Overnight Crock Pot Oatmeal

"Revised Post For Overnight Crock Pot Oatmeal"

How about a nice hearty breakfast as soon as you wake in the morning. If that sounds good to you then Overnight Crock Pot Oatmeal is the recipe. You can assemble this breakfast dish in the crock pot the night before and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. A lot of people dislike oatmeal, but I love it especially on those cold weekend mornings. Oatmeal is such a healthy, cheap and satisfying breakfast, my kids are not crazy about it but I am hoping by introducing them to the variety of topping choices that they just might change their minds. Make sure when making this recipe that you remember it is important to use Steel-Cut Oats; old-fashioned or Quick Oats become too soft during slow-cooking.

I purchased my Steele cut oats at Sprouts Farmers Market. They were ridiculously cheap, I couldn't believe it I got 2lbs for $1.00. You can also use McCann's Irish Oatmeal. I have seen the McCann's brand at a specialty store but, it was $7 for a container. (Whew to pricey for me) most local organic food or whole food stores carry bulk Steele Cut Oats. If you don't know what Steele Cut Oat are her is the difference: Steel cut oats are whole oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces. Rolled oats are oat groats that have been steamed, rolled and flaked for easier cooking. Quick cooking oats are rolled oats that have been chopped into smaller pieces and "Instant Oats are basically powdered oats. There you go that is the variations of Oatmeal.


Revision:
My previous recipe for overnight oatmeal was cooked directly in the crock pot. I have been playing around with this oatmeal recipe a bit and decided that using a water bath method to cook the oatmeal is the best way. The oatmeal is still cooked overnight in the crock pot, but instead of adding everything directly to the crock pot it is added to a smaller bowl. Then that bowl is placed in the crock pot in a water bath, covered with the lid and cooked all night. This way the oatmeal kind of bakes slowly all night and you will not have the crusty browning on the edges of the oatmeal that happens by just cooking it directly in the crock pot. I am loving this method so much better. I have added pictures of the water bath method so you can see what I am talking about. By far this is the best way for this recipe. This method will also work if you have one of those crock pots with the multiple bowls. Just add water to the bottom bowl and then the oatmeal mixture to the bowl on top. Cover and cook on low.

These are the ingredients you will need:
Steele Cut Oats, Dried Apples or a fresh apple, half and half or milk, water, cinnamon sugar and brown sugar, vanilla extract (not pictured) and some butter which is (optional), your crock pot and a smaller bowl that fits inside of the crock pot. (if using the water bath method)

this is what Steele cut oat's look like

Measure out one cup of Steele cut oats and add the smaller inner bowl.

Add the four cups of water, milk or half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, butter and cinnamon sugar. If you would like to add dried fruit or a cut up apple add it as well.

Fill the crock with water to about halfway.

Set the inner bowl in the crock and see how high the water rises. Add more water in the crock pot if necessary. Try to match it so that the water reaches about the same height on the outside of the oats bowl or just below the bowl. Place the lid on your crock pot. Set on low and go to bed. The oatmeal needs to cook on low for about 7-8 hours.


When you get up the next morning remove the lid from the crock pot your oatmeal should be cooked perfectly in that steamy water bath.

I took this picture to show you all the water is still in the crock pot by morning. I guess it is kind of like a double boiler method of cooking.

Yummy!!!! add oatmeal to individual serving bowls and add your desired toppings. If you do not like your oatmeal really thick. Add some additional milk to the bowl and warm in the microwave before adding your toppings.

Overnight Crock Pot Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups water
(if using a slow cooker liner decrease the water to 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup half and half or milk
1 cup dried fruit of choice, optional
(apples, raisins, cranberries, apricots etc)
or 1 - fresh apple (chopped)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 - tbsp butter
1/2 - tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tablespoons cinnamon sugar

First off find a bowl that will hold four cups of liquid, and fit inside your crock pot with the lid on. Measure out one cup of Steele cut oats. Pour that into the inner bowl. Add the four cups of water, milk or half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, butter and cinnamon sugar. If you would like to add dried fruit or a cut up apple the add it as well. Fill the crock with water to about halfway. Set the inner bowl in the crock and see how high the water rises. Add more water in the crock if necessary. Try to match it so that the water reaches about the same height on the outside of the oats bowl or just below the bowl. Place the lid on your crock pot. Set on low and go to bed. When you get up the next morning your oatmeal should be cooked perfectly in that steamy water bath.


Toppings to add before serving:

Butter, sugar, honey, splenda,
cinnamon, nuts, raisins,
chocolate chips, pancake syrup
or anything else you like!

I don't like to add my raisins to the oatmeal while it cooks, not everyone in my house loves raisins. To solve that problem I just let the raisins sit in a cup of hot water the next morning for about 5 minutes. Then drain and they are nice and plump and ready to be used.

Recipe yields 4 servings.

Printable Recipe

3 in 1 Slow Cooker Method for Overnight Oatmeal

At the beginning of this post I mentioned that you can also cook this oatmeal in a slow cooker/crock pot with multiple bowls. Well this is what I am talking about. I got this bad boy for Christmas, I guess mama was a good girl. It has been on my wish list for sometime now. We are big oatmeal eaters so I have been using it like crazy. I am adding a photo tutorial of cooking the oatmeal in a 3 in 1 slow cooker in case you already have one.

Fill water about 1/2 to 3/4 full in your largest bowl (6qt). This is sometimes hard to determine the first time so add the water slowly adding more if needed.


add all of the oatmeal ingredients to the smallest bowl and place on top of the large bowl. This is the point where you will need to check if you have enough water in the large bowl. Make sure the smaller bowl is touching the water like a water bath, but not to much water where it will overflow.


place the lid on top.


select the low setting and push the blinking power butter for the 6 qt (largest bowl) capacity bowl, since that is the bowl on the bottom. Cook at least 8 eight hours or overnight.


Ta DA in the morning there ya go yummy oatmeal. I add some milk to the oatmeal in the slow cooker bowl to thin it our a bit. So there ya go two ways to make this wonderful oatmeal.