Apple cinnamon oatmeal made with steel cut oats and filled with soft apple chunks. You can make this oatmeal in your slow cooker or Instant Pot for a warm, filling breakfast that’s loaded will fall flavors.

I love oatmeal and have a ton of healthy oatmeal recipes to prove it. On Tuesday night I made a big batch of steel cut apple cinnamon oatmeal in my slow cooker. I’ve made steel cut oats on the stove top and as baked oatmeal before, but never cooked them in my slow cooker so I was apprehensive about how it would turn out.

I put the ingredients for the apple cinnamon oatmeal together and started the slow cooker around 10PM, went to bed and upon waking up at 6AM, our house smelled like baked apples and my oats were perfectly cooked and waiting for me to dig in – quite a lovely circumstance to wake up to if you ask me. The only thing I needed to whip up was a pot of coffee.

Here’s What You Need For Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

• steel cut oats – using steel cut oats in this apple cinnamon oatmeal makes for an oh so creamy breakfast. Rich in fiber and protein, steel cut oats are a great way to start the day. My go-to brand is Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats. I wouldn’t use another type of oats for this recipe as the cook time and liquid to oats ratio would differ. If you’re looking to make a recipe with rolled oats try my apple cinnamon baked oatmeal or apple cinnamon overnight oats instead.
• almond milk – I prefer unsweetened almond milk, but any nut or dairy milk will work just fine. You can also make your own almond milk or just use water.
• apple – chunks of warm apple with this creamy oatmeal are a match made in heaven! You can use whatever apple variety you have on hand. I like sweeter varieties like Honey Crisp and Fuji.
• maple syrup – maple syrup as a sweetener pairs perfectly with apple and cinnamon. Feel free to use honey or agave instead if you prefer.
• liquid stevia – a few drops of liquid stevia makes the maple syrup a touch sweeter without the extra calories. If you want, you can skip the maple syrup and add more stevia to taste.
• vanilla extract – I love adding vanilla to my oats just to enhance the flavor a bit.
• cinnamon – the perfect warming spice to pair to the rest of the ingredients.
• salt – brings the flavors together.

How to Make Slow Cooker Oatmeal

The best part? I’ve tested this apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe in the slow cooker and the Instant Pot so I’m giving instructions for both within the recipe!

I note this in the recipe, but the big difference between cooking the apple cinnamon oatmeal in the slow cooker and the Instant Pot is the amount of liquid. For the slow cooker you need 4 cups of liquid and for the Instant Pot you only need 2 cups. It can be water or almond milk, whichever you prefer. Almond milk will make for creamier oatmeal.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Prep your slow cooker – Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray, butter or coconut oil.

Add ingredients – Add all the ingredients besides the toppings into the slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve – Place in a bowl to serve and sprinkle on toppings of choice.

Instant Pot Instructions

Add ingredients – Add all ingredients except the toppings to your Instant Pot, but be sure to only use 2 cups of liquid (water or almond milk) instead of 4 cups.

Seal and cook – Cover with the lid and turn the vent to “sealing.” Press the manual button and set the time to 4 minutes on high pressure. The Instant Pot will automatically start. Once done cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release.

Serve – Once all the pressure has been released, carefully remove the lid and stir the oatmeal and serve.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal for Meal Prep

This recipe makes four servings of apple cinnamon oatmeal so you can share with others! This would be great for a holiday brunch or is perfect for meal prep so you have a quick breakfast ready to go throughout the week — just let the leftover oatmeal cool and place it in the refrigerator for up to one week. Simply reheat the oatmeal on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Tip!
Just add a little water or milk when reheating if it’s too thick.

Popular Apple Recipes

• Vegan Apple Bread
• Apple Granola Bars
• Apple Crisp
• Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• Apple Crumble Bars
• Healthy Apple Muffins

Try These Other Oatmeal Recipes

• Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal
• Easy Basic Overnight Oats
• Egg White Oatmeal
• Single Serving Apple Baked Oatmeal
• Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
• Protein Overnight Oats
• Maple Pecan Baked Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal