Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

Breakfast just got so much better with this cake inspired Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal! It’s made with nutritious and filling rolled oats, crunchy pecans, sweet spices, shredded carrots and it’s finished with a honey cream cheese icing. A fun spring themed dish fit for a weekend brunch or great for a make ahead breakfast.

This decadent breakfast baked oatmeal tastes just like you would hope – a delicious carrot cake without all the extra sugar, fat and refined white flour. Not to mention it comes together faster than cake and it’s perfectly appropriate for breakfast or brunch. Tastes like cake for breakfast? Who could resist!

If you are looking for something fun to serve for a holiday brunch, such as Easter, Mothers Day or your sweet grandma’s birthday this is an excellent fit. It’s a great way to get people of all ages enjoying oatmeal!

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Recipe Ingredients and Substitutes

• Rolled oats: These are the old fashioned type not the quick cooking type. The quick cooking would have a softer texture here and absorb more moisture.
• Pecans: Chop these small, leave raw or toast them. Walnuts and others work well too.
• Baking powder: This helps the baked oatmeal rise just a little better.
• Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger all help give this the classic carrot cake flavor.
• Maple syrup: For best flavor use real maple syrup rather than the corn syrup artificially flavored stuff.
• Applesauce: I use unsweetened applesauce but since it’s a small amount sweetened would be fine as well. Subsistute with pear puree or plain yogurt if needed.
• Avocado oil: You can use another light tasting oil here such as olive oil (regular or light), coconut oil (melted if not liquid), or even melted butter.
•  Eggs: If there’s an allergy flax eggs will work here instead (see note in vegan section below).
• Vanilla extract: Added to enhance sweet flavor.
• Salt: A key ingredient to bring out the flavors.
• Milk: I use diary milk for flavor and richness but non dairy milk will work fine as well.
• Carrots: Sweeter carrots will taste best here.
• Cream cheese: Soften this first so it’s easier to blend. For a healthier option you could try using a thick plain Greek yogurt such as Fage.
• Honey: Can substitute with maple syrup or 1/3 cup powdered sugar and a small splash of milk.

How to Make Baked Oatmeal that Tastes Like Carrot Cake!

Heat oven and prepare pan: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl toss together oats, pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

Mix wet ingredients (and salt): In a separate large mixing bowl whisk together maple syrup, applesauce, avocado oil, eggs, vanilla and salt whisking until well combined. Pour in milk and add carrots and whisk.

Combine mixtures: Pour oat mixture into milk/carrot mixture and whisk to combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer (so the oats and carrots appear evenly spread out and not heaped).

Bake until cooked through: Bake in preheated oven until set in the center and 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes before slicing.

Make cream cheese icing: In a medium mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer whip together the cream cheese and honey for several minutes until its nice and fluffy.

Drizzle icing over slices: Serve warm slices of carrot cake baked oatmeal with a fair drizzle of the cream cheese icing.

Make It Vegan Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

• If you want to make this vegan replace eggs with “flax eggs.” Mix 2 Tbsp ground flax with 6 Tbsp water and rest 15 minutes before using in recipe.
• Replace cows milk with non dairy milk such as oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk beverage or rice milk.
• Use a vegan cream cheese and replace the honey with maple syrup.

Make it Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal

To make it gluten free simply use certified gluten free oats. Then other ingredients are naturally gluten free so just check the labels of other packaged ingredients to certify they are gluten free also (no cross contamination).

Possible Variations

Sweetness: You can adjust the sweetness of the baked oatmeal to suit your taste, it’s mildly sweet but easy to adjust by adding a some brown sugar or a few more tablespoons of maple syrup, or even just drizzle more honey over servings for those who want it sweeter.

Topping: Other ways you can adapt are topping it with a different finish such as plain honey or vanilla icing (though personally I love that carrot cake cream cheese combo). Maple syrup is a good finish also or homemade buttermilk syrup.

Raisins: Fill free to mix in gold or black raisins if you want the little chewy dried fruit dotted throughout.

Nuts: I love pecans here best but walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts or even pistachios will work good here too.

Hummingbird cake: If you love that carrot cake pineapple combo add in a cup of drained pineapple tidbits and mix in 1/2 cup of shredded dried coconut.

How to Store and Reheat Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

Fridge: Store in the fridge in an airtight container or the covered baking dish for up to 5 days.

Freezer: Freeze carrot cake cake baked oatmeal for up to 3 months. I recommend cooling through and cutting into individual portions first, then stack parchment paper between layers and keep in an airtight container.

Reheating microwave: Rewarm individual servings in the microwave on 50% power until heated through for about 2+ minutes.

Reheating oven: Reheat portions in the oven at 350 degrees in a baking dish covered with foil until warmed through, about 5 to 10 minutes.

More Delicious Baked Oatmeal Recipes to Try

• Amish Baked Oatmeal
• Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
• Baked Oats (blended version)
• Banana Baked Oatmeal 
• Pumpkin Oat Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies