A big, fat sugar cookie.
But softer and chewier, and much more filling!
This was the delicious breakfast I made on Sunday, in honor of Christmas. As I prepared my morning oats, the box of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea sat on the counter, staring me straight in the face. (See, sometimes a messy counter can be a good thing.) I had no idea if adding the tea would impart any noticeable flavor, but isn’t that the whole point of experimenting? To see what happens? In this case, what happened was a bowl of creamy oatmeal, remeniscent of a sweet sugar cookie. Merry Christmas, indeed.
(Breakfast was festive last year, too: Zucchini Bread Oatmeal.)
Sugar Cookie Oatmeal
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
- 2 Celestial Seasonings sugar cookie teabags (feel free to change the flavor by using any favorite tea)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- sweetener of choice, as desired
- optional: coconut butter or oil, or vegan butter (You can easily omit this. But I liked the extra buttery flavor I got by stirring a little virgin coconut oil into my oats.)
Heat the water and milk, then add the teabags and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Right before taking the teabags out, smush them a little with a fork so more of the flavor goes into the milk. Combine the liquid with the oats and salt, then microwave for 3 minutes. (If it starts to boil over, you can stop the microwave and keep heating in ten-second increments until the time is up. But don’t open the microwave door!)
Let the oatmeal sit in the closed microwave for 5 minutes, then transfer–uncovered—to the fridge. It gets thicker as it sits. (I made this, then went running for a little over an hour. It was the perfect texture by the time I got back. Bit if you want to eat this immediately, just use a little less water.) Right before eating, add your vanilla and sweetener (and oil, if using).
View Sugar Cookie Oatmeal Nutrition Info
You can make this the night before if you prefer: just add a splash of milk before reheating the next day. Also, feel free to make this on the stovetop instead of the microwave.
By the time I finished breakfast, everyone else was finally starting to wake up. So I parked myself in front of the tree to open presents. (And then I was forced to move, because Batman kept jumping into my lap and trying to lick my face. Ick… puppy kisses! Some presents, I’m not so sure I want.)
My sister’s gift to me included a bunch of colored sugars, to feed my cupcake-decorating habit. Or maybe I can use the colored sugars the next time I make sugar cookie oatmeal. It was so good that I’m definitely planning to make it again soon!
Do you like unusual oatmeal flavors?
Or do you prefer traditional oatmeal mix-ins? I know I’ve posted some outlandish oatmeal recipes, but my everyday breakfasts can actually be pretty simple– basic oats with raisins, or with a big spoonful of coconut butter and some cinnamon mixed in. Still, sometimes it’s fun to go a little crazy…
One of my crazier recipes: Chocolate Hugs Strawberry Oatmeal.
I wish I liked oatmeal because this sounds so good!
I bet you could do it with cold cereal too! Tea-infused milk poured over the cold cereal, as opposed to regular milk?
Do you like Cream of Wheat or Malt-O-Meal? Works with them too 🙂
I will have to try it! Love your idea :).
This really sounds wonderful. I am getting so upset seeing all these sugar cookie flavoured recipes in the blogosphere made with this tea because it is the one holiday flavour of Celestial Seasonings’ that is not available in Canada! 🙁 As soon as I can I need to get over the border into Washington and hope there’s still some available somewhere! xxx
I know! I’m in Canada too, and so bummed out we can’t get this flavor!
Maybe online?
Or, you could try it with a different brand… I think any vanilla-flavored tea might be nice! As long as you like the flavor of the tea, of course ;).
Flavoring your oatmeal with teabags……………… GENIUS!!! I feel some experimenting coming on! I am a little sad that I didn’t read this before I ate my breakfast this morning, otherwise I would’ve given it a try! But I am not TOO sad, because my breakfast was chocolate oatmeal 😉 Maybe I will have oatmeal again for lunch! Totally acceptable, right? 😉
Haha of course!
I actually bought the sugar cookie tea last year, but couldn’t stand the taste 🙁 maybe if I still have some tea bags left I can see if I like it better in oatmeal, haha 🙂
YUM this looks so good!!!! I don’t have Sugar Cookie tea but I do have Celestial Seasonings Apple Spice. Could that work?
