Wikipedia Article About Quick oats on Wikipedia Old fashioned oats that are cut into several pieces and then steamed and rolled into thin flakes. Because the flakes are thin and small, they cook up very quickly, requiring about 5 minutes cooking time compared to the 15 minutes need for regular oats. The quick oats loose a little flavor but keep their nutritional value. Also called quick cooking oats, oats that have been hulled, steamed, and rolled; but have been rolled out thinner than "regular" rolled oats so that they cook more quickly.