With the cooler weather here I have been getting back into warming bowls of oatmeal for breakfasts and one of my favourites at this time of year has to be pumpkin pie oatmeal with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spices. I often prefer to go with steel cut oats rather than rolled oats as the have a chewier texture and nuttier flavour. The only problem is that it takes a bit longer to cook and who wants to be cooking early in the morning while rushing to get to work? Up until recently I was using my rice cooker with a timer to cook the steel cut oats overnight but it recently died so I thought that I would try using my slow cooker instead. After a bit of experimentation I found that it is actually pretty easy to cook steel cut oats in your slow cooker overnight, you just need a slow cooker with a timer. It takes about 4 hours on low to cook in the slow cooker without burning on the bottom so you need one that has a timer based start or one that can be programmed to cook for 4 hours and then switch to keep warm mode and it works like a charm. Of course I sweetened the pumpkin pie steel cut oats with caramel sauce rather than sugar and the flavour combo is simply amazing!
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal
All of the flavours of pumpkin pie in a healthy oatmeal breakfast that is cooked in a slow cooker over night as you sleep!
ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk (or 2 more cups water)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 dash nutmeg, grated
- 1 dash ginger
- 1 dash cloves
- milk to taste (optional)
- caramel sauce or vanilla bourbon caramel sauce to taste
directions
- Place the steel cut oats, water, milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 4 hours.
- Mix the oatmeal up, optionally adding milk to bring it to the desired consistency and sweetener to bring it to the desired sweetness and serve topped with any desired toppings.
Olivia Quinton says
November 16, 2012 at 11:17 pmIt looks absolutely DIVINE Kevin, I can't wait to try it 🙂
Ibbs
http://lalangostaymi.blogspot.com
The Duo Dishes says
November 16, 2012 at 11:38 pmThe caramel sauce as a sweetener is such a good idea. Such a good idea. With the holidays around the corner, there's caramel in a lot of desserts. Why not use it for breakfast too?
veronika, dotcalm says
November 17, 2012 at 12:59 amKevin – going to cook this tonight! Wish I had candied pecans for topping but I'm sure it will be awesome as is.
Wanted to let you know that you can do it in a regular crockpot IF you use your slow cooker like a double boiler. I have a crock that fits perfectly into my slow cooker's crock – so I put some water into the slower cooker crock and then add second crock with ingredients (you won't need a lot of water as the weight of the second crock pushes the water around it.) Put the lid on and voila – a slower cooker double boiler that won't burn your oatmeal!
You can cook it all night while you sleep and it's fabulous in the morning.
Not Your Ordinary Agent says
November 17, 2012 at 1:19 amWow, this looks very comforting!! Would love for you to share this recipe at Foodtastic Friday!
Sue/the view from great island says
November 17, 2012 at 1:33 amI've been frustrated a few times trying to get a good overnight oatmeal in my slow cooker, and of course, the timer is the answer!…it's almost worth going out and replacing the old girl for this delicious breakfast.
Heidi says
November 17, 2012 at 2:23 amI wish I could have had this two days ago. I simply converted your baked sweet potato recipe to the slow cooker. I stirred it every two hours, yes, getting up all night, and it didn't bake on. For the last half hour I topped it like your baked recipe too with the streusel and it melted in just perfectly. Thsnks for so many inspiring recipes to try. I just announce at the meal that it's one of Kevin's recipes, like you are family.
Joanne says
November 17, 2012 at 11:22 amI wish I could bring my slow cooker to philadelphia with me for the marathon…I totally want this breakfast beforehand!
Katherines Corner says
November 17, 2012 at 2:33 pmMy rice cooker died recently too! I miss it, giggle.This look fabulous!!! I love getting your recipes in my in box. I invite you to link this yumminess to my blog hop.Hugs!
Emily says
November 17, 2012 at 7:33 pmAMAZING!
little kitchie says
November 17, 2012 at 8:45 pmthis looks so warm and comforting! i love slow cooker oatmeal recipes… always a great treat to wake up to!
Kevin says
November 18, 2012 at 4:31 pmveronika, dotcalm: Thanks for the double boiler tip! I will have to try it that way!
Cara says
November 18, 2012 at 10:07 pmYum! This is my kind of breakfast. We will be enjoying it soon!
Jeanne says
November 19, 2012 at 1:31 pmOMG, dessert for breakfast. You had me at hello…
shane says
November 26, 2012 at 2:31 pmthis looks sooooo good!:D
Anonymous says
December 24, 2012 at 10:56 pmI use chopped dates as the sweeter and it comes out great!
Kevin says
December 25, 2012 at 1:05 pmAnonymous: Dates would be so good in this!
Anonymous says
January 19, 2013 at 2:07 amFYI – 255 calories using skim milk without any of the add-ins or sweeteners
Linda B. says
November 23, 2013 at 5:38 pmI added a cup of organic raisins, and that worked for sweetness too!! Wonderful recipe. Thanks, Kevin.
kevin says
November 24, 2013 at 7:39 pmLinda B.: The raisins would be a nice addition!
Anonymous says
January 9, 2015 at 1:25 amWhat size of slow cooker did you use? I'm guessing a small 3-4 quart. Unfortunately I only have a 7.5 quart — too big most likely as most of it would sit empty and I've read slow cookers should be 3/4 full to work properly.
Anonymous says
January 12, 2015 at 7:55 pmI'm a steel cut oats lover and decided to try this recipe because I also love pumpkin pie and new ways to use my slow cooker. I thought this was a soupy, sludgy mess and the flavour profile was lacking big time. I doubled the spices and it still made little difference. Would not make this again. On another note, I love some of your other recipes — some of which don't receive the kudos they should such as (sp?) Okonomiyaki (the Japanese dinner pancake). That was awesome!!