If you try it, let me know how it tastes! I just bought the sugar plum one, to try that.
I think the apple spice would be good if you added some cinnamon! 🙂
I tried the Cinnamon Apple Spice tea in the oatmeal and it was AMAZING! I followed your recipe and then just added 1 tsp. of cinnamon after reheating it in the morning – thanks for the great idea!
It’s so funny that you and your sister look like twins! My hubby and his brother look identical too, and they’re 3 years apart.
I love oatmeal with Greek yogurt, a splash of almond milk and bear naked granola for crunch. Simple and easy!
Unusual oatmeal flavors…good question. I wouldn’t say unusual but I use oats in baking and cooking ALL The time. They pair ever so wonderful with chocolate and peanut butter and sugar in various doughs and batters 🙂
Jealous- they don’t sell sugar cookie sleigh ride around here! They only have the other four- but I’m making do with nutcracker! 😀
Is that all you had for breakfast? Perhaps people would not be so quick to think you had an eating disorder if you didn’t eat a 170 calorie breakfast. And the fact you posted the nutritional statistics seems odd for someone who says she wants to gain weight….if you run as much as you say, then you are definitely not eating enough.
Oh for goodness sake, Jenn.
First: I never said that was all I had for breakfast. I don’t run a “here’s what I ate” type of blog.
Second: It’s not 170 calories with the optional coconut oil added.
Third: If you want to think I have an eating disorder, that’s fine with me. I know I’m healthy and happy, and that’s all that matters.
It saddens me that people can’t leave you be 🙁 You should never need to justify yourself on your own blog! Your true fans and friends know the real Katie
Well where else do you suppose an individual who puts themselves and their lives out there should “justify” themselves, if not their PUBLIC blog?
I agree with Jenn’s concerns – not to mention the fact that one second you claim to have “no sweet tooth”, and the next youre receiving sugar “to feed your cupcake-decorating habit” and eating “Sugar Cookie Oatmeal”among other things?
Not accusing you of anything, Katie – just making use of the open comment space on your public blog.
Just.. preposterous.. Does she look at all unhealthy to you? I think not.
Be as you will, naysayers, but know your claims are unfounded. As are mine, I guess. 😀
Hi Katie, I’m also curious as to why someone without a sweet tooth would want to host a dessert blog, especially as their job. I read through your FAQ page and didn’t seem to find a good answer to this. Maybe you just really enjoy making desserts for others? From a personal standpoint, I wouldn’t find it a very fulfilling job to create, photograph, and write about sweet stuff every day if I didn’t like it. I’m interested in your response!
I believe I read in one of her posts that she doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but she enjoys desserts that are rich and creamy. If you notice a lot of her dessert recipes really aren’t sweet…She’ll say things like, “Add this much sweetener or less if you’re used to healthy desserts,” and then she’ll say that she omitted the sweetener. I also remember her saying that when she makes brownies her way, her friends call them “angry brownies” because they are bitter.
Yikes, sorry! I just looked at my faq page and you’re right that the explanation isn’t there. I did have that question in a previous draft. (I didn’t want the faq page to go on forever, so I deleted questions I thought weren’t essential to have on there… I guess I should add that question back!)
But it’s pretty much as Lauren said. (Thanks, Lauren! :))
I don’t have a sweet tooth, but I LOVE desserts. I’d just choose the darkest chocolate, rich desserts over sugary ones, and I’ve never liked soda or candy like Sweet Tarts or Nerds or Starburst AT ALL. Oh, and I’ll take vegan ice cream over sorbet any day.
I eat dessert-type foods at least once a day (usually more). They just aren’t very sweet. Dark, rich and bitter chocolate desserts are my favorites.
Angry brownies. hee hee. That’s hilarious.
Bahaha angry brownies! That certainly made me laugh.
It’s super hard to be “above reproach” as a blogger these days. If you say it’s not good to eat much fat, there will certainly be plenty of other people who say rendered animal fat is the foundation of longevity. NO ONE knows everything about human nutrition, and we have to make our own decisions about what we eat. No one will say that refined sugar is good for you, so maybe since Katie has entirely cut this out of her diet, she looks just like she is supposed to?
