These Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are perfectly spiced with all the flavors of carrot cake! It's a healthy breakfast option that you can meal prep the night so it'll be ready for you the next morning! Made with grated carrots, rolled oats, chia seeds, and a splash of milk. Top it off with walnuts and golden raisins or chopped dates.
As a dietitian, I am a big fan of healthy breakfast recipes that can be prepped in advance. If you have busy mornings, this carrot cake oatmeal is great because with just 5 minutes of prep the night before, it'll be ready to grab & go the next day.
You're probably familiar with overnight oats made with fresh fruit like blueberries and strawberries, but sweet carrots make for delicious overnight oats, too! These Carrot Cake Overnight oats are particularly perfect for springtime when carrots are in season. It's a great option for Easter morning or Mother's Day.
If you like this recipe, you might like my Blueberry Overnight Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats, or my Carrot Banana Muffins!
Jump to:
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
- Variations
- Ideas for Toppings for Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
- Expert Tips for Making Overnight Oats
- Storage for Overnight Oats
- Best Containers for Overnight Oats Recipes
- Dietitian Tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Perfect for Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
These Carrot Cake Oats are made with healthy ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for ingredient measurements.
- Rolled Oats - the best oats for overnight oats are old-fashioned oats because they absorb the milk and become super creamy. Look for the label that either says "rolled oats" or "old-fashioned oats". I love these from Bob's Red Mill. If you are gluten-free, be sure to look for certified gluten-free oats. Oats are a great way to start the day with heart healthy whole grains.
- Plant Milk - I use unsweetened almond milk for overnight oats, but use your favorite type of milk. Oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk or cashew milk are all good options. Feel free to use regular cow's milk if you prefer.
- Chia Seeds - chia seeds add to the texture of overnight oats. The best part is they are also high in healthy fat, fiber, and protein. Learn more about the health benefits of chia seeds. You can use flax seeds or even hemp seeds instead if you prefer.
- Yogurt - vanilla or plain Greek Yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic Yogurt) are both perfect for adding protein and probiotics to help support gut health. If you are vegan, use your favorite dairy-free yogurt. Coconut milk yogurt, almond milk yogurt, or cashew milk yogurt are all options!
- Sweetener - I love using pure maple syrup to sweeten these overnight oats. But you could easily replace the maple syrup with a different sweetener like honey, agave, or date syrup.
- Vanilla Extract - just a small dash of vanilla extract adds a smooth and rich flavor. Feel free to substitute with almond extract if you prefer.
- Fresh Carrots - for this recipe, I suggest using a large carrot and grating it yourself. Packaged shredded carrots work as a shortcut!
- Cinnamon - a pinch of cinnamon adds warmth reminiscent of a slice of carrot cake.
- Optional Toppings - feel free to top it with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, raisins, or shopped cuts like pecans or walnuts.
How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Below are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this recipe with photos that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check the card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1 - In a mason jar or other small container with a lid, mix the dry ingredients including the rolled oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon.
Step 2 - Add the wet ingredients to the oat mixture including the yogurt, vanilla extract, maple syrup, milk, and grated carrots. Give it a good stir until everything is well combined.
Step 3 - Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for 4 hours to let the oats soak for creamy oats.
Step 4 - When ready to serve, add your favorite toppings. Chopped dates or golden raisins, toasted walnuts, and a dash of cinnamon are my favorite toppings.
Hint: Use a wide-mouth mason jar or even an empty peanut butter or almond butter jar to make your overnight oats. Don't use a container with a narrow mouth because it will be harder to mix.
Variations
There are so many ways to customize these Carrot Cake Overnight Oats! Feel free to get creative with your toppings and add-ins, too.
- Sweeter - this recipe is sweetened with maple syrup and carrots. If you like things on the sweeter side satisfy your sweet tooth by doubling up on the maple syrup or adding some shredded coconut flakes.
- Vegan Carrot Cake - make this recipe vegan by using plant-based milk and yogurt.
- High Protein - add protein with a scoop of protein powder. You may need to adjust the consistency by adding more milk.
- Chocolate - add cocoa powder and dark-chocolate chips on top for a chocolately flavor!
Ideas for Toppings for Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
- Nut butter - add a tablespoon of your favorite nut or seed butter. Peanut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter work great. For an allergy-friendly nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter.
