Oatmeal Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What to put in oatmeal to make it sweet? ›

Drizzle date syrup, agave nectar, or buckwheat honey for a more nuanced sweetness than straight-up sugar. Cook oats with fresh fruit like blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries for added texture, flavor, and plenty of beautiful color.

Old Fashioned: Also called rolled oats, old fashioned oats are flat and flakey. They absorb more water and cook faster than steel-cut oats — usually in about 5 minutes — and are the oat of choice for granola bars, cookies, and muffins.

According to Healthline.com, oats are a good source of carbs and fiber and are even filled with "important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant plant compounds." When combined with the natural energy found in pure honey, there is no doubt that honey and oats pack a powerful punch when enjoyed together.

Fresh fruit: berries, bananas, apples, peaches, mango, or pears. Spices: cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg. Natural sweeteners: a dash of maple syrup or honey. Unsweetened or lightly sweetened chocolate: shaved dark chocolate (with a cocoa content of 70% or more)

High-sugar toppings like chocolate, syrup, and dried fruit

As Best points out, "some of the worst ingredients that are mistakenly added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried fruit."

Quick oats are cut into more pieces, rolled thinner, and steamed longer. They will not have as much texture as the rolled oats or steel-cut but will cook more quickly.

Speaking of, what is the difference between oats and oatmeal? Technically, oats refers to the whole grains themselves, and oatmeal to the porridge-like dish often made from them, and/or to the processed form of the whole grains—but now, the terms are often used interchangeably.

According to the American Kennel Club, you can typically feed dogs around one tablespoon (15 grams) of cooked oatmeal for every 20 pounds (9 kg) of body weight (16). Given its rich content of soluble fiber, oatmeal has also become an increasingly common ingredient in many types of commercial dog food ( 17 ).

Sweeteners: For added sweetness, some people use sweeteners, such as sucralose, stevia, or monk fruit sweetener. Milk: Some people cut back on the serving of oats and replace those carbs with milk, by mixing it with the water during cooking or adding it at the end. This gives the oatmeal a richer flavor.

Is honey healthier than sugar in oatmeal? ›

Honey is a natural sweetener that contains antioxidants and anti - inflammatory properties , making it a healthier alternative to processed sugar . It also provides a boost of energy and can help improve digestion .

Cinnamon, in turn, has been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels. Since high cholesterol is linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease, the cholesterol-reducing effects of both honey and cinnamon together may reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

Try adding a serving of your favorite nut or seed (e.g. slivered almonds, walnuts, pecans, chia seeds, ground flax seed, etc.) next time you have oatmeal. Nut butter also works here, but I do enjoy the crunch and extra texture that chopped nuts add to the mix.

Whip in Thinly Sliced Banana for Creamy Sweetness

“The banana helps make the oatmeal sweeter and creamier without the use of table sugar or cream,” she says. Use a ripe banana and slice it thinly, then whisk it into the oats as they cook.

Bring water to a boil in a small pot. Add oats and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar and maple syrup. Let sit until desired thickness is reached, 2 to 3 minutes.

Adding salt to your sweet oatmeal may sound like an oxymoron, but it does help the finished dish. "Salt really brings the flavor of oats to life so don't skip this step when cooking and don't wait [until] the oatmeal is done to just sprinkle it on top," says Michalcyzk.