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This toasted oatmeal is my favorite way to make a bowl: it has an irresistible nutty flavor and chewy texture! It’s the perfect easy breakfast.
Do you love oatmeal? I do. In fact, I eat it every day! Now: are you ready to have your oatmeal game changed forever? Enter toasted oatmeal!
I learned this trick from a cookbook called Whole Grain Mornings, by my friend baker Megan Gordon. Her recipe called “the best oatmeal” caught my eye, and I’ve been making it ever since!
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I was never an ‘oatmeal’ fan, having had my share of gluey oatmeal… both my husband and I just love it! We eat it regularly, using whole milk, and topping it with toasted pecans and maple syrup.” -Lynne A.
Ingredient Notes for Toasted Oatmeal
Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Use only Old Fashioned oats here: steel cut oats won’t soften in time and quick oats become gummy and gluey.
- Butter or coconut oil: The fat carries the toasted flavor. Butter gives the richest result; coconut oil keeps it vegan and adds a subtle sweetness (I prefer coconut milk here!).
- Milk and water: Any type of milk including oat milk and almond milk works.
- Cinnamon and kosher salt: These add just the right cozy seasoning.
How To Make Toasted Oatmeal
I’m generally suspicious of recipes with superlatives like “the best oatmeal”, but Alex was already toasting the dry oats in coconut oil. After a few minutes, a smell filled our kitchen that was so nutty and sweet I forgot my hesitation.
After toasting, you add the liquids, cover, and turn off the heat for 7 minutes. What resulted was indeed “the best” oatmeal I’d ever tasted: the oats were chewy (instead of the creamy texture of the stirred method) and deliciously nutty from toasting, topped with a bit of sweet maple syrup. The best oatmeal? I guess the book was right!
Instant Pot Method
Alex and I are Instant Pot fans, so we made a version of this for a pressure cooker, too! And it’s just as tasty: go to Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal
Toppings and Flavor Variations
Toasted oats have enough flavor to stand alone, but here’s how I like to top them:
- A spoonful of nut butter, like my Peanut Butter Oatmeal.
- Chopped nuts, like pecans, walnuts or almonds
- Diced apple and extra cinnamon, sautéed a minute in the same skillet (like my Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal)
- Fresh or frozen berries, stirred in at the end, like my Easy Blueberry Oatmeal or Strawberry Oatmeal.
- Brown sugar and a splash of cream, a la Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal.
Storage Notes
Cooked toasted oatmeal keeps refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 5 days. It firms up quite a bit when it’s chilled, so reheat with a splash of milk. It’s perfect for simple breakfasts and snacks.
Dietary Notes
This toasted oatmeal recipe is vegetarian, gluten free, plant based, vegan, dairy free, and refined sugar free.
The Best Toasted Oatmeal
This toasted oatmeal is my favorite way to make a bowl: it has an irresistible nutty flavor and chewy texture! It’s the perfect easy breakfast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetairan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or coconut oil
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup milk or almond milk, plus additional to serve
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- Maple syrup, to serve
- Toasted almonds or pecans, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oats and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats start to smell fragrant and nutty.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add the milk, kosher salt, cinnamon, and water. Bring to low boil over medium heat. Add the toasted oats and stir gently to combine, then cover the pot, turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 7 minutes.
- After 7 minutes, the oats are ready to serve. The texture will be a chewy texture, not creamy as with the stirred method. To serve, top with real maple syrup. Add toasted almonds or walnuts and/or additional milk if desired. Leftovers can be kept refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Note that this method yields for a chewy oat texture, rather than the typical creamy texture. The recipe serves two, so double or triple for ample leftovers. A large pot works best, since it allows the oats to cook evenly. Adapted from Whole-Grain Mornings by Megan Gordon
Omg. This was so delicious. Buttery, nutty, chewy, perfect. I added chia/hemp seeds, maple, apple, toasted almonds, touch more cinnamon. Yummmmmmers. I’m never making oats another way again! Thanks for the recipe :D
Haha! We agree :)
We love this toasted oatmeal! I was never an “oatmeal” fan, having had my share of gluey oatmeal, however I do love oats in things. In researching recipes to see if there was a better way to make oatmeal, I found this recipe, and both my husband and I just love it! We eat it regularly, making it exactly as indicated, using whole milk, and topping it with toasted pecans and maple syrup. My husband adds a bit of milk. The only thing I do any differently is add quite a bit of cinnamon instead of a pinch as we both love cinnamon. Thank you for a wonderful and delicious recipe! Now I love “oatmeal” for breakfast as long as it’s this best toasted oatmeal recipe! :)
I’m so glad you enjoy! We still eat it every day too :)
I’ve made this countless times since you posted! I did not like the texture of oatmeal until I tried this version – so easy! I’ve topped mine with roasted pecans and dried cranberries.
I was looking for a toasted oat recipe and came across yours. I eat oatmeal every morning, as I have for many years. I like to have some plain, toasted oatmeal on hand (as well as toasted coconut) for my oatmeal topping. I have always used the old fashioned rolled oats. Yesterday, I toasted the rest of my container of oatmeal, with intentions of buying more later in the day. However, I never made to the store. So, I remembered seeing your recipe. I made it this morning, and enjoyed it very much. I did use all almond milk, instead of the milk and water. I like sliced banana, toasted walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and a little brown sugar on my oatmeal. This has a wonderful, additional nutty flavor. I liked the fact that I didn’t need to stir while cooking. I will be making this recipe on a regular basis. Thanks for sharing.
LOVELY!
I have eaten oat bran mixed with flax seed meal for breakfast every day for at least the past 15 years. Besides helping build Bob’s Red Mill empire, I suspect and hope it is helping me stay healthy. I pour it in a big bowl, pour enough water to cover it by a couple inches, and nuke it for about 3-4 minutes. I usually add walnuts and either blueberries or bananas. On a long, lazy weekend morning, I might add quinoa. To do this, I just precook the quinoa for about 5 minutes before adding the oat bran. With a cup of coffee, this breakfast sustains me for at least 3-5 hours. Please tell me I haven’t wasted the last 15 years of my life!
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I just made this with twice as much butter and adding a little half n half. It was unreal, so yummy. Thanks for sharing!