This thick and creamy coconut oatmeal recipe tastes like eating homemade coconut cream pie for a healthy breakfast!
The best coconut milk oatmeal
Once you try making oatmeal with coconut milk, you will never go back.
The creamy texture of this oatmeal is out-of-this-world delicious!
This recipe has been a staple at my breakfast table for years. While flavored oatmeal trends come and go, I keep coming back to this one again and again.
It’s incredibly easy to customize, so your breakfast will never be boring.
You may also like: Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Coconut oatmeal flavors
Chocolate Coconut: For chocolate oatmeal that tastes like a chocolate covered Mounds bar, sir in three tablespoons of cocoa powder before cooking. Add a half teaspoon of pure vanilla extract at the very end.
Peanut Butter: Before cooking, stir in three to four tablespoons of peanut butter (or almond butter). Garnish with chopped peanuts or mini chocolate chips.
Piña Colada: Replace half a cup of the milk of choice in the recipe below with a cup of canned pineapple tidbits. Top your finished oatmeal with shredded coconut, and stir in a few drops of rum extract if desired.
Tropical oats: Replace half a cup of the milk of choice with a cup of fresh or frozen diced mango, papaya, banana, or a combination of different fruits.
Cozy Winter Oatmeal: Add a half teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a few tablespoons of raisins, and a handful of roasted walnuts or pecans.
Vanilla Coconut: After cooking the oats, turn off the heat and stir in a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or one and a half teaspoons of vanilla bean paste.
Also try these 3 ingredient Coconut Balls
Ingredients for coconut oats
To make the recipe, you will need rolled oats, canned coconut milk, sweetener of choice, a pinch of salt, and optional milk of choice.
For best results, I recommend using canned full fat coconut milk, lite coconut milk, or coconut cream for at least a half cup of the milk in the recipe.
However, for a low fat option, carton coconut milk works as well. The remaining one and a half cups of milk can be additional coconut milk, oat milk, rice milk, soy milk, almond milk, or your favorite milk.
Do not substitute water for the milk.
If you would prefer to use instant oats or quick oats instead of rolled oats (like the kind from Quaker), simply cook for a shorter period of time. If using steel cut oats, use half the amount and follow the cooking instructions on the package of oats.
Sweetener options that work include regular sugar or brown sugar, unrefined coconut sugar or date sugar, honey, pure maple syrup, or agave. For sugar free oatmeal, try sweetening with a monk fruit blend or stevia to taste.
Oatmeal with coconut milk recipe video
Watch the step by step recipe video, above
How to make coconut oatmeal
In a medium saucepan, stir all of the coconut oatmeal ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then continue to cook on the stovetop over low-medium heat. As the oatmeal thickens, begin to stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Once a porridge consistency is reached, portion the creamy oatmeal into bowls. Serve hot, garnished with shredded coconut, chocolate chips, or other toppings as desired.
If you have leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight covered container for up to five days.
While you can freeze oatmeal, I do not recommend it in this recipe. Freezing cooked oatmeal will change the texture of the chewy oats, and the coconut milk will also be less smooth and creamy.
Coconut overnight oats
To turn this into overnight oatmeal, make the recipe the night before. Let it cool, then transfer to a covered dish or mason jar.
Refrigerate overnight. Eat cold, or reheat the coconut overnight oats in the microwave or on the stove top, adding a little extra milk as needed to get it creamy again.
If you experiment with an instant pot, slow cooker, baking pan (for coconut baked oats), or any other cooking methods, be sure to leave a comment below. This way, other readers can see your results.
Nutrition and health benefits
This dairy free and vegan coconut oatmeal recipe can also be soy free, gluten free, tree nut free, cholesterol free, and added sugar free.
Even with no protein powder, each serving provides close to seven grams of protein and over four grams of heart healthy fiber.
At just around 200 calories, one bowl packs in up to 17% of the RDA for iron and over 25% of the RDA for calcium.
Coconut oatmeal topping ideas
Have fun creating your own homemade customized oatmeal bowls with different toppings and add ins.
Stir in sliced peaches or strawberries, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, desiccated toasted coconut, or sweet fresh blueberries.
Top with chopped dates or chocolate chips, coconut caramel sauce, crumbled coconut cookies, or sliced bananas, almonds, and Coconut Whipped Cream.
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups milk of choice or additional coconut milk
- 1 cup rolled oats (or try this Keto Oatmeal)
- sweetener of choice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- shredded coconut and chocolate chips for garnish
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Combine all ingredients in a medium pot. You can add shredded coconut in the beginning or save it all for topping the coconut oatmeal later. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then cook on low-medium heat, stirring as needed to prevent sticking. Once thick, top as desired, and serve hot. Leftover coconut oats can be refrigerated in an airtight covered container for up to five days. Leftovers may be enjoyed cold or hot.View Nutrition Facts
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