Pumpkin oatmeal turns a plain fall morning into something worth slowing down for. It’s made on the stovetop with canned pumpkin, real oats, and warm pumpkin pie spice, so it tastes almost like a bowl of pumpkin pie you get to eat with a spoon. The whole pot comes together in about ten minutes, no baking required, which makes it just as good for a slow Saturday as it is for a weekday you need to get out the door. Top it with a few pepitas and a splash of milk, and you’ve got a breakfast that feels like fall in a bowl.
Every year I look forward to that first morning when the air turns to fall, and something in me switches straight into pumpkin spice mode. This recipe grew out of one of those mornings, when I wanted something warm and spiced before coffee even kicked in. I still make it that way now, oats and pumpkin simmering on the stove while the house slowly smells like cinnamon, and it’s become one of those small things that makes a fall morning feel like fall.
Main Ingredients Needed For Pumpkin Pie Spice Your Own
Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. For the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, jump to the recipe card.
- Old-Fashioned Oats: These give the oatmeal its thick, hearty texture without turning mushy. Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats here; quick oats will cook up softer and thinner, so cut back on the simmer time if that’s all you have.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: This is what makes it taste like pumpkin oatmeal and not just spiced oatmeal. Grab 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, since the filling already has sugar and spices mixed in and will throw off the recipe.
- Milk: I make this with unsweetened almond milk most of the time, but regular milk works just as well if that’s what’s in your fridge. This is an easy dairy-free swap if you need it; just use your favorite plant-based milk in place of the dairy.
- Brown Sugar: This is what sweetens the whole pot. Light or dark both work; whatever you have on hand.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: This is where the pumpkin pie flavor really comes from. Store-bought works fine, or use my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend if you make your own.
- Vanilla Extract: Stirred in at the very end, it rounds out the pumpkin and spice instead of competing with it.
- Pepitas: These go on top for a little crunch against the creamy oatmeal.
How To Make Pumpkin Oatmeal
I always start this one the same way, whisking everything together in one pot so there’s nothing extra to wash.
Tip: It thickens more as it sits, so pull it off the heat when it looks just slightly thinner than you want the final bowl to be.
Make This Oatmeal with Pumpkin Pie Spice Your Own
The only real swap I’ve tested here is going dairy-free, and it works without any adjustment at all. Just use your favorite plant-based milk in place of the dairy milk, and everything else stays exactly the same.
I haven’t tested this with quick oats, steel-cut oats, or fresh roasted pumpkin instead of canned, so I can’t speak to how those would turn out; stick with old-fashioned oats and canned puree until I’ve had a chance to try those versions myself. If you want a cold make-ahead option instead, my high-protein overnight oats recipe is a good one to try.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips for This Pumpkin Pie Spice Oatmeal
- This is a great one to have ready before a busy morning, and it’s become one of the handful of breakfasts I keep on rotation for when neighbors come over, right alongside my biscuit and gravy breakfast bake.
- Once it’s cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like portioning it into individual jars so breakfast is grab-and-go.
- It also freezes well for up to 3 months; just lay the portions flat in freezer bags or use freezer-safe containers and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- When you’re ready to eat it, add a splash of milk and reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through, or warm it gently on the stovetop; a little extra pumpkin spice or a drizzle of maple syrup stirred in at the end freshens it right up. At room temperature, only let it sit out for up to 2 hours; the pumpkin adds extra moisture that can spoil faster than plain oatmeal.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup milk, or unsweetened almond milk + extra for serving
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, canned, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, plus extra for serving
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus extra for topping
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats, uncooked
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons pepitas, pumpkin seeds, for topping
Instructions
Mix and Heat
- Whisk together the water, milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium saucepan.3/4 cup water, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Heat over medium-high until the mixture comes to a full boil.
Cook the Oats
- Stir in the oats, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's thick and creamy.1 cup old-fashioned oats
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Serve
- Divide the oatmeal between two bowls. Top with pepitas, a splash of milk, a sprinkle of brown sugar, and a dash of pumpkin pie spice.2 tablespoons pepitas
Gina’s Notes and Tips
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Portioning into individual jars makes for a grab-and-go breakfast.
- Reheating: Add a splash of milk before reheating. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through, or warm gently on the stovetop. A little extra pumpkin spice or a drizzle of maple syrup freshens the flavor back up.
- Freezing: Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Lay flat in freezer bags or use freezer-safe containers, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Substitutions: Dairy-free option: use your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk in place of dairy milk; no other changes needed.
Tried this recipe?
Please consider Leaving a Review!Hospitality with This Pumpkin Pie Spice Oatmeal
When the weather turns to fall, it’s a great time to have a simple breakfast and coffee with neighbors. I’ll check the weather the night before, and if it looks like one of those crisp fall mornings, I’ll text a few neighbors and ask them to come over in the morning for a relaxed breakfast to celebrate the crispness in the air. Pumpkin oatmeal is perfect for a morning like that; just put on a pot of coffee, set out bowls with the toppings, and let everyone build their own while you sit and talk instead of standing at the stove.
If you want to make the coffee part of it feel a little more special, I’ve got some coffee bar ideas for hosting that make it easy without any extra fuss. Set the pepitas and extra brown sugar out in little bowls so it feels a little special without any real effort on your part. There’s real ministry in a warm bowl of food and an open chair for the people right around you; it doesn’t take a big spread to make a neighbor feel like they matter. Loving people well starts as simple as checking the weather and sending a text.