These creamy pumpkin steel cut oats are a cozy vegan breakfast made with pumpkin pureé and warm fall spices. Ready in about 30 minutes, this hearty pumpkin oatmeal is topped with tender sautéed maple cinnamon apples and toasted pecans for an easy autumn breakfast.
Creamy Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats for a Cozy Fall Breakfast
Is there anything more quintessentially fall than apples and pumpkins?! I absolutely love cooking and baking with both of them and figured it was the perfect time to share one of my favorite hearty fall breakfast recipes. These creamy pumpkin steel cut oats topped with maple cinnamon apples are the perfect fall breakfast once the weather cools down. They kind of taste like a cross between pumpkin pie and apple pie and are honestly super satisfying.
The steel cut oats give this naturally gluten free and vegan pumpkin breakfast a chewy quality while still keeping the texture creamy as well. They do take longer to cook than traditional oats but it’s so worth it for the texture! You can easily batch cook these and multiply the recipe by 2 or 3 and simply heat them up each morning. I really love making these on a lazy fall weekend so I can take my time and not feel rushed. These pumpkin oats plus a hot cuppa chai is the best fall breakfast combo!
Key Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats Ingredients
This recipe is formulated for steel cut oats, not rolled oats as they have a different oat to liquid ratio. The combination of pumpkin puree and non-dairy milk makes this fall oatmeal recipe extra creamy. You can use any milk that you like but I tend to prefer unsweetened soy milk for the added protein. If you’re worried about what to do with your leftover pumpkin puree, I recommend using it in this pumpkin granola or these maple glazed pumpkin scones.
For the maple cinnamon apples, I recommend going for a firm apple variety that won’t break down while it cooks. I tend to rotate between Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Honeycrisp varieties. You may want to increase the amount of maple syrup if your apples are really tart so make sure to taste them first!
Tips for Ensuring a Super Creamy Pumpkin Oatmeal
Even though steel cut oats have a chewy bite when cooked, you can still achieve a creamy oatmeal texture! The key to the creamy quality lies in using a combination of milk, water, and pumpkin puree for the cooking liquid. The pumpkin puree naturally thickens the oats and helps achieve the creaminess.
The other key factor is to cook the steel cut oats low and slow. Once you add the oats, you’ll kick the heat down to medium low and cook them for about 15-20 minutes. This gives them time to cook them to the perfect chewy texture without all of the liquid evaporating which is what yields that creaminess. If you were to cook them at a higher temperature, they would thicken too quickly before the oats were cooked through.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Steel Cut Oats
If you’re making this recipe for yourself, you’ll have an extra serving left over. What a treat! I like to store leftover oats and maple cinnamon apples in separate containers. Reheat the oats in a pan over medium low with a few splashes of milk, stirring regularly until they are warmed through and creamy. You can reheat the apples in the same pot/pan once the oats are done.
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Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats with Maple Cinnamon Apples
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
These creamy pumpkin steel cut oats are a cozy vegan breakfast made with pumpkin pureé and warm fall spices. Ready in about 30 minutes, this hearty pumpkin oatmeal is topped with tender sautéed maple cinnamon apples and toasted pecans for an easy autumn breakfast.
Ingredients
for the steel cut oats
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1/2 cup steel cut oats
- 1–2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 handful toasted chopped pecans, optional for serving
for the maple cinnamon apples
- 1 medium firm apple, such as Pink Lady or Granny Smith, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil, or vegan butter
- 1 small pinch sea salt
- 1 heaping tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Combine the water, coconut milk, and pumpkin puree in a pan. Whisk to incorporate everything together, then bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the salt and steel cut oats, stirring them in. Drop the heat to medium low and let the oats simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oats are ready when they are creamy and still have a bit of bite to them. Remove the oats from the heat and stir in the spices and coconut sugar.
While the oats cook, start the apples. Melt the coconut oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, and pinch of salt once the oil has melted. Saute the apples over low heat, stirring occasionally. Once the apples have softened and the maple syrup is bubbling a bit, remove from the heat and set aside.
Divide the oats between two bowls and top each with the apples, a drizzle of the syrup from the apples, and a handful of toasted pecans if using.
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. Make sure to enjoy them within a week. Leftovers can be reheated in a pot/pan over medium low with a couple of splashes of milk. Stir regularly until the oats are heated through. You can also re-warm them in the microwave if you prefer.
Notes
- This makes two smaller servings or one very generous serving.
- If you do not need this recipe to be vegan, feel free to use regular milk and butter.
- You can use brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar if you prefer.
- If you don’t want to use the three different spices in the oatmeal, feel free to swap in 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Here’s my recipe if you’d like to make your own this fall!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
I totally agree with your combination and love the cooler weather also!