Crockpot Autumn Oatmeal

I love a good Crockpot Oatmeal, just about as much as I do a good Pumpkin Oatmeal. So why not kill two birds with one stone?

This recipe reads pretty similar to my stovetop Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal. I've taken the liberty of zhuzhing it up a bit with some diced apples. To each their own.

But if I can be so bold, I'd recommend serving with a bit of vanilla ice cream... just like you might serve with a splash of cream and sprinkle of sugar! Where did I get this genius idea? A while back my mom travelled to Ireland. One morning she ordered a bowl of oatmeal and was greeted with a giant bowl of Irish oats topped with a heaping scoop of ice cream. Since then, it just seems a shame to eat oats sans ice cream.

This is a great make-ahead, meal-preppy kind of recipe. And also works fabulously when serving company over the holiday season.

Crockpot Autumn Oatmeal

Ingredients

For the oatmeal

·       2 cups steel-cut oatmeal

·       15oz can pumpkin puree

·       1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

·       1 cup pecans, chopped

·       1 cup dried cranberries

·       8-10 cups almond milk

·       ½ cup brown sugar

·       1 tsp salt

·       1 tbsp vanilla extract

·       1 tbsp cinnamon

·       2 tsp ginger

·       ½ tsp ground clove

·       ½ tsp nutmeg

For serving

·       Vanilla ice cream

·       Maple syrup

·       Brown sugar

In the bowl of a crockpot, combine all ingredients for the oatmeal. Reserve 2 cups of the milk. Cook overnight on low for 8 hours.

Thoroughly stir the oatmeal. Drizzle in the remaining milk to reach preferred thickness. Spoon into a bowl and serve. For extra sweetness, consider topping the oatmeal with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle of maple syrup or an extra sprinkle of brown sugar.

Serves 8 - 10

Gluten Free Friendly!

Double check your nutrition labels to ensure the oats and nuts are processed in a gluten free facility.