Make this super simple honey oatmeal with your eyes closed! A perfect under 10-minute breakfast or snack that is both comforting and sustaining.
Full of creaminess and warming notes from the cinnamon, this oatmeal recipe will soon be your go-to breakfast.
A bowl of steaming oatmeal makes a wonderful breakfast or mid-afternoon snack. I love how this recipe can form the base for many tasty toppings and add-ins.
The best thing is that it's straightforward and requires only a few essential ingredients. You can quickly whip up a batch in the morning, and it will keep you satisfied until your next meal.
If you’ve tried my Applesauce Oatmeal or fall-flavored Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal, then this recipe will be a cinch for you to make.
For more oatmeal recipes check out Overnight Oats with Water, Almond Milk Overnight Oats or No-Yogurt Overnight Oats.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Great for meal prep: You can make up a batch and reheat portions as needed
- Easy to prepare: you'll only need a few simple ingredients
- Customizable: You can customize the recipe to suit your taste preferences by adding different toppings, such as fresh fruit, nuts, or seeds. You can also adjust the sweetness level by adding more or less honey.
- Budget-friendly: Oatmeal is an affordable and budget-friendly ingredient, and it can be purchased in bulk. Honey is also relatively inexpensive and can be purchased in large quantities.
- Comforting and delicious: Oatmeal is a comforting and satisfying breakfast option, and the addition of honey adds a touch of sweetness that makes it delicious and enjoyable to eat.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Oats: Old fashioned rolled oats; large flaked. Don't use quick oats or steel-cut oats.
- Honey: Choose organic and raw, if possible, without any additives.
- Milk: Choose your favorite plant-based milk like almond milk, oat milk, macadamia or rice milk. Alternatively, you could also use regular cow's milk.
- Salt: Balances out the sweet and creamy flavors.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make honey oatmeal
STEP 1: Add the oats, water, cinnamon and salt to a small saucepan.
STEP 2: Bring the ingredients to a gentle simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and honey to the saucepan and cook the oatmeal for an additional 5 minutes on low heat.
Top tips
- Simmer oats in water first: I prefer cooking oats in water first and adding the milk later. This will prevent the from being goopy.
- Toppings: Get creative with the toppings and change them up with the seasons.
- Adjust sweetness: to your preference. Add more honey or sweetener of choice for a sweeter oatmeal.
- Adjust texture: Increase or lower the amount of liquid to your liking. If you prefer a runnier consistency then add a little more milk or water. If you prefer a thicker texture, cook a couple of mintues longer.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
- Dairy-Free/ Vegan: using a plant based milk and maple syrup or agave nectar instead of honey is an easy way to switch to vegan.
- Savory: If you can wrap your head around this one – swap out the honey for a little salt and add veggies and spices.
Optional add-ins
- Vanilla Extract: gives a lovely dreamy flavor profile to your oats.
- Other Spices: try other spices such as cardamom or pumpkin spice.
- Chocolate: Stir in a spoonful or cocoa powder or raw cacao for a decadent breakfast that tastes like dessert!
- Protein Powder: Give this oatmeal a little protein boost by adding a tablespoon of your favorite protein powder.
Toppings
- Fresh Fruit – sliced, grated or diced. My favorite fruits to top this with are berries and bananas. But also tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, oranges and lychees are delicious with honey oatmeal.
- Yogurt: plain or flavored, both are a treat with this dish. Choose vegan yogurt to make it dairy-free.
- Nuts and Seeds: I love pecans, walnuts and roasted almonds. Try my Chocolate Walnuts and turn this breakfast into a special treat.
- Coconut Flakes – roast them for a little toasty taste.
- Granola: homemade such as this Applesauce Granola or store bought. Granola adds a lovely crunch and texture to your creamy oats.
- Peanut Butter or Roasted Almond Butter. Adds a lovely nutty taste as well as extra protein and healthy fats.
- Caramel Sauce: Try this homemade Peanut Butter Caramel as a delicious drizzle for your oatmeal.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this oatmeal:
Make ahead options
You can make a batch of oatmeal ahead of your week and then heat up portions as you need them.
Storage
- To store: Keep your oatmeal in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- To reheat: When reheating your oats, consider you may need to add in a little extra liquid. You can reheat them in the microwave or on top of the stove. Remember to heat them gently and to not let them burn at the base.
FAQ
Depends on how sweet you like it. Start with 1 tablespoon and work your way up.
Yes, you can use maple syrup or agave nectar successfully. If you want you can also use brown sugar.
I find that cooking your oats in a mix of water AND milk gives them this suuuper sticky texture. I prefer letting them simmer in water first and adding the milk towards the end of the cooking process.
Yes, but you’ll probably need less liquid (around 1 cup) and you will need to heat and stir in increments.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Honey Oatmeal
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (80 g) large flaked oats
- 1 ½ cup (345 ml) water
- ½ cup (115 ml) milk of choice *see notes
- 2 tablespoon honey
- tiny pinch of salt
- dash of cinnamon
Instructions
- Add oats, water, salt and cinnamon to a small saucepan.¾ cup large flaked oats, 1 ½ cup water, tiny pinch of salt, dash of cinnamon
- Bring to a gentle simmer and let simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.
- Add milk and honey and let simmer on low for another 3-5 minutes.½ cup milk of choice
- Take oatmeal off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. The oats will continue to thicken.
- Taste and adjust texture and sweetness. Add more milk for a thinner texture, leave to simmer a little longer for a thicker texture.
Video
Notes
- Milk of choice: I love unsweetened oat milk but you can also almond milk, soy milk or regular whole milk.
- Simmer oats in water first: I prefer cooking oats in water first and adding the milk later. This will prevent the from being goopy.
- Toppings: Get creative with the toppings and change them up with the seasons.
- Gluten-free oats are readily available.
- Dairy-free/ vegan: using maple syrup instead of honey and a plant based milk is an easy way to switch to vegan.
- To store: Keep your oatmeal in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Marcie says
How much honey do you recommend adding?
Katie Roux says
Hi Marcie, you'll find the exact amount is in the recipe card