Cozy and packed with fiber, this Slow Cooker Protein Oatmeal will keep you full all morning. Enjoy a ready-to-eat breakfast with a comforting maple cinnamon flavor and freezer-friendly leftovers. It’s the kind of meal-prep breakfast you’ll rely on again and again.
"This is such a cozy, hearty breakfast. I just love how it keeps me full all morning and how easy it is to prep and clean up. My kids like it, too!" -Jessica
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 8 hours 5 minutes
- 👪Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 444 kcals and 20 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Steel-cut oats, maple syrup, almond milk, collagen powder, and cinnamon.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free and gluten-free.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: It’s a cozy, hands-off breakfast that cooks overnight, delivers steady energy, and tastes like warm apple-cinnamon comfort the moment you wake up. Perfect for meal prep and busy mornings.
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Busy mornings have you stressed out before the day even starts? Same. With three kids, mornings in my house are pure chaos, which is why simple, hands-off breakfasts are non-negotiable (and honestly, the whole reason behind my Rise and Chill Breakfast E-Book). When breakfast is already done, everything else feels just a little more manageable.
That’s where this slow cooker protein porridge comes in. Using steel cut oats in a slow cooker means you wake up to warm, filling oatmeal that actually fuels you, no stirring, no rushing. It’s perfect for busy moms who want something healthy without extra effort, especially if you’re trying to boost protein (learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet). Add in the bonus that you can freeze it in individual portions, and it quickly becomes one of those recipes you rely on week after week, right alongside other cozy breakfasts like high protein apple baked oatmeal.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: It doesn't get much simpler than combining everything in a slow cooker and letting breakfast cook itself.
Healthy: Packed with fiber and protein to keep you full, along with a comforting cinnamon maple flavor.
Versatile: Vary the flavor of the steel cut protein oats to create something new each time.
Before you stare: Learn more about slow cookers and choosing the best one for your family (and how to use it!).
Ingredients and Substitutions
One of the best things about this slow cooker porridge is the fact that it uses simple ingredients. If you have a well-stocked gluten-free pantry, you’re all set to whip this up.
- Steel-cut oats: Definitely a gluten-free pantry staple, make sure to use a gluten-free brand as needed, and know that regular rolled oats won’t work for this healthy porridge.
- Dairy-free milk: Any non-dairy milk will work here; we use homemade hemp milk the most.
- Dairy-free butter: Coconut oil can work in a pinch, I think, but it does take away from the savory flavor.
- Collagen powder: Collagen is one of the healthiest sources of protein, and it keeps you full. So, it’s a great way to kick off the day. Check out these other collagen powder recipes.
- Hemp hearts: I use these to get some healthy fats in, but know that they're not necessary to the recipe. If you don't have any on hand, you can omit them.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Toppings: The easiest way to adjust the taste of the slow cooker oatmeal is by topping your bowl with drizzled nut butter, dried fruit, or toasted pecans.
Fruit: Replace the apples with peaches, nectarines, strawberries, or anything else you have on hand.
How To Make Slow Cooker Protein Oatmeal
Step 1: Line a 7-quart slow cooker with parchment paper.
Step 2: Melt the butter and whisk together the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Add in the steel-cut oats, cinnamon, collagen, and hemp hearts. Pour the wet ingredients over top and mix until everything is wet. Add any sliced fruit you’re using onto the top of the mixture.
Step 4: Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
For this recipe, you do need a slow cooker that automatically switches to "warm".
Make sure not to “lock down” the lid on your slow cooker. This creates too much pressure.
You don’t need to line your slow cooker with parchment paper, but it makes for a way better cleanup and less scraping.
The longer that the slow cooker sits on “warm” the thicker the porridge will become.
I use Perfect Supplements collagen powder because it's a high-quality brand that uses no fillers (use code mamabear10 to save some money). Learn more about what is collagen powder if you're unsure of it.
Storing and Meal Prepping
This slow cooker protein porridge recipe is awesome as a meal prep breakfast recipe.
To meal prep it: Whip it all up and then portion it into individual-sized containers or a loaf pan (let it cool first). It works best with silicone containers or molds (just cover them in tin foil). Pop them in the freezer until you need them.
When you’re ready to eat them, remove them from the freezer and add a tablespoon or so of milk to each portion.
Two ways to reheat the protein porridge:
- The oven: If they’re in a silicone mold, just remove the tin foil and pop them in the oven (after adding the milk). If they’re in plastic, you’ll need to transfer them to an oven-safe proof dish. Reheat protein porridge at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until cooked (about 30 minutes).
- The microwave: Let them sit on the counter to thaw slightly, and add in a tablespoon or so of almond milk. Then, pop them in the microwave for a few minutes until cooked through.
