Who knew that the best way to cook steel cut oats is to use your crock pot and cook them in a bowl in hot water bath? Read through the post and recipe below to learn my foolproof method to make the best overnight slow cooker steel cut oats and wake up to a bowl of warm steel cuts oats in the morning.
This post is sponsored by Zone Perfect Bars. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Since the day we found out that we are moving to Vermont, every morning as soon as I wake up I check the temperature in our new hometown. It is cold there, really cold. Since I believe that food is the best medicine, I know that we will need all the heartwarming food we can get our hands on to warm ourselves up. And what is better than a cup of warm oatmeal to start the day? Imagine as soon as you wake up, you have a bowl of creamy steel cut oats waiting for you in your slow cooker when it is 1 °F outside. So today’s recipe, Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats, is one that I know I will be making in our new hometown.
Before I start talking about why I love cooking steel cut oats in crockpot, I want you to know that I have no problem with cooking steel cuts in the morning on a Saturday morning. It is totally fine by me to put it on the stove top and let it cook low and slow. However, let’s face it: Things are different when it comes to a weekday morning. If you are anything like me, you need breakfast fast. And it has to be healthy and filling.
How to Make Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats:
That is why, I think making steel cut oats in the slow cooker is the best way to cook them. The process is very simple: You prepare everything at night and let it cook through the night only to wake up to a warm and creamy bowl of steel cut oatmeal. It takes no more than 10 minutes. For reals.
Now, if you have ever tried cooking steel cuts in your crock pot’s bowl, you know that you have some cleaning to do later on. Because let me tell you, the thick oatmeal will stick to that bowl. The solution to that problem is to place a smaller heat-resistant bowl in the bowl of the slow cooker itself and fill the bottom of it with water halfway through the bowl. The residual heat that comes from the water cooks the oatmeal creating the creamiest steel cut oatmeal you will ever have. Guaranteed.
With that being said, if you don’t mind the cleaning you can certainly place everything in the bowl and cook your oats that way.
Liquid to Steel Cut Oats Ratio
I found that for a family of four, the best liquid to steel cut oats ratio is 1/2 to 2, meaning for every half a cup of steel cut oats you need 2 cups of liquid. This ratio yields 4 cups of oatmeal. As you will see in the recipe below, in terms of the liquid I mixed water with almond milk. I think adding a little bit of a milk (instead of all water) makes it even creamier. If you want, you can only use water or try other milks like cashew, coconut, or even regular milk.
How Much Time Does It Take For Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats To Cook:
I usually set my crockpot to 4 hours in low-heat setting, and after that, its keep-warm setting continues to maintain a warm temperature. We usually sleep 8 hours, so by the time I wake up my bowl of creamy and delicious oatmeal is waiting for me in the kitchen.
Here, I think I should mention that the timing may change based on the brand of the slow cooker you use. So I recommend experimenting with your crock pot for the best timing and consistency of your liking. If you are wondering, I use Crock-Pot 6.5-Quart, Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Silver, SCVT650-PS
and it gives me perfect results every time.
How To Sweeten The Steel Cut Oats:
Since steel cut oats are super healthy, I wanted to stay away from adding any additional processed sugars. However, it needed a little bit of a sweetener. As you will see in the recipe below, I added a few tablespoons of my homemade unsweetened applesauce into the recipe at the beginning with all the other ingredients. Here, if you do not have applesauce, you can always substitute it with a mashed, ripe banana, or a few tablespoons of honey or maple syrup.
The Best Toppings For Steel Cut Oats:
When it comes to toppings, I always find fresh fruit and nuts to be the best option. I also like homemade granola, but let’s face it; I do not always have granola on hand. Instead, I cut a nutrition bar into small pieces and use it as a topping. And when it comes to protein bars, my husband and I are big fans of ZonePerfect Nutrition Bar. They have so many flavors (my favorite being salted caramel brownies) to choose from and they all taste SO good. I also love that when you put chunks of nutrition bar in hot oatmeal, it slightly melts creating a silky and chocolate-y breakfast bowl. Plus, one ZonePerfect bar containes 17-19 vitamins and minerals with 170-210 calories and 10-15 grams of protein per serving, depending on the flavor. This, in my book, means guilt-free eating.
