Carrot Cake Baked Oats

Carrot cake oats with frosting on a plate with a fork with a bite on it.

With the same spices and fix-ins as the actual cake, this fun twist on healthy baked oatmeal will satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you energized all morning long.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings slices

Calories 405kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

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

US Customary - Metric

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 8x8-inch or 9x9-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.
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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.

Nutrition