This easy Chocolate Oatmeal provides a healthy breakfast treat made with whole-grain oats, unsweetened cocoa powder, and maple syrup. A delicious creamy oatmeal to start the morning. Gluten-free and vegan.
There can never be too many oatmeal recipes. From no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies to chocolate peanut butter overnight oats, there are so many different ways to enjoy them.
This easy breakfast recipe tastes like hot chocolate or a chocolatey dessert. There's nothing better than starting a cold morning with that!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Perfect for the chocolate lover
- Just a handful of ingredients
- Easy recipe the whole family will love
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
Old-fashioned rolled oats - To ensure this is gluten-free, make sure you purchase certified gluten-free. Most grocery stores now carry this or you can find them online. You can also make this with steel-cut oats but may need to adjust for a little extra cooking time.
Unsweetened cocoa powder - This gluten-free pantry staple gives this recipe that rich chocolate flavor. Cacao powder is a good cocoa powder substitute.
Maple syrup - Honey (not vegan) or agave nectar make good maple syrup substitutes. Coconut sugar, often a good replacement for brown sugar, can also be used here.
Homemade date paste is a great natural sweetener option, but you may want to use more than the called-for amount to get the right sweetness.
Unsweetened almond milk - Any non-dairy milk such as coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk, can be used in place of almond.
Vanilla extract - A little bit of quality extract rounds out the dreamy chocolate flavor.
How to make chocolate oatmeal
Before you start: Have all ingredients out and ready.
Step 1: In a saucepan bring water and almond milk to a boil in a small pot and whisk in oats, salt, cocoa, and maple syrup. Turn the heat down to medium-low or low heat.
Step 2: Cook for 15-20 until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Serving suggestions
There are a variety of ways to sweeten up or customize this recipe by adding your favorite toppings:
- There are a variety of ways to sweeten oatmeal or customize this recipe by adding your favorite oatmeal toppings:
- Sprinkle on dark chocolate chips
- Add a little cayenne or chile powder and cinnamon for a twist on Mexican chocolate.
- Almond joy lover? Fold in coconut flakes and slivered almonds or your favorite nuts.
- Peanut butter or almond butter complements the rich chocolate while adding extra protein.
- Hemp seeds, chia seeds, or flax seeds provide crunch and fiber.
- Add ripe sliced banana or berries on top!
FAQs
For this healthy chocolate oatmeal, steel-cut oats can be substituted for rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats). Steel-cut takes longer to cook, so the cooking time may need to be adjusted accordingly.
Quick oats can be used in place of rolled oats in this chocolate oatmeal recipe. As the name suggests, the quick-cooking variety will absorb the liquid and cook faster than the rolled variety. Adjust cooking time as needed.
You can make this oatmeal in the microwave by adding ingredients to a microwave-safe bowl and cooking on high for 1 minute. Cook for additional 30-second intervals until desired consistency is achieved.
More breakfast recipes with oats
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
- dairy-free chocolate chips
- almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans
- coconut flakes
- berries or banana
Instructions
- Bring water and almond milk to a boil in a small pot and whisk in oats, salt, cocoa, and maple syrup. Turn the heat down to medium-low or low heat.
- Cook for 15-20 until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- To reheat: Place oatmeal in a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of milk. Heat for 30-second intervals until warm. To reheat on the stovetop, add a splash of milk and heat on low until warm.
- To freeze: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place in the refrigerator to thaw the night before or reheat from frozen.
- Steel-cut oats can be substituted for rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats). They take longer to cook, so the cooking time may need to be adjusted accordingly.
- Quick oats can be used in place of rolled oats in this recipe. As the name suggests, quick-cooking oats will absorb the liquid and cook faster than rolled oats. Adjust cooking time as needed.
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