December 9, 2015

Slow Cooker Chai Spiced Steel Cut Oatmeal

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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.

A white bowl filled with Chai Oatmeal with a spoon in the dish.

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.

A white bowl filled with Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal with coffee in the background.

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.

A carton of almond cashew milk and small bowls filled with steel cut oats and dried cranberries.

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).

A white bowl filled with Slow Cooker Chai Spiced Steel Cut Oatmeal.

Additional Oatmeal Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Let your crock pot do all the work with this easy recipe for slow cooker chai spiced steel cut oatmeal! So warm and comforting!

Slow Cooker Chai Spiced Steel Cut Oatmeal

Yield: 5 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 10 minutes

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

  1. 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.
  2. Add all the remaining ingredients for the oatmeal to the large bowl and whisk until well combined.
  3. 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.
  4. 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: 1
Amount 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.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast
This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk. All opinions and content are my own. As always, thank you for reading and letting me share brands that I love and use in my own kitchen.

Breakfast, Crockpot, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Granola & Oatmeal, Recipes (ALL), Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
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