This simple recipe for slow cooker baklava oatmeal has all the walnut and honey flavor of the classic pastry, but in breakfast form!
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Why we love this recipe ❤️
I am not usually a Dessert Person (I am more about cheese and chips and all other salty snacks) but I cannot, CANNOT resist baklava.
Baklava is a delectable honey and nut pastry (more below!) that is kinda complicated to make in its original form, but since I am also a Breakfast Person (looking at you, breakfast quesadillas!) I decided to work an easier version into my morning oatmeal.
This easy slow cooker recipe combines hearty steel cut oats with some walnuts and an irresistible honey syrup that we love for both breakfast and for those Breakfast For Dinner Nights. 🥰
What is baklava? 🤔
Baklava is a pastry made from very thin sheets of phyllo dough that are filled with chopped nuts and soaked in a sweet syrup, usually one that includes honey.
You can often find baklava on the menu at Greek and other Mediterranean restaurants and I am here to tell you that it is 100% worth saving room to order this delectable dessert.
And if you want to try your hand at making your own, give my friend Ree’s baklava recipe a whirl. And then mail me some!
What are steel cut oats? 🧐
Steel-cut oats (sometimes also called Irish oats ☘️) are whole oat grains that have been chopped up with a steel blade into little bits.
Because of their hard texture they need to cook longer than the rolled oats we are mainly familiar with, and they also have a sturdier texture when they are cooked. And the slow cooker is the perfect way to make them.
Now let’s put those oats and those baklava ingredients together!
Ingredients you need 🍯
Ingredient notes and substitutions 📝
- Steel Cut Oats: Look for these hearty oats next to the rolled oats oatmeal in the breakfast aisle of your supermarket. They are sometimes called Irish oats.
- Walnuts: Walnuts are traditional for baklava, but you can swap in whatever chopped nuts you have on hand.
- Honey: We tend to use whatever variety of honey we have in the pantry and you can too!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe 👩🏻🍳
STEP 1: Put a cup of steel cut oats (make sure they are steel cut and not the rolled kind), 4 cups of water, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ cup of sugar into a slow cooker and give it all a good stir. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
STEP 2: When the 8 hours are up, stir in a half cup of chopped walnuts and let it cool for a few minutes while you make the honey syrup.
STEP 3: Combine ¼ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of honey, ¼ cup of water, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of vanilla in a small pot. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter until it is melted.
STEP 4: Divide the oatmeal among 4 bowls, and ladle on a generous amount of the honey syrup. Give each bowl a stir to mix in the syrup a little. Garnish with a few more chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey.
Serve it up, with any remaining honey syrup in a little pitcher on the side for anyone who wants some extra sweetness!
Recipe FAQs 🧐
You can’t use them for this slow cooker version, but you can make your rolled oats according to the package directions and then follow the recipe from stirring in the walnuts onward. Your oatmeal will be a much softer consistency than if you used steel cut oats. but that’s okay!
You can (and it will be SUCH a scrumptious breakfast!) but remember to always put your cooker on a flat, heat-proof surface and away from any other items, make sure the plug is attached securely and that you are using the Low setting. Safety first!
Kind of! You can make the oats ahead of time (store them in the fridge) and then either reheat them in the microwave, or put them in a pot on the stovetop with a little water or milk and stir them over medium low heat until they are warm.
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
Equipment we used for this recipe 🥣
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Slow Cooker: We love this sturdy and reliable cooker for so many soups and stews!
- Small Pot: This little pot is perfect for any little stovetop cooking jobs.
Other oatmeal recipes we love! 🥰
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe card.
Slow Cooker Baklava Oatmeal
This simple recipe for slow cooker baklava oatmeal has all the walnut and honey flavor of the classic pastry in breakfast form!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for garnish
- ¼ cup honey, plus extra for drizzling
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Put the oats, water, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ cup of the sugar into a slow cooker and give it all a good stir. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- When the 8 hours are up, stir in the walnuts and let it cool for a few minutes while you make the honey syrup.
- Combine the remaining sugar, ¼ cup of honey, ¼ cup of water, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of vanilla in a small pot. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Stir in butter until it is melted.
- Divide the oatmeal among 4 bowls, and ladle on a generous amount of the honey syrup. Give each bowl a stir to mix in the syrup a little. Garnish with a few more chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey.
- Serve it up, with any remaining honey syrup in a little pitcher on the side for anyone who wants some extra sweetness!
Notes
-
- Steel Cut Oats: Look for these hearty oats next to the rolled oats oatmeal in the breakfast aisle of your supermarket. They are sometimes called Irish oats.
-
- Walnuts: Walnuts are traditional for baklava, but you can swap in whatever chopped nuts you have on hand.
-
- Honey: We tend to use whatever variety of honey we have in the pantry and you can too!
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