This recipe for CrockPot Steel Cut Oats will show how easy it is to cook steel cut oats in the slow cooker if you haven’t tried that! And these tasty steel cut oats cook that in about 3 hours are kicked up in flavor with maple syrup and pecans!

Pin CrockPot Steel Cut Oats to try it later!

CrockPot Steel-Cut Oats shown in serving bowl with maple syrup and pecans.

It’s not surprising I’d enjoy these CrockPot Steel Cut Oats (with Maple Syrup and Pecans), because one of my favorite carb-splurge breakfasts is oatmeal with Peanut Butter. I make that with Extra Thick Rolled Oats cooked in the microwave, a method I learned from my blogging friend Alanna.

And because I like those extra-thick oats so much, I wanted to try steel cut oats, but I wasn’t sure about the longer cooking time, reported to be as much as 45 minutes on the stove. Then I heard about cooking steel cut oats in the slow cooker, and when I tried it, I loved these CrockPot Steel Cut Oats. And cooking them in the slow cooker couldn’t be easier!

I originally made this recipe with agave nectar, but now I’d use Sugar-Free Maple Syrup (affiliate link) which reduces the carbs a bit, although this will never be a low-carb dish. But if you’re someone who eats oatmeal occasionally, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

What are Steel Cut Oats?

Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces, making them easier to cook. They are less processed and higher in fiber than rolled oats.

What are the different types of oats?

  • The least processed form of oats are oat groats. They need soaking, and take a very long time to cook.
  • Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces.
  • Rolled oats are steamed and rolled into flakes so they cook more quickly.
  • Quick oats are thin pieces of oatmeal that cook in a few minutes.
  • Here’s a great post on all the different varieties of oats.

How high in carbs are these CrockPot Steel Cut Oats?

These steel cut oats served with sugar-free maple syrup and chopped pecans have 26 net carbs per serving and 7 grams of protein.

Want another idea for oatmeal cooked in the slow cooker?

If you like this idea for a slow cooker breakfast you might also like my recipe for make-ahead Apple Pie Oatmeal cooked in the slow cooker!

Process photos for How to Make Steel Cut Oats in a CrockPot

How to Make CrockPot Steel-Cut Oats (with Maple Syrup and Pecans):

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Here’s what the steel cut oats look like before they’re cooked. I used Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats (affiliate link) for this recipe.
  2. I used a 2.5 quart Crockpot to cook 1 cup of steel cut oats, and it took me a few tries to get the amount of thickness and chewiness I wanted. (You can definitely double the recipe if you have a large slow cooker. Just keep extra servings in the fridge and microwave to eat later.)
  3. I decided that 5 cups water and just over three hours cooking time gave the best results with my crockpot. Newer crockpots cook much hotter than the older “slow cooker” models, and different sizes of crockpots also cook differently, so you may have to experiment a little to get the best result.
  4. Steel cut oats are great reheated, so make extra and keep them in the refrigerator, then microwave for a few minutes for an extra quick breakfast.

CrockPot Steel Cut Oats with Maple Syrup and Pecans shown in serving bowl.

More Slow Cooker Breakfasts:

Steel-Cut Oats with Maple Syrup and Pecans finished dish in serving bowl
Yield: 4 servings

CrockPot Steel-Cut Oats (with Maple Syrup and Pecans)

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

If you haven't tried cooking steel cut oats in the slow cooker, these CrockPot Steel-Cut Oats with Maple Syrup and Pecans are amazing!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup steel cut oats
  • 5 cups water (or less for extra thick oats)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt (do not skip the salt)
  • 1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped with knife

Instructions

  1. Combine steel cut oats, water, and salt in crockpot. (I sprayed the crock with non-stick spray to prevent sticking.)
  2. Cook on low, stirring every hour or so.
  3. After 3 hours start checking to see if the oats are as done as you'd like.
  4. I cooked the oats in these photos for 3 hours and 15 minutes, but a larger batch or an older model crockpot will take longer.
  5. Put one-fourth of the hot cooked oats in a bowl, drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle nuts over.
  6. If you're reheating extra steel cut oats later in the microwave, you may want to add a few tablespoons of water before you microwave them.

Notes

Recipe created by Kalyn.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 249Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 0mgSodium 336mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 5gSugar 1gProtein 7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

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Steel-Cut Oats with Maple Syrup and Pecans finished dish in serving bowl

Low-Carb Diet/ Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
The CrockPot Steel Cut Oats are definitely a carb splurge for low-carb eating plans, even with sugar-free maple syrup and nuts. This would be a great breakfast option for phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโ€™s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโ€™m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for CrockPot Steel Cut Oats was first posted in 2009 and I’ve made it a few times since then for houseguests! The recipe was last updated with more information in 2025.

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