These Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are packed with all the warm, cozy flavors you love in carrot cake but in the form of a nourishing, make-ahead breakfast! Made with grated carrots, rolled oats, chia seeds, Greek yogurt and a splash of milk. Top them with crunchy walnuts and sweet golden raisins or chopped dates for the perfect finish.
As a dietitian, I am a big fan of healthy breakfast recipes that can be prepped in advance and ready for you the next morning. And these carrot cake overnight oats are my favorite when I'm craving something wholesome but on the sweeter side with the flavors of carrot cake for breakfast in the springtime.
Overnight oats are made by soaking rolled oats in milk and letting them soften in the fridge overnight. They're meant to be eaten cold but you can heat them up if you want! I like to add Greek yogurt and chia seeds to these carrot cake overnight oats for more protein, healthy fats, and fiber. It's a healthy breakfast option for busy mornings or even Easter morning or Mother's Day.
If you like this recipe, you may enjoy my blueberry overnight oatmeal, creamy chia pudding, apple cinnamon stovetop oats, or strawberries & cream overnight oats.
More Healthy Overnight Oats Recipes
- Banana Bread Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oatmeal
- Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats
- Peach Cobbler Overnight Oatmeal
- Creamy Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats
- Easy Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats with Greek Yogurt
- Gingerbread Overnight Oats
Jump to:
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
- Video of 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 notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements.
- Rolled Oats - I recommend to use rolled oats (also known as "old fashioned" oats or "traditional" oats) for overnight oats because they absorb the milk and become super creamy. I don't personally recommend using quick oats because they get mushy. And steel cut oats won't become as soft. To make it gluten-free, use certified GF oats.
- Milk - I use almond milk for my overnight oats because I like the creamy consistency. Cow's milk or other plant-based milks like soy milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or cashew milk works great too.
- 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 so they add nutrition too.
- 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 use pure maple syrup to sweeten these carrot cake 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. You can use almond extract instead 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. I like to add a tiny bit of nutmeg too.
- Optional Toppings - feel free to top it with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, raisins, or chopped 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! Check the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1 - Grate the carrot using a box grater. 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: It's common for some ingredients to settle at the bottom, especially the chia seeds. Be sure to give it a really good stir. Stir again about 30 minutes after they've been soaking.
Video of How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Here's a video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
There are so many ways to customize these Carrot Cake Overnight Oats! Below are some ideas.
- Sweeter - this recipe is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and carrots. If you like things on the sweeter side double up on the maple syrup and add 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 vanilla 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 nutrition to these yummy oats.
Expert Tips for Making Overnight Oats
- Use rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats or traditional 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 in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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
Rolled oats are rich in fiber and plant-based protein and support gut health and hormone health. They also help with keeping you full longer. And when soaked like this, they can be easier to digest. In these carrot cake overnight oats Greek yogurt + chia seeds add more protein and heart healthy fats. Carrots provide vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium!
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. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Healthy Carrot Cake Overnight Oats, Easy Recipe
Equipment
- Wide Mouth Mason Jars 16 oz
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
- ½ tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- ¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt (or plain)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup (1 tablespoon if you want it sweeter)
- ¼ cup grated carrots (I use a box grater to grate a large carrot)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
Optional (for topping)
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins or chopped dates
- 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.
Video
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 pieces. Larger carrot pieces won't soften as well.
- 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.
- Refrigerator - store overnight oats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Food Network, Physiological Research Journal
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