Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spiced Baked Oatmeal

Inside: Looking for a delicious and healthy, fall-inspired breakfast? Your family will love this slow cooker pumpkin baked oatmeal.

by Erin Odom, site owner & original recipe by Sarah Nichols, contributing writer

Ever since I was a little girl, pumpkin has been one of my favorite flavors. Seriously, it’s right up there with chocolate-and-peanut butter in my book.

Since I have a fall birthday, there were times during my childhood that I requested a pumpkin pie for my birthday instead of a cake!

Although I’ve loved pumpkin since I was very young, I didn’t realize the hundreds, if not thousands, of recipes that can be made using pumpkin until I grew up and started cooking and baking myself.

When I realized I could pair pumpkin with one of my other favorite foods–oats–I did a little happy dance. I absolutely love Sarah’s slow cooker pumpkin baked oatmeal, and I think you will too.

Related: Pumpkin Spice Granola

A Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Recipe That’s Both Gluten-Free and On Plan for Trim Healthy Mama

As written, the recipe is gluten-free. (My family has been gluten-free since 2011, so all but a handful of recipes on this blog are gluten-free.)

If you choose to use coconut oil instead of butter, this recipe will be dairy-free as well since it calls for unsweetened almond milk instead of cow’s milk. (Note: You are free to use cow’s milk if you don’t have an allergy and are not following the Trim Healthy Mama plan. If you are allergic to nuts, oat milk will work as well.)

For all the Trim Healthy Mamas in the house–this pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe is perfectly on plan for THM! Cue the “Hallelujah Chorus!” If you follow a gluten-free diet, follow the Trim Healthy Mama eating framework, or if you simply try to eat real, whole foods, you don’t have to do any modifications or calculations on your own. This recipe is already perfectly written for all of the above.

Since the Trim Healthy Mama plan is a sugar-free eating framework, this pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe is sugar-free as well! (I do give the measurements for sugar, honey, and maple syrup in the notes section if you desire to use these instead of the sugar-free sweeteners.)

Related: Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars

A Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Recipe That’s Easy

I’ve never pretended to be a gourmet cook, and, truth be told, my teenage daughters actually bake better than I do! If you’re looking for a no-fail pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe, you really cannot get any easier than this. It’s a little mixing, and then you simply dump all of the ingredients into a greased crockpot. Set it and forget it!

You can make this baked oatmeal in your sleep–literally! Just make sure your slow cooker is working properly and that the electrical cord has no fraying or wear. I always think to that famous, tragic scene from the TV show This is Us every time I write and publish a crockpot recipe. Please, please be careful when you cook things in the slow cooker overnight!

If overnight cooking isn’t your jam, you can get up early and have this crockpot pumpkin baked oatmeal ready for a post-church brunch on a Sunday. Yum! It’s also perfect for guests. So whether you’re hosting a mid-morning, fall-themed baby shower, an autumn tea party, or for a twist on the classic “breakfast-for-dinner” when you’re needing to spice up your evening meals with something new. 

Not only is this slow cooker pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe easy to make, but it’s also a cinch to clean up, especially if you’re like me and use a crockpot with a removable crock that you can simply pop out and place in the dishwasher for easy washing.

Related: Pumpkin Cream Smoothie

A Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Recipe That’s Nutritious

Not only can this pumpkin baked oatmeal be made in a crockpot, but it’s chock full of nutritious, real food ingredients, like gluten-free rolled oats, organic pumpkin puree, and eggs (hello, protein!).

If I haven’t yet convinced you to give this mouthwatering pumpkin baked oatmeal a try, then perhaps knowing some of the nutritional benefits of pumpkins might help seal the deal.

Not only is this baked oatmeal recipe perfect for those who eat gluten-free, Trim Healthy Mama, or simply real foods. Not only is it a super easy, crockpot recipe you can throw together in your sleep. But this pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe is also incredibly nutritious to boot.

From Sarah, the recipe creator: Did you know that pumpkin is not a vegetable? It’s a fruit!

When I discovered this fact, I was a little disappointed. 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, according to Medical News Today, “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.

Related: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Breakfast Bars

Print

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spiced Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 1.5 cups organic pumpkin puree (or 1 1.5 oz can)
• 1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup Pyure OR 1/4 cup THM Super Sweet* (3/4 cup of maple syrup or honey or 1 cup granulated sugar can also work for those who don't follow THM)
• 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

1. Grease your slow cooker with a little bit of butter or coconut oil.
2. In a bowl, mix together the sweetener and butter until glossy.
3. Add eggs, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until well combined.
4. Add all of the dry ingredients plus any additional add-ins: oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt.
5. Pour into greased slow-cooker and cover with lid.
6. 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.

Notes

Notes from Erin - creator of this website, BA, nutrition coach, and certified Trim Healthy Mama coach:

As written, this recipe is an excellent Trim Healthy Mama Crossover (XO) meal. All ingredients are on plan, and XOs are excellent for those in maintenance mode, pregnant and nursing women, and growing children to consume on a regular basis.

Men tend to have higher metabolisms and can also eat more XOs on a regular basis without gaining weight.

XOs are not "cheat" meals. They are a healthy and nutritious part of the Trim Healthy Mama eating framework. However, for those in current weight loss mode, XOs are best eaten occasionally and not for every single meal or for every single day.

If using egg whites only, this meal could morph into an E, but I've not yet experimented with that myself. Let me know if you try it. I would love to know how it turns out! 

For more information on Erin's Trim Healthy Mama coaching programs, check out this page or purchase one of her menu plan bundles here. 

*If following the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan, you can also use any of the following sweeteners instead of the ones listed: 1 1/3 cup erythritol, 1 cup xylitol**, 1 cup Swerve, 1/2 cup THM Gentle Sweet, 1/3 cup Truvia, 1 tsp. pure stevia, or 2/3 tsp. pure monk fruit extract 

**Xylitol is safe for humans, but it is toxic to dogs. If you have a dog in the house, Erin does not recommend using xylitol. In fact, she had to once take her dog to the emergency vet when it consumed a muffin sweetened with xylitol. After a nearly $1,000 vet bill, Erin has decided to only consume xylitol now when she is away from home. 

More Pumpkin Recipes

If you like pumpkin as much as I do, then you may want to add the following pumpkin recipes to your list as well. All but one are already gluten-free as written, and most of them are also compliant for the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan!

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars

Pumpkin Cream Smoothie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Breakfast Bars

Gluten-Free Oat Flour Pumpkin Muffins

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes

Probiotic Pumpkin Dip

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Dip

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

If you love this pumpkin baked oatmeal recipe, you might enjoy this easy, make-ahead apple cinnamon baked oatmeal as well!

What is your favorite way to eat pumpkin?