A.K.A

old-fashioned oats

What is it?

Before they’re fit for human consumption, whole oats must be cleaned, toasted, hulled, and cleaned a second time. At this point, they are called oat groats.

Rolled oats, also known asold-fashioned oats,are oat groats that have been steamed and flattened into flakes with large rollers. They take about 15 minutes to cook into oatmeal, but they can also be added raw to recipes.

Quick-cooking rolled oatsare similar to old-fashioned oats, but they’ve been cut into pieces before being steamed and rolled, so they’re thinner and cook in about 5 minutes. Though they cook in about 5 minutes (versus the usual 15 for regular rolled oats), quick-cooking rolled oats lack some of that satisfying oatmeal flavor and texture. Use them as you would old-fashioned oats.

Steel-cut oats,也被称为苏格兰燕麦、针头燕麦、和我rish steel-cut oatmeal, are made from whole oat groats (cleaned, toasted, and hulled oat grains) that are cut with steel blades. Because they are cut—not rolled flat into flakes—they retain a chewy texture. They must be cooked before eating, but you can soak them in water first to reduce their 30-minute cooking time. There are also quick-cooking and even instant versions available.

Instant oatsare cooked and dried before being rolled, which softens them enough that they need only about 90 seconds of cooking. They’re often packaged with additional salt, sugar, and flavoring, though, so look for plain versions to keep their health quotient high. Don’t use them as substitutes for old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, because they tend to absorb more moisture and can alter the texture of your recipe.

Don’t have it?

Rolled oats and quick-cooking rolled oats can often be substituted for one another in recipes. Instant oats cannotbe substituted for either. Instant oats are oat groats that have been cooked and dried before being rolled. Precooking the oats softens them, so when they are mixed with wet ingredients, say in a baking recipe, they turn your baked goods into mushy lumps.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Overnight French Toast Muffins

  A true crowd pleaser, this dish offers the best of two breakfast favorites: the classic flavor of French toast packaged in the easy grab-and-go shape of muffins. Since the preparation…

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  Recipe

  Glazed Oatmeal Spice Bars

  Ginger and spice and everything nice, that’s what these cookies are made of. They’re best eaten the day they’re baked. But you can bake the bars and glaze them ahead…

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  Recipe

  Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

  With a ribbon of tangy cranberry between layers of hearty oats, these bars are a great treat any time of the day, including breakfast.

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  Recipe

  Blackberry and Blueberry Sheet Pan Pie

  Sweet, juicy blackberries and blueberries topped with oats and brown sugar join forces in a buttery crust.

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  Recipe

  Cranberry Streusel Muffins

  Sweet, crumbly streusel balances bursts of tartness from the cranberries in these tender sour-cream muffins. They're shown here with Marcona Almond Streusel, but you can use Cocoa Cardamom Streusel or…

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  Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Streusel Cookies

  Baked nuggets of oaty, nutty streusel (shown here with Marcona Almond Streusel) are right at home in this twist on a classic cookie.

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  Marcona Almond Streusel

  Buttery Marcona almonds enhance this classic cinnamony streusel with a salty crunch

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  Recipe

  Brown-Butter Oatmeal Skillet Cookie with Spiced Apples

  Reminiscent of the topping on an apple crisp, this chewy oatmeal cookie gets a nutty undertone from the brown butter.

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  Recipe

  Oatmeal Cookie Butter

  This sweet, fruity butter tastes like the most sophisticated cookie dough you’ve ever licked off a spoon. It's amazing on warm, fresh bread, or for a sweet snack spread it…

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  Recipe

  Mini-Meatloaves with Chili Sauce

  Kids will love getting their own individual-size loaves, while everyone will enjoy the sweet-tangy glaze on top. Serve with smashed baby potatoes sprinkled with chives.