Slow cooker strawberries and cream oatmeal uses steel cut oats and cooks overnight for a creamy, delicious breakfast that’s ready when you wake up!

Um, how is it April?

I'm still adjusting to the fact that we're in a new year and it's already month four? What?!

At least I have a fun month to look forward to. The kids have spring break in a couple weeks and we'll head to Florida to spend it with my in-laws. We've also got a few birthday parties and our spring camping trip to look forward to this month.

And of course, all kinds of spring fun outside. Soccer, basketball, golf, bike rides, tennis, dog walks - you name it, we're doing it!

I'm also looking forward to some spring fun in the kitchen.

Speaking of...

I’ve previously shared my slow cooker maple cinnamon oatmeal, which we love in our house!

Today’s recipe, for slow cooker strawberries and cream oatmeal, may by my favorite slow cooker oatmeal flavor yet!

It’s perfectly sweet, perfectly creamy and smells amazing!

I love the combination of strawberries and cream anyway, and this turns it into the perfect fun and healthy breakfast oatmeal.

I use reduced-fat cream cheese and milk for the creamy element and oh my! It’s such a great backdrop to soften and tenderize the steel cut oats.

They become so creamy and soft and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

I also love making overnight oatmeal in the slow cooker because it means breakfast is ready and waiting for you when you wake up!

It takes just minutes to throw together before bed the night before and bam! You’ll wake up to a heavenly smell awaiting you. Can't beat that!

Psst… If you’re looking for strawberry overnight oats, the kind you make in a jar and set in the refrigerator overnight, I’ve got 2 different ways you can make them in that post. We love overnight oatmeal jars in this house too!

Oatmeal all the ways!

By the way, I’ve also got a peanut butter banana steel cut oatmeal in the slow cooker that I’m still tweaking. It smells amazing.

What other flavors would you like to see? Leave me a comment below!

Today though, it’s all about the strawberry love. ❤️

Speaking of the strawberries though, I have to warn you. They turn brown after cooking so long in the crock pot.

They get soft and sorta melt into the oatmeal, which tastes delicious. But they are not very appetizing looking.

If you have, um, “selective” eaters, you may want to fish out those pieces and just top their bowl with fresh sliced strawberries.

Notes on slow cooker strawberries and cream oatmeal:

This recipe calls for steel cut oats, which are heartier and take longer to cook. That’s just what we want in an overnight steel cut oatmeal. Other types of oats would likely turn to total mush.
You can use your milk of choice here. We prefer my daughter’s soy milk because it has a little sweetness to it, but 2% and skim both work too. Almond milk would be fine as well.
I prefer to add 1 cup of strawberries to the slow cooker to cook overnight and reserve the rest of the strawberries for topping bowls with in the morning. They stay fresh and bright that way.
The recipe calls for ½ cup maple syrup, but you could get away with just ⅓ cup if you want to reduce the sugar.

Want to make this vegan?

Totally do-able. You just need to replace the cream cheese.

I’d suggest using a vegan cream cheese or trying a soy yogurt instead of cream cheese. You’ll need about 1 cup or so.

Finally, here are some ways to serve this to make an extra special breakfast.

Toppings for strawberries and cream oatmeal:

- Extra sliced strawberries

- Sliced bananas would go well with this too

- Drizzle of maple syrup on each bowl

- A sprinkling of chia seeds

- Crunchy granola for some texture

- White chocolate chips - they melt in and are so yummy!

- Or add a dollop of whipped cream!

I hope you give this a try! You’ll love have breakfast ready and waiting for you in the morning!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. Check out all of my healthy oatmeal recipes for more yumminess!

Yield: 6-8 servings

Slow cooker strawberries and cream oatmeal

Name: Slow cooker strawberries and cream oatmeal
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 7 h
Total time: 7 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats; 6 cups milk of choice; 1/2 cup maple syrup; 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries, divided; 4 oz. plain cream cheese (I use 1/3 reduced fat); 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; Extra sliced strawberries, sliced bananas, maple syrup, chia seeds, granola, white chocolate chips or a dollop of whipped cream

Slow cooker strawberries and cream oatmeal cooks overnight for a creamy, delicious breakfast that’s ready when you wake up!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 7 hours

Total Time 7 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups steel-cut oats
6 cups milk of choice
½ cup maple syrup
1 ½ cups diced strawberries, divided
4 oz. plain cream cheese (I use ⅓ reduced fat)
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Optional toppings:

Extra sliced strawberries, sliced bananas, maple syrup, chia seeds, granola, white chocolate chips or a dollop of whipped cream

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients, using just 1 cup of the sliced strawberries, in the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours overnight.
In the morning, stir well. The sides at the top will be cooked onto the slow cooker insert and just need to be scraped and mixed in with the rest of the oatmeal. Stir in remaining ½ cup sliced strawberries.
Serve warm with any desired toppings and enjoy!

Notes

The recipe calls for ½ cup maple syrup, but you could get away with just ⅓ cup if you want to reduce the sugar.

Want to make this vegan? You just need to replace the cream cheese. I’d suggest using a vegan cream cheese or trying a soy yogurt instead of cream cheese. You’ll need about 1 cup or so.