Perfect Steel-Cut Oats

Serves: 4 servings

Learn how to make the most delicious steel-cut oats here! These ultra creamy, toasted steel-cut oats are ready in 35 minutes and reheat beautifully for the rest of the week. I suggest doubling the recipe if you'd like to make breakfast for the whole week or you would like to freeze it in quart sized baggies. 

Recipe as written below yields 4 modest servings (about 3 cups total, or ¾ cup per serving).

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup milk of choice: almond milk, cow’s milk, coconut milk, etc.
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or unsalted butter
• 1 cup steel-cut oats (choose certified gluten-free oats if necessary)
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Optional mix-ins: ground spices like cinnamon, dried fruit like cranberries or chopped dates, toasted chopped nuts like walnuts, lemon or orange zest, etc.

Instructions
In a large saucepan, combine the water and milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. In the meantime, melt the coconut oil (or butter) in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the oats and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, around 2 minutes. This toasting step greatly enhances the flavor of the oats.

Stir the oats into the simmering water/milk mixture. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very thick.

Stir in the salt. Continue to simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to prevent scorching on the bottom, until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. (If you have doubled the recipe, your oatmeal might need an extra 5 minutes cooking time here.) The oatmeal will be very creamy when it's done.

Remove from heat and stir in any mix-ins that you'd like. Let the oatmeal rest for 5 minutes before serving so it has more time to thicken up and cool down a palatable temperature.

Portion oatmeal into bowls and add any toppings you'd like to portions that you intend to serve immediately. Let any extra oatmeal cool completely before covering and refrigerating for future breakfasts.

Here are some of my favorite toppings for steel-cut oats:

• Peanut butter, almond butter or pecan butter
• Homemade chia jam or your favorite jelly/jam
• Applesauce, preferably the chunky homemade variety, or grated fresh apple
• Coconut whipped cream or regular whipped cream
• Yogurt or a splash of cream
• Sliced bananas, strawberries, pears, peaches, mangos…
• Fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or blackberries
• Dried fruit, like dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries, raisins, chopped dates or apricots…
• Toasted chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, almonds…
• Flaxseed or chia seeds
• Toasted or raw shredded coconut
• Dark chocolate, either chopped or mini chocolate chips

Source:  Cookie and Kate