These Overnight Slow Cooker Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats have become my favorite breakfast. So simple to throw together and so incredibly delicious! Top them with any of your favorite fruit and chocolate chips, nuts, or whatever you’d like.
(Originally published January 2, 2015 – updated photos and instructions September 11, 2023)
Before we talk about these overnight slow cooker pumpkin steel cut oats I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I can’t believe 2014 has already come to an end. I hope everyone had a safe and happy new year.
We get together every year with our friends Lara and Eric and their kids. It was at our house this year which I was really happy about because it was so miserably cold outside. We have dinner, watch a movie, eat some more, play games and then ring in the new year with sparkling cider. However, this year our rip-roaring party ended a little early. Eric had been sick and still wasn’t feeling well so they called it a night at 9:30. My boys were disappointed, but we told them we would still stay up. I put my pjs on and sat on the couch while they decided if we were going to watch a movie or play more games. The next thing I knew my boys were telling me to wake up because it was 11:55. Oops, sorry boys that I was such a party pooper!
So now that it’s January and we all tell ourselves we’re going to start eating healthier, I’m sharing my new favorite breakfast . . .overnight slow cooker pumpkin steel cut oats. I could eat these every morning! My mom has been making these the last few years for our Christmas morning breakfast. My entire family loves them. I ate three bowls of it Christmas morning last week.

Growing up we always went to my grandma’s house every Christmas morning for breakfast. My grandpa would make the most amazing omelettes. Now that both my grandparents are gone, we go to my parent’s house Christmas morning. We don’t have omelettes anymore, but we have yummy breakfast casserole, bran muffins, sweet rolls and my mom’s amazing egg nog. A few years ago her friend made these pumpkin steel cut oats and after my mom tasted them, she was in love. She got the recipe and for the past few years, they are now included in our Christmas morning spread.
Whatever your new years resolutions may be, you need breakfast, right? You need these pumpkin steel oats. They are healthy, so simple to throw in your slow cooker and are so delicious.
My family’s My favorite way to eat them is topped off with a few frozen berries, a few chocolate chips, a little brown sugar and some half & half . . . oh my, they are amazing. However, feel free to top them off anyway you’d like.

Ingredients needed:
- Steel-cut oats
- Water and milk – you could use all water or all milk if you’d like. I use a combination of water and milk.
- Pumpkin puree – store bought is fine, just make sure you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Brown sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice – use homemade pumpkin pie spice or use store-bought!
- Vanilla, cinnamon and salt – additional spices and seasonings for delicious flavor.
- Toppings of your choice – some of our favorites are raspberries, blueberries, apples, chocolate chips, a little extra brown sugar.

Steel cut oats slow cooked overnight with pumpkin puree and spices for a delicious, comforting breakfast that will start your day off right. If you’re ready to enjoy a warm, delicious breakfast you need these in your life.
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Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats {Slow Cooker}
- Total Time: 305 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
Description
Healthy and incredibly delicious, these pumpkin steel cut oats might just become your favorite breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups steel cut oats
- 1 cup pumpkin
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 2 cups milk
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping ideas:
- Berries (fresh or frozen)
- chocolate chips
- apples
- craisins
- brown sugar
- nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc)
- half-n-half
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a slow cooker, stir until combined.
- Cook on low 6 to 7 hours (see notes). If you have a programmable slow cooker, set it to cook on low for 6 hours and then switch to warm.
- In the morning, give the oats a good stir because the oats will settle to the bottom.
- Serve with your toppings of your choice and some half & half.
- Once completely cooled, store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave then add the toppings and half & half.
Notes
- If your slow cooker tends to cook hot and burn even while on the low setting, you may want to test/make these during the day so you can keep an eye on how they cook in your slow cooker.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 7 hours
- Category: Breakfast
Hey Jodi! Happy New Year! How have I never tasted your mom’s famous Egg Nog! Is there anyway you can share Aunt Pat’s recipe?
xoxo, Natalie
I’ll send it to you! It’s amazing! Parker dreams about it and can’t wait for Christmas morning.