My Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is a wholesome, batch prep breakfast made with whole grains, raisins, walnuts and warm spices. Topped with a high protein frosting, it's just like cake.
Baked oatmeal is as close as you can get to eating cake for breakfast. I love making the single-serve baked oats, but these large batch baked oatmeal trays are the best for meal prep. Carrot cake is one of my top cake flavours, so naturally I needed to make a wholesome breakfast version that was a little higher in fibre and lower in sugar. Just like my zucchini brownie baked oats, there's also a dose of veggies too!
Veggies and cake for breakfast? As an all foods fit dietitian, I'm a big fan.
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Low in added sugar. These carrot cake baked oats are naturally sweetened with applesauce and only use 2 tablespoon of honey. It's a great option that's just sweet enough for breakfast, while still being lower in sugar.
- One dish only. This whole recipe only uses one bowl- you don't even need one for mixing! Minimal mess = minimal stress, am I right?
- Nutrient rich. We have whole grains, protein, healthy fats and lots of micronutrients. Carrots are a great source of fibre and beta-carotene, the orange antioxidant pigment that gets converted into vitamin A.
Ingredients
For the oatmeal:
Oats. Quick, minute or rolled oats will all work in this recipe. I don't recommend steel cut oats as they will have a much chewier texture.
Collagen powder. I recommend using unflavoured collagen for a boost of protein to help create a balanced breakfast. I love Organika, and if you ever want to try I have a code NOURISHEDBYNIC30 for money off!
Baking powder. To help give these baked oats some rise, creating more of a cake-like texture.
Spices. Salt, cinnamon and ginger are all you need.
Milk. Use any milk of choice. For the highest protein options, I recommend dairy milk or soy milk for a plant-based option.
Applesauce. A key ingredient to help add moisture to the baked oats while also adding a subtle sweetness. I recommend unsweetened applesauce if you have it available.
Vanilla extract. Both artificial or natural vanilla extract are fine.
Eggs. To help hold these baked oats together!
Honey. For a touch of natural sweetness. Maple syrup also works, but I like the taste of honey in these oats.
Carrot. I recommend shredding your carrots at home vs. purchasing pre-shredded carrots. For quick shredding I use my food processor. Dietitian tip: keep the skins on your carrots for a fibre boost, just be sure to scrub them well.
Mix-ins. For the classic carrot cake mix-ins, I went for raisins, walnuts and unsweetened shredded coconut. Add or take away whatever you like!
For the frosting:
Greek yogurt. This is our high protein base for the frosting. The higher the fat percentage the creamier the topping will be, I recommend 2% for a mix of creaminess without too much added fat!
Cream cheese. Mixed with the Greek yogurt, this creates the perfect cream cheese frosting without being overly heavy for breakfast. Light or regular cream cheese will work great, just ensure it is room temperature before using.
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 8.5x8.5" square baking dish.
To your dish, whisk together applesauce and eggs. Add honey, milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
Add oats, collagen, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and ground ginger. Mix well.
Fold in shredded carrots and raisins, walnuts and shredded coconut (if using).
Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the oats comes out clean.
To make the yogurt topping, in a small bowl whisk together yogurt, cream cheese, honey and vanilla extract.
Once baked oats are cool, top with yogurt frosting and slice into 6 equal sized pieces.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats like these ones.
To make dairy-free: Use a dairy-free milk and swap a dairy-free yogurt and cream cheese substitute for the frosting.
To make vegan: I have not tested a vegan version of this recipe, but I do have some suggestions. First, follow the dairy-free swaps above. You can try substituting the egg for flax eggs, by combining 1 tablespoon ground flax seed with 3 tablespoon warm water. Note that this may alter the texture. For a tried and true vegan recipe, try my strawberry chocolate baked oatmeal.
To make nut-free: Omit the walnuts.
Equipment
- 8.5x8.5" baking tray
Storage
Carrot cake baked oatmeal can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. For best results, I recommend storing the yogurt topping separate from the baked oat base and topping when you are ready to eat. This helps ensure your baked oats do not get soggy.
For longer storage, freeze individual baked oat slices wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. To defrost, simply place in the fridge overnight.
Top Tip
Whenever I’m using shredded carrots in a baking recipe, I always recommend shredding the carrots yourself vs. purchasing pre-shredded carrots. Using pre-shredded carrots will decrease the moisture in this recipe, altering both the taste and texture.
For easy clean up, ensure you are fully greasing your pan prior to adding the ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes of course! I like saving dishes to minimize my cleaning but if you can easily mix all the ingredients in a bowl and pour into a greased pan once your baked oatmeal batter is ready to bake.
No you do not. You can replace the collagen powder with an equal amount of protein powder or additional oats. However, I do find the collagen helps absorb excess moisture than just oats alone, creating a nice and moist texture!
More Baked Oatmeal Recipes
Try these baked oat recipes next:
- Vegan Strawberry Chocolate Baked Oats
- Baked Oats Without Banana
- Zucchini Brownie Baked Oats
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this carrot cake baked oatmeal, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 2.5 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup milk
- 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups oats quick, minute or rolled will all work
- ½ cup unflavoured collagen powder see notes below for swaps
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2.5 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon all spice (optional)
- ¾ cup shredded carrots about 1 large carrot
Optional:
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Yogurt frosting:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoon cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 8.5x8.5" square baking dish.
- To your dish, whisk together applesauce and eggs. Add honey, milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
- Add Oats, collagen, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and ground ginger. Mix well.
- Fold in shredded carrots and raisins, walnuts and shredded coconut (if using). Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the oats comes out clean.
- To make the yogurt topping, in a small bowl whisk together yogurt, cream cheese, honey and vanilla extract.
- Once baked oats are cool, top with yogurt frosting and slice into 6 equal sized pieces.
Carol Taylor says
Made this week for an afternoon sweet treat! It is delicious! Very moist! I will definitely be making this again!!
Alyssa says
Literally tastes like having cake for breakfast. Freezes really well too! I was worried storing it with the frosting would make it soggy/watery but it held up perfectly!
Katie says
Any dairy free options to sub out Greek yogurt? That’s one dairy that I just can’t do 😢
Thanks I love your recipes!
Nicole Addison says
Hi Katie- any thick non-dairy yogurt will work great (mixing non dairy cream cheese and a bit of yogurt is a great option if you cant find a thick one)
Valerie says
This turned out really moist, flavorful, and delicious. Thank you so much Nic. I’m on WW, and was able to make some small adjustments (skipped nuts, coconut, used sugar free maple syrup rather than honey) to bring the down from 12 WW points to 3 points a serving. I did add a little crystallized ginger (aka stem ginger), was generous with the spices, and used PE Science Protein Powder, as I know it works well in baking, and several people in the reviews had mentioned the collegian texture was off. I make a bunch of different baked oats recipes, and the texture and taste of this one was fantastic.
Amber-Dawn Ruehlicke says
This was so insanely delicious. Thank you for this recipe. I've tried many baked oat recipes and this is by far the best. Everyone loved it. Healthy enough for breakfast, indulgent enough for dessert