Brown Sugar Oatmeal

Skip store-bought and make this easy brown sugar oatmeal mix at home so you can have a warm and cozy bowl of oats in just minutes for an easy breakfast.

Instant oatmeal packets were a staple in our pantry growing up. Except, I refused to eat them. I had a weird thing about the texture of oatmeal until sometime around college and was utterly and completely grossed out by my brother’s bowl every morning. In fact, so much so he’d taunt me with spoonfuls in my face if I was annoying him.

I’m glad I grew out of it though because now a hot bowl of oatmeal is one of my favorite cold weather breakfasts. I also love overnight steel cut oats and make it any time we have to travel early in the morning as it’s the easiest healthy breakfast to prep ahead of time.

If you loved instant oatmeal as a kid, you’ll love this brown sugar oatmeal recipe. Instead of giving you a recipe to make a bowl of oats (like I do with other classic packet flavors like apple cinnamon oatmeal and peaches and cream oatmeal), this recipe gives you the breakdown of how to make a big batch of brown sugar instant oatmeal mix. It makes about 5 cups so you’ll be set with 10 servings that can be ready in just a few minutes using the microwave.

This recipe is a meal preppers dream and a sanity saver for anyone facing rushed and busy mornings who still wants to prioritize a quality breakfast.

What You’ll Need

The oatmeal mix comes together with just five core ingredients you have in your pantry and one optional addition for extra creaminess if desired.

• Oats — we’re using instant oats in this recipe. This is important if you want a quick cooking microwave breakfast. Instant oats are the most processed variety of all the oats which just means they’ve been flattened and cut into smaller pieces so they cook the quickest.
• Brown sugar — it wouldn’t be brown sugar oatmeal without some brown sugar! Feel free to use light brown or dark brown sugar. You can also substitute coconut sugar if desired. Adjust the amount of this to taste. The recipe calls for 1 cup to mimic the flavor of the original packets, but I often reduce this amount as I prefer less sugar.
• Chia seeds — while this isn’t original to the oatmeal packets of our youth, chia seeds are a great addition for some healthy fiber and fats while also helping to bind the oatmeal together when cooking.
• Cinnamon — ground cinnamon gives this oatmeal mix it’s signature flavor and plays deliciously with the brown sugar. Feel free to add some other warming spices like nutmeg, cloves or allspice if you want to level up the taste of this brown sugar oatmeal breakfast.
• Salt — a couple of teaspoons brings all the flavors together.
• Powdered milk — this is the optional ingredient for a lusciously smooth oatmeal when cooked. You can absolutely leave it out, but if you’re craving decadence in your bowl, I highly recommend it. Swap out dairy powdered milk for powdered coconut milk or powdered oat milk.

These ingredients create the brown sugar oatmeal mix that can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a few months in your pantry. Once you’re ready to prepare the oatmeal, you’ll just need some water (or milk).

How to Make the Oatmeal

This is a quick visual rundown of creating the oatmeal mix and making the brown sugar oatmeal once you’re ready to eat it. The full recipe with quantities and directions can be found at the bottom of the post.

Ways to Customize It

The five-ingredient brown sugar oatmeal mix is a classic and works as a wonderful base recipe, but you can make it your own with some optional additions:

For the oatmeal mix:

• Protein powder: A couple of scoops of your favorite unflavored, vanilla or cinnamon roll protein is a great addition for a higher protein breakfast.
• Seeds: In addition to chia seeds, hemp seeds and ground flaxseeds bring more staying power, healthy fats and fiber to the oatmeal.
• Nuts: Most people add nuts as a topping to oatmeal, but you can also include chopped nuts in the mix such as pecans, walnuts or almonds.

For topping the oatmeal once it’s prepared:

• Berries: I love the contrast of the fresh berries to the sweet, hearty brown sugar flavors of the oatmeal.
• Nut butter: Like this gingerbread oatmeal, the warm and cozy vibes of this oatmeal go perfectly with a dollop of your favorite creamy nut butter like almond, cashew or macadamia. For nut-free options, use a pumpkin seed butter instead.
• Granola: For those who love a contrasting texture in their bowl of oats, a crunchy granola is always a good choice.
• Chocolate chips: It’s hard to argue there’s a better choice than a handful of chocolate chips that start to melt right into the hot oats.

More Oatmeal Recipes to Try

Strawberry Oatmeal – uses fresh strawberries!
Spiced Pear Oatmeal
Perfectly Creamy Steel Cut Oatmeal
Green Oatmeal – a fun one for kids – use it for Halloween or St. Patrick’s Day – no food dyes in sight!