Easy Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Carrot cake for breakfast? Why yes! These Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are a simple, hearty way to start your morning. Prep your oats at night in just 5 minutes and breakfast is ready on the go. Make enough for the whole week in no time. So easy!

This recipe was originally posted February 2015. Photos and copy were updated April 2020 to include process and ingredient photos.

Overnight Oats are my THING--literally. They are my go-to favorite make ahead breakfast. Easy, make ahead, hearty and healthy--can't beat them!

Carrot cake flavored oats are a great way to start your day--and they are so stinking easy!

Why this oatmeal recipe is the Best:

• Great for meal prepping. You can even prep several servings and have breakfast for days. A lot of payoff for just a small amount of work.
• Easily customizable and adapted to meet dietary needs. This carrot cake oatmeal recipe is naturally vegan if you use a dairy free milk. Make sure the oats are certified gluten free if you can't have gluten. Nut allergy? Omit the pecans.
• They taste AMAZING. The flavor of carrot cake combined into oatmeal is something you will be so happy to wake up to. Cinnamon, raisins, coconut, carrots, a hint of cinnamon and maple--so delicious!

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Oats! That obvious?? But what kind of oats is the question. I use rolled oats. I have also made these, adjusting the milk slightly to taste, with quick oats and have found they work really great when I want the same recipe but right now.
• Milk: You can very easily make these Carrot Cake Overnight Oats dairy free by using almond milk or another dairy free option. I have made them with almond milk, whole milk, vanilla coconut almond milk (pleasantly surprised by this one!) and more.
• Maple/Sweetener: Sweeten to your own liking. You can honestly even wait until serving to add sweetener. Everyone has a different taste for sweetness in recipes like these overnight oats. I find it to be the biggest feedback on oatmeal recipes. I love maple syrup the best.

If you are brand new to overnight oats, I have lots of information in this Easy Overnight Oats post. Feel free to check it out if you need a place to start with overnight oatmeal.

How to make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats:

• There really is nothing to it once you have all the ingredients out and the carrots shredded. I honestly prep my overnight oats right in the jar, but for easier viewing, I prepped in a bowl this time. But seriously, just use the dish you plan to put in the fridge overnight.
• Toss all the ingredients into a bowl or jar that you can seal overnight. Stir ingredients well to combine. (steps 1, 2 and 3)
• Cover and place in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, warm up if desired in the microwave. Add an extra splash of milk at this point if desired.

Expert Tips for the best carrot cake oats:

• You can use steel cut oats for this recipe. Some people prefer steel cut oats over rolled oats. Steel cut will turn out much chewier than the rolled. Definitely not my preference by any means, but feel free to try if you would like!
• Try some of these optional add ins to give your carrot cake oatmeal a boost: chia seeds, ground flax, protein powder. All of these are great ways to give your breakfast a nice boost!
• Soak your oats for at least 4 hours for the best texture and flavor. You want to give the overnight oats enough time to absorb the liquid and soften the oats. If you don't wait long enough, they will be tough and chewy.
• Eat your overnight oatmeal hot or cold. Some people think that overnight oats have to be eaten cold. Not true. These carrot cake oats can certainly be eaten chilled but are delicious warmed up. I put mine in the microwave for about one minute before serving.

Other Overnight Oats Recipes you will Love:

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