Slow Cooker Chai Spiced Steel Cut Oatmeal
Let your crockpot do all the work with this easy and delicious recipe for slow cooker chai spiced steel cut oatmeal! With creamy almond milk and plenty of warm spices, it’s the perfect cold weather breakfast. Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.
This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk.
There is something about winter-y weather that really makes me fire up my slow cooker. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly gets use all year round.
But come the holidays? You better believe that guy is sitting on my kitchen counter all. the. time.
I’ve long been a smoothie fanatic when it comes to my morning breakfast routine, but steel cut oats definitely come in at a close second. Their chewiness! It makes my heart go pitter-patter.
Yes, I am totally that person who gets really excited about oatmeal.
Anyway, with the holiday season in full swing, I can never seem to find the motivation to cook my beloved steel cut oats on the stovetop.
There are cookies to be baked. Holiday movies to be watched. Gifts to be wrapped.
Which is where that trusty slow cooker comes in all handy dandy. The oats can cook away and you can be off doing all sorts of magical holiday things.
About This Chai Oatmeal
Now, obviously there are a ton of different flavor combinations to try when it comes to oatmeal, but with all this cooler weather, I cannot get enough of anything and everything with chai spices.
They are just so warming and comforting and cozy. So that is what we are using here today.
We start by toasting some steel cut oats in a skillet – just real quick! It really gives such a nice boost of flavor and makes them so nutty and fragrant.
The toasted oats then get mixed up with plenty of warm spices, maple syrup, a touch of vanilla, a good helping of dried cranberries and lastly some of the new Almondmilk Cashewmilk Blend from Almond Breeze.
I am super excited about their new line of products. Delicious almond milk combined with the creaminess of cashews. So so good.
And so so perfect in this oatmeal. Adds just the right amount of creaminess to the oats.
After a few hours in your slow cooker, the oatmeal is ready to enjoy.
While you can absolutely eat it plain as is, I love to top my bowl off with a good splash of extra milk, some sliced almonds for crunch and a handful of additional dried cranberries.
Breakfast love. Especially since it requires little effort on my part and starts my day off on the right foot (you know, preparation for all those cookies I’ll be consuming later on).
Additional Oatmeal Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Zucchini Bread Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Baked Oatmeal
- Strawberries and Cream Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Baked Blueberry and Apple Oatmeal
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Slow Cooker Chai Spiced Steel Cut Oatmeal
Let your crockpot do all the work with this easy and delicious recipe for slow cooker chai spiced steel cut oatmeal! With creamy almond milk and plenty of warm spices, it’s the perfect cold weather breakfast. Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.
Ingredients
For the oatmeal:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup unsweetened Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk Cashewmilk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Topping ideas:
- extra unsweetened Almond Breeze Original Almondmilk Cashewmilk
- sliced almonds
- additional dried cranberries
- additional pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a medium skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add in the oats and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until toasted and fragrant. Remove from the heat and add to a large bowl.
- Add all the remaining ingredients for the oatmeal to the large bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Spray a large slow cooker well with nonstick or olive oil spray. Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared slow cooker, cover and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours.
- When the oatmeal is finished cooking, give it a good stir. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Slow cookers can vary in how they cook. The first time you make this, you may want to test your oats toward the end of the cooking time, to see how they are doing. About 6 ½ hours is perfect in my slow cooker (the oats are cooked but still have that great chew).
You can skip the step of whisking everything together in a large bowl (and just mix in your slow cooker), but I’ve found it’s just easier to mix with the bowl.
If you choose to add the cranberries to the mixture in the slow cooker, keep in mind that they do soften as they cook (so they won’t be chewy at the end). You can leave them out and just add after cooking if you really want that chewiness.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 128mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 5gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
Oh my goodness!! haha I love mine! That granola sounds fantastic!
