Baked oatmeal is a simple, nourishing option for breakfast. Oats are one of my favorite healthy ingredients to cook with—and this recipe for Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is perfect for breakfast but delicious enough for dessert! With lots of grated carrots and old-fashioned rolled oats, it's thick, filling, and loaded with wholesome ingredients. Healthy cream cheese frosting optional!
Why don't we frost snacks more often?! It feels so dang special. And now I don't know how I lived without a bowl of whipped cream cheese frosting in my fridge at all times.
Say hello to the ultimate healthy baked oatmeal recipe! Just like my famous Healthy Carrot Cake, We've got plenty of spices for classic carrot cake flavor but the orange juice is the real kicker. It lends natural sweetness and a splendid brightness to gives it major life.
While I love me some healthy snacks with oats, promise me you'll try my Zucchini Oatmeal Bake and Peach Baked Oatmeal breakfast faves, too!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Old fashioned (or rolled) oats are the base. Use certified gluten free oats if needed. Steer clear of steel cut (save those for my Healthy Overnight Steel Cut Oats) since this is strictly an old fashioned rolled oats recipe.
- Coconut sugar is my favorite naturally-derived dry sweetener, but brown sugar is great as well.
- Ground flaxseed is great for a boost of fiber and brain-boosting omega-3 fats. Always store flax in the fridge to protect those fats! If you don't have any, you can use more oats or some chia seeds.
- Walnuts are another excellent addition for omega-3 fats while adding crunch. You can use pecans, too. Toast them for even more flavor.
- Spices + salt: A mix of Saigon cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg for classic carrot cake vibes. You can also add a pinch of cloves. Salt is important for flavor and helps bring out the sweetness.
- Egg helps bind everything together.
- Orange juice is key for lending natural sweetness, tang, and brightness. Don't skip it!
- Milk: any kind works...the richer the milk, the richer the oatmeal will be. I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- Butter adds flavor and richness. Salted or unsalted melted butter both work. You can also use vegan butter or coconut oil.
- Grated carrot because....carrot cake! I use large, peeled carrots that are freshly grated versus the store-bought kind which tend to be less moist.
How to make (step by step)
Add oats, flax, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and walnuts to mixing bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Melt butter. Whisk in orange juice, milk, and egg.
Grate carrot.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Fold in grated carrot.
Spoon mixture into baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes. Cool, frost and devour!
Are baked oats healthy?
Wondering about old fashioned rolled oats nutrition? As a Dietitian, I'm all about easy, healthy ideas for breakfast. Oats are packed with filling fiber, whole grains, energizing B vitamins.
This version is also loaded with protein (almost 10g), brain-boosting fats and vitamin E from the walnuts, plus vitamin A thanks to all the fresh carrot.
How to serve
My favorite way to serve this is cold out of the refrigerator topped with Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting, but below are a couple more suggestions.
- Serve with nut butter. If cream cheese frosting isn't your jam, try topping with a smear of almond or peanut butter. So satisfying!
- Serve with yogurt. I love this idea for a hearty breakfast where the cool, creamy yogurt complements the hearty baked oatmeal perfectly.
- Enjoy on the go. Slice into bars and wrap individually as needed for portable snacking anytime!
Storage tips
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
I like to keep the frosting in a separate container in the fridge so I can frost right before I eat the bar, and also so I can smear the frosting on other things (like pancakes!).
How to freeze
You can portion the oatmeal into slices, place on a lined baking sheet so there is space between each piece, and freeze.
Once frozen, store in a freezer baggie for up to 3 months. Another option is to freeze each piece individually wrapped in plastic wrap.
Now get your healthy carrot cake on, spring chicken!
Print
Nourishing Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9 bars 1x
- Category: Breakfast/Snack
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Baked oatmeal is a simple, nourishing option for breakfast. Oats are one of my favorite healthy ingredients to cook with—and this recipe for Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is perfect for breakfast but delicious enough for dessert! With lots of grated carrots and old-fashioned rolled oats, it's thick, filling, and loaded with wholesome ingredients. Healthy cream cheese frosting optional!
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup ground flax seed
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar or organic brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
- 1 cup orange juice
- ½ cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond)
- 1 large egg (use flax "egg" for vegan)
- 1 cup freshly grated carrot (I just my food processor)
- ½ batch of Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Stir together oats, flax, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, walnuts, and salt in a large bowl.
