Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast that tastes like dessert. It features whole-grain oatmeal mixed with classic carrot cake ingredients, including crushed pineapple, shredded carrots, raisins, coconut, pecans, and spices. I love to add a dollop of maple cream cheese-like topping made from Greek yogurt on top.
This tasty recipe is ideal for breakfast or brunch, and the best part is that you can assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning.
Why This Recipe Works
If you love my Carrot Cake Overnight Oats, you’ll want to try this baked version. It’s one of my favorite brunch recipes. Here’s why I think you’ll love it too:
- This recipe makes eight servings, so there’s enough for everyone if you're feeding a group.
- If you’re making it for one or two, it lasts several days in the refrigerator, so you won’t have to worry about what’s for breakfast all week.
- It’s easy to make in the morning, but if you’re the organized type, you can assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning.
- It’s a healthy breakfast or brunch recipe full of whole grains, fruits, carrots, and nuts, but it tastes like a decadent dessert. Who could resist?
Recipe Ingredients
These are the key ingredients you’ll need to make carrot cake baked oatmeal I’ve listed a few substitutions and variations in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Oats. Use old-fashioned or thick-cut oats. Instant or quick-cooking oats are too thin and won’t hold up well. And steel-cut oats are too dense for this recipe.
Carrots. I recommend using whole carrots that you peel and shred in a food processor or with a cheese grater instead of the shredded carrots that come in a bag. The pre-shredded carrots tend to be thicker and tougher, whereas the carrots you shred yourself will be very tender.
Pineapple. I love pineapple in carrot cake because it adds natural sweetness, texture, and moisture. It does the same in this recipe. I use no-sugar-added canned crushed pineapple packed in its own juice.
Golden raisins. These also add natural sweetness and moisture. I prefer gold raisins because they're sweeter and moister, but either gold or black works as long as they’re very fresh and plump.
Coconut. Look for unsweetened, shredded or flaked coconut in the baking section.
Cinnamon and nutmeg. These are classic carrot cake spices, so don’t skip them.
Greek yogurt. I strain plain Greek yogurt until it’s thick, like soft cream cheese, then mix it with vanilla and maple syrup. It makes a delicious cream cheese icing-like topping to serve alongside the baked oatmeal.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you’re not into pineapple, raisins, or coconut, feel free to omit any of these.
- To make this dairy-free, use non-dairy milk.
- Swap walnuts for the pecans.
- If your store carries labneh (Greek yogurt cheese), use it instead of straining the yogurt.
- For a variation on the Greek yogurt cream cheese topping, try my honey and sea salt labneh.
- If you’re short on time or don’t want to serve the yogurt on the side, use regular plain Greek yogurt mixed with vanilla and maple syrup and drizzle it over the baked oatmeal.
- Try drizzling almond butter over the top instead of Greek yogurt.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Don't worry about the number of steps! This recipe is super easy, but I've broken everything out for you.
1. Make the Greek yogurt cream cheese topping. Place plain Greek yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth.
2. Tie the cheesecloth with yogurt into a ball, and place the strainer over a bowl to catch the liquid. Refrigerate it overnight.
3. Shred the carrots using a cheese grater or food processor fitted with the grating blade.
4. Measure the dry ingredients and place them in a mixing bowl.
5. Mix the dry ingredients in the bowl to combine everything.
6. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl or large measuring cup.
7. Spread the pineapple over the bottom of a prepared 8 x 8” casserole dish.
8. Spread the dry ingredients over the pineapple.
9. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Gently tap everything down with a spatula so the egg and milk mixture sinks evenly into the dry ingredients.
10. Sprinkle nuts over the top of the dish and place it in the oven to bake for 40- 45 minutes at 350ºF.
11. Prepare the Greek yogurt cream cheese topping while the oatmeal bakes. Remove the strained yogurt from the cheesecloth. It should be soft-solid.
12. Combine the strained yogurt with vanilla, maple syrup to taste, and a pinch of salt. Serve the topping alongside the baked oatmeal.
Expert Tips
- If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure you buy certified gluten-free oats. Even though oats are naturally gluten-free, most regular brands are cross-contaminated with wheat.
- To reduce the carbs a bit, omit the maple syrup. You can serve it on the side for anyone who prefers a sweeter baked oatmeal.
What to Serve With Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
If you’re having a group for brunch, serve this baked oatmeal with these other dishes and sides:
- Freezer-friendly egg muffin cups
- Shakshuka with rice and greens
- Pesto eggs
- Fennel and orange salad
- Blueberry chia pudding cups
- Fruited sun tea
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make it the night before. Combine all of the ingredients in the casserole or baking dish, cover it with foil and refrigerate it overnight until you're ready to bake it.
Cover any leftovers with foil and store the pan in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also cut the baked oatmeal into squares, wrap them individually, and freeze them for up to three months for a grab-and-go breakfast. Heat a slice in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
Yes, use muffin tins lined with muffin liners (or use a silicone tin if you don't want to use liners). Mix the pineapple into the ingredients and portion the batter into the wells. You'll need to bake it for less time. Check the oatmeal cups after 20 minutes. They should be done within 30 minutes.
