This Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free. It offers all of the delicious flavors of carrots, raisins, cinnamon, and maple that we know and love in regular carrot cake but in a healthier (and easier!) form. It even includes a super simple vegan cream cheese frosting!
Backstory time… I had a craving for carrot cake but 1) it was breakfast time and 2) I didn’t want to take the time to make an entire carrot cake… THUS my Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal was born and it is safe to say I am never going back!
You know when sometimes you are craving something and then try to make a healthier version of it and the healthier version just does nottttt cut it? Well, that is 100% NOT THE CASE with this Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal.
This healthier version of carrot cake (so healthy that YES, it can be eaten for breakfast) was so satisfying and kept me fueled all morning. Win, win!
What is baked oatmeal you might ask?!
Baked oatmeal is basically a muffin and oatmeal hybrid! You take all of the ingredients you would normally add to oats and bake it in the oven creating the most DELICIOUS cake/muffin-like texture.
What you will need for this recipe:
- oats— I typically go for organic because oats are high in glyphosate. Gluten-free if needed.
- protein powder— I love Sprout Living vanilla protein powder in this recipe (discount code: callascleaneats). The protein poweder also adds a bit of sweetness so if you skip it, make sure to add sweetener of choice.
- chia seeds— I use a small amount of chia seeds to help bind the oatmeal together and also to add some healthy fiber.
- non-dairy milk of choice— I typically use almond, cashew, or oat milk.
- maple syrup— for sweetness!
- cinnamon, vanilla extract, sea salt, and baking soda.
- chopped nuts, raisins, shredded carrots— to make it carrot cake-y!
What do I need for the cream cheese frosting? Are there any other alternatives?
All you need is vegan cream cheese (I like the brands Miyokos and Kitehill) and maple syrup. If you don’t have/like vegan cream cheese, you can use regular cream cheese, Greek yogurt, or a vegan yogurt of your choice.
If you love this recipe, be sure to also check these recipes out!
Banana Cream Pie Baked Oatmeal
Single Serve Banana Protein Baked Oatmeal
Peanut Butter Cup Baked Oatmeal
Berry Chocolate Coconut Baked Oatmeal
Banana Chocolate Chunk Baked Oatmeal
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup oats
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder
- cinnamon to taste
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 tbsp nuts chopped
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 2-3 tbsp shredded carrots
For the cream cheese frosting
- 2 tbsp vegan cream cheese
- 2 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.
- Pour oat mixture into a lightly greased ramekin or oven safe baking dish and bake at 350 for 20 ish minutes.
- Let cool. Mix cream cheese and maple syrup to make the frosting. Top baked oats with frosting and more cinnamon!
How much cream cheese and maple syrup to make the frosting? Looks amazing.
Sorry about that— I forgot to add amounts for the frosting! Just updated 🙂 hope you love it!
Do you use whole oats or blend the oats first?
I cannot wait to try this recipe!
I use whole oats in this recipe 🙂 you could probably blend too though!
This is an absolute favorite of mine. It feels like a cheat meal. I keep going over the ingredients in my head thinking it can’t be healthy but it is! I used a tablespoon of chia and that seemed to make it cakier. I also have to cook for 25 minutes but that could be my oven. Thanks
I am so glad you are loving this recipe! I think the same thing every time I make it— taste JUST like a dessert! Good to know about the extra chia seeds, I will have to try that next time! 🙂
I made this recipe for my husband and me and he asked why we were having cake for breakfast – it’s that good!
After a few attempts I was able to turn it into muffins – I blended the oats to a flour consistency, used 1 tbsp (vs 1 tsp) of chia seeds, and did two tbsps of protein powder to add a bit more dry ingredients – cooked the same, they turned out great! Yielded three muffins.
I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed! Nothing like cake for breakfast— especially when it’s healthy! 🙂
Hi Calla, do you have the nutrition facts for your recipes? I just made 4 servings of the carrot cake baked oatmeal and I will try it in the morning, thank you!
Hi Heather! I hope you love it— Such a great idea to meal prep it ahead 🙂 I do not include nutrition information as I typically avoid counting calories/macros. It should be pretty quick to plug into a nutritionc calculator though— I’m sorry about that!
Can you tell me the nutritional values of this please? 🙂
My thoughts exactly
Is there any nutritional information for this recipe
I made this and really liked it but still waiting to see the nutritional information on this. Ty
So glad you enjoyed! I typically avoid counting calories/macros so I do not include that info in my recipes— I’m sorry!! But it should be pretty quick to plug into a nutrition calculator 🙂
Can I make this recipe in the microwave? If i can , how minutes do i have to put it ?
I have not tried this recipe in the microwave yet, I’m sorry! Let me know if you give it a try 🙂
Going to try this today. Curious if I can use fat free milk or not. Thanks
Jazz
Yes, you can! Enjoy! 🙂
This is delicious and I’ve made it for us and guests several times ! Just wondering, what is the purpose of the baking soda as there are no acids in this recipe to activate it ? Thx
Hi Jill! I am so glad you and your guests love the recipe 🙂 it helps the oatmeal to rise and fluff up a bit more!
Then shouldn’t ypu be using baking powder not soda? Soda requires an acid to activate. Baking powder only requires moisture and heat.
This look so good! What a fun breakfast meal prep for the week or brunch to serve a group!
Thank you so much! It is a super fun one to prep a bunch for a group— sure to be a crowd pleaser 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Of course! A few days in the refrigerator— I would add the icing right before eating if possible! 🙂
Wondering if you can skip the protein powder.
Hi Michelle! You can 🙂 I would just add a little bit less milk (or a touch more oats) and a sweetener of choice – maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, whatever you like! Enjoy!
This was so yummy. I quadrupled the recipe, cooked it in a loaf pan for 25 minutes and then let it sit in the oven for an additional 15 with the heat off. The best part is next day leftovers. You can slice it just like a piece of cake and eat it cold. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Such a great idea to make a larger batch in a loaf pan! I am with you— next day, cold cake is the BEST! Thank YOU for the comment 🙂