As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Start your day off with a cozy and tasty dose of vegetables with this carrot cake oatmeal. It combines carrot, cinnamon, walnuts (or pecans), and hearty oats for a delicious and nutritious plant-based breakfast. Plus, we’ve included options for stovetop, baked, and carrot cake overnight oats!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Nutritious Carrot Cake Oatmeal Recipe
Who doesn’t want to eat ‘cake’ for breakfast, especially knowing that it’s as healthy as it is delicious? This carrot cake oatmeal recipe is jam-packed with nutrients. Oats are a great source of gut-healthy fiber, antioxidants, and several vitamins and minerals. They aid in lowering cholesterol levels and improving blood sugar levels. Meanwhile, carrots are a great source of beta carotene, vitamin K1 and potassium. They can benefit blood cholesterol levels, eye health, and reduce risk of several cancers! Top that off with brain/heart-healthy nuts leads to a super satisfying and healthful year-round breakfast.
Plus, you can’t beat oats when it comes to a satiating and budget-friendly breakfast. Even better, this carrot cake porridge takes just a handful of pantry staples and 15 minutes to prepare. And you can make it as stovetop oatmeal, carrot cake baked oats, or even carrot cake overnight oats (find more overnight oat options)! Meaning that it’s also wonderful for meal prep, for days of delicious carrot cake goodness!
Looking for more ways to enjoy carrots? You might like these carrot cake cookies, spicy carrot soup, glazed carrots, carrot cake muffins, and/or nacho cheese sauce (yes, really!).
The Ingredients and Substitutes
- Oats: I recommend using old-fashion oats (Rolled oats). Use gluten-free certified if necessary. Steel-cut requires different cooking times.
- Milk: Use the plant-based milk of your choice or even water.
- Maple syrup: (Optional) Or agave or any other sweetener (liquid, granulate, or sugar-free sweetener) of your choice.
- Carrot: You’ll need shredded carrots. I like to use no-peel carrots to save time. Just rinse them well.
- Nuts: (Optional) You can use raw pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or any combination of them. For a nut-free carrot cake porridge, then use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Lightly crush the nuts for the best texture.
- Cinnamon: Adjust the amount to personal taste.
Optional Add-ins and Variations
- Dried fruit: Raisins/sultanas/Craisins are not only low budget, but they are a classic addition to carrot cake and will add some texture and sweetness.
- Chia/Flaxseed: Adding some chia/flax seed will not only increase the protein in the recipe, but they pack in a ton of other benefits too. I recommend adding 1 tbsp. Add them in the beginning if you don’t mind them becoming gelatinous within the mixture, or just before serving if you’d prefer them to be crunchier.
- Nutmeg/ginger: A small pinch of one or both is all you need for extra flavor. Plus, it costs practically nothing if it’s already in your pantry! Allspice would also work.
- Yogurt: I like to finish off this bowl of carrot cake oatmeal with a big dollop of vegan yogurt (like the frosting on the cake).
- Vegan cream cheese: Alternatively, you can combine some plain vegan cream cheese with a bit of maple and vanilla to swirl into the top of the carrot cake oatmeal.
- Salt: Just a tiny pinch of salt will enhance the flavors in this carrot oatmeal.
- Vanilla: Just a little will enhance the overall flavor in the carrot cake oatmeal and make it feel more like dessert.
- Coconut: Raw or lightly toasted unsweetened shredded coconut will add texture, flavor, and healthy fats to the carrot cake oatmeal recipe. I prefer mine lightly toasted (in a dry pan for several minutes) then sprinkled over the oats for some crunch.
How to Make Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions. I also instruct on how to make carrot cake overnight oats and carrot cake baked oatmeal.
- Step 1: First, add the milk (or water) to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add the oats, mix, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cover for 3-5 minutes.
- Step 2: Once the oats are tender, stir in the cinnamon, sweetener, and shredded carrots. Then mix for 2-3 minutes to remove the last of the excess liquid in the pan.
- Step 3: Finally, add the nuts into the carrot cake oatmeal mixture or crumble over the top and serve while warm- enjoy!
Enjoy the carrot porridge as-is or top off with some additional nuts, sweetener, or vegan yogurt! You could even add a few dairy-free white chocolate chips.
How to Make-Head and Store?
You can prepare the carrot cake oatmeal up to 2 days in advance. Then, store any leftovers in the fridge and make sure to add an extra splash (or more) of liquid when reheating to bring them back to their creamy consistency.
How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats?
- Step 1: Combine 1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup of finely grated carrots, the spices, nuts, and optionally 1tbsp chia/ flax seed in a large bowl.
