This is one of our base recipes. Steel cut oatmeal is a hearty, satisfying breakfast made with simple ingredients and endlessly customizable toppings and mix-ins. This steel cut oatmeal base recipe gives you the perfect starting point for creating a warm, nourishing breakfast to YOUR taste!
Whether you prefer classic cinnamon apple, pumpkin spice, peanut butter banana, or chocolate cherry, the possibilities are endless. Choose your favorite milk, sweetener, spice, fruit, nuts, seeds, or other mix-ins to create a bowl of oatmeal you’ll actually look forward to eating.
Must-Know Cooking Skills
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Culinary Tips for the Best Steel Cut Oatmeal
Use a combination of milk and water. Cooking oats in a mixture of milk and water creates creamy oatmeal while keeping the mixture from becoming too heavy. If you don’t want the creaminess, make the recipe with 100% water.
Stir occasionally, but not constantly. Steel cut oats need time to soften and absorb the liquid. Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking and encourage even cooking. Stirring too often though can result in gummy oatmeal.
Adjust the consistency to YOUR taste. For thicker oatmeal, cook a little longer, remembering that it will continue to thicken as it cools. If your oatmeal becomes too thick, simply stir in a splash of additional milk or water.
Don’t skip the salt! Even a small amount of salt helps balance the sweetness and bring out the flavor of the oats and other ingredients.
Toast nuts and seeds before adding them. Toasting brings out their natural oils and creates a deeper, more satisfying flavor and crunch.
Add delicate ingredients at the end. Stir in flavor extracts after removing the oatmeal from the heat, otherwise it will evaporate while cooking and not be as flavorful.
Remember that oatmeal thickens as it cools. The oatmeal should look slightly loose when you remove it from the stove.
Ingredient Substitutions
Milk or Milk Alternative: Use any milk or unsweetened milk alternative you enjoy. Dairy milk, soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, and other alternatives can all work. Read more about the different kinds of milk here.
Natural Sweetener: Maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or another natural sweetener can be used. You can also skip the added sweetener and let fruit or fruit puree provide sweetness.
Spices: Cinnamon is a classic choice, but nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, or a combination can be used depending on the flavor profile you’re creating. Learn more about the health benefits of spices in this article!
Flavor Extract: Vanilla extract is a natural pairing for oatmeal, but almond, coconut, or other extracts can add some variety.
Fruit: Fresh or thawed frozen fruit can be used. Try berries, bananas, peaches, apples, pears, mango, or cherries. Cook firmer fruits such as diced apples with the oats if you prefer them softer.
Fruit or Vegetable Puree: Pumpkin, sweet potato, banana, applesauce, or pear puree can add natural sweetness, flavor, moisture, and nutrition.
Nuts, Seeds, or Nut Butter: Use your favorite toasted nuts or seeds, or stir in nut or seed butter for richness and flavor. Almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds are all delicious options.
Coconut: Toasted coconut adds texture and a naturally sweet, nutty flavor.
Chocolate: Mini chocolate chips or cocoa powder can turn oatmeal into a more decadent breakfast. A small amount can go a long way!
Base Recipe Variations
Remember that this is a base recipe, so the goal is to customize it to YOUR taste! Keep it simple or spruce it up.
When selecting ingredients, it can be helpful to think about a flavor profile you enjoy. Classic combinations like apple cinnamon, peanut butter banana, pumpkin spice, and berries are delicious, but don’t be afraid to experiment with unexpected combinations!
Want some steel cut oatmeal inspiration?
Use these combinations for inspiration, then have fun creating your own!
Steel Cut Oatmeal with Fruit and Nuts
Steel Cut Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Steel Cut Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Check out our stovetop regular oatmeal recipes for even more flavor inspiration!
Equipment Recommendations
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Is Steel Cut Oatmeal Healthy?
Steel cut oats are a type of whole grain oat. Like other whole grains, they provide carbohydrates for energy along with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds.
Steel Cut Oats
Steel cut oats are made by cutting whole oat groats into smaller pieces. They contain the bran, germ, and endosperm of the oat, which means they retain the nutrients naturally found in the whole grain.
Oats are especially well known for their fiber content, including beta-glucan, a soluble fiber associated with heart health and healthy cholesterol levels. Fiber also helps support digestive health and can contribute to feelings of fullness after eating.
Curious about the differences between steel cut oatmeal and old fashioned or rolled oats? Read this article and learn everything you ever wanted to know about oats!
Fruit & Vegetable Purees
Adding fruit or vegetable puree is an easy way to boost the flavor, color, and nutrition of your oatmeal. Pumpkin, sweet potato, banana, and applesauce can all add fiber and contribute vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds provide unsaturated fats, plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients. Toast them before adding for the best flavor and texture.
Visit our Ingredient Guide to discover culinary tips for selecting the highest quality and most flavorful items for your cooking. We believe that choosing the best ingredients is the key to creating delicious food! 🌟🍴
Serving Suggestions
Serve steel cut oatmeal warm for breakfast or a hearty snack. Make a batch at the beginning of the week and customize each serving with different toppings and mix-ins so you never get bored!
For a balanced breakfast, serve oatmeal with fruit and a source of protein such as yogurt, eggs, milk, nuts, or seeds.
Ready to create nutritious meals with ease? Explore our Whole Life Plate, meal plan, and book for more healthy inspiration!
How to Store Leftover Steel Cut Oatmeal
Allow leftover oatmeal to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.
When reheating, add a splash of milk or water and stir to loosen the oatmeal. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
Steel cut oatmeal will continue to thicken as it sits, so adding additional liquid when reheating is normal.
Want More Base Recipes Featuring Oats?
Check out these favorites!
Share the Love – Leave Us a Review!
Unlike many other recipe blogs, we encourage you to customize our base recipes to suit YOUR taste. Give it a try, leave us a review, and tell us which toppings or mix-ins you chose! We love hearing how you make it your own.
FAQ Questions:
What is the best way to cook steel-cut oats?
The best way to cook steel-cut oats is to simmer them gently in water or milk until they become tender and creamy. Stir occasionally while they cook to prevent sticking and achieve an even texture.
Can I use milk instead of water for steel-cut oatmeal?
Yes. You can use dairy milk or a plant-based milk instead of water. Milk creates a creamier, richer oatmeal, while water produces a lighter flavor. You can also use a combination of milk and water.
How can I make steel-cut oatmeal creamier?
For creamier steel-cut oatmeal, cook the oats with milk or a combination of milk and water. Stirring occasionally during cooking also helps release starches and creates a naturally creamy texture.
Can I customize this steel-cut oatmeal base recipe?
Yes! This is a base recipe, so you can customize it with your favorite fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, nut or seed butter, or other toppings. Try combinations such as banana and cinnamon, apple and walnuts, or berries and almond butter.
What can I add to steel-cut oatmeal for more flavor?
Popular additions include cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, fresh or dried fruit, toasted nuts, seeds, nut butter, and maple syrup. You can mix ingredients into the oatmeal while cooking or add them as toppings.
Steel Cut Oatmeal Base Recipe
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- 1 ½ cup water
- ½ cup milk or milk alternative*
- 1-2 teaspoons natural sweetener (or to taste)
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon spice
- Dash kosher salt
- ½ cup steel cut oats
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon flavor extract
Toppings or mix-ins to YOUR taste
- ½ cup fresh or thawed from frozen fruit
- ½ cup fruit or vegetable puree (sweet potato, pumpkin, etc.)
- 2 Tablespoons dried fruit
- 1-2 Tablespoons toasted nuts, seeds, or nut butter
- 1-2 Tablespoons toasted coconut
- ½-1 Tablespoon mini chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine water, milk, sweetener, spices, salt, and optional fruit/vegetable puree, and/or peanut butter. Bring to a boil.
- Add oats, reduce heat, and stir to combine. Simmer for ~20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until oats soften and the liquid has thickened. Remove from heat, stir in flavor extract, and let settle for another minute before eating. Oatmeal will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Mix in or top with additional ingredients to YOUR taste. Enjoy!
