeal.
Sarah-I appreciate your point. Everyone should realize that there is a risk involved and then make an informed choice about what is right for their family! That being said-I think your compromise of looking for an older pot just for your oatmeal is a good one!
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