Next level cinnamon oatmeal cooked in an instant pot for quick, convenient, and consistent great tasting daily breakfast.
The ingredients are simple, but the execution delivers big bang results in the form of flavor, aroma, and texture.
Oats and whole spices are toasted first before cooking intensifying the flavor all around.
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cinnamon oatmeal ingredients
- Steel Cut Oats
- Ghee or butter
- Almond milk
- Water
- Whole cloves
- Cinnamon Stick
- Whole Star Anise
- Piloncillo or Brown Sugar
how to cook steel cut oats in an instant pot (step by step)
step 1: saute the spices and oats
Using saute (high setting) function and add ghee/butter once display reads “hot.” Cook the cinnamon stick, star anise, and cloves 1 minute then add oats for another minute stirring as needed.
step 2: add seasonings
Mix in piloncillo or brown sugar with the oats and spices and let heat for 30 seconds then cancel saute. If using piloncillo grate it first.
step 3: cook the oats
Add the water and almond milk. Close lid and pressure cook for 4 minutes. Then use natural release for 5 minutes then release pressure manually.
serving suggestions
Simply eats as is or top with your favorite berries. For other ideas check out my guide for making oatmeal.
cooking tips
- Toasting the oats is an underrated flavor enhancing technique. The nutty oat flavor is intensified by toasting in the ghee.
- If you skip the toasting step you can alternatively add a ¼ teaspoon salt with the water and milk.
- Toasting overall is a great way to release flavor from your ingredients. I like to use the heat to release flavor of the cinnamon and nutmeg before adding the liquids.
frequently asked questions (faqs)
what does cinnamon oatmeal taste like
The spices bloom and sing beautifully when it’s heated releasing all kinds of flavor into the oats. Toasting the oats in butter adds a certain level of taste experience and brings out the nuttiness even more. The savory notes are brought out more, but balanced with the intensity of the sweetness from the brown sugar.
what other toppings work well?
Nuts, fruit (dried or fresh), yogurt, coconut flakes, etc.
can i use old fashioned oats?
Yes old-fashioned oats can work. Just note you will get a different texture and the flavor won’t be as nutty. Old-fashioned oats require less water also. Oats to liquid ratio will be 2:3 vs. 2:4 for steel cut.
For other great oat based breakfast ideas try any of these:
Creamy Oatmeal with Berry Compote
If you make this instant pot cinnamon oatmeal recipe please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.
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Equipment
- instant pot
Ingredients
- ½ tbsps ghee or butter
- 1 ½ tbsps grated piloncillo or brown sugar
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 pod star anise
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 cups steel cut oats
- 2 cups almond milk unsweetened vanilla
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Turn on Sauté button on your Instant Pot and set to High. Once display reads “Hot” add the cinnamon stick, star anise, and cloves. Toast 30 seconds to a minute. Add the ghee. Once ghee is melted add the oats and toast for 1 minute stirring as needed to heat all the oats.
- Hit the Cancel button on the IP to turn off the heat. Add the almond milk, water and salt to the IP.
- Place the IP lid on, and make sure the steam release valve is sealed. Pressure cook for 4 minutes. When it’s done pressure cooking, let the steam naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Hit the quick release. After the float valve has gone down, remove the lid and very carefully stir to fully combine liquid and oatmeal. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Remove the spices and eat as is or top with your favorite fruit.
Notes
- Toasting the oats is an underrated flavor-enhancing technique. The nutty oat flavor is intensified by toasting in the ghee.
- If you skip the toasting step you can alternatively add a ¼ teaspoon salt with the water and milk.
- Toasting overall is a great way to release flavor from your ingredients. I like to use the heat to release the flavor of the cinnamon and nutmeg before adding the liquids.