Start your morning on a high note with these delicious carrot cake bake oats (with optional cream cheese frosting!), packed with the same flavors as the iconic dessert but with a nutritious twist. Featuring coconut milk for moistness, Greek yogurt for protein, and plenty of shredded carrots to boost your veggie intake, this healthy oatmeal bake recipe is the whole package. Even better, you can make it ahead of time to enjoy at your convenience!
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Lizzie’s Notes
Every time I make baked oatmeal, I question why I don’t make it more often! It’s such an easy option to make in advance so that you can enjoy a warm, nourishing, and cozy breakfast, even on busy mornings.
These carrot cake baked oats are one of my favorite variations, especially since the flavors work so well in oatmeal form! Oats, with their chewy texture and staying power, are an ideal landscape for the quintessential carrot cake ingredients of warm spices, walnuts, coconut, and raisins. Plus, they’re soaked in coconut milk, yogurt, and maple syrup, leading to a moistness that makes it easy to grab a forkful.
A dollop of cream cheese frosting really takes the whole thing to another level, but it’s optional if you prefer something less sweet! I’m telling you, this recipe is basically like eating cake for breakfast. Yet, you still get all the benefits of eating carrots, like a boost of fiber to support digestion and beta-carotene for eye health. Who can resist that?
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Coconut milk: Use the full-fat, unsweetened kind that comes in a can. The high fat content is key for making the recipe moist. If you substitute another kind of milk (cow’s or other dairy-free options like almond milk), keep in mind that the recipe will still work but the final product won’t be as moist.
- Greek yogurt: Use plain nonfat or low-fat for best results. You can substitute sour cream in a pinch, but it won’t contribute as much protein and will add more fat to the dish, potentially affecting texture.
- Maple syrup: Substitute honey if needed.
- Eggs: To make an egg-free version, use flax “eggs” instead. Combine 2 tablespoons ground (or milled) flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to thicken before adding to the batter. You may also have luck substituting about ½ cup mashed banana or applesauce.
- Vanilla extract: Don’t be shy with this one! I think it really adds to the carrot cake flavor.
- Finely grated carrots: I prefer to shred the carrots using a grater with small holes, so that the carrots seamlessly fold into the batter. You can substitute shredded carrots sold in bags at the grocery store if that’s what you prefer.
- Rolled oats: These are also known as old-fashioned oats. I highly recommend using rolled oats, but if you need a substitute, quick oats also work. However, the oatmeal will be denser if you use them and not as fluffy or moist. I do not recommend using steel cut oats. If you need your carrot cake baked oats to be gluten-free, look for oats labeled as such.
- Baking powder: This helps prevent the oatmeal from being too dense and heavy by acting as a leavening agent.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger: If you really want a strong carrot cake flavor, consider adding 1.5 to 2 times the amounts of these listed in the recipe card.
- Salt: Use iodized table salt.
- Raisins: Regular or golden raisins both work.
- Walnuts: Sub pecans if desired. If you need the dish to be nut-free, pumpkin seeds would work well.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: I like to use Trader Joe’s (for bigger pieces) or Let’s Do Organic (for smaller pieces).
- Cream cheese: I really like to use the Tillamook brick cream cheese. It has no gums or preservatives, and I find that it whips up really well for frostings.
How to Make Carrot Cake Baked Oats
The full recipe card is at the bottom of the post (scroll down past the email sign-up block to see it). Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen!
Mix the wet ingredients and shredded carrots with a whisk in a large mixing bowl.
Combine the dry ingredients (oats, baking powder, carrot cake spices, and salt) in a separate bowl. Stir them into the bowl with the wet ingredients.
Fold everything together. Stir the walnuts, raisins, and coconut into the batter using a rubber spatula. The batter should be thick and evenly speckled with these additions.
Spread the batter into a greased square baking dish.
Bake until set and golden, about 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. It’s finished when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make the cream cheese frosting while the oatmeal bakes. Serve with a dollop on top!
Tips and Tricks
- Finely grate the carrots. This ensures the carrots get scattered throughout the oatmeal and are included in nearly every bite. Larger shreds do not melt into the batter as well and may lead to crunchier bits in the oatmeal. Carrots also release moisture while baking, so smaller pieces spread evenly throughout the batter enhance the moistness of the final product.
- Don’t over-bake. To avoid drying out the oatmeal, check for doneness starting as early as 25 minutes.
