Perfect Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe

This Perfect Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe is simple and satisfying. Learn how to turn out perfect oats every time with these handy tips and tricks.

Making oatmeal from scratch is almost as simple as opening an envelope of the instant stuff. It’s not much more time consuming, but it is SO much more satisfying! This recipe forApple Cinnamon Stovetop Oatmealis one of the most popular here on Sugar Dish Me.

And since people love THAT, I thought it would be fun to share the “good bones” of how to make stovetop oatmeal like a pro. So here’s how to achieve perfect stovetop oatmeal.[side note: Google keeps correcting the word “stovetop” and I am just ignoring the red squiggle spelling error line because IT IS A WORD]

Favorite Oatmeal Add-Ins

We all know that I typically prefer my oats in cookie form (like with these White Chocolate Blueberry Oat Cookies). But a good bowl of oatmeal goes a long way in the morning and I love playing around with add-ins and toppings. Some favorites:

Dried cranberries or raisins
Sliced apples or peaches
Chocolate chips + bananas
A spoonful of peanut butter + honey
Maple syrup + brown sugar
Almonds, pistachios, or walnuts

Tips on How to Make Stovetop Oatmeal

Once you have made some decisions about what’s going IN your oatmeal, you can focus on technique. I have a few tips:

Old Fashioned Oats will give more texture; Quick oats will be creamier and will cook a little faster.
If you buy the old fashioned oats and decide you prefer quick cooking oats, a pulse in the blender or food processor gives you quick oats in less than a minute!
If your oats threaten to bubble up and over the sides of the pan when you add them to the hot water, you need to reduce the heat.
Your oats need a dash of salt to be perfect.

Let’s talk about this salt things really quick. Once upon a time an old boyfriend tried to get cute and make me oatmeal. Annnnnd he added salt.

Should I Make Oatmeal with Water or Milk?

Okay so I know I JUST said you need to make oats on the stove with water, but that’s because I learned how to make oatmeal in the US.

There are some super contentious comments at the end of this post – y’all are passionate about oatmeal – that are also slightly hilarious, and most of the fuss is about whether you should cook oats in milk or water. So let’s lay out the reasons for water, which is what this recipe calls for.

Milk scalds. It is very tricky to simmer milk to the correct temperature for cooking oats and not have it burn, Burnt milk is gross.
You can have really creamy oats by cooking in water! If creamy is the goal, you don’t need to cook the oats in water. You can just follow this recipe.
Water is lower in calories. I prefer to save my calories for cookies.
I don’t love milk that much. I developed this recipe and while I do love all things dairy, I don’t love cow’s milk. So I guess this is a little bit because I say so.

Love Oatmeal? You should also try…

Banana Oat Pancakes – the oatmeal is in the pancakes! They are also loaded with bananas and chopped pecans, are super fluffy, and they will not disappoint.

OatmealBerry Crumb Bars – one of my oldest recipes and still a favorite! A layer of cooked berries are sandwiched between a brown sugar crust and a crumbly oatmeal topping. You’ll love them.

Yield: 1 serving

Perfect Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 4 minutes

Learn how to make oatmeal on the stove with this super easy recipe!

Ingredients

1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 cup Water
dash of Salt
1/4 cup Milk
Toppings and Add-Ins

Instructions

Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer.
Gently stir in the oats. If the water starts to bubble over, reduce the heat even further.
Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the dash of salt, and scrape the oatmeal into a bowl.
Float the milk across the top and add your favorite add-ins and toppings.

FAQs

What is the ratio of oatmeal to water? ›

Read the instructions on the side of your oatmeal container and do what they say to avoid a pasty, sticky mess or a soupy mush. For steel-cut oats, the ratio is 3/4 to 1 cup of liquid per 1/4 cup of oats. If you are using quick-cooking or rolled oats, the ratio is 1 cup of liquid per 1/2 cup of oats.

Tell Me More ›

How do you make perfect oatmeal consistency? ›

The oats will start to thicken up quickly and will burn to the bottom of the pot if not stirred. Let them get creamy: The only way to get creamy oatmeal is to cook them for at least 8 minutes. This allows the oat grain enough time to break down and disperse their starches.

Learn More ›

Is oatmeal better with milk or water? ›

Simple tip #1: Make oatmeal with milk (or a non-dairy alternative) versus water. Not only does oatmeal made with water taste way less delicious, but you're also missing out on the extra protein staying power that milk will add to the breakfast. Water will also make the oats more gummy instead of creamy.

Show Me More ›

Is 1 cup oatmeal too much? ›

The bottom line. The general oatmeal serving size is around half a cup of uncooked oats or one cup of cooked oatmeal. A serving of oats provides a variety of important nutrients, including protein, vitamins, and minerals.

See Details ›

How many cups of oatmeal for 2 cups of water? ›

Old-fashioned oats – Old-fashioned oats, or rolled oats, are made by steaming oat groats and rolling them into flakes. They have a short cooking time, 5 minutes, and they only require 2 cups water for every cup oats.

Get More Info ›

Do you boil water first for oatmeal? ›

Directions: Boil water and salt. Stir in oats, reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until oats are desired texture.

Know More ›

How do you keep oatmeal from boiling over the stove? ›

The best prevention when cooking oatmeal in a pot is what we recommend in our recipes: Stir the oatmeal a few times as it cooks, which breaks up the bubbles. The solution to boilovers in a microwave is even simpler—just use a larger, wider bowl.

Find Out More ›

How do you make Quaker oatmeal taste better? ›

Additions for taste

Fresh fruit: berries, bananas, apples, peaches, mango, or pears.
Spices: cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg.
Natural sweeteners: a dash of maple syrup or honey.
Unsweetened or lightly sweetened chocolate: shaved dark chocolate (with a cocoa content of 70% or more)

More items...

Apr 19, 2022

Keep Reading ›

What not to mix with oatmeal? ›

High-sugar toppings like chocolate, syrup, and dried fruit

As Best points out, "some of the worst ingredients that are mistakenly added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried fruit."

Learn More Now ›

Can you overcook oatmeal? ›

It's the quickest method, that produces the best taste and texture. But there is a catch: you can't cook them straight inside the pot! We found that some parts of the oats got overcooked and produced a rubber-y oatmeal, so we used the pot-in-pot method to make the oatmeal.

Find Out More ›

What is the healthiest way to make oatmeal? ›

First, start with your base. Nadeau recommends milk instead of water because it adds protein and makes the oatmeal creamier. Next, look to protein. Try Greek yogurt, which has about 13 grams of protein per cup or peanut butter, which also packs in fiber and healthy fats.

What is the ratio of oatmeal cereal to water? ›

Stove Top

1/2 cup oats.
1 cup water or milk.
Dash of salt (optional; for low sodium diets, omit salt)