Perfect Oatmeal
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Learn how to make oatmeal on your stovetop. Slow cooking on the stovetop gives the most perfect porridge, the oats release their starches and become naturally creamy. Top
Why This Recipe Works
- Cheap, warming & delicious
- Full of the goodness of wholegrain oats
- Made with love
Ingredients you will need
Oatmeal
- rolled oats
- water
- milk
- salt
- raisins (optional)
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Topping
- brown sugar
- cream
- cinnamon
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Rolled Oats: I use old fashioned oats, you can of course use unflavored quick-cook instant oats, the cook time will be a bit faster. I have not used this method with steel-cut oats. Quinoa Porridge can be a great GF alternative to oats.
- Milk: I use full-fat milk when I make my oatmeal, but you can use any milk or plant-based alternative.
- Raisins: These are optional but they do add a lovely pop of sweetness as they swell and become juicy during the cooking. Chopped dates are also lovely in porridge.
- Salt: A pinch of salt really does improve the flavour of homemade oatmeal, but should be skipped if you are serving this to babies or very young children.
Step-by Step Guide to Stovetop Oatmeal
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Oatmeal recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Step one: Place the rolled oats, water, salt (and raisins if using) in a saucepan
Step two: Turn the heat to medium- low, let the oats slowly cook stirring occasionally until the porridge is thick and creamy the oats are tender and have released their starches (around 15 minutes).
Step three: Stir in the cold milk and cook for a few more minutes.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal
Step four: In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and brown sugar
Step five: Portion the hot oatmeal in bowls, sprinkle on the brown sugar topping, let set so the brown sugar can melt onto the surface of the porridge.
Step six: Drizzle with cream
Top Tips
Here is how you can make perfect Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal every time!
- I make thin oats, i.e. I don't like them too thick. I like my oats to float like an island when I add milk or cream to my bowl. I use a ratio of 1 cup of oats to 3 cups of liquid. This ratio can be reduced if you prefer thicker oats. It can be reduced all the way to 1 cup of oats to 1 cup liquid, but I find this type of oatmeal very stodgy!
- Take your time: If you are used to instant oatmeal made in the microwave you will be blown away by how creamy stove op porridge is in comparison.
- Stovetop porridge doesn't need constant stirring. Although the cooktime can seem long, I pop it on when I get into the kitchen, then, I let it cook while I empty the dishwasher, throw on a load of washing and finish the kids' lunchboxes. By that time it's perfect.
- Stirring in the cold milk at the end really does make the porridge even creamier!
- Don't add the milk to the end. Milk can catch and burn while cooking, if you don't add it until the end then you don't need to worry about burnt oatmeal or a hard pot to clean.
- Milk Powder Hack: To make this porridge even more economically, try using milk powder. Increase the water to 3 cups, and stir in 3 Tablespoons of milk powder at the end of cooking.
- Rinse the cooking pot in cold water as soon as you have served the oatmeal porridge. If you leave the oatmeal to cool in the pot it can set and become hard to clean. But it will rinse out easily with cold water immediately after serving.
- Allow time for melting: Sprinkle your oatmeal porridge with the brown sugar and let it melt for a bit before adding the cream, this creates the nicest flavor.
Topping Ideas
I've get this oatmeal quite simple with a cinnamon and brown sugar topping, but you can go crazy with toppings:
- Drizzle with: Honey, Maple Syrup, Golden Syrup
- Fresh fruit: Berries, sliced bananas, apple
- Nuts & Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, chia seeds, sesame seeds, almond butter, peanut butter
- Spoon on: Applesauce, strawberry puree, blueberry compote, yogurt
- Sprinkle with: Chocolate chips, coconut flakes
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal
The best way I know how to make oatmeal is slowly on the stove top. Add brown sugar cinnamon topping and a drizzle of cream, and it is absolutely divine.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 251kcal
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Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 ½ cup cups water
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup raisins optional
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Topping
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup cream
Instructions
- Place the rolled oats, water, salt (and raisins if using) in a saucepan.
- Turn the heat to medium- low, let the oats slowly cook stirring occasionally until the porridge is thick and creamy the oats are tender and have released their starches (around 15 minutes)
- Stir in the cold milk and cook for a few more minutes.
Brown sugar cinnamon topping
- In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and brown sugar
- Portion the hot oatmeal in bowls, sprinkle on the brown sugar topping, let set so the brown sugar can melt onto the surface of the porridge.
- Drizzle with cream
Notes
- I make thin oats, i.e. I don't like them too thick. I like my oats to float like an island when I add milk or cream to my bowl. I use a ratio of 1 cup of oats to 3 cups of liquid. This ratio can be reduced if you prefer thicker oats. It can be reduced all the way to 1 cup of oats to 1 cup liquid, but I find this type of oatmeal very stodgy!
- Take your time: If you are used to instant oatmeal made in the microwave you will be blown away by how creamy stove op porridge is in comparison.
- Stovetop porridge doesn't need constant stirring. Although the cook time can seem long, I pop it on when I get into the kitchen, then, I let it cook while I empty the dishwasher, throw on a load of washing and finish the kids' lunchboxes. By that time it's perfect.
- Stirring in the cold milk at the end really does make the porridge even creamier!
- Don't add the milk to the end. Milk can catch and burn while cooking, if you don't add it until the end then you don't need to worry about burnt oatmeal or a hard pot to clean.
- Milk Powder Hack: To make this porridge even more economically, try using milk powder. Increase the water to 3 cups, and stir in 3 Tablespoons of milk powder at the end of cooking.
- Rinse the cooking pot in cold water as soon as you have served the oatmeal porridge. If you leave the oatmeal to cool in the pot it can set and become hard to clean. But it will rinse out easily with cold water immediately after serving.
- Allow time for melting: Sprinkle your oatmeal porridge with the brown sugar and let it melt for a bit before adding the cream, this creates the nicest flavor.
- Rolled Oats: I use old fashioned oats, you can of course use unflavored quick-cook instant oats, the cook time will be a bit faster. I have not used this method with steel-cut oats.
- Milk: I use full-fat milk when I make my oatmeal, but you can use any milk or plant-based alternative.
- Raisins: These are optional but they do add a lovely pop of sweetness as they swell and become juicy during the cooking. Chopped dates are also lovely in porridge.
- Salt: A pinch of salt really does improve the flavour of homemade oatmeal, but should be skipped if you are serving this to babies or very young children.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serve | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 488IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1mg
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