Slow Cooker Protein Oatmeal FAQs
Oatmeal and porridge are often referred to as oatmeal. That said, oatmeal is technically a kind of porridge. However, porridge can be any grain that is mixed and soaked in milk or water.
Yes, you can! Store slow cooker porridge in sealed containers in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. When you’re ready to eat, pop it in the microwave and heat it until cooked through. Take care to give it a stir so that it heats evenly.
Unfortunately no. Protein powder, especially vegan protein powder, absorbs a lot of liquid. This would alter the texture of the slow cooker porridge greatly.
For this specific recipe, you need to use steel cut oats to make slow cooker protein oatmeal. Steel cut oats have a slower cooking time, which is what allows you to make it overnight. Rolled oats would turn too mushy.
More High-Protein Breakfast Recipes
If you tried this Slow Cooker Protein Oatmeal Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Maple Cinnamon Slow Cooker Protein Porridge
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Steel cut oats
- 3 cups Almond milk
- 3 cups Water
- ¼ cup Dairy-free butter
- ⅔ cup Maple syrup
- ¼ cup Collagen powder
- ⅛ cup Hemp Hearts
- 1.5 teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- 1 Apple sliced, options
Instructions
- Line a 7-quart slow cooker with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter and whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Add in the steel-cut oats, cinnamon, collagen, and hemp hearts.
- Pour the wet ingredients over top and mix until everything is wet. Add any sliced fruit you’re using onto the top of the mixture.
- Cover and cook the slow cooker porridge on low for 7 hours.
Notes
- Cooking times may vary for the size of your slow cooker. This protein porridge was made in a 7-quart slow cooker. If your slow cooker is smaller, the time may be more. If larger, the time may be less.
- If cooking this overnight, you need a slow cooker that automatically switches to a "warm" setting.
- Make sure not to “lock down” the lid on your slow cooker. This creates too much pressure.
- You don’t need to line your slow cooker with parchment paper but it makes for a way better cleanup and less scraping.
- We love to make this slow cooker porridge in an apple cinnamon flavor. If you want to do this, slice apples thinly and place them on top of the oatmeal mixture. Dried fruit works well too to alter flavors.
- Know that apple isn't included in the nutritional breakdown.
- You can meal prep and freeze this recipe, learn more about that in the blog post.
- The longer that the slow cooker sits on “warm” the thicker the slow-cooked porridge will become (versus a creamy porridge).
- Rolled oats or quick oats cannot be substituted for steel-cut oats. Rolled oats absorb liquid too quickly and will turn to mush.
- Hemp hearts are used to add a healthy fat to the recipe. If you don't have them, just omit them.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Jessica says
This is such a cozy, hearty breakfast. I just love how it keeps me full all morning and how easy it is to prep and clean up. My kids like it, too!
fitasamamabear says
Happy the house enjoyed it!
Gina says
I adore the heartiness of steel cut oats but cooking them stove top is kind of a pain when you want breakfast quickly. This recipe is the perfect solution!
fitasamamabear says
Omg yes! They take so much "watching" on the stove. I love the chewy texture of steel cut though.
claudia says
This porridge brought me all the Autumn leaves falling vibes. It was so warm and so lovely to wake up to the aroma of cinnamon and apples.
fitasamamabear says
So happy you loved it!
Elizabeth says
Such a great breakfast option and I love how much easier it was than making it on the stove! Perfect recipe!
fitasamamabear says
Right?! Nice option to NOT be in the kitchen.
Julianne says
This turned out perfect and I really love the maple flavor with a hint of cinnamon. What a bonus that I could just set it and forget it, using a slow cooker!
fitasamamabear says
Maple is a staple haha
Lisa says
My husband and I enjoyed this porridge. It was so warm and comforting to wake up to and made the whole house smell wonderful.
fitasamamabear says
Warm and cozy meals are the best way to wake up for the day!
Gina says
I don't often use the slow cooker but absolutely love it for this recipe. Setting it before bed and waking up to the perfectly cooked breakfast is such a time saver in the morning.
fitasamamabear says
It's a total lifesaver! Glad you busted yours out for it!
Heidi says
I topped mine with toasted pecans and it was absolutely delicious! It was a wonderful smell to wake up to in the morning, too.
fitasamamabear says
Mmmm pecans definitely make everything better lol glad you enjoyed it!
Liz says
This porridge sounds so cozy! I love that I can use my slow cooker for breakfast!
fitasamamabear says
Slow cookers save sanity haha
Jere Cassidy says
This recipe is a lifesaver and the first time I used steel cut oats. I did make this and made up bowls for our breakfast and what a hit with the family. I actually enjoyed a bowl for lunch.
fitasamamabear says
Steel cut oats makes it really hearty! Happy you gave them a go!