Easy, moist Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal studded with walnuts and topped with healthy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for breakfast but good enough for dessert!
Spring is upon us!
I'm ready and waiting for all things carrot cake, asparagus, and lemon. We're commencing the spring escapades today with a delectable baked oatmeal recipe that's a triple threat of breakfast, snack, and dessert.
I adore it because it feels like such a fun snack. Why don't we frost our snacks more often?! It feels so dang special. And now I don't know how I lived without a bowl of cream cheese frosting in my fridge at all times.
Packed with healthy ingredients like whole grain oats, walnuts, and flax, they're not overly sweet but I promise you they're suuuuper flavorful.
We've got plenty of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for classic carrot cake flavor but the orange juice is the real kicker, here. It lends not only natural sweetness, but also a splendid brightness and acidity that gives major life to this oatmeal.
And with a luscious whipped cream cheese frosting made with Greek yogurt and sweetened with maple syrup, we are in serious carrot cake business. Bring on the tang!
How to Make Baked Oatmeal
Be sure to jump to the full recipe below for complete instructions. If you're cooking with kids, I urge you to have them help grate the carrot!
The Ingredients:
- Old fashioned (or rolled) oats are the base. Use certified gluten free oats to make this recipe gluten free. Don't use steel cut (save those for my Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal).
- Coconut sugar is my favorite naturally-derived dry sweetener, but organic 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.
The Directions:
The Directions:1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine the wet ingredients in a liquid measuring cup.
3. Combine wet with dry. Give it all a stir and then fold in the grated carrot.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
5. Make the frosting while you wait. Allow oatmeal to fully cool before topping with frosting.
How to Serve Baked Oatmeal
My favorite way to serve this is cold out of the refrigerator topped with cream cheese frosting, but below are a couple more suggestions. Don't miss these Healthy Oatmeal Recipes for more inspiration, too!
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!
How to Store Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
How to Store Carrot Cake Baked OatmealStore 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!).
You can also 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.
Craving more oatmeal goodness? Don't miss these other amazing oatmeal recipes:
- Chocolate Almond Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Salted Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bites
- Blueberry Banana Nut Baked Oatmeal
- Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Snack Bars
- Banana Zucchini Oatmeal Cups
Now get your healthy carrot cake on, spring chicken!
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
Description
Easy, moist Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal studded with walnuts and topped with healthy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for breakfast but good enough for dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup ground flax
- 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 grated carrot
- ½ batch of Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
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.
- 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.
Keywords: carrot cake baked oatmeal, healthy breakfast
