Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oats

This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill

Of course I have to end the year on breakfast. It seemed the only way to go. But this is quite different from my typical breakfast recipes. As you can see from the photos it includes a hefty amount of chocolate, marshmallows, and a whipped cream topping. Holiday breakfast approved.

When I had the idea for this recipe, I wasn't sure if it would actually turn out or not. For some reason I wasn't sure about a bowl of chocolate oatmeal. Turns out, that was a silly thought, because it's pretty fabulous and seriously tastes like hot cocoa. It's a total comfort-indulgence meal that you must try very soon. Typically, I make 1/2 cup (uncooked) steel cut oats for myself. However, this recipe is quite rich, so splitting the batch into about 4 servings was perfect. 

Steel cut oats have been a favorite of mine for some time now, and of course, my top choice is always from Bob's Red Mill (whether they sponsor my posts or not). Their oats, flours, and ingredients never fail me, as I've mentioned many times in the past. I feel so fortunate to work with brands who align so well with my way of eating and who I love to promote beyond this space. Bob's Red Mill has been a particularly fun brand to work with because of the variety of ingredients I've been able to choose from and feature in my recipes. Let's rewind for a second to my BRM recipes from 2016:

• apple spice crumb muffins
• peach almond bread
• spring sorghum and asparagus salad

I could seriously go for one of those muffins right about now, but let's get back to this pot of chocolaty goodness. Mmmmk?

Steel Cut oats do take quite a bit longer to cook in comparison to rolled oats, but I've never found them to take more than 20 or so minutes to finish. Definitely doable for a weekend or holiday breakfast. For me, it's hard to go back to rolled oats after getting used to the chewy bite of steel cut. However, if you're looking for a slightly faster cook time, simply put the steel cut oats in a high-powered blender and pulse until about halfway to flour. It should look powdery but with small bits still left. This is actually called Scottish Oats. They cook faster (in about 10-12 minutes) and have more creaminess, but still hold that chew I love from steel cut. Note that if you try this I would start with less liquid (about 3 cups total) and add more as needed. (You can also buy Scottish oats!)

I highly recommend not skipping the marshmallow component of this recipe. I was trying to recreate the Swiss Miss hot chocolate packets I so loved in my youth. And I'm definitely talking about the packets with the tiny marshmallows inside. I can still remember that foamy, creamy layer they created on top of the hot cocoa. Well, this is only about 10x better than that because they're folded into the oats and create a sticky, gooey, marshmallow mess. 

I also highly recommend toasting extra marshmallows for on top and finishing with a plentiful scoop of homemade whipped cream. You know, do it up.

What are you waiting for? 

Print Recipe!

Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oats 

gluten-free, vegan option // yields 4 servings

• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats (gluten-free if needed)
• 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3-4 tablespoons coconut sugar (or other sugar)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2oz 65-80% dark chocolate
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• toppings: homemade whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream), toasted marshmallows, cocoa powder, granola, etc.

Heat a medium pot over medium heat and add oats, milk, water and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer (uncovered) and let cook until done to your liking (18-25 minutes). Stir frequently and add more milk and water as needed (equal amounts) to reach desired creaminess. 

Once done to your liking, turn to low and add 3 tablespoons sugar (less if using milk chocolate), cocoa powder, and dark chocolate. Stir until fully combined. Add a splash more milk if needed. Fold in marshmallows and serve as they start to melt. Add more sugar if desired.

Top with large toasted marshmallows (can be done carefully under the broiler on a parchment lined pan -- watch very closely!), whipped cream, and any other desired toppings. 

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Notes:

• Feel free to make ahead but leave the marshmallows out. Heat in a pan and add milk/water to loosen up. Once hot, add the marshmallows and serve with desired toppings.

Wishing you all the happiest of holiday seasons, and cheers for a fresh + bright New Year. You've all helped make this a special year once again. Thank you. Always.

Keep your eyes on my Instagram feed for an announcement when this little lady decides to join us. We kind of can't wait.

xo

Ashley

Today's post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. I received compensation + product for writing this piece. Opinions are always my own. If I didn't love it, you wouldn't hear about it. Thanks for your continued support!

Apple Spice Crumb Muffins

This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill.

I'm craving fall like no other right now. The weather is slowly making a shift, but I'd like to speed things up a bit. Colorado weather can be so wacky this time of year. So while we're still having some pretty warm days here, I'm pretending it's fall with the foods I eat, including these Apple Spice Crumb Muffins that I've consumed approximately 9 of in 2 1/2 days (hmm, maybe more?).

