Have you ever tried steel cut oats before? Wowza! Talk about a stick to your ribs kind of food. I started a batch of steel cut oatmeal with apples and brown sugar in the crock pot last night and by early this morning they were ready. How’s that for an easy peasy breakfast?
Plus, as an added bonus, my house smells delicious thanks to the cinnamon. Apples + Cinnamon+ Oatmeal = Awesomeness!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups steel cut oats {I used Bob’s Red Mill}
4 cups water
2 cups milk {I used 2%}
1 tablespoon butter + extra for coating the inside of the slow cooker
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped {I used a Granny Smith apple}
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Directions
Coat the inside of your slow cooker with butter {or cooking spray}
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours.
If you want to make steel cut oats but don’t have a slow cooker, simply place all your ingredients in a large sauce pan and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Serve with extra milk if desired.
Looking for more easy crock pot meals? Check out my Crock Pot Meals recipe index.
My favorite Crock Pot – Crock-Pot Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Portable Slow Cooker
My Favorite Slow Cooker Cookbook – Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes!
This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.
Sarah G. says
Can you use old fashioned oatmeal or does it have to be steel cut?
Penelope says
Must be steel cut to do it in the crock pot. Rolled oats do not work the same.
Amy J. says
I didn’t have steel cut oats and wanted to try it, so I used old fashioned and it worked fine for me. I did 2 cups of oats to 4.5 cups of water, threw in one chopped apple and some cinnamon and set the crockpot on low for about 9 hrs. Worked great. And it could have even got a tiny bit longer and been ok.
Amy J. says
Oh, and about a tablespoon of butter. But I forgot to coat the crock with oil. It still turned out ok, but stuck a little around the top of the edges.
Missy says
How much does this make? It looks fantastic but I have me plus hubs plus 2 always hungry little munchkins! So tired of them eating 3 or 4 bowls of cereal each! Need something that really will stick with them!
jen says
My husband figured out the ingredients on this one.
1.5 c steel cut = 511 calories, 8.35 gr. fat, 87.68 gr. carbs, 16.38 protein
1 tbsp. butter = 102 calories, 11.64 gr. fat, 0 gr. carbs, 0 protein
2 c. 1% milk = 200 calories, 5 gr. fat, 32 gr. carbs, 22 gr. protein
2 tbsp. brown sugar = 66 calories, 0 gr. fat, 17.4 gr. carbs, 0 gr. protein
Apple = 116 calories, .4 gr. fat, 30.8 gr. carbs, .6 gr. protein
All together, 1055 calories, 25.39 gr. fat, 167.88 gr. carbs, 38.98 gr. protein
We figured (4) servings, so, 263.75 calories, 6.3475 gr. fat, 41.97 gr. carbs & 9.7245 gr. protein per serving.
Andrea says
Steel cut oatmeal rocks! I cook mine in the crock pot, too, but I use the water bath (bain marie) method. I mix my oats and other ingredients just as Mavis’ recipe, but directly into a Pyrex bowl that fits inside my crockpot. Then I put water in the crock to the same height of my ingredients in the Pyrex. No oiling the crock necessary and once cooked, I just cover the Pyrex bowl and keep in fridge to have a wonderful breakfast ready all week. I learned this method from Alton Brown of “Good Eats”.
Susie in DeLand says
I’ve made the slow-cooker steel cut oatmeal a la Alton Brown too, but not with the bain marie method. Missy, it makes a ton, and you can put other dried fruits in as well. BUT, I honestly think this recipe is the very reason they invented the slow-cooker liners. It sticks like the dickens, even with buttering it first, so the liners are perfect for this recipe.
kerry says
I putting in a batch tonight , Can’t wait till tomorrow morning to try it. I bet the smell is the house is amazing too. Thank you for the Recipe !
kerry says
So disappointed !! The hose did not smell good and It has no taste to it very bland. I decided to double the batch cause we have a large brood on teens. Yep didn’t work. I’m guessing doubling it was my problem. It Seem like Allot of liquid 6 Cups per batch ?
Elizabeth S. says
Hi! I really want to make this recipe as I have quite a bit of steel cut oats. However, I’m out of milk (I know, how sad). I am trying to avoid the grocery store since funds are limited. I do have a whole bunch of heavy whipping cream and half and half. Could either of those work in this recipe? I sure hope so because I really want some for breakfast this week. Thanks, your recipes are the best! I have your vegan chocolate chip zucchini bread in the oven now.
KTB says
I made this and it was delicious. So many of the recipes for crockpot oatmeal online have too much liquid to oats. I used an almond milk, apple juice, and water combo. This was perfect. My crockpot runs hot so I ended up cooking it on low for 3 hours and on the warm setting for 5 hours. There was no burning, no mess, and the consistency was perfect. Too much cinnamon for our tastes but that is easily changed. Thanks for posting it!
susan says
My crockpot cooks wayyyy too hot, so on the advice of a friend, I now cook steel cut oats on the “warm” setting and it is perfect for our often-sleeping-in homeschool family 🙂
Michelle Hortenberry says
Can you double this recipe? Any changes need to be made if doubled?