Other Oatmeal Recipes
If you love oatmeal, don't miss these other recipes.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below!
Recipe
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt non-fat, low-fat, or regular
- 2 medium carrots
- ¾ cup whole pecans divided
- 2 cups Old Fashioned oats
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt divided, reserve half for the Greek yogurt topping.
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk (regular or nondairy) regular or plant milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup divided, reserve half for the Greek yogurt topping.
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla divided, reserve ½ teaspoon for the Greek yogurt topping.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple
Instructions
- The day before serving, prepare the Greek yogurt topping. Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the Greek yogurt in the cheesecloth and pull the edges together to form a ball. Place the ball of yogurt in the strainer over a bowl. Let it rest in the refrigerator overnight or for at least six hours to allow the liquid to strain out.
- Heat the oven to 350℉ and spray an 8" baking pan.
- Peel and grate the carrots using a cheese grater or food processor fitted with the grating blade.
- Roughly chop about half the pecans. Leave the remaining pecans whole for the topping.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the carrots, chopped pecans, oats, coconut, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pinch of salt. Stir well to combine.
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and olive oil.
- Spread the pineapple and any juice over the bottom of the baking pan.
- Spread the dry ingredients over the pineapple in the baking pan.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Tap the pan a few times on the counter, and pat it gently with a spatula to make sure the dry ingredients are covered with the wet ingredients.
- Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the oatmeal is set and the top is golden brown. Check the oven after 35 minutes and cover the pan lightly with foil if the nuts are turning too brown.
- While the oatmeal bakes, remove the strained Greek yogurt from the cheesecloth and place it in a bowl. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Taste and add extra syrup as desired.
- Let the baked oatmeal cool for about 15 minutes and serve with the Greek yogurt cream cheese on the side.
Looks wonderful and all of the ingredients are acceptable for someone with kidney issues… And I appreciate the nutritional breakdown, but… And I am imagining this is per serving size… how big is a serving size for this recipe?
Hi Linda, I'm glad the ingredients will work for you. The nutrition info is per serving, and the recipe makes 8 servings. Each one should be approximately 3/4 cup. It's a fairly filling breakfast casserole. Hope you enjoy it!
This recipe caught my eye from the daily SmartBrief. I book marked it and am happy to say I finally made it. I took it to work to share with my co-workers and it was a big hit. I will have to make it again as I forgot to add the carrots! Baking at 6 AM might have something to do with it. Great recipe, a keeper.
Hi Diane, I just found your comment in my spam folder and wanted to say thanks for reading and so glad you liked the recipe! Hilarious though that you forgot to add the carrots to carrot cake oatmeal!!
Hi, I am a registered dietitian and am always happy to see those in our profession online, promoting not only nutrition but a love of sensible, flavorful foods. I also love it that you are a positive mature role model!
In my job, I have a cooking class for patients and include nutrient analysis which we discuss, so they learn how to read the label. With that in mind, I think it would be helpful to post a basic nutrition analysis with every recipe just so readers have an idea of the nutritional content of recipes. I realize some folks don't care or don't know what to look for but we can always help them out with that.
Keep up the good work! I plan to try this recipe (sans coconut as I don't care for it!)
Hi Lori,
I just noticed your comment in my spam folder so my apologies for not responding earlier! I wanted to let you know that I did start to publish a nutrition analysis on my recipes. I have quite a few requests so finally decided to purchase a plug-in for my website that does that. It's a slow process but I'm trying to go back and edit older recipes that have been popular. Thanks so much for reading and for your comment!
Can this dish be prepared the day before and baked the next morning?
I haven't tried it but I do think you can prepare it the night before. Just make sure it's refrigerated!
Really shouldn’t put ads with food that are off putting like the knee relief ad for seniors that was interspersed with this recipe not once, but 3 times. By the time I got to the recipe I was not hungry at all!!! And the recipe was not nearly as appealing with the ad in the front of my mind!!!
Oh Jill, I'm SO sorry about that! I'm always so torn about running ads because I know it impacts my reader's experience. Unfortunately, they help me to offset the cost of running a website. I appreciate your feedback and will try to have my ad network do a better job of filtering the type of ads they show! Hope you visit again 🙂
Thank you for including the calorie count! So tired of online recipes presented as "healthy," but without the added information about calories. Looks delish.
You're so very welcome!I've had quite a few requests so I thought it was time to invest in a nutrition analysis plug-in for my website!
Hi! The ingredients call for crushed pineapple, but it does not state where to add them in the directions of the recipe. Can you clarify? Thanks!
Oh no! I'm so sorry and thanks for catching that Laura. The crushed pineapple should be spread over the bottom of the empty pan, and then add the oat mixture on top. I'll edit the recipe!
Thank you! Such a delicious and nutritious recipe. My new fave breakfast! 🙂
I'm so glad you like it Laura! Thanks for visiting!