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Learn how to make quick oats from old-fashioned oats! This kitchen hack is great when you don’t have the right kind of oats needed for a recipe. It’s super easy to do and will save you a trip to the grocery store.
Easy Kitchen Hack!
For years, I kept quick cook oatmeal and old-fashioned oats on hand because different recipes use one or the other. The worst was when I ran out of fast cook oats and had to run to the store in the middle of a recipe – it’s happened more times than I like to remember!
So, I’m reviewing all things oatmeal in this post – specifically, the difference between the two, substitutions, and the simple hack to make quick oats.
Table of Contents
Can I Use Old Fashioned Oats Instead of Quick Oats?
It depends. Old fashioned oats give baked goods more texture but take longer to cook, which is why some recipes call specifically for quick oats. Quick cook oats are processed more, so they don’t have to cook as long.
In many cases, you can use the two interchangeably. But in some cases, a recipe will only work with quick cook oats. Hence why I kept both on hand for so many years!
Then I figured out you can make your own quick oats with old-fashioned oats, and life was changed forever! Okay, maybe that’s an overstatement, but yes, you can make quick cook oats out of regular oats, and it has saved me from making unnecessary trips to the store.
I’m showing you how to do it, plus sharing tips for substituting oats – I wish I’d known all of this years ago!
How to Make Quick Oats from Old Fashioned Oats
First, the hack. If you are making cookies that need quick cooking oatmeal, but you only have old-fashioned ones, here’s how you make it work:
Place your oats in a food processor. Pulse a few times to break them down. Give them a stir and pulse again, if needed. That’s all you do!
Use your DIY oatmeal in your recipe – just be sure to measure the amount you need after you’ve processed them.
Substituting Old Fashioned for Quick Oats
When it comes to old-fashioned oats vs. quick cook oats in baking,the best rule of thumb is to follow the recipe.
You can substitute old-fashioned for quick cook oats in many cases, and a well-written recipe should indicate this. If the recipe specifically calls for one or the other, stick to that for the best results.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to DIY old-fashioned ones, so those are the ones I usually keep on hand. That way, if I need quick oats, it’s just a few food processor pulses away to DIY it! Sometimes the simplest things can make a big difference in the kitchen, and DIY quick cook oats can be a total sanity-saver! If it saves a trip to the store, it’s a winner in my book. I hope you’ve found this post helpful!
Additional Baking Tips and Tricks
- Common Baking Substitutions
- How to Double a Recipe
- 5 Must Have Baking Tools
- How to Send Cookies in the Mail
How to make Quick Oats from Old Fashioned Oats
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup old fashioned oats or any amount
Instructions
- Place old fashioned oats in a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times in short bursts. Stir the oats and see if you need to pulse again.
- Measure what you have left and use it in the recipe.
Recipe Nutrition
Different recipes call for different types of oats, but you no longer need to keep both in your pantry! Learn how to easily make quick cook oats from old-fashioned oats.
Can I do this if I’m planning on using it for breakfast??
I believe so yes
What if I put in quick oats when it should have been old fashion oats. What can I do to correct it. Should I add some oldfashion on top of it?
It depends on what you’re making – I can’t speak generally if you’re talking about baking.
very good recipe. Helped to confirm that I could do what I thought I could.
I just used the grinder on my 3 minute steel cut oats. It’s like fine powder now. Can I use this instead of the quick cook oats that my meatloaf recipe calls for?
Thank you 👩🍳💐
I am not sure, but usually you want them coarse, not powdery.
Use the “oat flour” you’ve made to bake cookies/bread. I often substitute some of the purpose flour with oat flour to make healthier and more flavorful pancakes.
Thx for the tip! Question for you-what should the texture be of the finished pulsed oats? Still grainy or fine? Thx so much 😊
Still like oats, but smaller, broken down – not powdery.
Thanks! Wish I knew this before I made a muffin recipe with “dusty” oats lol!
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