Lazy Gingerbread Cookie Overnight Oatmeal Recipe (2024)

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Gingerbread cookie overnight oatmeal is a delicious way to start your day. Healthy steel-cut oats infused with the wonderful flavors of fresh gingerbread cookies. A breakfast worth getting out of bed for!

One of the best days ever was the day I realized that I'm not the only person who is obsessed with cookie dough! So many places now sell edible cookie dough and it is about time!

Back in the day, we all just scraped what we could from the bottom of the cookie dough bowl. (Even though we all know we aren't supposed to eat anything with uncooked eggs). Honestly, nothing tastes quite as good as that (but don't try it! It's not worth risking becoming sick!)

In my pursuit of a healthier cookie dough-like treat, I have discovered that, when done right, oatmeal can come darn close! It's a matter of getting the flavors right. This recipe is a perfect example.

Is it as good as some fresh, just mixed gingerbread cookie dough? How could it be?? But, it is much healthier and much more socially acceptable to eat for breakfast!

How To Make Slow Cooker Gingerbread Cookie Overnight Oatmeal

Shopping list

To make this dish, you will need:

• steel cut oats - do not attempt this with quick oats!
• cinnamon - powder
• nutmeg - powder
• cloves
• ginger - powder
• molasses
• brown sugar - or sugar substitute such as Swerve
• vanilla - pure vanilla extract is always my vanilla of choice
• salt
• 4 cups of plant based milk or water

Note: Exact quantities can be found in the recipe card below

Process

If using a slow cooker liner, placing that in your pot is the first (and often forgotten!) step. If you prefer not to use a liner, spray your slow cooker with some sort of non-stick agent. Add everything except the milk/water to your slow cooker and mix to combine. Add milk or water and stir all together.

At this point, you will probably notice some of the spices starting to float and not really mixing in well. That is normal. However, if you find large clumps of spices, you can try to break them up with the back of a spoon to help evenly distribute.

Set your crockpot to warm (not low) and it is time for bed! In the morning, you will wake up to a house that smells like gingerbread cookies! A thick skin or even a burnt-like layer will probably be on top of your oatmeal (this varies from crockpot to crockpot). Just give it a good stir and you will be set.

Serving suggestions

While this oatmeal will be very flavorful, it is not overly sweet. It will also be quite thick. If you prefer it sweet (like I do) you can add brown sugar (or a brown sugar alternative such Swerve or golden monk fruit).

To thin it out, you can add some milk or plant-based milk. To make it really special, you can add cream, coconut cream, or another dairy-free cream alternative (like nutpods).

Other great add-ins are maple syrup, agave, powdered sugar, butter (or plant-based substitute), cinnamon, nuts, bananas, and chocolate chips. Adding a tablespoon of peanut or almond butter is another awesome add-on! You can add it to your hot oatmeal and let it melt right in!

If you are serving this on a holiday or other special occasion, it is great garnished with an actual gingerbread cookie or even a candy cane!

If you love this recipe, please let me know in the comment section below!

Storing Leftover Oatmeal

Slow Cooker gingerbread overnight oatmeal is great eaten hot or cold. Leftovers will store really well in the refrigerator. I refrigerate leftovers in small, individual serving-size containers. This makes for quick weekday grab-and-go breakfasts.

Be sure to use microwavable containers if you plan to quickly heat your oatmeal. Gingerbread oatmeal will store perfectly in your refrigerator for 5-6 days.

Cookie Dough Oatmeal Hints & Hacks

1. Despite its name, gingerbread cookie overnight oatmeal is not an overly sweet dish. You may want to keep some sweetener nearby for any guest or family member who wants to dial up the sweetness a bit. Adding bananas can help to sweeten it up in a healthy way.
2. While cooking, this can form a skin or even a crust on top. You can scoop it off and toss it out if you like, but if you stir it, it will dissolve right back in.
3. I always recommend aslow cooker linerfor easy clean-up. This is, of course, an optional step.
4. This recipe calls forsteel cut oats.I would not recommend any other type of oats due to the long cooking time.
5. Looking to increase the nutritional value of this dish? Try adding someflax seeds or nut butterinto the mix!
6. If you want to add chocolate chips: be sure to let your oatmeal cool a bit before attempting to stir in chips. Hot oatmeal will cause chocolate chips to melt (although that’s not necessarily bad!!).
7. In the market for a new slow cooker?Here is the one I am currently lusting after.

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