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This Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal in the Slow Cooker brings all the best fall flavors straight to your bowl—think pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and a drizzle of maple syrup. It’s a hands-off, make-ahead breakfast that’ll keep the whole family happy and satisfied. The best part? It takes just minutes to prep the night before! Great for busy fall mornings!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Effortless Mornings: There’s nothing better than a slow cooker recipe! Simply toss everything in before bed, and wake up to the smell of pumpkin spice perfection. This is one of my favorite low-effort breakfasts.
- Packed with Fall Flavor: This recipe is similar to my Slow Cooker Oatmeal recipe, but packed with fall flavors like pumpkin puree, warm spices, and a touch of maple syrup. It’s the ultimate autumn breakfast.
- Healthy and Filling: Oats, pumpkin, and just the right amount of sweetness make this a healthy start to your day. Plus, you can customize with more nutritious toppings!
- Kid-Friendly: This slow cooker oatmeal is like having pumpkin pie for breakfast… but healthy! Your kids will be obsessed just like mine.
- Pumpkin Perfection: We love all things pumpkin especially during the fall. If we’re not making this recipe we’re making Pumpkin Pear Bread, Flourless Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins or these adorable Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts.
The Ingredients
- Steel-cut oats: For slow cooker oatmeal, I recommend using steel cut-oats as they are the heartiest oats and perfect for slow cooking.
- Milk of choice and Water: A combination of water and your milk of choice creates the perfect texture for this oatmeal. Store-bought or homemade almond milk or oat milk all work great here for extra creaminess.
- Pumpkin puree: Adds richness and that irresistible pumpkin flavor. It’s simple to use canned from the store, or you can make your own pumpkin puree!
- Pumpkin pie spice: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to bring out all the fall vibes.
- Maple Syrup (optional): You can add maple syrup to taste before cooking or let everyone customize their bowl by drizzling as much or as little as they want it on top after.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal in the Slow Cooker
Step 1: Place all the ingredients in the crock pot and stir to combine.
Step 2: Cover and cook on low for 4-8 hours (note that the cooking time can vary depending on your crock pot. Crock pots without non-stick surfaces tend to get hotter, so you’ll want to stick closer to a 5 hour cooking time).
Tips and Tricks
- Overnight Oats Made Easy: This is a great make ahead breakfast. Set the slow cooker to low before you go to bed, and by morning, you’ll have a warm, hearty meal waiting for everyone.
- Type of Oats: Use steel cut oats for this recipe. They hold up better than rolled oats when it comes to slow cooking.
- The Cook Time: Keep in mind that the cooking time can vary depending on your crock pot. Crock pots without non-stick surfaces tend to get hotter, so you’ll want to stick closer to a 5 hour cooking time.
- Custom Toppings: Stir in some dried cranberries, raisins, chopped apples, walnuts, or pecans, or a handful of chocolate chips right before serving for an extra treat.
- Storing Leftovers: If you have any leftover oatmeal (although it’s so good, you might not!), store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk to loosen it up.
More Irresistible Oatmeal Recipes
There’s nothing better than pumpkin recipes, especially in the fall! This oatmeal is one of our go-to’s! It’s simple to make, delicious and kids absolutely love it! Be sure to let me know in the comments how it turned out!
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Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal in the Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups milk of choice
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 cup steel cut oats
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in the crock pot and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-8 hours (note that the cooking time can vary depending on your crock pot. Crock pots without non-stick surfaces tend to get hotter, so you’ll want to stick closer to a 5 hour cooking time).
Notes
- You can also use oat, almond, rice or any plant based milk if you want to make the oatmeal vegan.
I use canned Trader Joe’s pumpkin puree. I love it! Whenever they have it in stock I buy tons!
pumpkin puree? is that just canned pumpkin or something else
thanks!
sounds yummy
Yes, you can replace the cow’s milk with rice or almond milk at a 1:1 ratio.
I usually make your crockpot oatmeal with milk but I would like to try rice or almond milk with this recipe (newborn seems sensitive when I have milk). Is it a 1:1 subsitution? Thank you!
This one screams comfort food! We got a few short days of really cool weather down here in Central FL. If another “cold” snap rolls in, we’ll put this recipe to use for sure!
You can make this on the stove top. You can make this with any type of oats, really. Since it cooks faster on the stove I would follow the package directions for your particular oats, then whisk in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the pumpkin puree towards the end of cooking. You can also add some milk to it to make it even more creamy, like the Crock Pot version.
Am I able to make this on the stove top and with regular oats? I live in Denmark and there is no such thing as a crock pot here 🙁 I’ve also never seen steel cut oats…Would love to be able to try this, it looks SO good!
Thanks!
There are no silly questions! I have never done it myself, but I have heard from others that they freeze their prepared oatmeal in ice cube trays and then microwave on the defrost setting when they are ready to eat. I am intrigued. I’ll have to try this now. You give it a try as well and let me know how it goes!
This may be a silly question, but is this something that would freeze well? If not, how long can it sit in the fridge?
Yes! Rolled oats or quick-cooking oats would come out mushy. Steel-cut oats hold up much better for this recipe. I prefer the texture of steel-cut oats, they make me feel like I am having a heartier meal.
I have been meaning to try oatmeal in the crockpot because it seems so easy and simple for the morning routine. I just have to get some steel cut oats first since regular rolled oats would be too mushy, right?
So excited to try this!! What a great way to have a hot breakfast without taking the time to make it in the morning.
That’s a crjerckaack answer to an interesting question
I have a huge crock pot and it works great! Sometimes I double the recipe and reheat the oatmeal the next day for breakfast with a little milk to loosen it up. I have never tried the water bath method, but am interested to know the differences. I’ll have to experiment with that!
This is my crock pot. My parents gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago. Love it! http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-deluxe-slow-cooker-with-aluminum-insert/?pkey=e%7Cslow%2Bcooker%7C5%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C4&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Feature_Recipe_Rule-_-
Do you put the oatmeal directly in the crock pot or do the double boiler method? My crock pot is so big that I’ve always used the oatmeal in a smaller pot sitting in water method I’ve seen on other blogs. It takes longer to cook, but I was wondering what size crock pot you cook your oatmeal in and if it makes a difference in the measurements.
I’ve got porridge on the menu for tomorrow’s breakfast and half a jar of leftover pumpkin purée in the fridge.
I change our menu often and (I too!) was just thinking of new ways to jazz things up. Perfect timing!!! 🙂
Can’t wait to try this recipe out – thank you!