4 28 Published Feb 25, 2016, Updated Sep 18, 2024
Why You Need to Make This Recipe
It’s the perfect breakfast for those of us that crave something warm and sweet but still want it to be on the healthy side. All of the sugar in this oatmeal comes from the dates and bananas so it’s 100% naturally sweetened and the fruit provides a good amount of fiber, vitamin and minerals! Prep the oats the night before and then mix in the extra ingredients in the morning for a quick, low effort, delicious breakfast!
Ingredients Needed
steel-cut oatmeal – make sure you grab gluten-free oats if needed. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill organic steel cut oats. water – I find that these oats are creamy enough when made with water! banana – I used a full banana but if you are watching your sugar intake, you can certainly use less of the fruit or skip the banana all together. medjool dates – the dates add a caramel flavor and slight sweetness to the oatmeal that is absolutely delicious! I highly recommend medjool dates for this recipe, but if you have chopped dates on hand and want to use those, that’s fine. cinnamon – the perfect spice pairing. sea salt – brings all of the flavors together and really balances the sweet ingredients. optional toppings – almond butter, chopped dates, chia seeds and hemp seeds.
How to Make Date Oatmeal
This recipe uses steel-cut oats that takes one extra step to make! I recommend the overnight cooking method which is really simple and makes for quick reheating. You’ll prep the oats the night before and simply add the banana, dates, cinnamon and salt the next morning. Start by placing just the oats and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Make sure you watch carefully so the water doesn’t boil over. Turn down the heat quickly and allow the oats to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit at room temperature overnight. In the morning, uncover the saucepan and stir in the banana slices, chopped dates, cinnamon and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and stir frequently until the oatmeal is fully cooked and creamy.
Variations and Tips
Stovetop – if you forget to cook your oats the night before, you can cook them on the stovetop for longer in the morning. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add in the oats. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rest of the ingredients in and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes. Low sugar – you can reduce or omit the banana to make this oatmeal lower in sugar. The dates will provide enough sweetness! Gluten-free – oats are naturally gluten-free but are one of the most common foods to get contaminated during processing. Make sure you grab gluten-free steel cut oats if needed!
More Oatmeal Recipes to Try
Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Oatmeal Baked Oatmeal Cups 4-Ways Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Maple Pecan Baked Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups How to Make Oatmeal For Babies Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
Need more inspiration? Be sure to check out all of my medjool date recipes as well as the full collection of oatmeal recipes here on EBF!
