Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal

Make meal-prep a breeze with this easy Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal recipe. It's a hearty, fiber-packed breakfast that will keep you full until lunchtime! The post Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Apr 9, 2025 - 15:29

I’m not sure there’s anyone who loves steel cut oatmeal more than I do! This Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal is a great option when you want to make a big weekend breakfast for your family or if you’re like me and love meal prepping your breakfast for the week. The creamy, thick texture of the steel cut oats holds up very well in the fridge, so it’s perfect to grab in the mornings, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Overhead view of slow cooker steel cut oats in a crockpot with a spoon.

Easy Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal Recipe

Steel cut oats are one of my favorite breakfasts because they’re hearty, packed with fiber, and keep me full for hours…but they can take a while to cook on the stovetop, and I don’t always have time to stand there stirring. That’s why I love using the slow cooker! It makes the whole process (almost!) completely hands-off, so I can get on with my morning or meal prep a big batch without any extra effort.

I kept the flavors of this oatmeal warm and simple with just a little bit of cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar. The flavor is similar to our overnight oats base recipe, but with a more hearty and chewy texture. It’s perfect for building on with extra toppings like fresh fruit and berries, jams and spreads, or your favorite nuts and seeds. I love it, and I hope you do, too!

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Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal Recipe

Make meal-prep a breeze with this easy Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal recipe. It's a hearty, fiber-packed breakfast that will keep you full until lunchtime!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine General

Total Cost ($1.73 recipe / $0.43 serving)

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 2 40

Servings servings

Calories 230kcal

Author Marsha McDougal

Equipment

4-6 Quart Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 cup steel cut oats* $0.99
3 cups water $0.00
1 cup milk $0.21
¾ tsp salt $0.03
½ tsp ground cinnamon $0.05
1 tsp vanilla $0.30
2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.08
½ Tbsp butter (for greasing) $0.07

Instructions

Gather all of the ingredients together. Grease the bottom and sides of a 4-6 quart slow cooker with butter.**
Add the steel cut oats, water, milk, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until combined and sugar is dissolved.
Cover and cook on high for 2.5 to 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours. Stir the oatmeal halfway through and quickly return the top to finish cooking. Serve immediately with maple syrup and your favorite toppings***.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Steel cut oats require a lot more liquid than regular old-fashioned oats to cook. I used a combination of water and milk to give the oatmeal a creamy texture. For this reason, I don’t recommend swapping the steel cut oats for any other kind of oat in this recipe. Quick-cook or old-fashioned (rolled) oats are much softer and can become mushy in the crockpot.

**It’s important to grease your crockpot well. Otherwise, the steel cut oats can stick during cooking.

***Top with any of your favorite toppings! I love maple syrup and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, but diced apples and chopped walnuts are a close second. Some other topping ideas include bananas, berries (fresh or frozen and thawed), strawberry jam, pumpkin butter, slivered almonds, dried cherries or cranberries, granola, or sunflower seeds.

You can easily double this recipe if you’re making it for a larger family or to meal prep your breakfast for the week.

Nutrition

how to make Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal step-by-step photos

The ingredients for slow cooker steel cut oatmeal.

Prep your slow cooker: Gather all of your ingredients. Using ½ Tbsp butter, grease the bottom and the sides of a 4-6 quart slow cooker. This will help avoid any sticking as the oatmeal cooks.

Oats and water in a slow cooker, with milk being poured in.

Add the ingredients: Pour 1 cup steel cut oats, 3 cups water, 1 cup milk, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2 Tbsp brown sugar into your greased slow cooker

Mix to combine: Give everything a stir until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are evenly combined.

A wooden spoon mixing slow cooker steel cut oats in a crockpot.

Cover and cook: Add the slow cooker lid and cook on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours, or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours. I recommend stirring the oatmeal halfway, before quickly returning the lid to finish cooking. Once ready, serve it with all your favorite toppings!

Overhead view of crockpot steel cut oatmeal in bowls, one bowl is topped with maple syrup and cinnamon and the other is topped with chopped apples and walnuts.

How to Store & Reheat

I always double-batch this crockpot steel cut oatmeal recipe as it reheats well and lasts for about 4-5 days (more than enough time for my whole family to enjoy it!). Store your steel cut oatmeal in individual, airtight containers in the fridge. For reheating, I pop it in the microwave for a minute or two, stirring occasionally to evenly distribute the heat, and add a splash of milk or water if needed. You can also reheat it on the stovetop, adding a little bit of liquid and stirring until heated through.