How to Store The Leftovers:
The recipe below yields 3-4 cups of steel cut oats. Like I mentioned earlier, this easily feeds a family of 4, but if you are a small family like us, you can always refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, warm it up in microwave for 1 minute, top it off with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats
Who knew that the best way to make steel cut oatmeal is to use your crock pot and cook the oats in a bowl in hot bath? Read through the post and recipe below to learn my foolproof method to make the best overnight slow cooker steel cut oats only to wake up to a bowl of warm steel cuts oats in the morning.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Steel Cut Oats:
- ½ cup steel cut oats, make sure that they are gluten-free certified
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk* (or any of your favorite plant-based milk)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce or ½ ripe and mashed banana
- pinch of salt
For the Toppings:
- 1 cup seasonal fresh fruits, chopped
- 1 ZonePerfect Nutrition Bar (I used Salted Caramel Brownie), cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Mix together the steel cut oats, water, almond milk, applesauce (or a 1/2 ripe and mashed banana), and salt in a heat-resistant bowl (or a small casserole dish) that will fit in your slow cooker.
- Fill the bowl of the slow cooker halfway through with water.
- Put the lid on and cook for 4 hours in low-heat setting. 4 hours will create a very creamy consistency. If you want it to be thicker, you can let it cook up to 5 hours in low heat setting.
- When ready to serve, divide it in between 4 bowls and top each cup off with fresh fruit, chunks of nutrition bar, and sesame seeds.
- Serve while it is still warm.
Notes
• If your bowl is larger and you want to make a bigger batch, feel free to double the recipe. Alternatively, you can skip cooking it in a casserole dish and directly cook it in the bowl of your slow cooker. For more information on this, please read the blog post.
• If you prefer, you can substitute almond milk with water or regular milk.
• As long as it is kept in an airtight container, it will keep fresh up to 3 days. When ready to eat, warm it up in the microwave for 1 minute or so.
**** Calorie value listed below does not include the nutrition bar.****
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
Editor’s Note: This post is sponsored by ZonePerfect Bars. The compensation received in exchange for placement on Foolproof Living is used to purchase ingredients and props, write blog posts, take and edit photos and maintain this website in general.
However, though compensation was received in exchange for coverage, the thoughts and opinions mentioned in this post are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support Foolproof Living!
I got a bag of steel cut oats that I’ve been meaning to use, since it’s the best time of year for cosy breakfasts like this! Gorgeous as ever
Aww thank you my friend <3
I love your detailed your recipe is wndchow you talk about your experiments too ! I love steel cut oats and you are right – it takes so long to cook it on the stove top! I might have to invest in a crock pot !! Your pictures are mega delicious !!,????
Aww thank you Amisha. I do my best to be as helpful as I can be. Yes, you should try the crockpot method. If you are a lover of steel cut oats, you will love it. Much love and thanks again my friend. <3
I love making steel cut oats in the crockpot! It’s so easy and such a time saver; I like to do big batches for freezing and leftovers. This is a lovely recipe, Aysegul (I love the thought to add mashed fruit). Happy new year to you 🙂
Hi Gena! This is my new favorite way of starting the day. Like you said, it is such a time saver. Plus, it is super healthy. 🙂
Happy new year to you too.
PS: It makes me so happy every time you stop by my friend. <3
First off, welcome (back) to New England. It’s definitely cold here in Boston . . .but even more brutal the further North you get so warm and comforting foods are a definite must.
Slow cooker steel cut oats are a regular way to warm up in our household. But I have to admit that I have not had problems with a difficult to clean insert. Perhaps I just got lucky and bought a brand/model that is ideal for this type of food. That said, it’s just the Mr. and I, so I like the idea of using the bowl to reduce the number of servings. Also, as much as I like honey on my oatmeal. . .my blood sugar does not and I find that I will spend all day trying to recover from blood sugar lows. I generally go with no sweetener by love the idea of using applesauce to sweeten it. . .definitely giving this a try next time. I also love the idea of topping it with nutritional bars especially since the Mr. is addicted to them.
Oh that is good to know. It must have been because of your slow cooker. Mine was a nightmare to clean.
