How To Make Sticky Oatmeal – The Best Ways
In the winter, nothing is more comforting than a bowl of sticky oatmeal in the morning. The sticky goodness that is oatmeal can be made more delicious with so many other ingredients, such as apples, cinnamon, berries, and banana.
Oatmeal is the ideal breakfast meal, but how do you cook it to perfection? There are actually a few different ways to cook oatmeal. For a quick fix, you can whip up some sticky oatmeal in the microwave, or if you have some more time on your hands, you could try the oven or traditional stovetop method.
Here are more details on how to cook the most wholesome batch of sticky oatmeal:
Microwave Method
Microwave oatmeal can be ready in under two minutes, and it still tastes as good as it does when cooked in the traditional way.
What you will need:
- 1/3 cup oats
- 2/3 cup milk or water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
Steps:
- Mix the milk (or water) in with the oats, the salt and vanilla extract in a microwave-safe bowl. Make sure you use a deep bowl so the oats do not overflow when they are cooking.
- Microwave the oats for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, or until the oats are to your preferred tenderness, checking every 30 seconds or so.
- Add in any additional ingredients such as berries, chia seeds or cinnamon powder.
- Add some extra milk into the oats if they are too sticky.
Oven Method
Baked oatmeal is slightly different from when cooked in the microwave or on the stovetop, but it is just as delicious! Baked oatmeal often has a richer flavor as well, which many people prefer. The mixture needs to sit overnight before being cooked in the morning.
What you need:
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 cups oats
Steps:
- Beat the oil and sugar together. Mix in the eggs, salt, milk, baking powder, and oatmeal. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased pie pan. If desired, sprinkle the top with cinnamon and brown sugar. Leave to refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the oatmeal mixture in the oven until firm, for about 35 minutes.
Stovetop Method
Put simply, stovetop oatmeal is satisfying and simple. It is the traditional method of cooking sticky oatmeal and does yield the best results. On the stovetop, you have more control of your preferred tenderness of oats as well!
What you need:
- ½ cup oats
- 1 cup of water
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup milk
Steps:
- Place the water in a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Stir in the oats, and if the water begins to bubble over, reduce the heat more.
- Cook the oats for around 4 minutes, stirring the oats occasionally.
- Add in the pinch of salt and place the oats into a bowl.
- Add in the milk and any other add-on ingredients you might want.
Tips On How To Make The Perfect Oatmeal
As simple as oatmeal is to make, some extra tips make it taste even better, with the right consistency that everyone loves. Here are some extra tips on how to make the perfect oatmeal:
Use Enough Liquid
The key to a creamy, yet still sticky, a bowl of oatmeal is to use enough liquid. Water is great to use, as milk tends to make the oatmeal stickier and thicker, but that is up to personal preference.
Don’t Boil Your Oats
If you are cooking your oats on the stovetop, it is important not to let the oats get to a boil. Keep the oats cooking at a simmer over low or medium-low heat. It should bubble a little bit, but not enough to burn the bottom of the oats.
Spice It Up
Oatmeal on its own can be quite boring. Once the water has started to boil and you bring your oatmeal to a simmer, add some ground spices in to give it a little kick. Cinnamon and cloves are a great choice for a really hearty flavor.
Use Salt
Salt might not be an obvious choice with oatmeal, but adding a bit of salt to your oatmeal while it is cooking will give it an additional layer of flavor that will make the world of difference.
Know When To Add The Oats
If you add your oats to the water when the water is boiling, the oils with be more textured and toothsome. If you add your oats to cold water before cooking, it will be creamier.
Add-In Extras
A bowl of oatmeal without any add-ins is quite sad! Get creative with what you add into your oatmeal, use dried or fresh fruit, nuts or compotes. Peanut butter is also a wonderful addition to a bowl of oatmeal!
Use A Deep Bowl
Always eat your oatmeal out of a deep bowl. This will stop the oatmeal congealing or becoming cold quickly, and make the meal much more enjoyable.
Avoid Over-Stirring
It can be tempting to continuously stir the oats in the pot as they cook, but this can release too much starch, which would cause your oats to have a gluey, gummy texture. Leave your oats fairly undisturbed while they cook, and cover the pot while it simmers, only stirring now and then.
Don’t Forget The Pot
Once your oatmeal is plated and ready to be devoured, it can be easy to forget about the pot you cooked it in. Big mistake. It will be a dishwashing nightmare later on. Rather, fill the empty pot with hot water and add in some dishwashing soap. It will be so much easier to clean later on.
Benefits Of Sticky Oatmeal
Not only is sticky oatmeal a wholesome meal in the morning, but it has some wonderful benefits as well. These include:
- Oats are very nutritious. They are a good source of fiber and carbs and contain more protein and fat than most other grains. They also have many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Oats have a large amount of beta-glucan, which are known to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar, and help to promote healthy gut bacteria and increase fullness.
- Oatmeal is a very filling meal and may help you eat fewer calories. Feeling full helps you feel satisfied for longer, increasing the period of feeling full. This stops you from overeating throughout the day.
- Oatmeal can help with regularity. The fiber in oats helps to relieve constipation.
Not only can you reap all the health benefits of oatmeal, but you can create so many different flavor profiles with oats using different ingredients, making it wonderfully versatile, as well as being incredibly easy to cook!
Related Questions
Is oatmeal supposed to be sticky?
How sticky your oats are dependent on your personal preference. Oatmeal cooked in milk tends to be stickier and gluier. If you want less sticky oatmeal, you should cook your oats in water.
How do you make oatmeal taste better?
Oats are so versatile and can be paired with so many different ingredients to taste much better as well. These can include:
- Real fruit
- Honey or brown sugar
- Nut butter
- Almond milk
- Spices
- Dark chocolate chips
- Coconut
- Raisins
- Chia seeds
You can add these in on their own, or come up with some delicious combinations.
Can you overcook oatmeal?
Oatmeal can be overcooked. When overcooked, oatmeal can be dry and clumpy. If you do overcook oatmeal, you should remove it from the heat and add in some water or milk and stir it in to give it some moisture back.
Is it okay to eat oatmeal daily?
Oatmeal is one of those breakfasts that is good to eat daily. The soluble fiber and other health benefits make it the perfect meal to be eaten daily for breakfast. You can make up different tasting oatmeal each day with add-ons, so it does not get boring.
Is microwaving oatmeal bad?
There is nothing wrong with microwaving oatmeal. The oatmeal will be heated up the same way in the oven or on the stovetop. The heat from the microwave does not damage the glycemic index of oats and keeps all other nutrients and vitamins intact as well.
How To Cook Sticky Oatmeal
Not only is sticky oatmeal delicious and so easy to flavor, but it has so many great health benefits that cannot be found in other breakfast meals.
Oatmeal is so easy to cook, and you can choose to cook it in the microwave, the stovetop, or in the oven. Each method will give you delicious oats, all in next to no time.
Find out your preferred method of cooking oatmeal, and try out different flavor combinations that catch your fancy. There is so much you can do to create the perfect bowl of sticky oatmeal, so get cooking today!
