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It’s officially time to add a new recipe to your breakfast rotation. This slow-cooker oatmeal is a sweet and healthy way to start your day, and the best part is it only takes 5 minutes to prepare. Whether you’re making it with bananas, apples, or really whatever takes your fancy, it’s downright simple to make, but it tastes (and smells) like the warm hug you need on a busy morning.
So let’s start on breakfast, shall we?
Table of Contents
- 😍 Why You’ll Love My Slow Cooker Oatmeal
- 🗒️ Ingredients
- 💡Gluten-Free? Read This!
- 👩🍳 How to Make My Slow Cooker Oatmeal
- 🍎 Slow Cooker Oatmeal: Apple Pie Edition
- Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal Recipe
- 🍌 Slow Cooker Oatmeal: Banana Bread Edition
- Slow Cooker Banana Bread Oatmeal Recipe
- 📓 Best served with
- 👝 How to Store Leftovers
- 🧠 Common Questions
😍 Why You’ll Love My Slow Cooker Oatmeal
This is the perfect morning meal to make ahead of time – in just 5 minutes, you can have breakfast ready for the whole week if you want to.
With its super simple base, you can customize it to your heart’s content, and it’s ideal for weeks when the thought of getting kids ready for school while simultaneously cooking them breakfast feels like it belongs in the too-hard basket. (I see you!)
When it comes to big family gatherings, I love any excuse for hands-off cooking, and in my opinion, that’s where slow cookers shine – so this recipe is also perfect for that upcoming family reunion or best friend’s trip.
🗒️ Ingredients
Old-Fashioned Oats – Old-fashioned oats, otherwise known as rolled oats, are often used in cookies and granola, but here we’re turning them into a delicious, creamy breakfast.
Don’t reach for instant oats here or steel-cut oats here as these have drastically different cooking times.
Milk – To make our oatmeal creamy and soft, we’re using milk as our liquid. I reach for almond or oat milk, but you can use whatever milk you prefer.
💡Gluten-Free? Read This!
A quick note for my gluten-free friends, be sure to use gluten-free oats to avoid cross-contamination if you have a sensitivity!
👩🍳 How to Make My Slow Cooker Oatmeal
💦 Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
🥣 Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker – including any inclusions you have in mind – and cover.
⏲️ Cook on High for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until liquid is absorbed and oatmeal is tender.
🥳 Enjoy!
🍎 Slow Cooker Oatmeal: Apple Pie Edition
This variation on slow cooker oatmeal is a fall favorite – who doesn’t love apple pie?!
By adding a large sweet apple, some delicious pie spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and of course some pecans, we transform this oatmeal into a socially acceptable way to eat pie for breakfast!
Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened oat or almond milk
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1 large, sweet, tart apple , Fuji, Pink Lady
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Spray a 2-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cover.
- Cook on High for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until liquid is absorbed and oatmeal is tender. You can also cook on low for about 2-3 hours.
- Spoon into bowls, drizzle with more maple syrup and cinnamon and serve.
- This will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. When reheating in the microwave, add a bit of water to achieve a soft consistency.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
🍌 Slow Cooker Oatmeal: Banana Bread Edition
Banana bread is about as nostalgic as it gets, and this banana bread variation on slow cooker oats will have your whole house smelling like grandma’s cooking in no time!
Mashed banana, vanilla, a handful of spices and delicious walnuts take this oatmeal to a whole new level!
Slow Cooker Banana Bread Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened oat or almond milk
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Spray a 2 quart slow-cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Peel the bananas and mash them up into a puree. I like to do this on a plate or shallow, flat bottomed container to make this easier.
- Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cover.
- Cook cook on High for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until liquid is absorbed and oatmeal is tender. You can also cook on low for about 2-3 hours.
- Spoon into bowls, drizzle with more maple syrup and cinnamon if desired and serve.
- This will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. When reheating in the microwave, add a bit of water to achieve a soft consistency.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
📓 Best served with
- Seasonal fruits
- A sprinkling of your favorite nuts
- Syrup of your choosing!
👝 How to Store Leftovers
This oatmeal keeps well in the fridge for up to a week – just reheat in the microwave and enjoy a warm breakfast on those trudge out of bed early mornings. When reheating in the microwave, add a bit of water to achieve a soft consistency.
🧠 Common Questions
Steel-cut oats have a very different cook time – they usually take between 20-30 minutes on a stovetop – and usually require less liquid. You can use this recipe as inspiration for your oatmeal, but it’s best not to use steel-cut oats in a slow cooker recipe.
Instant oats are… well.. instant! They cook in just 1-2 minutes and so wouldn’t be appropriate for a slow cooker recipe. If you want to use instant oats, use this recipe as inspiration for flavors only!
My recommendation would be to follow your usual method of making oatmeal and simply add in any inclusions you would like. The instructions you see here are strictly for slow cooker cooking and wouldn’t be appropriate for cooking on a stovetop.
Yes, of course! Your oatmeal will have less of a creamy texture, but will still be delicious.
Off the top of my head, here are a few other combinations I’d like to try: peanut and chocolate, pumpkin spice, maple and pecan, and berry!
I make these slow cooker oatmeal recipes all the time in the fall and winter. I’ve also tried adding pumpkin spices which work very well! For cleanup, I found small slow cooker liners that just add to my joy!! Best breakfast, easy cleanup. I can’t ask for anything more 🎶
I’m so glad you love these recipes as much as I do, Deborah – and I love the tip for easy cleanup. That would certainly bring me joy too 😉
Thank you for being here!
Kat.
This was so amazing! I put it on when I got to work in the morning and in 90 minutes or so had breakfast for everyone. They were begging for the recipe and asked if I could do this once a week! Put some mini chocolate chips on the side for anyone who wanted them.
I’m sure the office smelt amazing too, Rose! Your co-workers are so lucky to have you.
Enjoy,
Kat.
My family loved it!! I left out the walnuts because… kids :). I cooked it on high but it needed almost 2 hours to get it to the consistency we like. Highly recommend!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it – even the kids!
Kat.
Made it this sunday morning and its very good I can’t wait to do it when it gets cooler.
It’s perfect for those icy fall/winter mornings!
Enjoy,
Kat.
Just made the banana bread oatmeal. It smells great. I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow
I’m over the moon that you loved this one, Laurel!
Enjoy!
Kat.