Healthy Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

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Enjoy carrot cake for breakfast with these healthy carrot cake overnight oats jars. With a combination of fresh carrots, maple syrup, warming spices, raisins (optional), and tangy yogurt “frosting” layer, these healthy carrot oats are packed with flavor, nutrients, and taste! Plus, enjoy this recipe gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, and/or vegan with just 5 minutes of prep!

Two jars of carrot cake overnight oats decorated with pecans and edible flowers

I’m a big fan of “dessert” for breakfast, especially if that includes hidden veggies! Having already shared several healthy dessert overnight oats recipes like this strawberry cheesecake overnight oats, this carrot cake oats version goes one step further with the addition of veggies. This recipe combines all your favorite elements of classic carrot cake but in a healthier, naturally sweetened overnight oat form!

Not only is this carrot cake overnight oats recipe diet-friendly (able to be made gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free), but it takes just 5 minutes to meal prep one evening for 5 days of healthy grab-and-go breakfast jars! Of course, a serving of vegetables to start the day is nothing to sniff at either…

Even better, you get to enjoy carrot cake without all the empty calories that usually accompany it. In place of white flours, you have hearty oats. To replace the frosting, there’s a sweetened yogurt layer. Plus, you can enjoy these carrot oats chilled in the summer or warm them up in the microwave for a minute come Fall/Winter. Best of all, it’s frugal too – made primarily of pantry basics.

If you’re looking for new ways to enjoy your morning oats while satisfying your sweet tooth, why not try blended and baked oats (courtesy of TikTok!). You might like strawberry cheesecake stuffed baked oatmeal, chocolate peanut butter baked oatmeal, or vanilla chocolate chip baked oats?!

The Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Ingredients

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Layer

Oats: ose old-fashion rolled oats (not steel-cut). Instant oats will work in a pinch, but the texture will differ. Use certified gluten-free oats if necessary.
Milk: use the dairy or dairy-free milk of your choice. I like to use hemp milk or almond milk.
Chia seeds: these help to add protein and texture – thickening up the healthy overnight oatmeal.
Spices: I use a combination of ground cinnamon and nutmeg for this carrot cake oatmeal.
Carrot: can’t have carrot oats without grated carrots. Make sure it’s fresh and crisp for the best flavor/texture.
Raisins: (optional) I like to add gold raisins (regular will also work), which I enjoy in traditional carrot cake too. However, you could sub this with other dried fruit like chopped dates or omit it entirely.
Sweetener: (optional) I usually just sweeten the yogurt layer for these carrot cake oats jars since the raisins sweeten this layer. However, you can add a teaspoon or so or liquid sweetener (maple, agave, date syrup, etc.), too, if preferred.

Sweetened Yogurt “Frosting” Layer

Yogurt: use the yogurt of your choice. Greek yogurt will create thick and creamy apple overnight oats. Natural yogurt will be slightly lighter. You can also use the dairy-free yogurt of your choice: coconut yogurt, almond yogurt, soy yogurt, etc.
Sweetener: I prefer to use maple syrup, but any liquid sweetener will work. Agave syrup, date syrup, brown rice syrup, etc. Use a sugar-free option like liquid stevia if preferred.
Vanilla extract: will help enhance the carrot cake “vibes” in this healthy overnight oats jar.

The toppings: you can then further enhance the carrot cake overnight oats with your choice of toppings. I like to use pecans (or chopped walnuts), a sprinkle of cinnamon, and some edible flowers (just because I nearly always have them in the fridge).

Ingredients for carrot cake overnight oats

Optional Add-ins

Salt: just a tiny pinch of salt in the overnight oats mixture can help to enhance the flavors.
Ground ginger: just a pinch added to the carrot oat mixture.
Zucchini: yes, I’m suggesting you add a SECOND veggie to these overnight oats. By finely grating zucchini (around ¼ cup) into the oats, you’ll hardly be able to tell it’s there but still get all its’ benefits! It’s a win-win!
Pineapple: just a tablespoon or so (per portion) of pineapple can help to add extra flavor and sweetness.
Shredded coconut: to add texture and healthy fats, you could add 1-2 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut to the carrot oatmeal (per portion).
Protein powder: you could add ½ a scoop (per serving) of plain or vanilla protein powder to the carrot cake oatmeal layer. It will thicken the oats more, so add extra liquid if desired.
Cream cheese: fairy-free or not. For more of a cream cheese “frosting” feel to the yogurt layer, you could substitute around 1 teaspoon yogurt for cream cheese.
Other toppings: hemp seeds, cacao nibs, extra shredded coconut, a drizzle of nut/seed butter, etc.
Sugar-free: use a sugar-free sweetener like stevia, monk fruit, erythritol, or a sugar-free maple alternative. You can also omit the raisins, which are high in sugars.

