When you wake up to a hot breakfast of crockpot oatmeal with apples and cinnamon, you know it’s going to be a good day!
For days where you wish breakfast had made itself, the slow cooker comes to the rescue with these creamy, delicious, steel-cut oats.
Crockpot oatmeal might be one of the easiest recipes to make with basic pantry staples for a warm and cozy breakfast that’s good for you.
Something important to note right now is that crockpot oatmeal works best with steel-cut oats -I’ll tell you more about this further down.
How to Make Oatmeal in the Crockpot
Crockpot oatmeal is as simple as combining oats and milk in the slow cooker, set it to cook overnight.
You read that right, the slow cooker has the power to turn oats into creamy, oatmeal perfection. The oat base can be adapted to your liking with unlimited variations.
For this recipe, we’re adding diced apples and cinnamon into the mix where the apples will cook slowly overnight and, in the morning, you have the most epic apple pie tasting breakfast.
For these reasons, it’s pretty much always on repeat in my house, and after you try this apples and cinnamon version, it’s sure to be a staple recipe in yours too.
As stated above, this recipe is adaptable, so you can swap the apple for another favorite fruit like berries or wait to add them until the oatmeal is cooked and ready to be served.
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this perfect apple and cinnamon-spiced oatmeal happen:
- steel-cut oats (a must!)
- milk of choice
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- diced apples
- brown sugar
Now that you have the ingredients ready to go, let’s make this slow cooker oatmeal!
- Grease the Slow Cooker
Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray or lightly coat it with butter. You can also use a slow cooker liner for easy clean-up. - Combine the Ingredients
In the slow cooker dish, combine the oats, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and apple. Stir to combine, cover with lid, and set to cook on low for 6-8 hours. - Check to See it’s Done
Once the oatmeal has cooked for at least 6 hours, remove the lid and stir to see if it’s ready. The oatmeal should have a creamy, thick consistency like regular stovetop oatmeal. - Serve
Once cooked, scoop the creamy oatmeal into a bowl, top with the brown sugar and additional diced apple. Grab a spoon and enjoy!
More of a visual learner? No problem! Watch this quick recipe video below to watch the whole thing come together.
Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal
Recipes like crockpot oatmeal are lifesavers on busy mornings because they can be made ahead of time and assembled in less than 5 minutes so you can get everyone out the door on time.
Prep is minimal which demonstrates that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to prepare healthy meals. I mean, who wants to whisk, mix, and cook before the coffee kicks in?
Need to take breakfast on the go? Easy, pack the oatmeal in a thermos container and enjoy on the way to school or work!
Related: Top 5 Thermos Containers
Best Oats for Crockpot Oatmeal
Steel-cut oats are essential for making slow cooker oatmeal. They can withstand the long cooking time and retain their texture. Using anything other than steel-cut oats will result in a creamy mush, not to mention that quick or instant will practically dissolve.
Using old-fashioned oats will result in a creamy porridge almost like a puree. The oats will also lose their texture -sadly.
If you don’t have steel-cut oats or Irish oats, stop right now. Pin this post and head over to my other recipes with the classic flakes.
If you don’t have steel-cut oats, you can turn this into a stovetop oatmeal or overnight oats recipe with old-fashioned oats.
More Toppings for Slow Cooker Oatmeal
The best thing about slow cooker oatmeal is that the flavor options are endless! Whether you’re craving something sweet or even savory flavors, there’s a healthy option for you! Some of my favorite slow cooker oatmeal toppings include:
- Chopped nuts
- Chia seeds
- Ground flaxseed
- Fruit
- Greek yogurt
- Nut butter
- Roasted Vegetables
- Fried or over-easy eggs
Loving these fall crockpot oats? Get more Fall breakfast ideas here.
Are Oats a Healthy Breakfast
Oats are considered to be part of a healthy breakfast because they provide fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals in each serving.
I’ve written a thorough post on the health benefits of oats which you can read in-depth here.
Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal with Apples & Cinnamon
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups steel-cut oats
- 4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Granny Smith apples, diced and divided
- 4 teaspoons brown sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Generously spray your slow cooker walls with non-stick spray or line with a slow cooker liner.
- Place almond milk, oats, vanilla, cinnamon, and diced apples in the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the oats are soft and cooked through.
- Serve sprinkled with brown sugar and additional chopped apple.
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