- Melt butter in a liquid measuring cup. Add orange juice, milk, and egg and whisk to combine. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold in grated carrot.
- Spoon mixture into baking dish and smooth with a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely before slicing into bars and topping with frosting.
Notes
- To store: Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. I like to keep the frosting in a separate container in the fridge so I can frost right before I eat the bar, and also so I can smear the frosting on other things (like pancakes!).
- To freeze: Portion the oatmeal into slices, place on a lined baking sheet so there is space between each piece, and freeze. Once frozen, store in a freezer baggie. Another option is to freeze each piece individually wrapped in plastic wrap.
Alexis Joseph says
Hey Jen, yes gluten free and regular rolled oats work the same in recipes. Hmmm I can't say for sure but I'd guess psyllium would work! Did you make the recipe? Let me know what I can do to make it a 5 star recipe.
Morag says
Hello. Can you cook frozen leftovers without defrosting? If so any idea of the cooking times/temp?
Alexis Joseph says
Hey Morag, I'd cook (unfrosted) from frozen at 350F until warmed through. I'd guess 15-20 minutes.
Claire Nagayi says
Honey and the receipt I follow does not require butter; still co.e out good
Trish says
This was my first experiment with baked oatmeal and we all LOVED it! Didn't have OJ, so subbed unsweet vanilla almond milk and a little maple syrup. Frosting was to die for - used only 2T maple syrup there and it was plenty sweet for us. We will definitely have this on repeat! Thanks for the recipe and look forward to trying more of your creations!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy isn't that frosting the best?? Thanks Trish!!!
Lisa S says
Super Yummy!
Must add raisins (regular or golden)!!
Delicious
Alexis Joseph says
Mmmm love the raisins!
KP says
Hi. I am fighting hereditary high cholesterol that requires meds. Trying to really alter my diet. I really like your recipes. Could I sub
Something here for the sugar and possibly the butter on the carrot cake baked oatmeal? Thanks
Alexis Joseph says
Hi there! You could use oil or applesauce instead of butter. You could use monkfruit instead of sugar. I hope that helps!
Becky says
Great recipe!! Very flavorful. We are familiar to baked oatmeal, so I knew that 6c oats would fit a 9x13. But since the recipe was so divergent from what we usually do (since this has so many carrots) we "only" doubled the recipe to make sure it fit the pan. Next time, I will triple it. I'm confident a triple batch will still fit a 9x13. Also from experience, I knew quick oats are an easy substitute and create a smoother texture than old fashioned (some of us have picky texture peeps), so quick is what I used. Dish was polished off by our family of 8 -including 4 full adults and 2 bottomless-pit-teens. I made the cream cheese frosting, sort of. I make my own yogurt, so used one of my cups (around 2/3 to 3/4c) to 8oz whipped cream cheese, then found some leftover regular cream cheese (maybe 2-3oz?) and tossed that into my mixer . It made plenty of frosting, and one of the teens just ate the leftovers from the bowl - LOL! Everyone loved it - I have one teen who isn't a baked oatmeal fan, told me "Mom, this is really good" while passing the bowl for seconds. We eat our baked oatmeal in bowls with some milk poured over the warm oats, not as bars. I had partially cooked sliced, spiced apples for a side dish. Definitely will make again!!! Thank you for this great idea!
Alexis Joseph says
Thank you tons for this amazing review, Becky! It’s so helpful to know it works well doubles or tripled in the bigger pan. And yum to apples on the side!
Danielle says
Just made these for my 1 year old son with a few subs for whole milk/extra egg for easy breakfasts to send to school with him! will be perfect with some yogurt. yum! thank you 🙂
Alexis Joseph says
So perfect, thank you Danielle! I hope your LO loves it 🙂
GeeBee says
Looks nutritious.
What temperature to cook carrot cake for 45min?
Maude says
How much oat do I need to add to replace the ground flaxseed?
Can't wait to try it!
Thank you
Alexis Joseph says
Hi! I've never made without flax but you can try an equal portion of oats? Enjoy!
Debi Williams says
What size pan for doubling the recipe? 13x9? would this be good warm from the oven for breakfast? Sounds awesome!
Alexis says
Yep 13x9 should work!
Lindsay says
This recipe is ridiculously good! Amazing. Delicious. It’s definitely going to be a staple in my house. Yum! Thank you for the recipe!
