Apple cinnamon steel cut oats… made in the crock pot!
If you’re anything like me, you love steel cut oats, but you’re often too impatient to wait for them to cook on the stovetop first thing in the morning.
I love our crock pot and use it to make easy meals year round, but I’ve never used it for breakfast. I know people have been making steel cut oats in the crock pot for years, but for some reason I’ve never tried it. Last night I figured it was time for me to give it a go and after browsing Food Network’s website and finding Alton Brown’s recipe for crock pot oats, I figured I could alter it a bit to make it healthy and full of apple cinnamon flavor.
Last week I was sent a huge box of Envy apples to try and have been eating two to three apples a day since. Seriously. I cannot stop.
I gave some apples to my mom and sister last weekend and my sister said she ate three yesterday, too. They’re so darn good and nothing tastes better than a crisp, cold apple in the middle of summer.
I told Ryan I need to incorporate the apples into my meals by baking them or cooking them in some way, otherwise I’m going to turn into an apple at the rate I’m going. So apple cinnamon steel cut oatmeal fit the bill!
I put everything in the crock pot before bed last night and awoke to a questionable-looking sight.
The top of the oats were rather liquidy, but when I began stirring everything together, I knew I had a winner.
After scooping the oatmeal into a bowl, I topped the creamy oats with sunflower seeds, two apple slices and a sprinkling of brown sugar.
Crock Pot Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast, recipes
Description
I present to you one of the world’s most comforting bowls of oatmeal: Apple cinnamon steel cut oats… made in the crock pot!
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 4 cups water
- 2 apples, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: Brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine everything in a two-quart crock pot, stir and allow to cook on low six to eight hours.
- Stir oats until everything is combined and oatmeal is creamy.
- Pour into bowls and top with desired toppings, such as brown sugar, nuts or fresh berries.
If you’re looking for a breakfast with more protein, you can easily stir vanilla protein powder into the oats in the morning or top them with a scoop of your favorite nut butter.
The oats do not have any sweetener added to them other than the natural sweetness of the apples, so if you prefer sweeter oats, you may wish to add honey or brown sugar to the oatmeal.
This meal was incredibly easy and the apples absolutely melted into the oats, creating the most creamy, comforting bowl of oatmeal. Delicious!
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Wow this looks amazing…and kinda makes me excited about fall ;)! I bet a little granola topping would push this dish over the edge by adding an “apple pie” touch ;)!
oooh love that idea!
And a dallop of greek yogurt would give it the ala mode affect!!!! Yummy!!!
I love the idea of steel cut oats in the crock pot – especially since I just got a crock pot for my bridal shower a few weeks ago!
Sounds great! This reminds me of when my mom made applesauce in the crock pot for my 2nd grade class after our field trip to the apple orchard. Crock pots are miracle workers!
This looks delicious! 🙂 I love the smell of apples and cinnamon baking. I bet your house smelled lovely this morning! Yum!
Yum! Love apple and cinnamon! The only thing I’d add….some toasted pecans and possibly some golden raisins 🙂 I’m a sucker for toppings! I’d also eat at least half of the recipe for sure! Yum!
i REALLY wished we had pecans or walnuts on hand because i think they would’ve been a GREAT addition!
Great excuse to make another batch!!! 🙂
this sounds so delicious! I need to make it soon!
Those look amazing! I think I might have to wait until fall to try them though – I just can’t do hot oats in the summer.
Looks tasty!! I usually use my rice cooker to make steel cut oats…so good!!
I must try this! It looks so good!
Im really not a fan of plain apples, but anytime they’re stirred into a bigger recipe, I’m sold. This looks SO much better than the crappy apple cinnamon Quaker’s packets!
If it wasn’t 100 degrees in Pittsburgh and if we had air conditioning, I wouldn’t have to wait until October to try this. 🙂
That looks way awesome! 🙂
Looks delicious! Loves apples and an easy meal. Makes me want to go out and buy myself a crockpot! I’ve never invested because I wasn’t sure how much I’d use it, maybe it’s time to bite the bullet!
wowee!! these look fantastic – almost like an apple dessert of some kind! i’ve never tried oats in the crockpot, let alone steel cut oats – i need to, they seem so simple!
Ahh so THAT’S why you were feeling a lil’ apple crisp baking action last night!! Looks beautiful… and those apples… pretty sure I’d be addicted too!
exaaaactly. i ended up making apple peanut butter bars instead that were basically a huge fail. SUPER dry.
Those look so delicious! I love anything involving apples, and I’d love to try steel cut oats!
I love the edition of sunflower seeds…. looks great!
I am a sucker for a good apple recipe!
