Perfectly cooked steel cut oats in the pressure cooker? Yes, please! Cooked with apples and cinnamon, this recipe is a great breakfast for chilly fall days.

Photography Credit: Coco Morante

Whenever I make oatmeal on the stove, I end up with a boil-over or a scorched pot. Not so when I use my electric pressure cooker!

Steel cut oats cook perfectly in the pressure cooker, without any kitchen disasters. And without a terrible mess!

In the fall and winter, I make this hearty version with steel cut oats, apples, and cinnamon. It’s the ideal breakfast to warm you from head to toe on chilly mornings.

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STEEL CUT OATS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

Steel cut oats normally cook for upwards of a half hour on the stove, with constant stirring required. It takes about the same amount of time in the pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot!), except you get to walk away while the oats cook themselves. I just love that!

New to the Instant Pot? Check out our post How To Use an Instant Pot: A First-Timer’s Guide.

WHAT KIND OF APPLES TO USE

Since the pressure cooker breaks down ingredients so efficiently, you want to use apples that can hold up to all of that cooking power. Granny Smiths are my apple of choice, but any firm baking apple or even firm pears or quinces should do the trick.

For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.

A TIP FOR TASTIER OATS

Whenever I make steel cut oats, I take the extra step of toasting the oats in a little bit of butter or coconut oil using the pressure cooker’s sauté setting. This adds a bit of toasty flavor and makes the house smell amazing, too.

HOW TO REHEAT PRESSURE COOKER OATMEAL

This recipe makes quite a bit and you may have leftovers. The easiest way to reheat an individual serving of oatmeal is in the microwave. Heat in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, until piping hot. The oatmeal will have thickened—stir in a splash of milk to thin it out again.

Serve up your oatmeal with butter (or coconut butter for a dairy-free option), a little brown sugar or maple syrup, and some chopped nuts for a little crunch.

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