This overnight crock pot oatmeal cooks entirely in the slow cooker on top of a yummy brown sugar apple cinnamon topping. Add raisins and cranberries if you like, and serve with a splash of milk in the morning!
I searched high and low for a slow cooked oatmeal recipe that wasn’t bland, and I finally figured out the perfect formula!
I cook the oats on top of a bed of apples and dried cranberries (or raisins), and serve that on top of the oats in the morning. You can also stir it all up if you prefer! Eat as-is or with a splash of milk… So good!
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Crockpot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
This overnight crock pot oatmeal cooks entirely in the slow cooker on top of a yummy brown sugar apple cinnamon topping.
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Recipe details
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Fruit Mix:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or more to taste
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 medium apples cored and sliced into bite-sized pieces (peel if you want to, but I never do)
- 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries OR raisins OR craisins
- ¼ cup butter sliced
To Spray the Crock:
- nonstick cooking spray
For the Oats:
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats uncooked
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups apple juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare fruit: Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. Add apples and cranberries and toss well to coat. Spray a 3-4 quart slow cooker well with cooking spray (important!), then transfer the fruit mix to the crock. Evenly dot with the butter.
- Prepare oats: Add oats, water, apple juice and salt to the mixing bowl and stir very well, then pour over the fruit mixture in the slow cooker. Do not stir!
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Either stir before serving, or spoon to oatmeal into bowls and top with the fruit mixture. Serve with a splash of milk, if you like.
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Notes
Cooking Tips:
Slow cooker size: Do stick to a 3-4 quart crock, or the oatmeal could burn overnight. Doubling the recipe: Use a 5-6 quart slow cooker if you want to double the recipe. Cooking time stays the same. Make sure to double all the liquids so your oats don’t burn! No stirring, no peeking: Do not stir once the oats are in the crock, and definitely don’t open it to stir during cooking. Slow cooker liner: This recipe can be made with a slow cooker liner to further reduce the chance of the oatmeal sticking/burning to the sides (this depends a lot on how hot your slow cooker runs, if you know yours runs hot, make sure to test the recipe while you’re awake before making it overnight, or make sure to be awake after 6 hours to check on the oats).Ingredient Notes:
Oats: Definitely use old fashioned and not quick-cooking. Steel cut oats can be used, but you need to increase the liquid by 2 cups (eg use 3 cups apple juice and 3 cups water). Liquid: If you prefer to use all water, go ahead, but the oatmeal will be a lot less sweet and a lot more bland. Please don’t use cow’s milk for the liquid, it doesn’t always hold up well with the fruit for 8 hours in the crock. Apples: Feel free to use a different fruit – firm pears, peaches or cherries would all be delicious. Cranberries/raisins: Can be skipped, but the apple topping will be less sweet, so consider adding a touch more sugar. Butter: If you want to make this dairy free, I hear coconut oil is a good substitute.Tips for leftovers:
Pack leftovers into a bowl and cover, then chill in the fridge for up to 3 days. Gently reheat on the stove over medium heat with milk, water or juice added to make the consistency creamy again.Nutrition
Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 79mgPotassium: 287mgFiber: 6gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 286IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition is an estimate.
More recipe information
Nora says
I’m so sorry! Did you use real old-fashioned oats? If you use anything else, unfortunately, it won’t turn out well in the crockpot. I can assure you that I made the recipe exactly as written for the photos, and many other readers found the recipe to be a hit. I will add it to my list of recipes to re-test though, just to make sure. Sorry again!
Pat says
This was amazing. it tasted like dessert. I topped it off with some Greek yogurt. making this for the 2nd time tonight. it’s comfort food for breakfast.
Berni says
This was yummy! It was wonderful waking up to the aromas of cinnamon and cooked apples! It tasted like apple crisp. There was previous question about using milk as part of the liquid portion of the recipe. As in other similar recipes, it works great with milk and water combo and no additional sweetness is necessary when omitting apple juice.
Rachel says
I LOVE this oatmeal. I made it with rolled oats, and it was creamy and delicious like apple pie filling! My husband likes more chew to his oats, so I’ll try the steel-cut version next. Can this oatmeal be frozen for longer-term storage?
Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Darcy says
I made this just as directed and it came out perfectly. My husband and my son both loved it. It was a little too sweet for me, next time I might cut the craisins down by half and top with some chopped walnuts. There was a bunch leftover and I think I might try to bake it into a granola bar type of thing. Wish me luck!
Maialynne says
My husband loves for me to make this every week. I’m so thankful to have found this recipe to make oatmeal mornings easier.
Bobby says
have you tried any other type of liquid in this recipe, like milk or another type of juice (like cranberry)? Just wondering if that would work…
Nora says
Bobby, milk doesn’t hold up well in the crockpot for me, so I avoid it. Evaporated milk usually works, but it’s very rich. I think cranberry juice would give the dish kind of a funny hue! So far I’ve only tried apple juice, but do let me know if you dare try anything else.
Bill says
Excellent recipe. Additional tip, especially for busy mornings: Let oatmeal cool sufficiently to put single servings in Ziploc bags. Freeze. To reheat, put frozen oatmeal in microwaveable bowl, cover and reheat on high for one minute. Flip and reheat for another minute.
Renae says
So delicious and easy. Tastes like apple pie!!! I will definitely be putting this one in the rotation. I personally dumped everything in together and stirred it up. Came out great!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Renae!