This easy slow cooker oatmeal is warm, creamy, and hearty, infused with cinnamon, and studded with sweet, juicy raisins. Throw everything in the slow cooker and end up with a comforting breakfast that'll make you actually want to get out of bed!
Confession: I am the biggest not-a-morning-person you've ever met. I'm pretty cranky and don't feel like dealing with anything that requires much thinking before noon, and that includes making breakfast. Surprised? I mean, I do share some breakfast recipes that, while relatively simple, require some brain usage. Things like tofu scramble, vegan French toast, vegan omelet, and vegan breakfast burritos, while wonderful, are usually better suited as late brunch material for me. So is it even possible for me to enjoy a decent breakfast in my post-sleep stupor? Well, yes, actually, and this slow cooker oatmeal is the way!
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These oats are the ultimate low-effort breakfast. You literally dump a few ingredients in the slow cooker, turn it on, and let it do its thing. Even better, one batch makes six generous servings, so you can stash the leftovers in the fridge and have a warm, hearty breakfast ready to reheat for days. And one of the best parts is smelling that warm cinnamon brown sugar goodness simmering away during the final stretch of cooking. Now that's something that will send those morning grumpies packing!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Steel cut oats. Steel cut oats stand up to the long simmer time in the slow cooker better than rolled oats ever could, so that's what we're using in this recipe.
- Water.
- Salt.
- Non-dairy milk. Use something unflavored and unsweetened. Cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk, and almond milk are all great options. Read my guide to dairy-free milk if you need help choosing.
- Brown sugar. We're using organic brown sugar to keep the recipe vegan, since conventional brown sugar is often processed using animal bone char.
- Cinnamon.
- Raisins.
- Walnuts. These are optional, but great for adding a little crunch to your oatmeal. Feel free to skip them or swap them with another type of nut, like almonds or pecans.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Start by combining just the oats, water, and salt in your slow cooker. Stir it up, cover it up, and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
- Once the oats are creamy and most of the liquid is absorbed, stir in the milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Let it cook for another 10 to 20 minutes.
- Taste the mixture (careful — it's hot!) and make any adjustments you like. This could be more salt, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, or raisins.
- Ladle your slow cooker oatmeal into bowls, and sprinkle each one with walnuts, if you'd like. A little extra cinnamon on top also makes a nice garnish!
Variations
- Add spices. Don't stop at just cinnamon. Season your oats with ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, or cardamom, or all of the above! Add a little vanilla and black pepper for chai-inspired oats. Just start small and add your seasonings to taste.
- Raisin swaps. Skip the raisins or replace them with dried cherries, cranberries, currants, or your favorite dried fruit.
- Nuts and seeds. Substitute or use more nuts and/or seeds in addition to the walnuts. Try pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, or pepitas.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't recommend it. Rolled oats break down much quicker than steel cut, and will probably overcook if used in this recipe.
It is, as long as your oats are certified gluten-free.
Sure! Reduce the water to 6 cups, and simmer the oats, water, and salt for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Store leftover oatmeal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days. It will thicken as it chills, so stir in a splash of non-dairy milk or water when reheating.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes with Oats
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
Equipment
- 1 Slow cooker (4-quart or larger)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups steel cut oats
- 7 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup organic brown sugar, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- Chopped walnuts, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Stir together the oats, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours, or on low for about 6 hours, until the oats are tender and creamy.
- Stir in the milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Cover and cook the mixture for 10 to 20 minutes longer, until some of the liquid you just added has been absorbed.
- Taste the oatmeal and add additional salt, brown sugar, or cinnamon, if desired.
- Ladle into bowls and optionally sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Serve.
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on ingredients, brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.
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