Filled with creamy oats, sweet bananas, and berries, a hint of brown sugar, and spices, this Slow Cooker Oatmeal is a breakfast that my whole family enjoys. Best of all, this slow cooker oatmeal can be made in just one hour!
Closer to a warm muesli cereal than traditionally cooked oatmeal, crockpot oatmeal is an awesome way to make oatmeal.
My kids can never make up their minds about which oatmeal they like best. We eat a lot of oatmeal in this house. Traditional oatmeal, baked oatmeal, crockpot oatmeal, they are all frequently served here.
My husband is perfectly content with a classic bowl of oatmeal, but I love everything about the taste and texture of oatmeal cooked slowly in the crockpot.
Slow Cooker Oatmeal
Cooking oatmeal in the crockpot might seem like a long time to wait for breakfast on a weekday morning, but it really is simple. And surprisingly, it doesn’t take all that much time to cook oatmeal in the slow cooker.
Stir the ingredients together and then walk away to get ready for your day. An hour later, everyone will be hungry and breakfast is ready to eat.
The flavors in this oatmeal are perfect together. The softened crunch of the pecans, the sweet bananas, the tartly sweet berries, the tender oats, and the brown sugar work together to make this a breakfast treat that the whole family enjoys.
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:
First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.
My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?
For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.
Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.
If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
Slow Cooker Oatmeal Recipe
- Combine milk, oats, bananas, strawberries, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in the crockpot.
- Cook on HIGH for 45-60 minutes or on LOW for 1-2 hours.
- Stir occasionally. Cook until thickened to desired consistency.
Cook’s Note: I rarely remember to stir mine and it turns out fine every time. The longer it cooks, the thicker the oatmeal will be.
Crockpot Oatmeal
Crock-Pot Oatmeal is such an easy weekday breakfast. I love that I can toss everything together in the crock-pot when I start the coffee in the morning and breakfast is ready to eat by the time we are.
Overnight oats are next on my list to try, specifically these Strawberry Overnight Oats, you can make them two different ways and both recipes sound delicious.
If you’re looking for even more breakfast ideas, don’t forget to check out all of our other Oatmeal Recipes.
Baked Oatmeal is an awesome breakfast for a crowd. The recipe can easily be multiplied to serve as many as you need to feed.
This Stovetop Nutty Raisin Oatmeal has been Sean’s favorite oatmeal for as long as I can remember. And this Blueberries and Cream Oatmeal is my weakness every single time berries are in season.
Slow Cooked Strawberry Banana Pecan Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 bananas sliced thinly
- 1 cup strawberries chopped
- ½ cup pecans chopped small
- scant ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional: additional sliced bananas berries and pecans for garnish
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on HIGH for 45 minutes to 1 hour or on LOW for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until desired consistency. I rarely remember to stir mine and it turns out fine every time. The longer it cooks, the thicker the oatmeal will be.
Nutrition
{originally published 5/18/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/25/22}
Jenn says
Ooohh.. that looks so good! A nice comforting breakfast. I still have not made oatmeal in the crockpot – must fix that soon!
Joanne says
Summer is one of my favorite times to eat oatmeal because of all the fruit/berry mix-ins! I love that with the slow cooker, you don't have to stand over a hot stove to make it!
Angie's Recipes says
I have never had slow cooked oatmeal…it looks so good!
Sue/the view from great island says
Great idea—I've always wanted to come up with a crockpot oatmeal that you can put in the pot the night before, but I guess that's asking a little too much of the crockpot…I'll try your way.
Marjie says
With my ongoing root canal saga (still not done; maybe next Tuesday, if the infection is gone by then), I'm eating a lot of oatmeal. This looks beautiful, although we never have an hour extra in the morning!
Kit @ i-lostinausten says
Totally in the season with these strawberry! Never tried slow cooked oatmeal before! A healthy breakfast to start the day indeed! YUM! 🙂
Words Of Deliciousness says
Yum, this oatmeal looks fantastic. I love the strawberry, banana, and pecan combination.
The Slow Roasted Italian says
This actually sounds perfect. I love simple oatmeal myself, but could devour this one as well!
H says
A great idea! I will give my family oatmeal in the morning. It is good for health, and also keeps you energized throughout the day.
Mary Younkin says
I hope you love it!
Alora says
Did anyone actually make this? All the comments are I would love to try it…..
Mary Younkin says
That’s kind of funny. I hadn’t noticed that there weren’t comments on this one. I always hear from people who love it on social media. I hope you try it and love it as much as we do, Alora!
Kira says
Can you use steel cut oats for this recipe?
Mary Younkin says
This will not work the same way with steel-cut oats, Kira.
Stephanie says
Can this be cooked overnight in the slow cooker.
Thank you x
Mary Younkin says
It will be very overcooked if you cook it overnight, Stephanie.
Elizabeth Stuart says
Absolutely amazing. I imagine you could use any fruit or nut combination.
Mary Younkin says
You bet, Elizabeth. I hope you love the oatmeal.
Dana says
Absolutely delicious and so easy! I didn’t have strawberries so just added an extra banana. This was so good and just enough sweetness. Highly recommend!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you like the oatmeal, Dana!
Jazlyn bell says
Thank you! I looked everywhere on how quickly I can really cook my oatmeal in a crockpot. Very informative! 🙂
Mary Younkin says
Jazlyn – We love waking up to oatmeal in the crockpot.
JENNIFER LATTIMER says
How long if you double or triple the recipe?
Mary Younkin says
I would suggest an hour or so, Jennifer. Just keep a close eye on it.
UC says
Mary, if you cook strawberries and milk for 1 or 2 hours what nutritive value would remain if this is supposed to be a healthy recipe?
Mary Younkin says
The nutrition information is provided at the bottom of the recipe card. I hope you find that helpful.