Name: Good Morning Oatmeal
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 Cups Whole Milk; 1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats (Not Instant); ¼ Cup Dried Sweetened Cranberries; 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract; ½ Teaspoon Grated Orange Zest; 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon; 2 Tablespoons Dried Sweetened Cranberries; 2 Teaspoons Sliced Almonds

Good Morning Oatmeal is a creamy, easy-to-make, cranberry and orange-flavored oatmeal that is made with dried cranberries, freshly grated orange zest, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. It's a hot, filling breakfast you can make in just 15 minutes.

Sometimes you need a breakfast that you know will warm you up, fill you up, and keep you going for the day. If that's the case, this old-fashioned cooked oatmeal with cranberries and spices is a perfect choice to start your day and make it a good morning!

Cooked oatmeal in a pale blue bowl is sitting on a white plate.

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Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
Instructions
Pro Tip
Substitutions & Variations
More Delicious Breakfast Ideas
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Good Morning Oatmeal is creamy with lovely sweet cinnamon plus fruit and nuts. Once you've tried it, you'll never buy packets of instant oatmeal again.

It is so simple to make since everything will cook together in just one pan. You can quickly measure the ingredients and add them to the pan in the order listed in the recipe.

When the oatmeal begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the oatmeal thickens, which is generally for 10 to 13 minutes.

Why This Recipe Works

Simply put, cooked oatmeal does not take a long time to cook and this Good Morning Oatmeal is generally ready in 15 minutes including measuring the ingredients.

Now I know the packets of instant oatmeal are super convenient, but I have found the portion size of those packets has been shrinking for some time. I need two packets to get a portion that feels like a meal and the texture and quality are just not tasty.

Trust me, it is totally worth it to spend 10 extra minutes and have an oatmeal breakfast that you look forward to and want to make over and over... and this Good Morning Oatmeal delivers hearty and tasty nutrition that is extra special good.

I hope I have convinced you! Are you ready to make the best, cooked oatmeal ever? Great!

So, Let's Cook!

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make cranberry and orange Good Morning Oatmeal:

Old-Fashioned Oats - You actually can use any of the following types of oats: old-fashioned, steel cut, or protein. But do not substitute quick oats for old-fashioned oats. Quick oats will be cooked before the dried cranberries have a chance to plump up in the oatmeal.
Whole Milk - You can use any whole milk. However, I have a preference for Fairlife brand milk because it is high in protein.
Dried Cranberries - Dried cranberries are tart and sweet at the same time and super delicious when matched with the other flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, and orange in this recipe.
Dark Brown Sugar - Dark brown sugar gives lovely caramel notes to cooked oats.
Vanilla Extract - There is something about adding vanilla that makes oatmeal extra special and luxurious. Either pure or imitation extract is fine.
Ground Cinnamon - There is nothing like the flavor of sweet cinnamon to make something feel homey and comforting. A small amount raises the flavor of this oatmeal.
Sliced Almonds - (optional) Sliced almonds give a nice crunch and contrast to the smooth and creamy oatmeal.
Orange Zest - All you need are a few gratings of orange zest. It lifts all of the flavors and makes a super delicious bowl of oatmeal.

Instructions

Process Photo 1 - Measuring the dry ingredients and putting them in a small saucepan.

In a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring milk, old-fashioned oats, ¼ cup of dried sweetened cranberries, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low.

Pro Tip

♡ If your morning time is very short, you can measure the ingredients the night before to speed up your prep the next morning.

Process Photo 2 - All of the ingredients are in the pan and ready to be cooked.

Cook oatmeal uncovered for 10 to 13 minutes over medium-low heat or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Divide the oatmeal between 2 bowls. Sprinkle each portion with ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and top each with 1 tablespoon of dried sweetened cranberries and 1 teaspoon of sliced almonds.

A pale blue bowl of cooked oatmeal topped with cinnamon, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds.

Then portion out the oatmeal and top it with a sprinkling of cinnamon, a few more dried cranberries, and some sliced almonds.

Substitutions & Variations

Substitute Steel Cut Oats or High Protein Oats - for the old-fashioned oats.
Substitute Raisins - for the dried cranberries.
Substitute Walnuts - for the sliced almonds.

Cooked oatmeal in a pale blue bowls that are sitting on white plates.

Of course, there is a myriad of fruits and nuts you can substitute for dried cranberries and almonds. For extra creamy flavor add a splash of cream.

More Delicious Breakfast Ideas

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Good Morning Oatmeal