March 26, 2024

Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats with pecans and pear

Right now, those cold, rainy spring days are relentless….making it extra difficult to get out of bed in the morning. A big bowl of Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats are EXACTLY what you need to motivate yourself and warm up your bones on a rainy spring morning. That’s right…Chai Latte PLUS Steel Cut Oats!!…you’re in for a treat!

Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats are made with steel cut oats, pre-made chai tea, coconut milk, pecans, pears, vanilla, and sea salt.

This recipe is sweet, spiced to perfection, creamy, and LOADED with nutrients. Steel cut oats are a perfect healthy way to start any morning…with all of their nutrients and their ability to keep you fueled and full for hours…steel cut oats are always a good idea. Paired with Chai tea and coconut milk and this easy breakfast recipe is a match made in heaven!

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Why you will love this Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats recipe

EASY TO MAKE – This Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats recipe is so incredibly easy to make! Steel cut oats take a little time to make, but they are super low maintenance, especially if you use the rice cooker method. And the chai latte part of the recipe couldn’t be easier! Just pour everything in a pan, heat, and pour over the oats. Simple plant-based healthy breakfast in a flash!
SUPER UNIQUE – The combination of Chai Latte, steel cut oats, pear, and pecans is a match made in heaven…and a flavor profile you won’t often come across! Serve yourself and your loved ones a new take on two old classics.
CAN BE PREPPED IN ADVANCE – This recipe is perfect for meal prep and making in large batches! Steel cut oats are not only delicious and nutritious…they are super convenient due to the fact that you can prep them in a large batch and use them for days!
EXTREMELY NUTRITIOUS – Steel cut oats are full of protein, iron, potassium and fiber. Add pears and pecans to the mix…and you have yourself a nutrient dense breakfast you can truly feel good about!

Ingredients needed to make Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats

For this Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats recipe you will need…

STEEL CUT OATS – Steel cut oats are the unprocessed version of oatmeal. They have an amazing texture, are super filling, and are full of nutrients. You can find these in the oatmeal or cereal section of any grocery store.
CHAI LATTE CONCENTRATE – Chai tea has a LOT going on in it…so instead of brewing a batch from scratch, grabbing a pre-made version off the store shelf is often my go-to. For this recipe I went with the brand Tazo. What’s in chai? Black tea, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon on, cloves, star anise, cane sugar, ginger, and vanilla extract. Tazo’s does have honey in it. So if you are 100% vegan, you will want to go with a vegan alternative.
COCONUT MILK – To make these Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats nice and creamy, I went with canned light coconut milk. If you want your oats to be SUPER creamy go with regular canned coconut milk instead of the light version. You can also substitute any dairy free milk of your choice!
DRIED DATES – Don’t forget that many dates still have pits in them! Make sure you remove them before slicing. If you want this recipe to be less sweet, just skip the dates.
PEAR – Can substitute any fruit. Cherries or figs would be my next choice.
PECANS – Can substitute any nuts or seeds.
VANILLA EXTRACT
SEA SALT

ingredients for chai latte steel cut oats recipe

How to make Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats

This Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats recipe is extremely easy to make! Here’s how…

PREPARE THE STEEL CUT OATS

Begin by preparing the steel cut oats. You have two ways to prepare the steel cut oats listed below. You can use a rice cooker or stove top. Stove top takes 20 minutes, but is more high maintenance because you have to stir them often. The rice cooker method (which is my preferred method) is a set it and forget it situation, but it takes an hour.

STEEL CUT OATS IN THE RICE COOKER

For this recipe, I personally used a rice cooker because I find it to be by far the easiest way to prepare steel cut oats. I personally put them on a timer the night before or make them in a large batch at the beginning of the week and just reheat them.

To prepare steel cut oats in the rice cooker, measure out 1 cup of steel cut oats, add the amount of water recommended on your rice cooker (rice cookers may vary). Press start and allow to cook. My rice cooker personally takes an hour.

STEEL CUT OATS ON THE STOVE

To prepare steel cut oats on the stove, place 3 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil.

Add in one cup of steel cut oats. Bring back to a boil and then reduce heat to low, so the oats can simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often so the oats don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Oats will be ready when the water is absorbed and the oats are tender.

PREPARE THE CHAI TEA LATTE

Once your oats are ready, it’s time to prepare the chai!

Remove the pits from the 8 dried dates and chop the dates into small pieces.

Then place a pot on the stove over medium heat. Add your chopped dates, 1 cup of chai tea concentrate, 1 cup of light canned coconut milk, 1/8 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Recipe makes 4 servings. In each bowl, put 1/4 of the oatmeal. Pour the chai latte over top and mix in the oatmeal. Top with diced pears and pecans. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for making Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats

MAKE YOUR STEEL CUT OATS IN ADVANCE – Steel cut oats are perfect for prepping in advance! I like to set up my rice cooker the night before so I can wake up to a fresh batch of oats in the morning. I also make more oatmeal than I need that day. If I am preparing oats for myself, I personally make a couple of days worth and store it in a container in the fridge for easy mornings.
PERFECT FOR MEAL PREP – This recipe is an excellent choice when it comes to meal prep. Simply prepare the oats and the chai latte, but store them separately. When you are ready to serve, simply combine and reheat. Top with pecans and diced pear.

Questions Answered

HOW DO I MAKE THIS RECIPE LESS SWEET – If you are super sensitive to sugar and want to lower the sweetness, you have two options. You can either skip the dates or use half the amount. Or you can use less chai and more coconut milk.
SHOULD I USE A RICE COOKER OR STOVE TOP METHOD FOR STEEL BUT OATS – I 100% prefer the rice cooker method because it’s a set it and forget it situation. The stove top only takes 20 minutes, but you have to stir them often so they don’t stick to the pan.
IS THIS RECIPE VEGAN – As long as you use a brand of chai concentrate that doesn’t have honey in it…this recipe is vegan / plant-based.
IS THIS RECIPE GLUTEN FREE – Yes…if you buy a brand of steel cut oats that are gluten free. Although oats are naturally gluten free, they are often contaminated with gluten in the growing fields or where they are being packaged. So if you need this recipe to be gluten free…just check the label.
HOW CAN I MEAL PREP THIS RECIPE – This Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats recipe is PERFECT for meal prep. Simply prepare the oats and the chai latte, but store them separately. When you are ready to serve, simply combine and reheat. Top with pecans and diced pear.

What to serve with Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats

These Chai Latte Steel Cut Oats are the perfect meal all on their own! They are nutrient dense, filling, and will keep you full for hours. But if you want to bulk up the meal, serve with a side of fruit, tofu scramble or eggs if desired.

You can also cut the serving in half, and serve with one of these tasty breakfast / brunch options…