• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

What Molly Made

Eat to Feel Good

  • About
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Back to School Dinners
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Appetizers
    • Dessert
    • Snacks
    • Side Dishes
    • Drinks
    • Special Diet
    • Holiday
    • Cooking Method
  • Dinner
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • PCOS
      • PCOS Recipes
      • PCOS Tips + Resources
      • Clean Living
      • FREE PCOS Email Course
    • Home and Decor
    • Mom Life
  • Cookbook
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Back to School Dinners
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Special Diet
  • PCOS
  • Appetizers
  • Snacks
  • Holiday
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
×

Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Updated: July 12, 2023 | Published on: March 28, 2023 - Molly ThompsonLeave a Comment

Dairy Free RecipesDF
Gluten Free RecipesGF
Jump to Recipe

These carrot cake overnight oats taste like cake for breakfast thanks to the rich and creamy texture, sweet flavors, warming spices, and freshly grated carrots.

Add some chia seeds for fiber and prep them in a mason jar for a quick and healthy breakfast.

Try this strawberry cheesecake overnight oats recipe for another healthy breakfast that tastes like cake!

carrot cake overnight oats in glass jars

Imagine enjoying the delicious flavors of carrot cake first thing in the morning. Your busy morning just got a new best friend because overnight oats, just like blueberry baked oatmeal, are a great way to eat breakfast in a hurry. They're the ultimate meal prep breakfast, especially if you store them individually.

We love pumpkin pie overnight oats in the fall, blueberry overnight oats in the summer, and peanut butter overnight oats all year long. These carrot cake overnight oats are especially delicious during the spring (Easter recipe!).

Easy recipes that happen to be delicious and full of flavor are our expertise. Try prepping gluten-free morning glory muffins or air fryer scrambled eggs for more easy breakfast inspiration.

a spoonful of carrot cake overnight oats with greek yogurt

Why You'll Love These Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

  • Easy to prep and grab on the go the next morning.
  • Rich carrot cake flavors in a healthy bowl.
  • The whole family will love them (hidden veggies for kids).
  • Once you make them once, you'll have the ingredients to make them a few more times.
  • Health benefits: balance your blood sugar, support your digestive system with fiber and enjoy a serving of vegetables.

Love oats for breakfast? This banana baked oatmeal and these oat flour pancakes will hit the spot.

Grab These Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients for this overnight oats recipe. Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable) to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

carrot cake overnight oats ingredients on a countertop
  • Oats: we recommend the hearty old-fashioned roll oats for this recipe. Use a certified gluten-free oat if needed. Our favorite brand is Bob's Red Mill! I don't recommend using steel-cut oats or quick oats because they don't absorb liquid the same way.
  • Chia seeds: these add fiber and a rich, pudding-like texture.
  • Maple syrup: for a touch of sweetness, without overdoing it.
  • Carrots: freshly grated carrots work best for this recipe because they're small and easier to enjoy with each bite. You can roughly chop matchstick carrots if that's easier.
  • Nut butter: almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter give the oats extra flavor and healthy fats.
  • Vanilla extract for flavor.
  • Spices: salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg give you the classic flavor of carrot cake.
  • Plant milk: we recommend unsweetened plant-based milk, like unsweetened almond milk, for the best results. They don't add any extra sugars and they're dairy-free and vegan.
  • Extras: we like to mix in raisins and shredded unsweetened coconut and top them with chopped pecans for the most delicious carrot cake oats.

Tip: use any leftover rolled oats to make homemade oat flour for oat flour banana bread or chewy oat flour cookies.

How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This overnight oatmeal is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure they turn out every time.

Video: Watch How to Make It

Note: you can make the entire recipe in one bowl and divide them into separate jars. However, separating the ingredients into their own jars to start saves an extra mixing bowl to clean.

Divide the oatmeal evenly into 4 mason jars then distribute the rest of the ingredients between each.

oats, carrots, almond butter, raisins, and spices in glass jars

Pour in the dairy-free milk and use a large spoon to stir everything until the nut butter is evenly distributed and the raisins are mixed well.

Seal them tightly with a lid and store them in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or up to 5 days.

carrot cake overnight oat ingredients mixed in mason jars

When you're ready to eat the oats the next day, remove the jar from the fridge and give everything a quick stir. The final texture should be thick like pudding. You can add a splash of milk at this point if you want to thin it out slightly.

To serve, spoon a dollop of greek yogurt on top to look like cream cheese frosting and finish with a dash of cinnamon and crushed pecans. You can use vegan yogurt if needed.

greek yogurt with chopped pecans on top of overnight oats

Recipe FAQs

Is overnight soaked oats healthy?

Depending on what you put in them, they can be a delicious and healthy start to the day because of the added fiber and healthy fats in them. add a scoop of protein powder or two for an even healthier meal.

Why are quick oat not good for overnight oats?

Producers flatten quick oats to help them cook faster and if left soaking overnight they can break down too much. You can still use them if you have them on hand, but I don't recommend leaving them in the fridge for more than a few days.

Are overnight oats just soggy oats?

Overnight oats are essentially the same thing as traditional stovetop oats, but they're soaked in cold liquid overnight rather than hot liquid quickly. Overnight oats allow you more flavor flexibility because you can mix anything into them and the oats absorb the combination of flavors. They're also served cold rather than hot.