What a delicious thing to have cooking away on your kitchen counter, Ashley. I am never without a few tins of steel cut oats so you don’t need to convince me but I especially appreciate your inventive flavors and combinations. This chai spiced version sounds warm and flavorful – must smell great, too! Holding a big warm bowl of oatmeal is even better than a warm cup of tea. ; )
I think you may like steel cut oats even more than I do Monica!!
Almond Breeze is always in my fridge, but the unsweetened vanilla. We love it! Now I need to get my slow cooker out and get this going!
Same here – we love that flavor!
I love using my slow cooker in the winter the most. It just makes everything feel so warm and cozy! This oatmeal sounds fantastic, Ashley! I love the chai flavors in here. Just perfect!
Agreed! Thanks Gayle!
Oh my gosh! I’ve never tried toasting steel cut oats in a skillet.
Love all the spices in this oatmeal!
Ohhhhh momma what a breakfast! I’m a uuuge fan of all-things chai and am all about the crock pot, too. I love being able to make food in bulk and eat on it for days..especially if it’s super cozy like this chai oatmeal. I might as well throw this in the crock tonight and have it ready for breakfast tomorrow morning!
Me too – it makes breakfast during the week so easy! Thanks Julia!
Yum, I love that you toasted the oats here, that must really give it such a great flavor! And I am totally into Chai, so putting those spices into oatmeal sounds so good!
OH my gosh this looks amazing!! I also use my slow cooker all year ’round – it has a nice permanent home on my counter 🙂
haha I like it!
I haven’t had steel cut oats in so long! Now that I have a slow cooker I definitely should pick some up. Would make for such an easy breakfast in the morning. I’ve seen that cashew/almond milk on the shelf and have wanted to try it so badly! since I already drink almond milk I might as well…looks delicious!
Yes! It’s delicious!
What a great dish to kick start the day! Love warming chai spice.
Ok, you’ve convinced me to dig my slow cooker out of storage. I know what’s you’re thinking. But I do use my Dutch Oven!! I love oatmeal for breakfast and all these spices really will perk up my life.
haha I’ll forgive you 😉 Time to dig it out!!
My obsession with chai spice is kiiiinda ridiculous so I have a feeling that these gorgeous oats are RIGHT up my alley! I love that they practically just cook themselves in the crockpot!
Anything chia spiced makes me happy, especially if it involved breakfast. I LOVE that Almond Breeze are doing a cashew milk now. Cashews are my favourite!
Me too! Cashews are definitely a favorite at our house!
Steel cut oats are the best, and having them ready when you wake up doesn’t get any better! I love the sound of the chai spices, too — perfect for these cold mornings!
Oh yes, the slow cooker is always on my counter in the winter too! I love that thing. But you know, I’ve never used it to make oatmeal which really needs to change because I love the idea of waking up to a warm bowl that’s ready to eat. And the chai spices sound so warming and perfect for winter!
Yes! You should definitely try using it for oatmeal! Makes it so simple!
I’m with you, this definitely makes my heart go pitter-patter@ Such a beautiful bowl of oatmeal 🙂 Steel cut oats are my favorite way to start the morning and I love that you made it in the slow cooker. The chai spices sound amazing with the almond cashew milk and cranberries!
Thanks Kelly!
I love oatmeal! This looks so good. Cardamom is an awesome spice. I got hooked on it last year. What a fantastic idea to add it to oatmeal. As always, thank you Ashley.
Thanks Kristen! I agree – it’s only been within the last year or two that I really started to use cardamom often in my kitchen!
This oatmeal looks amazing, and all these spices I’m sure add so much flavor! I’d love to wake up to this oatmeal waiting for me in a slow cooker!
So yum! Love chai spiced anything this time of year- what a warming and hearty breakfast bowl 🙂
Me too! Chai spices are the best!
This oatmeal looks amazing – I love the idea of chai spiced oatmeal, especially made in the slow cooker! I have got to try this for breakfast soon.
I’m so glad that there’s someone else out there who feels the same way about oatmeal as I do! 😉 I would love to wake up to a bowl of this oatmeal!