How To Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats?

Step 1: Prepare the Carrot Cake Oats Layer

First, rinse, peel (if necessary), and grate the carrot using the medium holes on a box grater OR grating disk in a food processor (the latter takes literal seconds!). If you use the smallest grater option, the carrot seems to get lost and struggles to retain texture within the overnight oats mixture.

If you have carrot greens, there’s no need to discard them. Instead, use them for carrot top pesto!

Then combine the carrot with the oats, chia seeds, milk, spices, and raisins (if using). You could also add a small handful of chopped/crushed pecans. Stir well and set aside for 1-hour minimum (for chewy oats and more soupy/cereal-like results) – overnight (8hrs) is best, though (thicker, tender).

You can do this directly in the jars (mason jars or yogurt jars) or in a larger bowl and transfer to jars after soaking.

Step 2: Prepare the Sweetened Yogurt Layer

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt of your choice with the sweetener and vanilla extract and mix well. Taste and adjust the sweetener if preferred.

Then set the mixture aside to soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Step 3: Assemble the Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Jars

First, give the carrot cake overnight oats a final “mix.” Then divide the mixture between your jars.

Top it up with the yogurt mixture and the toppings of your choice. I used some pecans, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and edible flowers.

If you want to decorate your jars with carrot slices as I did, use a little sticky syrup like honey (or a vegan sticky syrup) as a ‘glue’ to stick them to the side of your (dry!) jar.

Overnight oats in a bowl and yogurt in a bowl with edible flowers on the side

How To Make Ahead and Store

Make ahead: overnight oats make for a fantastic meal-prep breakfast, and these carrot cake oats are no different. You can make them 4-5 days in advance when fully compiled.

Store: once assembled, store the carrot cake overnight oats jars covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing overnight oats!

FAQs

Can I omit the chia seeds?

Yes, but if you do, I recommend reducing the milk by ¼ cup.

How long do overnight oats need to soak?

I like to soak them for a minimum of 2 hours but I find 8+ hours yields the optimal results. The first option will produce oats that are more textured, with soupier results – as they haven’t yet adequately absorbed the liquid (but are still delicious). The full overnight soak will yield thicker, creamier, more tender results.
The minimum I would recommend is 1 hour of soaking, but you might want to reduce the milk by ¼ cup.

Can I use steel-cut oats for this recipe?

I haven’t tested this recipe with steel-cut oats, so I wouldn’t recommend it. They will take longer to soften and may need extra steps.

How long do overnight oats last?

In general overnight oats will last up to 5 days – dependent on what “extras” you’ve added to the recipe. I prefer to eat them within 3 for the best results and leave ones that don’t have fresh elements (like chocolate overnight oats) till the end of the week.

Can I make this at hot carrot cake oatmeal?

Sure can. If you follow my process for stovetop oatmeal, but with all the carrot cake “add-ins.” For a softer texture, add the carrot right at the beginner. For more texture, add it in the last 2 minutes. You can then serve the carrot cake porridge/oatmeal topped with a dollop of the sweetened yogurt or omit that entirely.

Recipe Notes and Top Tips

Adjust the carrot texture: finely grated carrot practically melts into the oats and is almost unnoticeable. Whereas medium/large grated pieces will retain their texture and add a little crunch to the carrot cake oatmeal. So adjust it to your desired consistency.
Enjoy the overnight oats warm: do this before adding any toppings to the oats. Warm them in the microwave for 60-90 seconds (based on the power of your machine).
Adjust the texture: several factors impact the texture of these carrot cake overnight oats. The first is how long they’re left to soak for (2hr will be chewy and liquidy, overnight or longer will be more combined and tender with just a slight chew and thicker/less liquidy). The ratio of liquid to oats will also impact the final texture. As will the addition of yogurt, if mixed into the main oats mixture. Feel free to experiment to find your perfect balance if desired.
For thicker overnight oats: use a 1:1 ratio of oats to milk (i.e., 1 cup milk to 1 cup oats).
Adjust the sweetener: I usually rely on the raisin sweetness for the main carrot cake oat layer and then sweeten the yogurt layer to function as my healthy “frosting.” However, if you have a sweet tooth, add a little to the oats too.

More Healthy Overnight Oats/Oatmeal Recipes

As always, if you give this healthy carrot cake overnight oats recipe a try, let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments below. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.

Healthy Carrot Cake Overnight Oats