I love love love envy apples!!! Do you know which stores are carrying them? I am trying to find out where to purchase them, but so far this summer I have been out of luck.
Do you think these leftovers will store well? How do you plan to reheat the leftovers? I’d love to make a big batch and reheat all week!
yes, definitely! i would even think they might get MORE flavorful! i just put our leftovers in a big tupperware container in the fridge and plan to heat them up in the microwave when i want them again! if they get too thick, i’ll just add a splash of almond milk to them.
My sis and I used to make crock pot oats when we worked at the same place, but they always ended up burnt to the side of the pot. Even when we cooked it on low. Maybe our crock pot runs super hot? *shrugs*
I can’t eat oatmeal in the summer, unless they’re overnight oats. Too hot otherwise. In the fall/winter, it’s the perfect food to wake up to, though. 🙂
I use my rice cooker for steel cut oats. Same reason…I lack patience.
Your oatmeal looks delicious! I might be drooling…
I love this! I’m usually not patient enough to make steel cut oats, but this would solve that problem! 😉
I’ve only ever used my crock pot for savory dishes like stews and soups, it makes me think that anything I cook in there will have a chili-like flavor. But I haven’t had steel cut oats in so long because I never want to wait for them to cook, so maybe I’ll finally make something sweet in the crock pot.
Also, shouldn’t the recipe say 4 cups of water instead of 1?
dena! thank you!!! i’m so glad you pointed that out – YES, it should be 4 c. water. just updated the post. i would feel AWFUL if someone made it w/only 1 c. water! yikes! thank you!
omg that looks like cobbler!!! haha. soo good! what is the difference between steel cut oats and regular?
looks awesome! I’m just having trouble pinning it. not sure if it’s my computer though…
pinterest was being weird for me today, too! i feel your pain!
I clicked on the link for the envy apples and realized they are the same as “jazz” apples I’ve bought from the grocery store before. Jazz apples are also from New Zealand, and are a mix of braeburn and gala…soo yum.
i LOVE them. aren’y they amazing!? clearly you and i need to hang out and have an apple-eating party.
Love this idea! The crockpot is easily my favorite kitchen appliance!
Mmmm this is MY kind of meal. Easy. Delicious. And full of apples. Yummy! I love crockpots. So very much 😉
I’m drooling over here!
This look incredible!! What a great idea, esp for prepping for the week.
Wow, this looks similar to the recipe I posted in response to your Facebook question. I’ll have to check out how Alton’s recipe compares in flavor. Yum
Wow that looks like some very yummy oatmeal. I would love it in the autumn time too. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Reason #3460984358345 that I need a crockpot.
I had apple cinnamon steel cut slow cooker oats this morning too! So delicious- from The Yummy Life. Her oats with banana and coconut milk are delicious too.
https://www.theyummylife.com/blog/2011/03/159/Overnight%2C+Slow+Cooker%2C+Apple+Cinnamon+Steel-Cut+Oatmeal
Yummy, this looks so good and I have also wanted to try out oats in my slow cooker. This recipe sold me on trying it!
Looks amazing! I love oatmeal and eat it almost every morning for breakfast and I recently bought steel cut oats, but I’ve yet to use them because they take so long to cook and I get hungry!
I’ll definitely be trying this technique 🙂 Yummy, can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow.
Yum! I can’t wait to go apple picking! This will have to go on the list of things to make because I know I’ll bring home enough apples to feed an army!
When I’ve made oatmeal in the crock pot it ends up being super gooey – glad yours didn’t turn out that way. Maybe I need to try with a thicker cut of oatmeal
I just pinned this from you yesterday and made last night… my son is GOBBLING it up! He is 1 1/2 and loves anything oatmeal like, but my 6 1/2 year old is not such a fan of regular oatmeal and loves this as well! Thank you! Can’t wait to go to the apple orchard this fall to pick fresh apples for this recipe!
Ok, I started the oats in the crockpot at 8 tonight and just checked them (3 hours later) and the sides were already starting to burn and they were pretty much done. So glad I checked on them. Did yours not burn leaving them on that long? I had mine on low…maybe my crock pot just cooks hotter.
I just got finished putting this together in my crock pot. I’m too excited to try this out in the morning 🙂
After my fiancee mentioned he had a craving for oatmeal, I remembered that I had wanted to try this when you posted a few months ago. It was absolutely delish – thanks for the awesome recipe!
Too much nutmeg. Only use 1/2 a teaspoon.
Thanks so much for posting this! I’ve been looking for a side dish to make for our big family Christmas party, something warm and delicious for those people who don’t want to eat the meat or cheesy starch there. I think I’ll give this one a try!