Crockpot Pumpkin Oatmeal (Overnight with a Whole Pumpkin)
Cook a whole pie pumpkin right in your steel-cut oatmeal overnight. In the morning, scoop the fresh pumpkin flesh and buttery, spiced juices into the oats for a warm breakfast with as much pumpkin texture as you like.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 186kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup regular steel-cut oats
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 small pie or sugar pumpkin approximately 2–3 pounds
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- pinch cloves optional
- 2 Tbsp salted butter cut into pieces
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Milk or cream for serving
Optional Toppings
- maple syrup, chopped pecans, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, granola
Instructions
- Generously coat the inside of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the steel-cut oats and water. Stir to combine.1 cup regular steel-cut oats, 3 1/2 cups water
- Wash and dry the pumpkin. Cut an opening around the stem large enough to reach inside with a spoon. Remove the top, seeds and stringy pulp. Leave the pumpkin skin intact. Do not pierce the pumpkin or replace its top.1 small pie or sugar pumpkin
- Place the hollow pumpkin upright in the center of the slow cooker, directly in the oat-and-water mixture. Make sure the pumpkin fits completely inside with the slow cooker lid fully closed.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and optional cloves. Spoon the mixture inside the pumpkin, then place the butter pieces over the top.1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, pinch cloves, 2 Tbsp salted butter
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for approximately 7 hours, until the oats are tender and the pumpkin flesh is very soft and easy to scoop. If the flesh is still firm, replace the lid and cook for another 15–30 minutes, then check again.
- Remove the lid. The oats may appear dry before the pumpkin is incorporated, so wait to add more liquid. Leaving the pumpkin in the slow cooker, carefully scoop the softened flesh from its interior sides into the surrounding oatmeal. Add as much or as little flesh as desired, taking care to leave the outer peel behind.
- Carefully spoon all the buttery, spiced liquid from inside the pumpkin into the oatmeal.
- Wearing oven mitts, carefully lift the remaining pumpkin shell out of the slow cooker. The shell will be very soft and may tear or lose its bottom. Remove any pieces of peel from the oatmeal, leaving the pumpkin flesh and juices in the pot.
- Add the vanilla extract. Use a potato masher to mash the pumpkin into the oats, leaving small, soft pieces if desired. Stir until evenly combined.1 tsp vanilla extract
- Let the oatmeal sit for 5–10 minutes, then stir again. Add a splash of milk, cream or water if needed to reach your preferred consistency. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.Milk or cream, maple syrup, chopped pecans, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, granola
Notes
- Choose the right pumpkin. Use a small pie or sugar pumpkin weighing 2–3 pounds, rather than a large carving pumpkin. A 2½-pound pumpkin worked beautifully in my test. Check that it fits upright with the slow cooker lid fully closed before beginning.
- Use regular steel-cut oats. Rolled oats, instant oats and quick-cooking steel-cut oats are not direct substitutes for this cooking time and liquid ratio.
- Stir before adjusting the liquid. The oatmeal may look dry when you first remove the lid. Incorporate the pumpkin flesh and all the buttery juices before deciding whether it needs more liquid.
- Adjust the amount of pumpkin. Use as much or as little cooked flesh as you prefer. More makes the oatmeal thicker and more pumpkin-forward. Always add all the spiced juices.
- Choose your texture. I love leaving small, soft pieces of pumpkin throughout the oatmeal. For smooth pumpkin, transfer the scooped flesh to a separate deep, heat-safe container and carefully purée with an immersion blender before stirring it into the oats. Blending directly in the slow cooker will purée the oats, too.
- Scoop gently. Avoid scraping deeply enough to remove the peel. If the shell tears during removal, pick out any peel pieces and continue.
- Slow cookers vary. Approximately 7 hours on low is the starting point. Look for tender oats and pumpkin flesh that scoops easily.
- Store and reheat. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions with a splash of milk or water to loosen.Stir in the pumpkin flesh and all the buttery, spiced juices before adding more liquid. The oatmeal may look dry until everything is combined.
Nutrition
Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
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