Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Printer-friendly)

Warm baked oats with grated carrot, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts—hearty, sliceable breakfast or brunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Base

01 - 2 cups rolled oats
02 - 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Produce & Add-ins

06 - 1½ cups finely grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
07 - ½ cup raisins or chopped dates
08 - ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

→ Wet Mixture

09 - 2 cups milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - ⅓ cup pure maple syrup or honey
12 - 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Add the finely grated carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts to the dry mixture. Stir until the add-ins are evenly coated.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
05 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Spread the oatmeal mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, pressing gently to create a uniform layer.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is set and the top is lightly golden. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
08 - Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve warm on its own or topped with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It captures the cozy spiced warmth of carrot cake but comes together fast enough for a regular Tuesday morning.
  • The leftovers reheat beautifully, which means breakfast is essentially done for the next three days.
  • You probably already have every single ingredient sitting in your pantry right now.
02 -
  • Squeezing excess moisture out of the grated carrots before mixing prevents the bake from turning soggy in the center.
  • Letting the baked oatmeal rest the full 10 minutes is not optional because it finishes setting up as it sits.
03 -
  • Grate the carrots on the finest holes of your box grater so they virtually disappear into the bake and picky eaters never notice them.
  • Use the full two teaspoons of vanilla and do not substitute imitation extract because real vanilla is what makes this taste like cake rather than plain oatmeal.

Go Back