If you love carrot cake, you’ll love this Oatmeal Carrot Cake Recipe! It’s packed with all the flavors of traditional carrot cake but in a healthy breakfast.
There is something so deliciously comforting about carrot cake. The taste of pecans, the sweetness of cinnamon and raisins, is a perfect combination of flavors. And now you can have it for breakfast with this super easy, super filling Carrot Cake Oatmeal.
This breakfast comes together in minutes and is a great way to start your day (even sneak in some nutrient-dense veggies and a serving of whole grains).
With 8 grams of fiber per serving, this recipe is sure to fill you up and tantalize your taste buds with real carrot cake flavor. (And it can lower your cholesterol thanks to oats!)
Ingredients for Carrot Oatmeal Cake
Use these simple and fresh ingredients with nutritional value to make your new oatmeal recipe.
- Old Fashioned Oats: you could also use quick oats if you prefer, I just like the texture of old fashioned rolled oats better. Steel cut oats will work too, you just need to cook them a lot longer or soak them overnight before cooking. Use certified gluten-free oats to make a gluten-free version.
- Milk: use your favorite milk of choice, both dairy and non-dairy milk will work well for this recipe. I like to use almond milk.
- Grated carrot: I like to chop my fresh carrots on the smaller side of the grater. You can also chop them up in a food processor if you prefer.
- Spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg): these add all the warm flavors of carrot cake but in oatmeal form. Don’t skip the pinch of salt as it helps bring out all the flavors in your oatmeal.
- Maple Syrup: it adds some natural sweetness and the maple flavor pairs well with the spices in these oats. You can also use honey, agave, brown sugar, or a sugar-free sweetener if you prefer.
Variations
Make it dairy-free and vegan: use non-dairy milk such as soy milk, oat milk or almond milk.
Make it gluten-free: use certified gluten-free oats.
Add protein: If you want to increase the protein in your oats, mix in 1 scoop of unsweetened vanilla protein powder while cooking.
Use courgettes instead: you don’t have carrots or maybe you don’t like them? Use shredded zucchini instead of carrots in this recipe.
How to Make Carrot Cake Oatmeal
This Carrot Cake Oatmeal is easy to put together in just a few steps.
Cook the oats: To make oatmeal, add all carrot cake oatmeal ingredients except walnuts and coconut to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Garnish and serve: Simmer the oats until they thicken to the desired consistency (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and top with desired toppings, such as a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Meal Storage/Preparation: If you want to prepare these oats ahead of time, simply store the cooked oats in an airtight container in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. add a splash of milk if needed to thin.
Tips for making the best oatmeal carrot cake
Here are our expert tips on how to make the best tasting oatmeal carrot cake recipe:
- Finely grate your carrots. The smaller you chop the carrots, the softer they are baked in the oats. Use the smallest setting on your box grater.
- Sweeten to taste. For one serving of oatmeal, I usually add about 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Feel free to adjust the sweetener to your liking. You can also use honey, coconut sugar or brown sugar. Sugar-free sweeteners work too, just adjust how much you add depending on the package.
What are the best toppings to add to oatmeal for carrot cake?
A secret to delicious oatmeal is the toppings! Here are some of my favorites:
- Chopped nuts – pecans, walnuts or cashews
- Nut butter – almond butter is our passion
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes
- Raisins
- Greek vanilla yogurt
- Cream cheese
Can I make this recipe into an Oatmeal Carrot Cake?
Yes! You can easily make this recipe in overnight oats instead of hot oats. Simply add all your ingredients to an airtight container and mix well.
Cover them with a lid and let them sit for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge until they thicken. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, raisins or coconut flakes as desired and serve.
What are the best spices to add to carrot cake oatmeal for authentic flavor?
For an authentic carrot cake flavor, we like to use cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Allspice is another common spice in carrot cake, but not everyone has this in their pantry.
