Healthy HomeLooking for a delicious and healthy, fall-inspired breakfast? Your family will love this slow cooker pumpkin spiced baked oatmeal.
By Sarah Nichols, Contributing Writer
Did you know that pumpkin is not a vegetable? It’s a fruit! I was a little disappointed to discover this fact the other day. I have no problem getting my children to eat fruit, but anytime I can get an extra vegetable into their diet I give myself a secret high-five.
I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on myself, though, since pumpkin is a nutritional powerhouse. In fact, “Consuming one cup of cooked, canned pumpkin would provide well over 100% of your daily needs for vitamin A, 20% of the daily value for vitamin C, 10% or more for vitamin E, riboflavin, potassium, copper and manganese at least 5% for thiamin, B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, niacin, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.” (source)
Regardless if it’s a fruit or vegetable, nothing shouts ‘fall’ like the pumpkin does. It starts appearing in stores and recipes and coffee drinks and basically your whole Pinterest newsfeed turns into pumpkin-related posts. We are a pumpkin lovin’ people, and friends, this recipe will not disappoint.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spiced Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups of rolled oats
- 1.5 cups pumpkin puree (or 1 1.5 oz can)
- 1.5 cups milk
- 3/4 cup of maple syrup or honey (or about 1 cup granulated sugar)
- 1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil) + extra for greasing the slow cooker
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1.5 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (try this simple recipe)
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. unrefined sea salt
Optional add-ins: chopped nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, etc.
Instructions
- Grease your slow cooker with a little bit of butter or coconut oil.
- In a bowl, mix together the sweetener and butter until glossy.
- Add eggs, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until well combined.
- Add all of the dry ingredients plus any additional add-ins: oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour into greased slow-cooker and cover with lid.
- Cook on the low setting for 5 hours. At 5 hours you may think it still looks too wet on top, but turn off the slow cooker and let it sit for 15 minutes. The baked oatmeal reabsorbs any liquid that may have gathered on top and you are left with a very moist, baked oatmeal.
Michelle
Would this store and reheat? It’s just me that would be eating this.
Sarah Nichols
Hi Michelle,
I stored and reheated it for a day or two and found it to be best straight from the slow cooker, but definitely still good as leftovers. 🙂
Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
Yum! Have you ever let it sit longer than 5 hours? It would nice to be able to do it the night before, but that’s usually more than 5 hours 😉
Sarah Nichols
I really tried to make this an overnight recipe, but I just couldn’t get it to work, even with the setting on “warm” instead of low.
Christy
I am going to try this for brunch next Saturday/Halloween. I hope everyone likes it, it sounds fantastic.
Erin
I hope they do!
Erin
I hope they enjoy it!
Becky Smith
Can you substitute stevia for the sweetener in this? Also can I use steel cut oats? I love pumpkin and usually eat oatmeal for breafast so would love to try this.
Erin
I will ask Sarah if she can weigh in on the steel cut oats. I think stevia should be fine as long as you can determine the appropriate amour!
Sarah N.
Hi Becky,
I have never tried with the steel cut oats. If you give it a try you may want to keep in mind that steel cut oats take longer to cook and have a more “chewy” texture than rolled oats. Therefore the final product may have a different texture and hold together a little differently than if you used rolled oats. Also, if you substitute with Stevia, you may want to add a small amount of liquid to make up for the liquid lost from the honey. I think it’s definitely worth a try, although it may take a few adjustments before you get to a final product that you love. If you do give it a try I would love to hear how it turns out! I’ve actually had a lot of people ask about the steel cut oats so I am curious as well. 🙂
Blessings!
Sarah
Monica
I’ll be trying this recipe this fall. Sounds yummy!