Avena, or Mexican oatmeal, is a warm and comforting breakfast made with old-fashioned oats, cinnamon, piloncillo, vanilla, and milk. It’s creamy, lightly sweet, and full of cozy cinnamon flavor.
This is one of those simple Mexican breakfasts that comes together with everyday ingredients and is especially delicious on a cool morning. Serve it in a bowl with sliced bananas, berries, or your favorite nuts for an easy breakfast the whole family will love.
Don’t confuse this with Atole de Avena, the more liquid version served in a cup for drinking. Also delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- Simple ingredients: You only need a handful of pantry and refrigerator staples.
- Warm and comforting: Cinnamon, vanilla, and piloncillo give this oatmeal its cozy Mexican flavor.
- Easy to customize: Make it thicker or thinner, depending on how you like your oatmeal.
- Perfect for toppings: Add sliced bananas, berries, nuts, brown sugar, or your favorite oatmeal toppings.
- Great for busy mornings: It’s filling, satisfying, and ready in about 15 minutes.
-Maggie
- Add water to a large pot.
- Place the cinnamon sticks and piloncillo cone in the pot.
- Bring to a boil.
Piloncillo is raw cane sugar that adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness to the oatmeal.
If you can’t find it, omit it and top the oatmeal with brown sugar instead.
- Add the oatmeal and bring to a boil.
- Then add the milk and vanilla.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
Here, we’re using old-fashioned oats. Instant oatmeal is fine to use as well, but it cooks faster. Quick oats also work, but they cook faster and have a softer texture. Add them along with the milk and vanilla, and cook until creamy and heated through.
Out of milk? Use canned evaporated milk instead. You can also eat oatmeal without milk.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Avena is the Spanish word for oats, and in Mexico, it commonly refers to a warm oatmeal made with oats, cinnamon, milk, and a sweetener such as piloncillo. It can be served thick in a bowl or made thinner and served in a cup.
Yes. Quick oats work well in this recipe, but they cook faster and have a softer texture. If using quick oats, add them along with the milk and vanilla and adjust the cooking time as needed.
If you don’t have piloncillo, you can use brown sugar. Add it to taste, since the amount of sweetness you prefer can vary.
Yes. You can make Mexican oatmeal with water, although milk gives it a creamier texture and richer flavor. You can also use evaporated milk or your favorite plant-based milk.
For thicker oatmeal, use less water. The recipe notes include an option to use 2 cups of water instead of 4 cups for a thicker consistency.
Simply replace the milk with your favorite plant-based milk, such as almond, oat, or coconut milk.
Yes. Store leftover Avena in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will thicken as it cools, so add a splash of milk or water when reheating.
Topping Ideas
- Banana slices
- Berries
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Brown sugar
🍳 More Mexican Breakfast Recipes
- Huevos Rancheros
- Chorizo con Huevos
- Papas con Huevos
- Huevos con Jamon
- Mexican Omelette
- Chilaquiles Rojos
- Huevos a la Mexicana
This Avena is an easy, cozy breakfast that’s simple enough for a weekday morning and delicious enough to make again and again. The combination of cinnamon, piloncillo, vanilla, and milk gives everyday oatmeal a warm Mexican twist.
Serve it hot with sliced bananas or your favorite toppings, and enjoy a comforting bowl of homemade Avena whenever you’re craving something sweet and satisfying.
Avena (Mexican Oatmeal)
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 piloncillo cone
- 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups milk
- sliced banana (optional)
Instructions
- Add water, cinnamon stick, and piloncillo cone in a stock pot.
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 4 minutes, or until piloncillo is fully dissolved.
- Add oats.
- Bring to a boil.
- Add the milk and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Serve and top with bananas, if using.
- Enjoy!
Delicious, thank you so much for this recipe! I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t like the watery consistency but there was really no need for that, it turned out so creamy! I had a block of panela from LIDL (German here, hello!) so I had to google the weight of a piloncillo cone (200 g??) and reduced the sugar to 70 % which was a good choice for me personally. I recommend you play around with the sugar a little 🙂 But do not change anything else on your first try, the flavour is delectable.
I will definitely be making this again.
Sounds delicious! So glad you made it your own.
Excellent recipe. The secret is the cinnamon stick simmered to create a subtle flavour. I don’t have access to piloncillo cones so I use muscovado/turbinado sugar. Very good…I love Avena..
Thank you for your kind words! I completely agree with you – the cinnamon stick definitely adds a lovely depth of flavor to this recipe. Avena is one of my favorite breakfasts, especially during colder months.
Omg! My new favorite oatmeal!!!! Although my Scottish half needed it much thicker. Lol! I used half the water, a small piloncillo, and added another half cup of oats. I will making this ALL the time! I bet it would be amazing with some diced apples! THANK YOU!!!
That’s great to hear. Glad you enjoyed the avena.
Can you save for later ? How long will it last in the fridge ?
Absolutely! Save that goodness for later. Pop it in an airtight container in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Your tasty avena will be good for up to 3 days. Enjoy your Mexican oatmeal anytime!
What happened to the old recipe?
Old recipe? I changed it years ago but not recently.
I love oatmeal and I eat it all week long. Will try your recipe x
Oatmeal is delicious! Glad you liked it!
What size piloncillo cone is used?
I used a regular 8oz pilloncillo. Not the small ones. If you use the small ones, use at least 2. Maybe 3 depending on what size you find.