Thanks for your kind wishes. I wish we can meet sometime and enjoy a bowl of this together. 🙂
PS: I love your Insta stories. Your tips on photography are so SO helpful.
Your moving to Vermont?! Oh my! I’ve never been but would love to visit some day… how are you feeling about it? I adore overnight oats in any form. But I’m with you on steel cut.. they require a different kind of attention than rolled. Thank you for sharing your tips to make mornings easier! I’ll have to get these back on my rotation.. (that bowl is gorgeous!!). Thank you for sharing Aysegul.
Yes!! I know, right? It is hard to believe, but we are moving again. I so wish you could come and visit me. Hopefully very very soon. <3
I, too, love a good warm bowl of steel cut oats. This turned out to be a really good one that exceeded my expectations. Thanks for stopping by Traci. <3
I love the detail you put into your recipes and that you give advice for leftovers! I never know what to do with my leftover oats they usually congeal and end up in the bin. I hope you enjoy your time in Vermont!
Thank you so much for your kind words. I try to do my best to answer all questions with the hopes that it will be helpful to my readers 🙂
Ohh how I have not thought about making steel cut oats in the slow cooker before?! This is such a good way to get them in without waiting around for them to be done!
Vermont! How exciting. I think I would wake up and check the weather there every morning too! This steel cut oatmeal method sound fantastic – I would have never thought to use a dish inside the crockpot. Your fruit in these photos look like gems! So pretty, Aysegul! xo
It was a surprise to me too, but it worked beautifully. Thank you for your kind words my friend. <3
I have cooked steel cut oats in the slow cooker before, but I never would have thought of cooking it with the water bath method! It’s funny, before the new year, I was trying to develop a recipe for slow cooker oats with millet. I cooked it for 8 hours on low, like you did and it definitely wasn’t as creamy as i would have liked. I should really try this method when I retest the recipe later this month! Thanks for this.
P.S. You’re moving to Vermont?!! I’ve visited twice and always loved the beauty of Vermont. It is definitely way too cold for a California girl like me though 😉
Hey Lisa.. Yes, I have been there. 8 hours is just too long for steel cut oats. Who knew, right? 🙂
PS: I know, but we are looking forward to the change. Cheers!
I just had some steel cut oats last weekend when it was FREEZING COLD. It sounds like you’re going to be all set for your move to Vermont. Good luck!
Thank you Sara!
I love steel cut oats! I always just cook mine on the stove, but I love the idea of throwing them in the slow cooker and waking up to warm oats in the morning. I actually have a steel cut oat recipe coming up, and will have to link to this post in the recipe notes as an alternative way to make it. And those toppings! Oatmeal is all about toppings, IMO. I wouldn’t have thought to cut up an energy bar, though — pure genius. I’ve never tried the ZonePerfect bars, but they sound super yummy. Will definitely be keeping my eye out for them from now on. 🙂
Thank you Willow. I think the idea of having breakfast ready when you wake up is the best part about this recipe. A warm bowl of goodness topped off with all kinds of toppings. Who can say no to that? :))
I can’t wait to see your post and what you topped it off with. Cheers my friend.
How did I miss that you were moving to Vermont?! I really am so behind on my reading! That’s so exciting! I’ve always wanted to visit vermont, so maybe someday we can connect there. 🙂 These photos are stunning- so vibrant and colorful. Love the way you dressed up a simple bowl of oats. I always make mine in the rice cooker with a timer, similar to how you do it here. It’s such a great thing to wake up to!
Oh Emily.. I would love to you to visit me in Vermont.. That would be a dream come true.
Rice cooker is such a great idea. I used to have one, long time ago, but I see that it would be perfect for this recipe. 🙂
I cook my steel cut oats in my rice cooker. You can leave them on warm for hours and the consistency doesn’t change! It’s also way faster than cooking on the stove and the pot is easy to clean!
I have been making this for a few weeks right now and I love it. I change it up with different fruit every time I make it and it never disappoints. I love reading your blog and through your adventures. I hope you are loving Vermont.
★★★★★
Ah sekercim, thank you. I am so happy that you liked it. We love Vermont (minus cold) 🙈Much love to you.