- Healthy Carrot Cake Icing - mix a tablespoon of cream cheese with a dollop of Greek yogurt to add classic carrot cake flavors to the top of these overnight oats.
- Nuts, Seeds or Granola- add crunchy walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds, chopped cashews, granola, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds on top.
- Golden Raisins - or chopped dates if you aren't a fan of raisins.
- White Chocolate Chips - top with white chocolate chips for more sweetness!
- Fruit - add fruit on top. Bananas pair nicely with carrots and add even more vitamins to these yummy oats.
Expert Tips for Making Overnight Oats
- Use Rolled Oats (also called Old-Fashioned Oats) for best texture when soaked.
- For thicker oatmeal, add a bit less milk to the oat mixture.
- If you like your overnight oats a bit thinner, add a little extra milk.
- For these overnight carrot oats, be sure your carrots are finely grated! If the carrot pieces are too thick they won't soften as much.
Storage for Overnight Oats
- Refrigerator - store overnight oats in an airtight container. You can keep overnight oats in the fridge for up to 5 days. They will continue to get creamier the longer they sit. I typically make them the night before and let them soak overnight, but you could meal prep multiple jars to have them ready for you throughout the whole week.
Best Containers for Overnight Oats Recipes
Here are some options for containers to use for overnight oats:
- Wide Mouth Mason Jars, 16 oz works perfectly
- These Overnight Oat Jars come with a spoon and a marker so you can mark the flavors or date you meal-prepped them. I like the colors of the tops on these!
- Overnight Oats Containers with Lids and Spoon
- These Vintage Coffee Mugs with bamboo lids and spoons are great if you're looking for a pretty glass to serve overnight oats.
Dietitian Tip
Did you know that oatmeal contains a dietary fiber called beta-glucan? Beta-glucan may help lower cholesterol levels, can help support your digestive system, and stabilize blood-sugar levels. Just a half cup of oats contains around 15% of your daily fiber intake for the day and 5 grams of protein. These overnight oats are a delicious way to nourish your body with care and stay full and satisfied until your next meal.
FAQ
While healthy eating means something different to everyone, overnight oats are a nourishing option that can help you meet your daily dietary needs! Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber and extra filling with the addition of the chia seeds and Greek yogurt in this recipe. It is also high in several nutrients including magnesium, iron, and zinc. Chia seeds add heart-healthy fatty acids, protein, and more fiber.
The best oats for overnight oats are rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats. Quick oats are smaller pieces and cook faster so they tend to get too mushy for overnight oats. Steel cut oats are not steamed or rolled as rolled oats are. Because of that, they take much longer to cook or soften and don't work so great for overnight oats.
As it is with all things that have to do with nutrition, the answer is not so simple but I would say that oatmeal can certainly help with weight loss. The soluble fiber found in oats can help you stay full for longer making it less likely that you will overeat at your next meal or snack. A recent study in the Physiological Research Journal showed that fiber, starch, and other phytochemicals in oatmeal can have an anti-obesity effect and can also help to promote healthy gut bacteria.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Carrot Cake Overnight Oats:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian.
📖 Recipe
5-Minute Carrot Cake Overnight Oats, Easy Recipe
Equipment
- Wide Mouth Mason Jars 16 oz
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats, I use Bob's Red Mills Brand)
- ½ tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- ¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup grated carrots
Optional (for topping)
- 1 tablespoon low fat cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon chopped nuts
Instructions
- In a mason jar or other small container with a lid, mix the dry ingredients including the rolled oats, chia seeds and cinnamon.
- Add the wet ingredients to the oat mixture including the yogurt, vanilla extract, maple syrup, milk, and grated carrots. Give it a good stir until everything is well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for 4 hours to let the oats soak.
- When ready to serve, add your favorite toppings. Chopped dates or golden raisins, softened cream cheese, chopped nuts and a dash of cinnamon are my favorite toppings.
Notes
- Use Rolled Oats (also called Old-Fashioned Oats) for best texture.
- Finely grated carrot works best. If using shredded carrots, use a knife to cut them into smaller strips. Larger carrot pieces won't soften as well.
- Use a wide-mouth mason jar or even an empty peanut butter or almond butter jar to make your overnight oats. Don't use a container with a narrow mouth because it will be harder to mix.
- For thicker oatmeal, add a bit less milk to the oat mixture.
- If you like your overnight oats a bit thinner, add a little extra milk.
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