Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal- a nutritious option for breakfast or brunch that’s easy to make and tastes just like carrot cake! (gluten-free + oil-free with vegan option)
I’m always on the lookout for ways to get more carrot cake in my life. Whether it’s carrot cake muffins, waffles, or the real deal, I just can’t get enough. Cue Depeche Mode here.
This baked oatmeal is my latest infusion of carrot cake and it is pretty darn fabulous, if I don’t say so myself. Packed with a heaping cup of shredded carrots, spices like cinnamon and ginger, and a dairy-free cream cheese drizzle that takes the whole thing over the top!
Are Rolled Oats Really Gluten-free?
One thing I find there is a lot of confusion on is whether or not oatmeal is actually gluten-free. The answer to that question is YES!
Some companies will process their oatmeal in facilities that also process wheat which means there could be cross contamination. That’s not a good option for people who have celiac disease. My go-to brand, Bob’s Red Mill, processes their oats in a certified gluten-free facility and lab tests them to verify that they meet strict standards.
Their Gluten-free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats give this baked oatmeal the perfect chewy texture!
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Ingredients
- Rolled Oats– as I mentioned above, Bob’s Red Mill is my favorite brand. I find rolled oats give the oatmeal a delicious chewy texture but you could also use quick oats if you want something a little less chewy. Just make sure the package says certified gluten-free for allergies!
- Non-Dairy Milk– any kind of milk will work for this recipe (even dairy).
- Eggs– I typically opt for pastured eggs in my baked oatmeal but you can easily sub these out for flax eggs. Just combine 2 tablespoons ground flax seed with 6 tablespoons water and set aside to thicken for 10 minutes before using in the recipe.
- Almond Butter– I love the flavor and nutrition that a natural, drippy almond butter adds to this recipe but if you’re not a fan, no problem! You can easily sub melted unrefined coconut oil, butter or any other neutral flavored oil in its place.
- Ground Cinnamon, Ginger and Salt– Some carrot cake recipes go the extra mile to include ground cloves and nutmeg but I find cinnamon and ginger to be enough, especially because I always have them on hand. Salt helps balance out the sweetness of the coconut sugar.
- Coconut Sugar– The caramel flavor of coconut sugar works really well here but you can sub it with brown sugar or maple syrup if you like!
- Vanilla Extract- Because a little vanilla is always a good idea in baking.
- Shredded Carrot– We’re using a heaping cup of shredded carrots to make sure we get plenty with each bite. I recommend using freshly shredded carrots (if possible) as the pre-shredded kind tend to get dried out.
- Nuts, Raisins and/or Shredded Coconut– Here’s where you can really personalize things. Feel free to add your favorite chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts work great), raisins or shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened). Whatever you like in your carrot cake works just as well here!
- Vegan Cream Cheese– To keep the icing dairy-free I used Kite Hill’s plain cream cheese but regular cream cheese works just the same.
- Powdered Sugar– We only need a little bit of confectioners sugar to bring the icing together. The oatmeal is lightly sweetened to help balance out the sugar in the icing.
How to Make Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
The prep for this recipe couldn’t be easier!
- Combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together.
- Add the dry on top, as well as the carrots and your desired mix-ins. Stir to combine.
- Pour into a greased baking dish and bake until firm.
- Beat vegan cream cheese with powdered sugar then add a few tablespoons of milk.
- Drizzle on top and serve!
Still Craving Carrot Cake? Check these out!
- Healthy No-Bake Carrot Cake Bars
- Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes
- Carrot Cake Waffles
- Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
- Overnight Carrot Cake Chia Oats
- Gluten-free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
For the Baked Oatmeal
- 2 cups rolled oats, such as Bob's Red Mill Certified Gluten-free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1½ cups non-dairy milk
- 2 eggs, or 2 flax eggs (see notes)
- ¼ cup almond butter, see notes for subs
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- ¼ cup raisins
For the Cream Cheese Drizzle
- 2 ounces vegan cream cheese
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9” baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs (or flax eggs), almond butter, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the oats, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and coconut sugar then stir to combine.
- To the bowl, add the shredded carrot, chopped nuts and raisins. Stir everything together then pour into the greased baking dish, using the back of the spoon to smooth out the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until firm and golden brown.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: In a medium size bowl, using a mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar then add 2 tablespoons of milk. The texture should be thin enough to pour. If it's still to thick, add another tablespoon of milk to thin. Set aside.
- When ready to serve, drizzle the cream cheese icing over top of the oatmeal. Serve warm (or cold) and enjoy! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
This post was created in partnership with a brand that I have used and loved for years, Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions and text are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make it possible for me to bring you quality content. For more delicious recipes and a coupon for $1.00 off any product, please visit Bob’sRedMill.com.
These were a bit of a miss for us. Followed recipe exactly. Extremely bland. If we make them again, would increase he amount of cinnamon and ginger, as well as add some lemon zest. This was disappointing as there really wasn’t any carrot flavor.
Sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy it! I’m not sure what you mean by carrot flavor…the recipe calls for a heaping cup of shredded carrot. If you added any more it would be too much. As far as the spices, I tried to keep the recipe simple but you could always add nutmeg and cloves for deeper spice. Did you make the drizzle topping? If not then it likely wasn’t sweet enough for you as that adds sweetness and tang from the cream cheese. It’s possible with a few changes you could make it to suit your liking!
I’m totally going to make this, Sarah! Hope you guys had a great Easter weekend.
Thanks Kelli! Hope you and the fam did too! <3
So delicious! Super easy too! I couldn’t put the pecans in sadly because Camryn refuses to eat nuts but next time I’m doing it anyway! The glaze was so good! I used about 1 T maple syrup to sweeten it and it was perfect.
This was a hit for us! I didn’t have coconut sugar so I substituted maple syrup and added a little extra (1/3 cup total) because I didn’t have the ingredients for the drizzle. It was just delicious! I served it warm with soy creamer. Mmm! I look forward to making it with the drizzle next time, as that is so pretty!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the review!
Was it supposed to be soft or more firm when you cut it? I am trying to decide if I need to bake longer.
The vegan option will not be as firm as the option with the egg. Did you let it cool before cutting a piece? It should firm up more as it cools.