Jump to Recipe·5 from 6 reviews

Share this recipe!

Nutty brown butter, naturally sweet Medjool dates, and ultra-creamy oats come together to make a cozy bowl of sticky date oatmeal that tastes like dessert for breakfast. No refined sugar, no complicated steps, just a deeply satisfying breakfast that feels special but takes under 10 minutes.

If you love stovetop oatmeal, warm spices, and breakfasts that keep you full all morning, add this one to the rotation!

caramelized date oatmeal on a gold spoon with pecans, cream and banana slices

Erica’s Thoughts

Do y’all know when you see something and you think, I need that right.now. That’s what happened to me with this oatmeal. I was on NY Times and came across this recipe for sticky date oatmeal and popped up to make it immediately. I made a few tweaks, like reducing the amount of oats, adding chia seeds to help thicken, etc. but man, it was SOOO good. The chia seeds are my trick for ‘growing oatmeal’ – aka using way more liquid than the package of oats calls for, but still making a giant bowl of oatmeal because the chia seeds help absorb the liquid.

As someone who is usually a savory breakfast person, oatmeal needs to be real intriguing for me. My friends, this is that girl. Rich, creamy, sweet, with a drizzle of cream and sprinkle of flaky sea salt? WOOF. So good.

What You’ll Need to Make Sticky Date Oatmeal

picture of the ingredients needed to make oatmeal with dates: pecans, chia seeds, dates, milk, salt, cinnamon, oats and vanilla extract
  • Butter: Just one tablespoon, browned until nutty and golden.
  • Medjool dates: Torn and mashed to naturally sweeten the oatmeal. You can find dates in the produce section at the grocery store.
  • Rolled oats: Old-fashioned oats or quick oats would be my picks. You could use steel cut oats but will need to adjust the liquid ratio and cooking time.
  • Milk: Dairy or unsweetened non-dairy both work.
  • Chia seeds: To help the oats thicken and for a boost of fiber.
  • Flavor boosters: Vanilla extract and cinnamon – heavy sprinkles of each.
  • Toppings: Pecans, walnuts, coconut, cream or half and half, fresh fruit, flaky sea salt

How to Make Browned Butter Oatmeal with Dates

Heat the butter in a small pot over medium heat until melted. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until it foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes.

small saucepan with browned butter
small saucepan with torn dates in browned butter

Add the torn dates and ½ cup water. Let cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until the dates soften, then use a wooden spoon to mash them into a thick date paste.

water added to the browned butter dates
wooden spoon smashing dates into a thick paste

Stir in the milk, rolled oats, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and chia seeds. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes until the oats are tender and creamy.

oats, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt added to the saucepan
wooden spoon stirring milk into the mixture

Stir in the chopped pecans. Scoop into a bowl, add fresh fruit if using, drizzle with cream, and finish with flaky sea salt.

cooked oatmeal in a saucepan
pecans added to saucepan

Variation Ideas:

  • Dairy-free: use coconut oil or dairy-free butter, and soy or almond milk instead of dairy milk.
  • Higher protein: top with a dollop of Greek yogurt or stir in a scoop of protein powder after cooking.
  • Fruity varieties: top with cooked cinnamon apples, caramelized pear chunks, fresh peaches, banana slices.
  • Topping ideas: peanut butter, almond butter, chocolate chips, splash of cream, chopped nuts, pepitas or other seeds.
wooden bowl with cooked date oatmeal topped with pecans, banana and flaky sea salt

FAQs

Can I use quick oats?

Yes, it’ll just take a little less time to cook and you may need to reduce the liquid slightly.

Can I make it ahead?

You can, but it’s best fresh. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water to loosen it up.

This seems like a lot of liquid?

​At first the oatmeal will seem liquid-y. But after you remove from the heat and let it sit for a few moments it turns into thick, creamy oatmeal!

Can I use a different type of dates?

Yes. I prefer medjool dates, but any will work. I also like to get the pit-in dates because they stay fresher and softer than pitted dates.

close up view of sticky date oatmeal topped with pecans, banana slices and a drizzle of cream

Let’s brunch date soon, yes?

If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
picture of caramelized date oatmeal on a golden spoon with banana slices and pecans

Browned Butter Oatmeal With Dates

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Erica Baty
  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 12 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving (could be 2 if you wish!) 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

This irresistible bowl of oatmeal features the natural sweetness of dates, nuttiness from browned butter, a sprinkle of pecans and swish of cream. With 12g of fiber it’s a great way to meet your fiber goals and satisfy a sweet tooth!

Ingredients

Units Scale

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2–3 medjool dates, torn
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2% but you can use any variety)
  • 2 teaspoons chia seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cream, for drizzling
  • flaky sea salt
  • banana slices, fresh raspberries, chopped apple, etc.

Instructions

  1. Heat the butter in a small pot over medium heat until melted. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter foams and turns golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the dates and 1/3 cup water. Let cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dates soften. Use a wooden spoon to mash the dates into a thick paste.
  3. Stir in the milk, oats, vanilla, cinnamon and chia seeds. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, until the oats are tender and the oatmeal reaches your preferred consistency. Stir in the chopped pecans.
  4. Scoop oatmeal into a bowl and add fresh fruit (if using), drizzle with cream and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Um… is this real life!? Breakfast dreams come true.

Notes

Friends, the chia seeds are ESSENTIAL to this recipe to help the oats thicken. If you do not use chia seeds, you will either need to reduce the liquid or increase the oats. I’d recommend just slightly less than a 2:1 liquid to oats ratio if you don’t use chia seeds.

Refer to the above blog post for step-by-step photos, ingredient suggestions and answers to frequently asked questions.

Recipe adapted from NY Times.

Would you like to save this?

We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 575
  • Sugar: 61.1 g
  • Sodium: 108 mg
  • Fat: 16.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 92.7 g
  • Fiber: 11.9 g
  • Protein: 15.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 28.6 mg

If you love this oatmeal with dates, you will love these other oat-inspired breakfasts!

Creamy vanilla oatmeal

Apple oat cake

Double chocolate oat muffins

Maple pecan granola

Cranberry overnight oats

Share this recipe!