Crockpot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Wake up to a warm, cinnamon-spiced breakfast with almost no morning work. Steel-cut oats hold their texture in the slow cooker, while diced apples soften and sweeten the whole pot.

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 to 7 hours on low
Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats
• 2 medium apples, peeled and diced
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Instructions

1. Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Add the oats, apples, water, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Stir well.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the oats are tender and creamy. Slow cookers vary, so check toward the early end the first time you make it.
4. Stir thoroughly. Add a splash of milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.
5. Spoon into bowls and top with pecans, extra apples, cinnamon, or maple syrup.

Tips

• Use steel-cut oats, not quick or old-fashioned rolled oats, for the best overnight texture.
• A programmable slow cooker can switch to warm when cooking is finished and help prevent the edges from overcooking.
• Refrigerate portions for up to 4 days. Reheat with milk or water, stirring until creamy.