There’s NO WAY yuo have an eating disorder, Katie! You eat just fine, and you’re an inspiration and role model to all of us!
As for Jenn, the nutritional info is posted for those who ARE watching their weight!!! GET WITH IT!
Okay then, I’ll bite. What else did you eat for breakfast?
LAY OFF!!!!
Katie is fine!!! Some people have reall hig metabolisms. And hey, you know she samples a lot of her recipe creations too(calories dd up). If you look at her Q&A page, she only runs for overan hour…. it’s not excessive exercise, and do yu see how BIG her serving sizes are for lunch/dinner??? WOW. That’s a meal for a MARATHON runner rather than an hour-long runner.
I was an anorexic. I KNOW when someone is restricting/dieting/obsessing over food, nd exercising too much. Katie is also a “big girl”; she’s an adult and can take care of herself. She’s not a teen anorexic, and neverwas (never will be either!).
Thanks for the reply, but you aren’t Katie. I’d prefer to hear from Katie herself rather than have her fans leaping to defend her. I didn’t accuse her of anything, I’m just curious as to what else she had for breakfast.
Anonymous: One of the reasons I don’t write a “what I ate” type of blog (besides the fact that it’s just not something I think sounds fun) is that I don’t want people looking at my eating habits and trying to mimic them. I eat in a way that works for ME… but it doesn’t mean that’s the best way to eat for someone else. Everyone needs to do what’s best for him/herself.
But since you asked in a non-snarky way, I’ll give you a quick rundown of my breakfast just this once. When I make oatmeal for myself, I almost always make 1.5 servings because 1 will never fill me up (and wouldn’t be enough calories for my active lifestyle). I also added coconut oil to my oats, and I ate a little dish of ghirardelli 100% baking discs on the side. (I know it sounds strange, but I love them. I pop them plain like potato chips!) Also, I eat some fruit and nuts as a “first breakfast” before I go running. So a 170-cal breakfast would never, ever be enough for me. Not even close. Even if it were healthy for me to eat that way, I wouldn’t do it… I’d be hungry like 5 minutes later! 😉
Thanks for your response, Katie! I appreciate your respectful tone and willingness to share.
Whoa. I’m sorry you seemed to think I was being snark and answered back so snippy, it was just a question Katie. You are healthy and happy, awesome, good for you! 😀
As a side note, what does “for goodness sake” mean? Who is this goodness and why do I care about his sake?
have a great new year!
Are you kidding me?! Jenn, your first comment (and second one too) was so obviously passive-aggressive it isn’t even funny! It sounds like you have an ED and are just jealous of Katie’s obviously healthy state.
Hope you get some help. Oh, and a very happy new year to you, honey! 😉 (See? I can be passive-aggressive too!)
Thanks dear cakes! I needed a laugh this morning, so glad I came back to see if Katie had answered my comment and instead I received your wonderful gem. However, just like Katie says we shouldn’t judge her, you should not judge what I meant to imply or my tone; I am not a long time, or even short time reader of her blog so I was not aware why she posted the calorie content of her meals. But hey, if she is healthy (or not) that is up to her; I was just mentioning one of the reasons she may be getting bashed. I am sorry if I hurt your feelings Katie, I hope you have a nice year.
Have a happy full of oatmeal and smoothies new year! BTW, honey? Are you from the good ol’ south? 😉
Jenn,
I may be a little late to this party, but:
If I get up and am going to work out, I eat something a lot lower in calorie than I otherwise would. Just so I get something in my stomach. Then I eat more later.
She posts the nutritional statistics because someone suggested she do it. I’ve been a calorie counter since I as 11-not because I had an eating disorder, but because I was fat as a kid and I learned the concept early on. I’m glad to see them because if they’re not posted I have to do the calculations myself. And that fact alone will help her as a blogger-I visit her site because I know the counts are there. I’m not obsessed. I simply have to count calories to maintain my weight. It’s long been second nature for me. Every fat person I know eats far more calories than they should. And yes, I’m using the term fat. Enough coddling. Since I’m really a fat person I have no qualms about using that word.
Great idea! I just got this tea in my stocking 😀