11 Oatmeal, Porridge, and Congee Recipes to Get You Through Winter Mornings

updated Jul 3, 2023

Page URL

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

Looking for something to brighten a cold, dark morning? How about a bowl of oatmeal with warming spices? Or slow cooker ginger chicken congee? DIY instant oatmeal you can blend up and keep in your office drawer for quick snacks? This is porridge at its best — rich, thick, hearty, and tailored to your own schedule. Read on for 11 hot, spoonable recipes to warm your winter mornings, plus tips for better oatmeal and hot cereal.

Sure, oatmeal and porridge sometimes have a bad rap when prepared poorly, but a really good bowl of steel-cut oats will quickly banish any memories of gruel. Take a look at all these recipes — some are chunky with roasted nuts or sweet with vanilla, while others are easy to make ahead in the slow cooker.

Oatmeal, Porridge, and Congee Recipes for Winter

1 / 11

Masala Chai-Spiced Oatmeal

Steeping a tea bag in the water used to cook your oatmeal adds a whole new dimension.

Go to Recipe

2 / 11

Classic Porridge

This creamy steel cut oat porridge is sure to get your day off to a great start.

Go to Recipe

3 / 11

Congee

Simple, savory good food.

Go to Recipe

4 / 11

Five-Spice Sweet Oatmeal

This sweet, spiced oatmeal dish is a wakeup call to fall flavors. Both the oatmeal and honeyed plums are seasoned with this fragrant mixture.

Go to Recipe

5 / 11

Slow Cooker Creamy Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

A recipe for pumpkin spice steel-cut oatmeal made in the slow cooker.

Go to Recipe

6 / 11

A Week of Steel-Cut Oats in 5 Minutes

The easiest way to make a week's worth of steel-cut oatmeal in 5 minutes.

Go to Recipe

7 / 11

Slow Cooker Ginger Chicken Congee

If you’re a savory breakfast-lover this chicken congee, which takes less than two minutes to throw into the slow cooker, will make you look forward to waking up and facing the day. The fact that you’re asleep the whole time it bubbles away makes it the ultimate hands-off recipe.

Go to Recipe

8 / 11

Your Own Flavored Instant Oatmeal

Want to have a jar of nearly instant oatmeal mix on hand? Make it yourself. Here’s how.

Go to Recipe

9 / 11

Slow Cooker Spiced Porridge for a Crowd

A delicious porridge that cooks overnight in the slow cooker.

Go to Recipe

10 / 11

Steel-Cut Oats for Breakfast the Night Before

Set them up the night before and you'll have hot oatmeal in the morning almost instantly.