
This Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal sweetened with maple syrup is a tasty and hearty breakfast idea for cold autumn mornings. And with the dramatic grey/black hues, this is also a great recipe for Halloween!
Jump to Recipe
Hello folks – how are you doing? I am doing also fine, thanks for asking :) The last ten days or were quite hectic, so I have not been a really good blogger. But it is getting better now, hopefully I am back. Still, I am going to keep it short and sweet today.
But before we talk about this Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal, can you imagine that it is already the mid of October? And more specifically, Halloween just in two weeks? Crazy, isn’t it?! (Oh well, I can certainly keep going with the events in November – December, but let’s deal with Halloween first.)
Halloween
When it comes to Halloween ideas, I tend to struggle a bit. I am not into decorating of food. It’s just not my kind of things (With these Halloween Shortbread Cat Cookies being the only one exception so far.) I think that if you decorate dishes for Halloween, they should be either really spooky or cute, and it’s hard to archive either of these. If you google “Halloween bake fails”, you will find many laughable examples.
So my approach is rather to focus on overall styling / ambience or ingredients or colours instead of trying to make creepy ghosts, monsters, etc. If you check the list below, you will find out that many Halloween recipes involve the use of black sesame seeds. This is a great ingredient to make the food atmospheric without investing too much of your time in food styling itself.
Halloween Recipes
Whiskey Blackberry Rosemary Cocktail
Witches’ Fingers Cheese Biscuits
Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal
Same idea with this Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal. Simple oatmeal combined black sesame seeds would result in hearty and tasty bowl…yet not so appetizing, but that’s the goal, right? I know you can sometimes buy black sesame seeds tahini, so if you have it on your hand, you can use it. But I simply processed some seeds in a blender/grinder – just 30 seconds or so, and you will have paste-like consistency. If your blender is not too powerful, you may also add a spoon of water or so.
Result? Nutty, rich, and tasty oatmeal, with not the most appetizing colour :)
I hope you like this Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal, and you will give it a try soon. If you make it, let me know in this post or send me an Instagram message or share you photos adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.
Cheers!

Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal
Course: Breakfast2-3
servings15
minutesThis Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal sweetened with maple syrup is a tasty and hearty breakfast idea for cold autumn mornings. And with the dramatic grey/black hues, this is also a great recipe for Halloween!
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats (5-7-minute cooking time)
1 and 1/2 to 2 cups of water
2 tbsp. maple syrup
a pinch of salt
1-2 tsp. butter
~1/4 cup toasted black sesame seeds
Directions
- To make the paste, place the toasted black sesame seeds in a blender / grinder and pulse few times for about 20-40 seconds. If your blender is not too powerful, you can help it by adding a spoon or so of water. Depending on how powerful your blender is, you will get the mixture resembling paste or powder (either way will work.)
- In a small saucepan, bring the water with a pinch of salt to a slow boil.
- Add the oats, salt, maple syrup, and the black sesame mixture (start with 2-3 tbsp. adding more later if necessary) and cook, occasionally stirring, for about 5 minutes (depending on the package instruction; I also love to simmer it 30-60 seconds less than suggested) over medium heat. Try and adjust the taste by adding more of the sesame seed paste, salt, or maple syrup. Off heat and add 1-2 tsp. of butter. Cover and let it stand for a minute or two. Then fluff it up a bit and serve immediately sprinkled with some extra sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- The standard ratio is roughly 1:2 (oats to liquid), resulting in quite thin porridge. Personally, I love to use less water for an extra thick consistency. Also, I used water, but milk (or coconut milk) is an excellent option for more delicate flavour and richer consistency. When using milk, I like combining ½ a cup of water and ½ a cup of milk.

Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.
Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal offers a creative twist to the classic breakfast, combining the nutty flavor of black sesame with the warmth of maple syrup, perfect for chilly autumn mornings. The unique gray-black color also makes it a festive choice for Halloween, adding an atmospheric touch to the breakfast table without the need for elaborate decorations. This recipe is a delightful way to incorporate seasonal festivities into your morning routine with simplicity and taste.
John Gatesby recently posted…History of Long COVID
this certainly looks … interesting Ben :) I do love oatmeal, and sesame seeds so sounds good. the year is flying by …
sherry recently posted…Eccles Cakes
Black Sesame Seed Oatmeal? What a unique twist on a classic breakfast! I appreciate your approach to Halloween – it’s all about setting the right mood with ingredients and colors rather than elaborate decorations. I’d love to give this a try on a chilly autumn morning although its spring here (still chilly). Thanks for the creative idea! ????????????
This is too fun, Ben! I’ve been craving oatmeal as the weather has turned cooler and now I want it with black sesame seeds!
Such a clever idea — I used to think black sesame seeds were bitter, but I discovered I love them! I always have them on hand, thanks for this — I think it would make a delicious snack to serve in a bowl. I need to check out your other Halloween recipes.
David Scott Allen recently posted…Now & Then: A Cookbook Review & Recipe
What a fun idea! I’ve seen more recipes using black sesame seeds lately, but this is the first breakfast recipe. I’m intrigued! I do love the nutty flavor of sesame seeds, and the maple syrup in there would be a great compliment. Sounds tasty!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
I love using black sesame seeds so this is a winner in my opinion.
Tandy | Lavender and Lime recently posted…Fish Curry
Oooh this resembles my daily oatmeal that I have each morning! Super delish!
I love black sesames! This sounds really wonderful and you are right, it’s a perfect Halloween treat too.
angiesrecipes recently posted…Mushroom Parmesan Tart
I’ve never used black sesame seeds. The weather has become much cooler and today I woke up and thought, “I want oatmeal”. I’ll have to give this recipe a try. Sounds interesting.