Cranberry Orange Steel Cut Oats
Enjoy this healthy cranberry oatmeal recipe for breakfast! You'll learn my tricks to making ultra creamy steel-cut oats, too.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 22, 2024
Though Iโve run across many recipes for steel cut oats on my favorite blogs and inside my most dog-eared cookbooks, somehow the fact that steel cut oats are infinitely better than their old-fashioned counterparts escaped me. Steel cut oats are so creamy that they seem positively indulgentโso decadent that I canโt resist eating tiny bowlfuls for dessert. If you havenโt given steel cut oats try yet, please do. I promise youโll never look at oatmeal the same way again.
If, like me, youโve avoided steel cut oats because they require more time on the stove, I assure you that they are worth the effort in spades. The process is largely passive, so you can set the timer and forget about it for a while. I made this big batch last weekend and it has proven to be plenty for all five weekdays thereafter. I just reheat a bowlful with a bit of extra milk and top it with a big spoonful of yogurt. Breakfast is served!
As usual, when I want to learn how to cook something right the first time, I turn to The Americaโs Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook for the proper technique. The test kitchen tried cooking oats every which way and determined that they are best when toasted first, and cooked with one part milk with three parts water. If youโve tried steel cut oats any other way, please let me know how these compare!
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Green Market Baking Bookโs recipe for Blueberry Ginger Syrup (seen on these blueberry waffles and these coconut cranberry waffles)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoon water
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Stir constantly for about 3 to 6 minutes, until the cranberries pop, the sauce thickens and turns red. Thatโs it!
Cranberry Orange Steel Cut Oats
Enjoy this healthy cranberry oatmeal recipe for breakfast! Youโll learn my tricks to making ultra creamy steel-cut oats, too. This recipe serves 4 modestly; add yogurt to stretch the portions.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup almond milk (or other milk: cowโs milk, coconut milk, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or coconut oil)
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- Zest of one orange and juice of one orange
- Cranberry sauce (recipe provided above)
- Optional garnishes: toasted and chopped pecans and/or yogurt
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring the water and milk to a simmer over medium heat. In the meantime, melt the butter (or coconut oil) in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Toast the oats, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, around 1 ยฝ to 2 minutes.
- Stir the oats into the simmering water/milk mixture. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is very thick.
- Stir in the salt. Continue to simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. The oatmeal should be very creamy at this point. Stir in the orange zest and juice, and let the oatmeal stand for 5 minutes before serving.
- Portion into bowls and top with cranberry sauce, toasted pecans, a splash of almond milk and/or Greek yogurt.
Notes
Recipe adapted from: The Americaโs Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Just substitute coconut oil for the butter, and choose a non-dairy milk.
Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free steel-cut oats.
Preparation tips: If you ignore the orange zest and juice part of the recipe, youโll have a basic recipe for super creamy steel cut oats, which you can top any way youโd like. Nut butters, fruit (fresh or defrosted), toasted nuts, compotes, jam and honey are all good ideas. Greek yogurt is highly recommended.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this with fresh cranberries, almondmilk and coconut oil. Other than that I stuck to your recipe. 40 minutes for humble oatmeal was pretty off-putting to begin with but BOY was it ever worth the wait!!!! I am the only one in my house who likes oatmeal or cranberries so I love the idea that all the leftovers are MINE! I did add greek yogurt to increase the protein, so great! Canโt wait โtil tomorrow morning for this breakfast again (and I wonโt have to wait 40 minutes.)
Just mad the cranberry sauce and I love it!! Canโt wait to use it on my oatmeal in the morning :)
I hope you loved the combination, Deb! I appreciate your review.
Superb! Loved the Cranberry/Orange marmelade.
This is such a delicious oatmeal recipe! Thank you, my toddler and I both love it!! :)
Iโm glad you enjoyed it, Janelle! I appreciate your review.
Thank you for such a clever winter oatmeal flavor! I eat steel cut oats every single morning, thanks to my darling husband and the pressure cooker. It couldnโt be easier: stick the metal trivet and a cup water into the pressure cooker, then get a soup bowl and add 1/3 cup steel cut oats and 1 cup liquid of choice (mineโs water). Stick that now-full soup bowl directly on the trivet (a bowl inside another bowl!), fasten the lid, and set the timer for 15 minutes. Natural release. Thereโso mess to clean up, and itโs hot enough to defrost frozen blueberries. And now cranberries! Thank you for saving the day again, Cookie and Kate!
Youโre welcome, CT! Thank you for sharing how you made this.
Just made this for breakfast 20 minutes ago and it is so amazing thank you for posting this itโs now going to be my new go to breakfast!
Thanks for sharing this
Youโre welcome, Laurie!