Pumpkin Pie Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal

Last year, we grew our first patch of pie pumpkins. We froze tons of pumpkin. I was looking for a quick, nutritious way to use up our pumpkin inventory. I love making pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin cream cheese muffins. But with a newborn baby and my 5 blessings, I just didn’t have much time to get dirty in the kitchen.

So one night, I threw some pumpkin in my crockpot with steel cut oats and hoped it would come out tasty by morning.  It was okay for a first attempt, but it needed something more… more flavor, more texture, and a majority vote from my kids. After a few more attempts and some tweaks (helping to use up my inventory), this recipe made the cut.  The kids and I LOVE this recipe and they all gave me the thumbs up for posting it, even my pickiest oatmeal eater. I got an extra thumbs up from my sweet friend who happened to be over the next day when we were voting on the recipe. Thanks Mel!

I love making something special out of the ordinary. So I thought I would make this breakfast like a dessert with an oatmeal bar. Set up cream or milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, candied pecans or nuts, and homemade cinnamon whipped cream in separate containers. Use an ice cream scooper to serve the oatmeal. Let your guests top their oatmeal to their delight. You may want to put aside some whipped cream for yourself.  That is always the first to go at my house!

If there are any leftovers, I like to have a scoop of this oatmeal topped with a generous serving of the homemade cinnamon whipped cream for dessert. No sugar needed for me.  The sweetness from the slow cooked raisins adds just enough sweetness to the oatmeal and the cool whipped cream provides a nice contrast. It is warm, filling, and perfect for a late night treat without the guilt.

This oatmeal recipe is very forgiving. So if you prefer your oatmeal creamier or drier, add or reduce the liquid. You can also make it dairy free by using coconut or almond milk and substitute coconut oil for butter. enJOY!

RECIPES

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal

Homemade Cinnamon Whipped Cream