20 Delicious Ways to Make the Most Out of a Container of Oats
Go beyond your morning oatmeal.
There’s a reason oats are a pantry staple for Ree Drummond and should be for you, too. Not only are they affordable and filling, but they are so gosh darn versatile! While yes, they make excellent oatmeal for a healthy breakfast, there are so many other oat recipes to make the most out of that container in your pantry.
Where to start? Why not classic oatmeal cookies? You’ll find several of Ree’s favorite recipes on here, including her oatmeal crispies that are so popular with her family that she keeps a batch in the freezer so she can bake them off on demand. Smart! You’ll also find seasonal crisps and crumbles, streusels to top muffins and quick breads, and kid-friendly snacks like granola bars.
If you do prefer to stick to your daily oatmeal, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll never get bored with it. Along with jazzed-up flavors like apple cinnamon made the traditional way, you’ll find make-ahead overnight oat recipes and baked oatmeal recipes that will feed a crowd. So the next time you plan on stocking up your pantry, don’t forget the oats. Whether you prefer old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats, you’ll have plenty of ways to use them up.
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Nothing will taste better on that first chilly morning in the fall than a piping hot bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal. This recipe uses a 2-to-1 ratio of water to oats for a perfectly creamy texture.
Get the Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal recipe.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Fact: You can never go wrong with the classics. Ree has perfected her recipe, calling them “soft and chewy in the middle, with buttery, golden-brown edges and just the right hint of cinnamon.”
Get Ree’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe.
Strawberry White Chocolate Granola Bars
Why go out to the store just to pick up a box of granola bars when you can make them right at home? Made with freeze-dried strawberries and a drizzle of white chocolate, these will be your family’s new favorite snack.
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are the ultimate meal prep hack. Once you learn the basic recipe, you can get so creative with flavors like pumpkin spice, tiramisu, and cinnamon roll. There are also five other ideas included right in this recipe.
Get the Overnight Oats recipe.
Maple Oat Nut Scones
Ree has been making this scone recipe since the ‘90s! It was originally inspired by a Starbucks version from back in the day, but the flavors still feel perfectly autumnal today.
Get Ree’s Maple Oat Nut Scones recipe.
Cherry Crisp
If you love cherry pie in the summertime, this crisp is even easier. Swap the complicated pie dough out for a warm, buttery crisp topping that comes together in just minutes. Vanilla ice cream is optional, but is it really?
Get the Cherry Crisp recipe.
Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
If you find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, let this be your reason. There’s a cinnamon swirl in the middle, crunchy oat streusel on top, and even a sweet glaze drizzled over everything. Make them any time of year!
Get Ree’s Cinnamon Streusel Muffins recipe.
Irish Brown Bread
If you’ve never had brown bread before, Ree describes the flavor as “deeply nutty, complex, almost malty taste to it that is so beyond delicious.” All it needs is a slather of butter, but it also makes a very tasty sandwich.
Get Ree’s Irish Brown Bread recipe.
Baked Oatmeal With Berries
Baked oatmeal is perfect for feeding a crowd or for meal prep. It can be served straight out of the oven, or in refrigerated portions that you can pop in the microwave. Have fun with flavors like pumpkin and brownie, too.
Get the Baked Oatmeal With Berries recipe.
Caramel Apple Pie
Ree considers this pie “among my very favorites.” Rich (store-bought!) caramel is mixed in with the oat crumble topping, making every slice extra special. Ree prefers tart Granny Smith apples to balance out the flavors.
Get Ree’s Caramel Apple Pie recipe.
Carmelitas
Much like a classic crumb bar, these treats feature layers of crunchy pecans, chocolate chips, and caramel nestled in a buttery oat crust. Don’t stress about the caramel here either—store-bought works wonders.
Get the Carmelitas recipe.
Grandma’s Oatmeal Cake
Much like other grandma-approved recipes, this cake is unfussy but so very delicious. It’s a fluffy, cinnamon-scented cake with a sweet and crunchy coconut-pecan topping. Serve it with coffee or tea and watch it disappear in one afternoon.
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
These retro favorites are the perfect way to satisfy a chocolate craving when it's too hot to turn on the oven. You just need a few minutes simmering the mixture on the stove. You can make a peanut butter version, too!
Cranberry Crisp
You can make crisps any time of year, and this rich cranberry version is the perfect example. The golden oat topping is full of pecans and sweet white chocolate chips to contrast the tart cranberry filling.
Get Ree’s Cranberry Crisp recipe.
Rhubarb Bread
An oat crumb topping is the perfect buttery balance to sweet-tart rhubarb bread. It makes such a perfect afternoon snack when the jeweled veggie is in season. (Psst: They pair well in a crisp, too.)
Get the Rhubarb Bread recipe.
Cowboy Cookie Bars
You don’t need to live on a ranch to enjoy these sweet treats. They’re chock-full of shredded coconut, pecans, chocolate chips, and oats to satisfy any craving you might have.
Get Ree’s Cowboy Cookie Bars recipe.
Oatmeal Crispies
The Drummonds love oatmeal cookies, and this is Ree’s go-to. She stashes a batch in the freezer to slice and bake whenever they want a fresh cookie. Prefer chewy cookies? Try her brown sugar oatmeal cookies instead.
Get Ree’s Oatmeal Crispies recipe.
Blueberry Crumble Ice Cream Sundaes
When berries are in season, you should absolutely make traditional blueberry crumble. But you can go one step further and also make an ice cream sundae version! It’ll cool you down on a hot summer day.
Get Ree’s Blueberry Crumble Ice Cream Sundaes recipe.
Granola
What can’t you do with granola? Make a big batch and make yogurt parfaits, eat it as-is for a snack, or top anything when you need some added crunch. It lasts up to two weeks, too!
Get the Granola recipe.
Lace Cookies
Lace cookies get their name from the delicate pattern that develops as the oats and sugar crisp up in the oven. Drizzle chocolate over the top, or even better, make sandwich cookies for an extra decadent bite.
Get Ree’s Lace Cookies recipe.
Alex Calls This the ‘Best Pancake Recipe’ Ever
15 Things to Always Have in Your Fridge for School
15 Homemade Muffins That Taste Bakery-Worthy
Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes
