Slow Cooker Gingerbread Oatmeal

Square side shot of a bowl of Crock Pot gingerbread oatmeal.

4 from 3 votes

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Oatmeal

This thick, creamy, delicious slow cooker oatmeal is packed with warm spices and the nostalgic flavors of gingerbread cookies. It's the perfect easy, hands-off breakfast for Christmas morning!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword gingerbread breakfast recipe, gingerbread oatmeal, slow cooker breakfast, slow cooker oatmeal

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings servings

Calories 253kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked steel cut oats
½ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
8 cups water
¼ cup molasses
Optional toppings: whipped cream, chopped toasted pecans, dried cranberries, raisins, Greek yogurt

Instructions

Spray the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir well. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.

Notes

This recipe makes about six servings. The recipe can easily be doubled to serve a larger crowd, but make sure you have a large enough slow cooker to accommodate the liquid needs.
For creamier oatmeal, sub half of the water with milk of your choice. You could use regular milk (skim, whole, or 2%), or non-dairy milk like oat milk or almond milk.
You can make a pumpkin spice slow cooker oatmeal if you’re craving fall flavor during the holidays.
Steel-cut oats love to stick when cooking, so it’s important that you spray your slow cooker with cooking spray or use a slow cooker liner to prevent sticking (and burning) for easier cleanup.
You want to make sure you’re using regular, long-cooking steel cut oats and not quick cooking steel cut or another form of quick oats. Quick cooking oats will not last in the slow cooker and result in total mush – which would ruin anyone’s Christmas morning breakfast plans!
You can serve a big batch of slow cooker oatmeal right out of the slow cooker at brunch – just keep your Crockpot on the “warm” setting while serving (not low, which may still be too hot and will burn the oatmeal).
Topping ideas: whipped cream, chopped nuts, like toasted pecans or walnuts, dried cranberries or raisins, chocolate chips, crumbled gingerbread cookies, a dusting of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or a sprinkle of coarse sugar.

Nutrition