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Warm & cozy Pumpkin Oatmeal is worth waking up for! This easy oatmeal breakfast pairs hearty rolled oats with comforting pumpkin pie flavors, and turns your everyday bowl of oatmeal into a delicious celebration of fall!
Pumpkin Oatmeal is our favorite breakfast when the mornings start to become chilly. It is loaded with cozy pumpkin flavor and warm spices with the perfect touch of sweetness.
It’s so delicious, it’s like eating dessert for breakfast (think a slice of warm pumpkin pie without the crust!). In addition, it’s so easy to make! Everything comes together in one bowl, and 4 servings are ready in just about 15 minutes. Finish it off with your favorite toppings for a breakfast that will keep you full and satisfied all morning long!
Why you should make this recipe
- Filled with fall flavors and so tasty: This bowl of deliciousness is bursting with the taste of pumpkin pie. And it’s so cozy and comforting that it’s like a warm hug!
- Easy to make: All of the ingredients get dumped in a pot to simmer for 15 minutes and then breakfast is ready!
- Healthy: This oatmeal recipe is made with wholesome ingredients that will keep you full and satisfied. It’s a hearty, nutritious, and delicious way to start your morning.
- Great for meal prep: This pumpkin oatmeal recipe makes 4 servings, which you can store in the fridge to have breakfast ready-to-go for several days during the week.
Ingredients needed
This pumpkin oatmeal recipe is made with all of your basic oatmeal ingredients with the addition of pumpkin puree and warm fall spices. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Oats: Use rolled/old-fashioned oats for the best texture! Rolled oats are less processed than quick oats, so they maintain a delicious texture when cooked. They also reheat well.
- Pumpkin: This oatmeal recipe calls for 1 cup pure pumpkin puree, which is about 1/2 the can. Use the other half to make healthy pumpkin pancakes!
- Water & milk: Use water and any type of milk you like to cook the oats! We typically use unsweetened almond milk to keep this recipe dairy-free. The richer the milk you use, the richer the oatmeal will be. You can also use all milk or all water.
- Vanilla extract: For subtle sweet flavor.
- Spices: A combination of ground ginger and ground cinnamon add just the right amount of spice.
- Maple syrup: To perfectly sweeten your bowl of pumpkin oats.
- Pumpkin seeds: A sprinkle of pumpkin seeds (pepitas) over the top adds a lovely crunch.
How to make this oatmeal breakfast bowl recipe
In this pumpkin oatmeal recipe, steel-cut oats are simmered with pumpkin puree, water, milk, and spices and naturally sweetened with maple syrup, then served with pumpkin seeds for crunch, creating the best fall breakfast!
- Combine ingredients: To a heavy-bottom pot, add the oats, pumpkin puree, water, milk, vanilla, and seasonings.
- Simmer oats: Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a bubble. Once you see tiny bubbles and a bit of froth at the tops, reduce the heat to low. Cook, over low heat, stirring frequently, until the oatmeal is creamy, around 12-15 minutes.
- Enjoy! Once the oats are done cooking, stir in the maple syrup. Divide into bowls, garnish with pumpkin seeds, and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Pumpkin pie spice: Pumpkin spice is usually made with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves or allspice. If you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can replace the cinnamon and ginger with 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
- Gluten-free pumpkin oatmeal: As written, this recipe is gluten-free, just be sure your oats are in a package labeled certified gluten-free.
- Vegan & dairy-free: To ensure that this recipe is vegan and dairy-free, use plant-based milk, like almond milk, cashew milk, or oat milk.
Variations
- Oats: The instructions for this recipe are for steel-cut oats. If you’d like to use rolled oats, 1 cup will only make 2 servings and you’ll need to use about 1/2 cup less liquid. Also, rolled oats only take about 5 minutes to cook on the stovetop.
- Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin puree or make your own at home.
- Toppings: In addition to the pumpkin seeds or instead of them, some other toppings that work great are whipped cream or yogurt, chocolate chips, almond butter or peanut butter, and/or nuts (pecans, almonds, or walnuts).
- Other mix-ins: Get creative! This oatmeal would be delicious with any of the following stirred in dried or fresh cranberries (stirred in at the end of simmering), shredded coconut, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and/or protein powder.
Frequently asked questions
This specific recipe is written to be made on the stovetop, however, you will love our healthy pumpkin pie baked oatmeal. It’s an easy, wholesome, flavorful recipe that comes together with just 10 minutes of hands-on time and serves 6 people.
With the addition of pumpkin puree, spices, and maple syrup, this oatmeal recipe is plenty flavorful. We always recommend jazzing up your bowl of oats with fresh fruit (berries, bananas, apples, peaches, mango, or pears), spices, and natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
According to Bob’s Red Mill, rolled oats and steel-cut oats have close to the same nutritional value. However, steel-cut oats have more fiber content and density than rolled oats, which makes steel-cut oats the better choice.
Storage & reheating recommendations
- Leftovers: Place any leftover oatmeal in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.
- To freeze: This pumpkin oatmeal is freezer-friendly and can be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer. To freeze, let cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Let thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- Rewarming: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water to get the consistency right, until warmed through. Alternatively, you can heat in the microwave using 30 to 45-second intervals, stirring after each, until warmed through.
More pumpkin recipes for breakfast
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Protein Pumpkin Donuts
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie
- Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding
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Pumpkin Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- To a heavy-bottom pot add the oats, pumpkin puree, water, milk, vanilla and seasonings.
- Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a bubble. Once you see tiny bubbles and a bit of froth at the tops, reduce the heat to low.
- Cook, over low heat, stirring frequently, until the oatmeal is creamy, around 12-15 minutes.
- Once the oats are done cooking, stir in the maple syrup. Divide into bowls, garnish with pumpkin seeds, and serve warm.
Notes
- Leftovers: Place any leftover oatmeal in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.
- To freeze: This oatmeal recipe is freezer friendly, and can be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer. To freeze, let cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Let thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Rewarming: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water to get the consistency right, until warmed through. Alternatively, you can heat in the microwave using 30 to 45 second intervals, stirring after each, until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