Inside these muffins you'll find some of my very favorite ingredients and one ingredient that I've never really done much baking with before. I typically leave hulled hemp seed hearts for smoothies, oatmeal toppings, and the like, but I wanted to see how they would fair in a hearty breakfast muffin. Turns out, very well! They're so soft that you really don't even notice their presence in these muffins, except for a bit of added flavor. It's not like biting into a crunchy nut or sunflower seed. They pair tremendously well with the oat, buckwheat, and almond flour combination and earthy spices like cinnamon, clove, and molasses.

You all know I'm a huge fan of Bob's Red Mill products, whether they sponsor my work or not. I've been using their products for years + years and am always impressed by the quality and variety of what they offer (which seems to be expanding all of the time). I know most of you are on board with BRM as well, which is why I continue to work with them and feel it's such a good fit in this space.

Per the usual, I have a heavy list of notes at the end about substitutions and a couple tips, so be sure to check them out. While the ingredient list is somewhat long for these muffins, they're not tricky to make, and I promise you won't be disappointed once you get to the eating part. They're the perfect fall breakfast muffin, studded with little bites of apple and topped with one of my favorite crumb toppings ever. I included hemp seeds in the topping, as well as grated apple, oats, oat flour, coconut sugar, etc. It melts in your mouth.

Hopefully the photos sell you on these babies and hopefully you love them so much you eat 9 in 2 1/2 days just like me. Actually, I think I lost count. 

Print Recipe!

Adapted from my: Vanilla Muffins + Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Apple Spice Crumb Muffins

gluten-free, dairy free // yields: 12 standard muffins

for the muffins:

• 1 cup GF oat flour
• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour 
• 1/2 cup hulled hemp seed hearts
• 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons coconut sugar 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seed meal
• 2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 medium-sized, crisp apples 
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil

for the topping:

• 1/3 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup GF rolled oats
• 1/4 cup softened coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons hulled hemp seed hearts
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 medium-sized, crisp apple 

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a 12-mold muffin pan with liners.

In a large bowl, stir all dry muffin ingredients together well. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Then whisk in the milk, applesauce, molasses, and vanilla extract. (Hold off on the oil + apple.)

In a medium bowl, place all topping ingredients except for the apple in a bowl. Mix together with your fingers or a fork until crumbly and thoroughly combined. 

Peel 2 apples. Dice 1 cup of the apple at 1/4-inch size. Set aside. Grate the remaining apple and drain lightly in the fine mesh strainer if extra juicy (give a light press until it's not drippy). Measure a lightly packed 1/2 cup. (If needed, peel and use the 3rd apple.) Mix the 1/2 cup grated apple with the topping mixture and set aside.

Whisk the coconut oil in with the wet muffin ingredients and immediately pour into the dry. Stir until just combined (when you no longer see dry flour). The mixture will be thick. Fold in the 1 cup of diced apple.

Scoop into the muffin liners almost to the top and gently spread. (I kind of tap the tops to spread the batter.) Crumble all of the topping mixture over each muffin. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out nearly clean (should be slightly sticky/tacky but not wet/gooey). Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully place on a cooling rack until fully cooled (about 1 hour). Texture firms and becomes fluffier once fully cool.

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Notes:

• If you are sensitive to coconut flavor, use refined coconut oil or sub another baking oil in the muffins and use butter or vegan butter in the topping.
• Almond meal can be subbed for almond flour.
• Honey can be subbed for the molasses but the overall muffin flavor will change.
• Sucanat, muscovado sugar, cane sugar, and brown sugar (lightly packed) can all be subbed for the coconut sugar.
• Feel free to add other spices if you like. (ie: ginger, all spice, etc.)
• If you leave the hemp seeds out of the muffins, you may want to decrease the liquids slightly. I haven't experimented with this.
• Braeburn apples worked perfectly, whereas Honey Crisp were actually too juicy and needed to be drained of excess liquid.

I'll be back again soon with a pregnancy update and then another recipe! It feels good to be back in this space a bit more lately. Stay tuned!

Happy Friday + happy weekend. 

Ashley

Today's post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill, and I received compensation + product for writing this piece. Opinions are always my own. If I didn't love it, you wouldn't hear about it. Thanks for your continued support!