Why You’ll Dream About these Overnight Steel Cut Oats
The first time I made these steel cut overnight oats I toasted the oats just long enough to smell that nutty scent, and by morning they were so much softer than I expected.
I love that the oats continue to mellow in the fridge, making mornings effortless (and delicious). These jars let me balance protein, fiber, and fats with simple additions and toppings like fruit and nut butter.
Why you’ll love them too:
- Starts with a toasty, nutty aroma that turns creamy overnight.
- 1:2 liquid ratio keeps texture balanced, never mushy.
- High‑fiber breakfast that keeps you full and energized.
- Totally customizable and portable for busy mornings.
Love oats for breakfast? Try blended overnight oats, strawberry cheesecake overnight oats, or blueberry baked oatmeal next.
What’s the Difference Between Steel Cut Oats and Rolled Oats?
If you’ve only made traditional overnight oats with rolled oats like these pumpkin overnight oats or blueberry overnight oats, you may notice a big difference in texture.
- Rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) are whole oats that have been steamed and pressed. They absorb liquid quickly and soften into a creamy (almost pudding-like) texture when soaked overnight.
- Steel cut oats are the inner kernels of whole oats that have been cut down into 2 or 3 pieces using a steel blade (hence the name). This leaves them chewier and nuttier (never mushy). Because they’re less processed, they take longer to soak.
Steel cut oats offer several benefits because they’re high fiber, low glycemic, and naturally gluten-free.
TLDR: rolled oats = creamier; steel cut oats = chewier, nuttier, and more filling (thanks to fiber).
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter or coconut oil: to enhance the flavor of the oats and help break down the tougher outside of the oats.
- Steel cut oats: whole‑grain, minimally processed, chewy, and high fiber!
- Water and/or milk: use a blend of water and milk for creamier oats.
- Flavor boost: 1 tsp kosher salt or vanilla.
- Mix-ins: protein powder, dried fruit, nut butter etc.
- Optional toppings: chia or flax seeds, fresh fruit (berries, banana or apple), nut butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, or dried fruit
How to Make Creamy Make-Ahead Steel Cut Oats
- Toast the oats: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter or coconut oil. Add the steel cut oats and toast, stirring, until the aroma is toasty and nutty.
- Boil and simmer: Add liquid and salt, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat to let oats start absorbing liquid. This helps to get the breakdown of the oats started for softer oats.
- Divide and chill: Spoon oats into jars (4–5), cover, and refrigerate overnight—8 to 12 hours lets oats absorb all liquid and soften fully.
- Serve chilled or warm: For cold overnight steel cut oats oats, enjoy from the fridge. To warm, heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes with a splash of milk.
Tested Tips and Tricks
- Don’t skip toasting and simmering the oats. This enhances the nutty flavor and speeds up the softening.
- Soak together or separately. I tried both methods and they’re nearly identical. Soaking together ensures consistency but separate jars makes them easy to grab-and-go.
- Know what texture to expect. We’ve covered this, but it’s important to note that steel cut oats will have more chew.
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Overnight Steel Cut Oats
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Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter or coconut oil
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 2 cups water or equal parts water and milk for creamier oats
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional toppings: chia seeds, flax seed, banana, berries, apples, nut butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, or dried fruit
Instructions
- Toast oats (1-2 min): Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the steel cut oats and salt, toast for 1-2 minutes, until slightly nutty.1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 cup steel cut oats, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Boil and simmer (2 min): Pour in the water (or milk) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 1 minute then remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Soak (8-12 hrs): Divide into 4 jars or transfer to one big bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hour, until the oats absorb all of the liquid and are softened and creamy. They should still have some chew to them.
- Serve: To serve chilled, stir, add splash of milk, and top as desired. For warm oats, stir in a splash of milk and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Top and enjoy!Optional toppings: chia seeds, flax seed, banana, berries, apples, nut butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, or dried fruit
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs
Toasting enhances the nutty flavor and simmering accelerates the softening processes (recommended because steel cut oats are firmer and chewier than rolled oats).
Using the right ratio of 1:2 oats to liquid makes sure they’re not slimy or mushy. Steel cut oats tend to be chewier anyway, so they’re hardly ever slimy.
You can soak them in one big bowl or divide them into meal prep jars then soak. I’ve tried both and there isn’t much of a difference.
They stay fresh and delicious in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Day 1 they’ll be slightly firmer, and by day 5 they’re ultra-creamy.
Absolutely—cold oats stay creamy with a splash of milk and are perfect for grab-and-go mornings. You can zap them in the microwave with a splash of milk too if you want them warm and cozy.
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