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Home Meal Prep Meal Prep Breakfast
4.80
/5
35 minutes minutes

Spiced Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Nut Free Nut Free Vegan Vegan Meal Prep Meal Prep
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard16 Comments
Posted: 10/13/16 Updated: 8/28/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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!

a bowl of pumpkin steel cut oats topped with pumpkin seeds

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

ingredients required to make pumpkin steel cut oats

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

bowl of pumpkin steel cut oats

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!

pumpkin steel cut oats portioned out into meal prep containers

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:

  • Easiest Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
  • Fruit On The Bottom Overnight Oats
  • How to Make Overnight Steel Cut Oats (no cook)
  • Peach Baked Oatmeal Recipe
  • 7 Easy Baked Oatmeal Muffin Flavors

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

overhead shot of pumpkin steel cut oats in blue bowl with a spoon

Spiced Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats (Make Ahead)

4.80 from 5 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 25 minutes mins
Total Time: 35 minutes mins
Print Rate
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!
4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup steel cut oats (not 'instant' steel cut oats)
  • 4 cups water (see note *)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 apple (peeled and grated with the fine part of a box grater; optional)

After cooking

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or more to sweeten
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds/pepitas optional

Instructions 

Stove top

  • In a medium pot, combine the steel cut oats, water, pumpkin puree, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract and grated apple.
  • Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.
  • Stir in the maple syrup, and enjoy with pumpkin seeds.

Instant Pot

  • Add the steel cut oats, 3 cups of water, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract and grated apple to the stainless steel inner pot of the Instant Pot. *do not add the pumpkin puree*
  • Cook on manual high pressure for 2 minutes. The pot will take 15 minutes to come to pressure.
  • Allow pressure to naturally release (let the Instant Pot sit until the pin drops; 20 or so minutes).
  • Stir in the pumpkin puree and maple syrup. Enjoy with pumpkin seeds.

Slow Cooker

  • Add the steel cut oats, water, pumpkin puree, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract and grated apple to a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  • Keep an eye on it during the last 1-2 hours as it has been known to burn and stick to certain models.
  • Stir in the maple syrup and enjoy with pumpkin seeds.

To reheat

  • Heat in the microwave until steaming hot.
  • Add ¼ to ⅓ cup of almond milk (or your favorite dairy milk). Stir to loosen up the oats.
  • Add pumpkin seeds, additional syrup and/or your favorite toppings.

Tips:

* for stove top or slow cooker, use 4 cups of water. For Instant Pot, use 3 cups

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 batch, Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 5g, Sodium: 14mg, Potassium: 237mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 9555IU, Vitamin C: 4.7mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 3mg
Author: Annie Holmes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
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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.

Read more...

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Reader Interactions

4.80 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Annie Baker says

    Posted on 12/15/19 at Posted on 12/15/19

    4 stars
    I added sugar free syrup and pumpkin spice for ingredients instead. Smelled great! Thanks for this.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 1/15/20 at Posted on 1/15/20

      Hi Annie! So happy to hear you enjoyed. Thanks for reporting back!

      Reply
  2. Karen says

    Posted on 2/19/18 at Posted on 2/19/18

    5 stars
    These are great! Thanks for the recipe. Made in the IP for the week.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/20/18 at Posted on 2/20/18

      So glad you enjoyed them, Karen! Thanks for reporting back 😀

      Reply
  3. Cherie B says

    Posted on 11/20/16 at Posted on 11/20/16

    Do you have the nutritional information please.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 11/20/16 at Posted on 11/20/16

      Hi Cherie, sorry I don't have nutritional information for this recipe. I'm not a nutritionist and am not comfortable sharing nutritional information with you, as it can vary greatly between brands of different products. You could always try putting it into My Fitness pal?

      Reply
  4. Natalie R says

    Posted on 10/25/16 at Posted on 10/25/16

    5 stars
    I'm a little late on the steel cut oats bandwagon.. maybe I just got so comfortable with old-fashioned rolled oats that cooking breakfast for upwards of 30 minutes just seemed crazy to me.

    WELL - this recipe actually convinced me to go out, buy those unprocessed oats and try this out for a couple days. I am so glad I did because YUM! Easy, flavorful and perfect for the fall! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 10/25/16 at Posted on 10/25/16

      Yay! That makes me so happy Natalie! I am so in love with steel cut oats and am glad you are now too!

      Reply
  5. Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says

    Posted on 10/16/16 at Posted on 10/16/16

    I too LOVE steel cut oats, Denise! Your recipe looks beyond good!!

    Reply
  6. Ashley@CookNourishBliss says

    Posted on 10/13/16 at Posted on 10/13/16

    I absolutely LOVE steel cut oats! They are my favorite when it comes to oatmeal! And this flavor is just so perfect for fall.

    Reply
  7. marcie says

    Posted on 10/13/16 at Posted on 10/13/16

    I make steel cut oats in my slow cooker all the time and prefer them to rolled oats -- they're so creamy! I have a slow cooker pumpkin version coming soon. 🙂 I love that you've made these make ahead ready and the maple and pepitas are such great add-in's!

    Reply
  8. Traci York says

    Posted on 10/13/16 at Posted on 10/13/16

    I'm a total steel cut oat fan, Denise and I love how you've jazzed them up with pumpkin, apple and all the spices! Such a great make ahead breakfast. Mornings are when I'm at my laziest, so the last thing I want to do is make breakfast, unless it's around say, 10:00 and I've had time to wake up! These are SO delicious! And Hooray for another challenge!! 😀

    Reply
  9. Joan says

    Posted on 10/13/16 at Posted on 10/13/16

    I always make steel-cut oats (and pretty much every other grain) in a rice cooker, since, unlike slow cookers, it automatically shuts off when the liquid is absorbed. I love trying variations! Your maple apple recipe rocked, and this one sounds wonderful.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 10/13/16 at Posted on 10/13/16

      Thank you so much for the tip, Joan! I have tried the slow cooker a few times and I always get it burned on. Maybe my slow cooker cooks too hot. Definitely want to try my rice cooker next 🙂

      Reply
  10. Lori says

    Posted on 10/13/16 at Posted on 10/13/16

    Hi Denise! I too LOVE steel cut oats. But I usually use my slow cooker to make up a batch that will last the whole week. So, one quick question from this novice...why use grated apple in a pumpkin version? Does it add moisture?? Thanks so much for sharing and I will be trying this scrumptious recipe out this week 🙂 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 10/13/16 at Posted on 10/13/16

      Hi Lori! I just added the apple for more fruit. I don't think it will alter the water content too much. I haven't had much luck making steel cut oats in my slow cooker (maybe mine cooks too hot? It always burns, even on low). Hope you like it, Lori!

      Reply

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