- Step 2: Then add in the wet ingredients; 1 ½ cups milk and the sweetener, and mix well.
- Step 3: Place the carrot cake overnight oats in the fridge, cover, and leave to soak for at least 4 hours or up to 4-5 days.
This makes two portions that can be split into separate bowls or jars and topped with a layer of sweetened or unsweetened yogurt.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- If you prefer looser oatmeal: You can add a little additional milk/water towards the end of the cooking and stir in until you reach your desired consistency.
- Adjust the carrot texture: I like to use the medium setting on a grater for texture. However, you can use finely shredded carrot if preferred.
- Grate the carrots in seconds: You can use the grating disk on your food processor.
- For more tender carrots: You can allow the carrot to boil with the water/milk for several minutes before adding any other ingredients. I recommend boiling for 3-4 minutes.
FAQs
Combine all the ingredients in an oven-safe pan and bake it in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350F/175C.
Using an Instant Pot for regular oatmeal isn’t a great idea as it will go mushy. However, if you want to cook steel-cut oats without standing over the stove for half an hour, then Instant Pot carrot cake oatmeal it is! Combine all the ingredients into the Instant pot, stir, and cook on high for 10 minutes. Then allow the pressure to naturally release (between 12-15 minutes) before releasing the valve. Stir it, add in a little extra liquid if preferred, and then serve!
More Vegan Oat Recipes
Vegan Desserts
Easy Peanut Butter Granola
Vegan Breakfasts
Salted Caramel Overnight Oats
Vegan Desserts
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls (+ Add-Ins)
Vegan Breakfasts
Easy Coffee Oatmeal
“If you tried this carrot cake oatmeal recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!”
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (optional)
- 1/4 cup raw pecans or walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Boil 3/4 cup water over a stove in a small saucepan – once boiling, add in oats, reduce heat cover for 3-5 minutes.
- Once oats are prepared, stir in cinnamon, maple syrup and carrots and mix over medium heat for an additional 2-3min to insure no excess water is present.
- Add nuts to carrot cake mixture or crumble over the top and serve hot. Enjoy!
Explore More with AI
Notes
- If you prefer looser oatmeal: You can add a little additional milk/water towards the end of the cooking and stir in until you reach your desired consistency.
- Adjust the carrot texture: I like to use the medium setting on a grater for texture. However, you can use finely shredded carrot if preferred.
- Grate the carrots in seconds: You can use the grating disk on your food processor.
- For more tender carrots: You can allow the carrot to boil with the water/milk for several minutes before adding any other ingredients. I recommend boiling for 3-4 minutes.
- Dried fruit: Raisins/ sultanas/craisins are not only usually low budget, but they are a classic addition to carrot cake and will add some texture and sweetness.
- Chia/Flaxseed: Adding some chia/flax seed will not only increase the protein in the recipe, but they pack in a ton of other benefits too. I recommend adding 1 tbsp. Add them in the beginning if you don’t mind them becoming gelatinous within the mixture, or just before serving if you’d prefer them to be crunchier.
- Nutmeg/ginger: A small pinch of one or both is all you need for extra flavor. Plus, it costs practically nothing if it’s already in your pantry! Allspice would also work.
- Yogurt: I like to finish off this bowl of carrot cake oatmeal with a big dollop of vegan yogurt (like the frosting on the cake).
- Vegan cream cheese: Alternatively, you can combine some plain vegan cream cheese with a bit of maple and vanilla to swirl into the top of the carrot cake oatmeal.
- Salt: Just a tiny pinch of salt will enhance the flavors in this carrot oatmeal.
- Vanilla: Just a little will enhance the overall flavor in the carrot cake oatmeal and make it feel more like dessert.
- Coconut: Raw or lightly toasted unsweetened shredded coconut will add texture, flavor, and healthy fats to the carrot cake oatmeal recipe. I prefer mine lightly toasted (in a dry pan for several minutes) then sprinkled over the oats for some crunch.
Even though I’m not on a plant-based meal plan, I love these oats and make them in huge batches to divide out in small dishes for grab-and-go in the morning. I routinely mix in fruit that I need to use (raspberries and blueberries are my fave). I’ve even used this recipe with steel-cut oats by increasing the cooking time.
Thank you! This is a wonderful solution for my family’s breakfast!
Love that! So glad you enjoyed these yummy oats 🙂
Is the nutrition facts based on having the nuts or without the nuts
With the nuts! 🙂
Both my favorites in one! Carrot cake is my favorite dessert and oats my favorite breakfast. This is heaven for me.
Right?! I love carrot cake too! This oatmeal is the best!