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This Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal is a simple, wholesome breakfast that feels just a little special without any extra work. It's creamy, lightly sweet, and packed with fiber and protein to keep everyone full all morning. You can let the slow cooker do the work overnight (highly recommend for busy mornings) or make it on the stovetop when you need it faster.
Looking for more delicious recipes using steel-cut oats? Don't miss my recipes for Crockpot Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal, and Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats.
Kristen's Keys for Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
A few small details make the difference between perfectly creamy oats and a frustrating start to your day.
- Grease your slow cooker. A quick spray or liner saves you from scrubbing stuck-on oats later.
- Use the right oats. Stick with steel-cut oats, not quick-cook or rolled oats. Steel-cut oats hold their texture during long cooking, which is what gives you that creamy, yet hearty result, rather than mushy oatmeal.
- Don't skip the milk + water combo. Using both keeps the oats creamy without scorching the milk. All milk can burn during long cook times, especially in a slow cooker.
- Mind your slow cooker's personality. Some run hotter than others. If yours tends to overcook, reduce the time by 1-2 hours.
How to Make Crockpot Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
Let me walk you through the simple process of making hearty, creamy oatmeal studded with sweet strawberries.
- Generously grease the insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray or coconut oil.
- Add in the steel-cut oats, water, milk, strawberries, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt, and stir to combine.
- Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours (overnight is best).
- Once cooked, add in the yogurt and gently stir to combine.
- Serve with additional fresh strawberries and a dollop of yogurt or splash of cream if desired.
Troubleshooting advice
Burnt Oats?
I have never had an issue with the steel-cut oats burning in my slow cooker. However, each slow cooker is different. If you notice that the bottom is sticking to the bottom of the slow cooker, don't toss the whole batch. Remove the tender oatmeal to a large bowl, leaving the browned bits inside the insert. Add the yogurt and vanilla the bowl and stir to combine. In the future, reduce the cook time by 2 hours.
Recipe Modifications
- Make it on the Stovetop: Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, stir in 2 cups milk, oats, strawberries, and a dash of salt. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, or until thickened and oats are tender. Remove from the heat, stir in maple syrup, vanilla extract, and yogurt, and serve.
- Use Frozen Fruit: No need to thaw first, simply add to the crockpot and cook as directed.
- Swap the fruit: Blueberries, peaches, or raspberries all work beautifully.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Use almond, soy, or coconut milk and dairy-free yogurt.
- Skip the Yogurt: Still delicious, just a little less creamy.
- Add More Nutrition: Stir in up to ¼ cup chia seeds or ground flaxseed.
- Make it Sweeter: Add extra maple syrup or up to ¼ cup brown sugar if needed.
- Peanut Butter Twist: Skip strawberries and stir in ½ cup peanut butter and ½ cup jam at the end.
More Delicious Oatmeal Recipes
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Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups steel-cut oats, no substitution
- 4 cups water
- 3 cups milk, any variety
- 1½ cups hulled and diced strawberries, + more for serving
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash of sea salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup, or honey
- 1 cup plain yogurt, Greek or regular
Instructions
- Grease the inside of the slow cooker with melted butter, coconut oil, or spray for easier clean-up.
- In the slow cooker, combine 2 cups steel-cut oats, 4 cups water, 3 cups milk, 1½ cups hulled and diced strawberries, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a dash of sea salt
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low for a firm texture and 8 hours on low for a softer texture. Alternatively, cook on high for 3-4 hours.
- Right before serving stir 1 cup plain yogurtt.
- Serve with additional strawberries.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Two questions:
1) Can I use frozen strawberries?
2) There is a Nutrition Facts chart at the bottom that outlines what is in a serving but not how much oatmeal constitutes a portion. Do you know how much it is based on?
Hi Kat! Frozen strawberries can be used, they just may leak out more of their juices, but still works 🙂 As for serving, each serving is about 1 cup of the finished oatmeal. I hope you enjoy!
I just opened up my crockpot and I am not impressed. I think 7 cups of liquid is wayyyy too much for 2 cups of oats. Its just a watery brown paste with the occasional oat floating around. I think I will try it again with less water.
Hi Jessica! By any chance did you use regular oats, not steel cut oats? Steel cut oats need much more liquid than regular oats.
Do you think organic frozen strawberries could work for this? Sometimes their taste if more bankable than buying. a batch this time of year fresh from the store. I use them in smoothies sometimes
I do think they will work. Just give it a taste at the end to see if you need to add sweeteners.
Hi yes I was planning on making this tomorrow for breakfeast is there a way make it on stove top?
Hi Kayla,
Yes, you can certainly make this on the stove top.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add in 2 cups almond milk, and then add in your oats.
Reduce heat and simmer and then add in 1 cup almond milk, your oats, and a dash of salt.
Cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add in strawberries, vanilla extract, and yogurt.
Mix well and serve.
I plan to make this Christmas morning but only want to use one cup of oats. How could I adjust the ingredients for this recipe? For just one cup of oats I also plan to add bananas along with the strawberries.
Hi Amber!
This will make a fabulous Christmas morning breakfast. However, when cutting the amount of steel cut oats in half you need to make it in a smaller slow cooker, or it will all scorch. As steel cut oats cook overnight, a crust can form around on the bottom and by cutting this recipe down, the liquid covers too much of the cooking surface.
So, you would use 2-3 quart slow cooker and 3 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup yougurt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1-2 cups berries and bananas. If you want the berries and bananas to melt into the oats,cook together. Otherwise top oats with bananas and berries. Enjoy!! And merry Christmas
What would be the difference of using traditional oats (not the quick ones) rather than steel cut oats? Also where can I find steel cut oats?
Hi Rebekah! You should be able to find steel cut oats in any grocery store right along regular oats, or you can buy them on amazon--http://amzn.to/2yX1EbT (aff).
For this recipe, you want to be sure to use steel cut oats. They are a lot more hearty and can handle the long cooking time. Regular oats would essentially turn to mush. For overnight oats using traditional oats, just place all ingredients in a container with lid and refrigerate overnight and then serve cold or warm up individual servings.
Have you ever tried frozen strawberries? Thanks.
YES!! They will definetly soften more than fresh and color the oatmeal but they work! Throw them in frozen!
Do you put the strawberries in whole or dice them up a little?
Hey Pamela--I love to dice them up a bit.