Alexis Joseph says
Fabulous, thanks a ton Lindsay! So glad this was a winner.
Sandra says
Can this be made as muffins?
Erin says
delicious! Best way to use up leftover carrots. I prep this for the week for easy grab & go breakfasts. I appreciate the subtle sweetness--not too overpowering.
Alexis Joseph says
Yayy! You must try the cream cheese topping too, so good!
Sarah says
This is excellent! I was in a time crunch, so I didn't wait until it cooled so I didn't cut it into bars. I just scooped it out into a bowl and placed a dollop of the icing on top. When I make again, I think I'd add a bit more coconut sugar for extra sweetness!
Alexis Joseph says
Sounds perfect, thanks Sarah!!
Nic says
This is currently in the oven, smells DELISH. Quick question: the recipe shows that it yields 9 bars but the nutrition facts show 12 servings so just double-checking which is correct? Thanks!
Alexis Joseph says
Oops--just fixed so they both reflect 9 bars. Hope you love them. Nic!
CJ says
I’m making this for my sweet step-Dad for his 85th birthday....he LOVES carrot cake, and eats very healthy. this recipe sounds AMAZING, but can you taste the carrots? (of course with the carrots being freshly grated). or, does anyone think a bit more carrots should be added? i only have a few days to make this before we travel, so your quick response/comments are GREATLY appreciated!! Blessings to you and thank you for your time!!
Alexis Joseph says
Hi there, I'd say the carrot taste is balanced here, although please note that this is very different from carrot cake 🙂 More dense and of course like oatmeal versus cake. You could try grinding a portion of the oats into oat flour for more fluff. If you add more carrots, it could throw off the moisture--I've only tried this as written. Enjoy and happy bday to your step-Dad!
Chloe says
These are ridiculously delicious!!!
Alexis Joseph says
Thank you so much, Chloe!
Nikki says
Just made a double recipe of this (that's how confident I was that it would be real good) and it is INCREDIBLE!! My family has been making baked oatmeal for years and we've tried lots of recipes so I consider myself a bit of a baked oatmeal connoisseur, and this stuff is gold. Speaking of gold, I subbed golden monkfruit sweetener for the coconut sugar.
Alexis Joseph says
Weeeeee thanks so much, Nik! It makes my day that your fam loves it, especially because I know that you and your mom are PROFESH at baked oatmeal. Thanks again for the review LOVE YOU!
Tara says
This is a wonderful breakfast dish!! I just made it for the 3rd time. Like other Hummusapien dishes, very satisfying recipe.
Alexis Joseph says
Thank you so much, Tara!
Katherine Doeller Sinclair says
These are perfect! Especially during my pregnancy when I’m trying to eat healthy foods!!!
Are you able to provide the nutritional information WITHOUT the frosting?
Alexis Joseph says
So glad you liked it! I don't have that info but feel free to enter it into an online nutrition calculator.
Erin says
Yum! Very moist and delicious. Not too sweet, which is usually my issue with baked oatmeal. Definitely will be my new go-to!
Alexis Joseph says
So happy to hear that, Erin!
Andrea says
One of our family’s favorites! Sweet but doesn’t seem like you’re having dessert for breakfast. When I’m lazy and get shredded carrots at the grocery store, I steam them a bit, otherwise they’ll be too crunchy. I always make a double batch!
Alexis Joseph says
Love that!! Hooray for double batches 🙂
Nikki says
I was so excited to try this, and it has *exceeded* expectations! I made it during meal prep on Sunday evening and did a quick taste test, which quickly turned into just eating it for dessert. Warmed up another bar in the morning for breakfast. Perfection.
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so so happy to hear this! Thanks a ton for letting me know, Nikki 🙂
Edie says
Easy to put together, very tasty, and pretty filling. Love that it uses quite a few pantry items, and the oj is a nice bright touch. Making it to set my breakfasts up for the work week and will be dropping some off for friends. Already looking forward to making it for guests... in the future. Haven’t made the cream cheese frosting yet, but I can def recommend it plain. The frosting can only make it even better, right? As a bonus, it smells lovely baking.
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks for the thoughtful review, Edie! I can't wait for you to try them with the cream cheese frosting. It's next level. Enjoy!
