By: Denise Bustard16 Comments
Posted: 10/13/16 Updated: 8/28/20

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Spiced pumpkin steel cut oats taste like pumpkin pie! Creamy and with the perfect amount of chew, steel cut oats are simple to prepare ahead for easy reheat breakfasts during the week. Vegan, gluten-free, and delicious!

It's no secret that I'm a huge steel cut oats addict (find seven flavors here!). I can't get enough of their chewy texture and nutty flavor. If you are looking for a tasty fall breakfast recipe, these pumpkin steel cut oats are perfect for you!

Prepare them on the stove top, in the Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker, and make sure you double up on them so you can portion them out and store in the fridge or freezer for later, because they are oh so delicious!

With pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cloves and ginger, these steel cut oats taste eerily similar to pumpkin pie. Pie for breakfast? I say hell yes!

Reasons you’ll ♡ these Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats

they are vegan and gluten-free
you can cook them on the stove top, in the Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker
they are easy to cook ahead and store in the fridge or freezer for later

Let's Talk Ingredients

For pumpkin steel cut oats, you’ll need:

Steel-cut oats - not to be confused with rolled or instant oats, they are minimally processed and denser than processed oats which means they have a longer cook time (and a chewier texture)
Pumpkin puree - from a can (or make your own). Do not confuse pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling
Spices - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg to make it taste like pumpkin pie
Apple - optional- grated apple to add a boost of fruit
To serve - maple syrup to sweeten and + pumpkin seeds for crunch

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Recipe Tips

when cooking on the stove top, keep an eye on it during the last 15-20 minutes of cook time and frequently stir, so it does not stick to the pot
if cooking in the Instant Pot, stir in the pumpkin puree after cooking the oats through as some readers have found it to trigger a burn warning
if cooking in a slow cooker, you may want to use a slow cooker liner, as in my experience steel cut oats can stick to certain slow cookers during the last 1-2 hours of cooking
for extra flavor, consider toasting the oats in butter or coconut oil for 5 minutes before adding the other ingredients
sweeten to taste with maple syrup
store in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for 3 months
to reheat, heat until steaming hot, then add ¼ to ⅓ cup almond or dairy milk and stir to loosen the oats up

Find my storage containers and more in my shop!

Does sauteeing the oats give extra flavor?

Yes, sauteeing the steel cut oats can help bring out a nutty flavor, however I would consider this optional. Between the pumpkin puree and spices, there is plenty of flavor here already.

Does cooking in milk or almond milk make them creamier?

No, it does not, and it makes the oats more bubbly and prone to boiling over. These pumpkin steel cut oats are plenty creamy as written.

Are steel cut oats gluten-free?

They are gluten-free, however they may be processed in plants with gluten-containing products, so to be safe, be sure to select steel cut oats that are certified gluten-free.

More Tasty Oatmeal Recipes:

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.