Why add chia seeds to overnight oats?

Chia seeds boast many health benefits including added fiber and protein and give the oats a thicker texture.

What liquid is best for overnight oats?

Any type of milk will work with overnight oats because they'll all absorb into the rolled oats slowly. However, we prefer low-glycemic milk without added sugars like unsweetened cashew milk or almond milk. Although we love making homemade oat milk, we wouldn't want double the oats in the recipe.

three jars of carrot cake overnight oats in a row

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Recipe Variations

  • Add in hemp seeds instead of chia seeds to get fiber, without the texture of chia seeds.
  • We always add a couple of scoops of vanilla protein powder to oatmeal, even our hot pumpkin pie oatmeal, to balance the macros and help keep us full all morning. My favorite protein powder is Be Well By Kelly because the protein is such high quality, there are zero carbs, and the flavor is amazing.
  • Omit the raisins or oats and try adding chopped dates

Tools for this Recipe

Box grater to shred the carrots. You could also pulse them in a food processor to speed up the process.

Storage container to soak the oats overnight in the fridge. Our favorite sealable container is a mason jar or Weck jars.

Storage Tips

Creamy oats stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I don't recommend freezing overnight oats as the texture can change while they thaw.

a spoon inside a jar of overnight oats

 If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

More Oatmeal Recipes

  • Blueberry overnight oats
  • Peanut butter overnight oats
  • Pumpkin pie overnight oats
a jar of carrot cake overnight oats with a spoon

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

These carrot cake overnight oats taste like cake for breakfast thanks to the rich and creamy texture, sweet flavors, warming spices, and freshly grated carrots. Add some chia seeds for fiber and prep them in a mason jar for a quick and healthy breakfast.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Course: Breakfast, Healthy
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 6 hours hours
Total Time: 6 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 456kcal
Author: Molly Thompson
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats certified gluten-free if needed (Note 1)
  • 4 Tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup peeled and grated carrot about 1 large carrot
  • 4 Tabslepoons nut butter almond, cashew or peanut
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ⅓ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 2-3 scoops vanilla protein powder optional (Note 2)

Recommended Equipment

  • 4 individual jars with lids like a mason jar

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Distribute the mixture evenly into 4 separate mason jars or glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Alternately, divide the ingredients evenly into glass jars and mix them separately to save an extra bowl being cleaned. See Note 3 for individual measurements.
  • Seal the jars and store overnight in the fridge for at least 6 hours or up to 5 days. Remove a serving of oats as needed, stir, and top with greek yogurt, cinnamon, chopped pecans, or nut butter.

Notes

Note 1. Gluten-Free Oats. We tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats.
Note 2. Protein powder. Mix in 2-3 servings of your favorite plain or vanilla protein powder. You will need up to ⅓ cup more milk. Start with ¼ cup of milk and add more as needed. Our favorite protein powder is Be Well By Kelly because it’s made with grass-fed sweedish protein, monk fruit, and real flavors.
Note 3. Mix Individual Servings. Mix together ½ cup oats, 1 Tablespoon chia seeds, 2 Tablespoons shredded carrot, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 2 Tablespoons nut butter, ¾ cup plant milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of nutmeg in individual serving jars. Cover and store as directed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 58.6g | Protein: 12.8g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 451mg | Fiber: 12.9g | Sugar: 13.6g | Vitamin A: 199.5IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_MollyMade or tag #whatmollymade!

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

  • a piece of banana baked oatmeal on a black dessert plate with melted chocolate chips and banana
    Banana Baked Oatmeal (Gluten Free)
  • cottage cheese toast with tomato and avocado
    Cottage Cheese Toast
  • three jars of strawberry cheesecake overnight oats
    Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
  • blueberry baked oatmeal cut into squares
    Easy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Reader Interactions

Comments

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

molly thompson from what molly made

I'm Molly! I'm so grateful you're here. My hope is that my recipes bless your home and your bodies. I want my website to be a tool to help you feel your best and nourish you with recipes you (and your family) look forward to making!

More about me →

Recipe Key:

Dairy FreeDF
Gluten-FreeGF
Low CarbLC
PaleoP
Refined Sugar FreeSF
VeganVg
VegetarianV
Whole30W

Summer Barbecue

  • grilled zucchini salad in a serving bowl
    Grilled Zucchini Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
  • peach burrata salad on a platter with crusty bread
    Tomato Peach Burrata Salad
  • cucumber tomato avocado salad in a serving bowl
    Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
  • grilled peach salad in a large serving bowl
    Summer Grilled Peach Salad

Trending Recipes

  • collage of reicpes for the post titled 50 pcos recipes that help to reverse symptoms
    50 PCOS Recipes: Healthy Dinners You'll Love!
  • baked chicken wings on a wire rack and baking sheet
    How Long to Bake Chicken Wings
  • Edible Cookie Dough
  • instant pot greek chicken and rice in a bowl with fresh lemon and parsley
    Instant Pot Greek Chicken and Rice

Order My Cookbook!

the cover of the anti inflammatory diet made simple cookbook

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Learn more about the book here →

Copyright © 2023 · Privacy Policy