- Let the oatmeal cool before slicing. Carrot cake baked oats will firm up while cooling. Let the dish cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
- Add chocolate chips for additional sweetness. Stir in ¼ to ½ cup of chocolate chips (morsels or mini) at the same time as the raisins, walnuts, and coconut.
Ways to Serve
This cozy breakfast is delicious on its own with a cup of hot coffee, but consider adding extra Greek yogurt or scrambled eggs on the side to make a more balanced meal. You can also serve baked oatmeal with peanut butter, butter, and/or maple syrup. It’s a great recipe for Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, weekend brunch, or meal prep!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Keep leftover slices of carrot cake baked oats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Leftover frosting can be stored in a a separate container for the same time frame. Reheat individual slices in the microwave in 45-second intervals on high until warm. Add a splash of milk or pat of butter before microwaving to keep it moist.
You can also bake the oatmeal and store it in its dish, tightly covered with foil, if you plan to reheat the entire thing at once. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C, keep the oatmeal covered with foil, and reheat for 15 to 20 minutes until warm.
This recipe freezes well! To freeze, let the oatmeal cool completely and slice into individual servings. Wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap or foil and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Seal tightly, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before removing the plastic wrap and reheating using one of the above methods. If you forget to thaw it, remove the plastic wrap and place on a plate. Add a splash of milk or pat of butter, and microwave in 45-second intervals until warm.
More Baked Oatmeal Recipes
- Healthy Baked Peach Oatmeal
- Spiced Parsnip and Apple Baked Oatmeal
- Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal Muffins
- Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Bake
- Crock Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Check out my Healthy Carrot Cake Bars (No Bake), Easy Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cookies, Carrot Cake Granola with Added Parsnips, and Morning Glory Cookies for similar flavors.
FAQs
- How do I make carrot cake baked oats moist and fluffy? Use full-fat coconut milk, as recommended in the recipe, instead of cow’s milk or another substitute. Finely grated carrots, instead of larger shreds, rolled oats instead of quick oats, and baking powder also make this recipe moist and fluffy. Finally, bake until the oatmeal is just set in the center to prevent drying it out.
- Can I make carrot cake baked oats vegan or gluten-free? To make the recipe vegan, substitute flax “eggs,” mashed banana, or applesauce for the eggs, omit the cream cheese frosting, and replace the Greek yogurt with a vegan counterpart. For a gluten-free version, just ensure you use certified gluten-free oats.
📖 Recipe
Carrot Cake Baked Oats
Ingredients
Baked oats
- 13.5 ounces unsweetened coconut milk - canned, full-fat
- ¼ to ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely grated carrots - from 2 medium carrots
- 2.5 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Cream cheese frosting (optional)
- 2 ounces cream cheese - softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, make sure the cream cheese is softening at room temperature if you are making the frosting.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees/175 degrees C. Spray an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or grease with butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, eggs, and finely grated carrots. Use ¼ cup syrup for a less sweet oatmeal and ½ cup if you want it sweeter.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ones. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Fold in the raisins, chopped walnuts, and shredded coconut. Stir until these additions are scattered evenly throughout the batter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use a rubber spatula to spread it out in an even layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until just set in the center, golden brown on the top, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check for doneness as early as 20 to 25 minutes to avoid over-baking. Let the oatmeal cool for 10 to 15 minutes to finish firming up.
- While the oatmeal bakes, prepare the optional cream cheese frosting. Add the ingredients to a medium or large bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Slice the oatmeal into eight rectangles or servings of your desired size. Serve with a dollop of cream cheese frosting.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Storage and reheating: Keep leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 45-second intervals on high until warm. Add a splash of milk or slice of butter to keep it moist during warming. Keep leftover frosting in a separate airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Make-ahead for a crowd: You can also keep the oatmeal in the pan you used, cover it with foil and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To reheat the entire pan at once, keep it covered with foil and transfer to the oven preheated to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. Reheat for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Freezing and reheating: To meal prep and freeze individual slices, let the oatmeal cool completely before slicing. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and seal tightly, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, transfer slices from the freezer to fridge the night before to thaw, then reheat using the microwave method mentioned above (after removing the plastic or foil). If you forget to transfer them, unwrap and reheat from frozen in the microwave in 45-second intervals on high (you’ll need a longer reheating time than if they were thawed). Add a splash of milk or slice of butter to prevent drying out.
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