Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats for One

Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats for One are a delicious, festive, and healthy breakfast. Only a few ingredients and virtually no effort. Let Instant Pot do all the work and get a bowl of oats in under 30 minutes!

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I spent my childhood eating all kinds of different porridges for breakfast. From wheat to millet to rice to, of course, oats. Yet, I’ve never actually had steel cut oats until recently.

In fact, when I first saw how steel cut oats looked, I was totally confused. They look absolutely nothing like rolled oats. They also have very different texture to the traditional rolled or quick oats.

Steel-cut oats require much longer cooking time and because of that they are perfectly suited to be cooked in Instant Pot or another electric pressure cooker. The effort that it takes to make steel-cut oats on the stove disappears almost completely when Instant Pot is used. The timing is also much faster.

Most recipes online are for steel cut oats that make enough for 4 servings. In my family, the most that could ever be eaten at a time is 1.5 servings (one for me and half for my daughter), so all those recipes wouldn’t work for me.

So, I decided to see if I can make Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel Cut Oats for One without using pot-in-pot method. Quite often such small servings don’t work if they are made directly in Instant Pot. I am happy to say that this particular recipe for Steel Cut Oats for One works perfectly right in electric pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats for One are a perfect Holidays Breakfast. Easy to make and delicious. Spiced with warming ginger and cinnamon spices and sweetened with molasses. The recipe is already gluten-free and can easily be adapted to be vegan by using plant-based milk.

Ingredients to make Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats

• Steel-cut oats (you want the regular kind, not the quick-cooking ones)
• Milk
• Gingerbread spices (I use: ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)
• Molasses

How to make Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats

Making Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats in Instant Pot is super simple:

1. Add all the ingredients to your electric pressure cooker.
2. Cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
3. Do a natural release of about 10-15 minutes (or until the pressure valve drops on its own).
4. Mix and enjoy with an extra drizzle of molasses and a few pieces of candied ginger.

Easy-peasy!

Note: I wanted to make sure that this recipe will work for most Instant Pot users, so I made it in the original Stainless Steel insert for this video and recipe post. However, I very much prefer making milky recipes in a ceramic insert.

More Gingerbread recipes

• Vegan Gingerbread Cake
• Instant Pot Gingerbread Cheesecake for Two
• Gingerbread Truffles

Questions and Answers about Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats

Will this recipe work with only 3/4 cup of milk?

I’ve tried making these Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats a few times in two different models of Instant Pot and they worked every time without any issues. 

I have personally cooked many meals with as little as 1/4 cup of liquid in Instant Pot at all. Yes, it works! Yes, it comes to pressure! 

Can this recipe be doubled or tripled?

I personally have not tried increasing this recipe. However, I do not see why not. From everything I read or know about Instant Pot, you should be able to double the ingredients and yet keep the same cooking time without issues.

Please let me know if you try!!

Can you make Vegan Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats?

Yes, you can! Just use your favourite plant-based milk instead of dairy milk and follow the same recipe.

Can you use different spices?

Well, this is the recipe for Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats so it uses gingerbread spices. However, you can use your favourite store-bought Gingerbread spice mix.

Alternatively, if gingerbread isn’t the flavour you’d like to use, then feel free to use other spices and flavourings:

• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon only
• Cardamon
• Star anise
• Orange zest
• Coconut extract

Can you omit molasses?

Molasses is the key ingredient in the traditional gingerbread recipe, so omitting it here would create a different flavour profile. I’d recommend keeping it but again, just as with any cooking, ultimately it is your decision.

If you prefer not to use molasses, feel free to use other sweetener of your choice:

• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Maple syrup
• Honey

I don’t like my oats too sweet, so I only use very little molasses. Feel free to use more sweetener to taste!

Toppings for Instant Pot Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oats

Toppings aren’t really necessary for this Gingerbread Oatmeal as it is already very flavourful but you can definitely take it to the next level:

• Extra drizzle of molasses
• Candied ginger
• Cinnamon
• Whipped cream
• Ginger crisp cookies
• Graham cookies
• Marshmallows
• Frozen Berry Sauce
• Fresh berries

More Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes

• Creamy Instant Pot Millet Porridge
• 2-ingredient Instant Pot Chocolate Breakfast Quinoa
• Instant Pot Soft Boiled Eggs
• Fail-proof Instant Pot Poached Eggs
• Instant Pot Fruity Egg Bites (gluten-free)
• Instant Pot Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

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