These Hot Cocoa Steel Cut Oats made completely in the slow cooker are truly the most perfect winter breakfast! All the things you love about hot cocoa rolled up into a nutritious breakfast. Enjoy!

We love steel cut oats forever and ever, and you will too! From these hot cocoa oats to these creamy coconut steel cut oats and even these overnight steel cut oats, this nutritious breakfast option can’t be beat!

These hot cocoa steel cut oats are the perfect recipe to whip up on an afternoon or evening at home! They’ll leave your kitchen smelling of holiday hot cocoa, and the next morning you’ll be able to warm up breakfast in an instant (and no one’s judging if you’re making these for din!). Let’s get into it, shall we!?

Table of Contents

Steel Cut Oats FTW

If you’ve made steel cut oats before, you know that they take almost an hour to cook on the stove top. So, the slow cooker method has become one of our go-to’s because it’s just oh so easy, and doesn’t require constant attention.

We also love cooking steel cut oats in the Instant Pot because it significantly cuts down on the cook time required for the stove top method.

We also love steel cut oats because of how much protein they pack!

Each 1/4 cup serving of steel cut oats contains 7g of protein.

And according to our friends over at Bob’s Red Mill, steel cut oats are one of the healthiest grains you can eat because they’re minimally processed and contain more fiber than other oats. Booya.

How to Make Steel Cut Oats in the Crockpot

This recipe could not be easier! Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be enjoying the most delicious hot cocoa steel cut oats in no time.

Step 1: Spray Crockpot

Give your crockpot a nice spray down (or rub down) with nonstick cooking spray! This will prevent any major stickage. You can also use coconut oil or pretty much any kind of oil for this step if you don’t have cooking spray. Using a slow cooker liner will also work great for this recipe!

Step 2: Mix in Ingredients

Mix in all ingredients EXCEPT the maple syrup (you’ll save this for later!), and stir until completely combined.

Step 3: Cook on HIGH

Once all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly, place the top on your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. Important: make sure you stir the oats every 45-60 minutes to prevent sticking on the bottom and sides of your slow cooker.

Step 4: Enjoy!

Top these delicious hot cocoa oats with any of the following festive toppings:

Mini marshmallows
Mini chocolate chips
White chocolate chips
Candy cane pieces

Storage

We recommend storing your steel cut oats in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days — perfect for meal prep breakfasts for the week!

Steel Cut Oats Recipes

5 from 3 votes

Hot Cocoa Steel Cut Oats

These Hot Cocoa Steel Cut Oats made completely in the slow cooker are truly the most perfect winter breakfast! All the things you love about hot cocoa rolled up into a nutritious breakfast. Enjoy!

Prep:5

Cook:4

Total:4 5

Fat 6

Carbs 43

Protein 8

Yield:

Print Rate

Ingredients

1.5 cups steel-cut oatmeal
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup*
6 cups unsweetened plain almond milk

Instructions

First, spray your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Then, place all ingredients in slow cooker and whisk until most of the cocoa powder has disolved.
Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours, stirring every 30-60 minutes to prevent sticking. You know your steel cut oats are done cooking after the majority of the liquid has absorbed and the oats have become chewy.
Top with mini marshmallows or chocolate chips, and enjoy!

Tips & Notes

Maple syrup: option to add more maple syrup once the steel cut oatmeal is done cooking. 1/4 cup maple syrup will give you more of a dark chocolate flavor, so if you want it sweeter, feel free to add more!
Due to the potential for sticking in slow cooker, we don't recommend making this recipe overnight, or unattended when it cannot be stirred regularly.