Megan says
I couldn’t wait to make this and thankfully my husband showed up with orange juice yesterday for the win. Made it this morning and my goodness how cozy and satisfying on a crisp spring morning! And that frosting, yess! That will be going on everything. Thank you for this healthy and very yummy recipe to add to my breakfast rotation! 🙂
Alexis Joseph says
Awww I'm so so glad!! Breakfast of champs. Thanks, Megan!
Katherine says
So easy to make and have on hand for the week..and delish. Even my toddler loves it!
Alexis Joseph says
I love that feedback! Thanks so much for reviewing, Katherine 🙂
Danielle says
Simply delicious! Loved adding this on top of yogurt and fruit. I did not make with the cream cheese frosting (no ingredients) but definitely going to try with frosting next time for extra sweetness!
Alexis Joseph says
Love it! Thanks so much for letting me know, Danielle 🙂
Jen D says
So easy and delicious!
Alexis Joseph says
Sweet, thanks so much Jen!
Sarah says
My husband and I made this yesterday and ate it for dessert following your Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole! It was amazing! SO moist. We love carrot cake, and this was a great healthier alternative. It was so easy to make, too!!! My frosting turned out a little lumpy, but I think I didn't let the cream cheese soften enough ahead of time. Still tasted amazing, though!! I spread some on my waffle this morning with a dash of cinnamon. 🙂
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful!! To be honest...mine was a little lumpy too. Cold cream cheese will do that to ya! I agree--still tasty 🙂 And omg..so good on waffles and pancakes.
Jess says
Alexis has done it again!! I saw these and immediately knew I had to try them. So glad I got to them so quickly because they are AMAZING!! So so easy to prep (and clean up because that is half the battle). These will absolutely be going into my daily breakfast rotation - and yes, I'm even sitting here eating them while typing this! Seriously delicious!
Alexis Joseph says
Awww you made my day! I'm so so happy you loved them. Carrot cake for the win! Thanks again for the sweet review, Jess 🙂
Kori says
Spring perfection in one dish! Easy to assemble, it makes the whole kitchen smell absolutely lovely while it bakes, & it tastes incredible. I loved baked oatmeal & need to make it more often. Absolute winner.
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyyy! You're so kind, Kori. I agree--totally like a candle!!
Mariah says
This is SO GOOD! Easy to make and my family loved it.
Alexis Joseph says
Fabulous!!
Melissa says
So amazing and simple! We have been eating off this since yesterday, and my toddler loves it too which is a total win in my book! Love when recipes secretly contain vegetables and other healthy ingredients. xoxo
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy, thank you so much, Melissa!
Jessica B says
This recipe was SO good and easy to make! It’s perfect for the morning because it’s not too sweet and hearty. Loved it!
Alexis Joseph says
Love it! Thanks a ton, Jessica 🙂
Emily says
Wahoo! So easy and yummy! Made 2 batches right away for my family and my coworkers - it’s a hit!
Alexis Joseph says
You rock! All star chef over there 🙂 Thanks, Emily!
Brittany Wells says
The orange juice sounded weird to me but I had some so why not!? In the end it added a kick to what can sometimes be bland oatmeal. We added some raisins And honey for a little more sweetness since we didn’t have cream cheese-it tasted great without the frosting!
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful! I love that you put your own spin on it 🙂
Alexis Joseph says
Let me know if you try it, Tori!
Erin says
This recipe was easy and it came out absolutely delicious! I made mine into muffins because I didn’t have the right size pan- and they are SO good. I didn’t have orange juice so I did a small splash of lemon juice and they were still amazing. Even my fiancée loved these and he’s a tough critic when it comes to my Healthy (ish) recipes.. I would definitely recommend making these!
Alexis Joseph says
Mmmm sounds so good! I love the lemon juice and almond milk sub. Did you bake them for the same amount of time? Thanks for reviewing, Erin!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy! Can't wait for you to try 🙂
Aliza says
Easy to follow, simple, delicious recipe! My family loved it too! Came out exactly like the photo.
Alexis Joseph says
Fabulous! Thanks for letting me know you and your family loved it, Aliza.
Alexis Joseph says
Yayy thanks so much, Barb! You made my day 🙂
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks, Joy!!
Dylan says
Such a quick and easy snack idea! The frosting is such a treat too!
Alexis Joseph says
Such a treat! Thanks, Dylan 🙂