I’ve always loved overnight oats, and many of you seem to as well because my cinnamon roll overnight oats have over 8,000 saves and 61 five-star reviews ⭐️ here on my website. I often find myself craving dessert at 8 AM more than I’d like to admit, so I whip up these carrot cake overnight oats in minutes the night before. They satisfy my sweet tooth while still providing a hearty and fulfilling breakfast.
These are different than other carrot cake overnight oats you may find. Other recipes are missing the critical (and I’d argue the best) part of carrot cake: the cream cheese frosting! So I set out to create a simple healthy cream cheese frosting…and guys…it’s 10/10. These oats are also creamier thanks to a few additions you may not find in other recipes. I’m a little nervous about this recipe because it just might beat out my cinnamon roll oats…
Carrots are such an underrated vegetable. I’ve been trying to use them more in my recipes – their color is just gorgeous, they’re filled with a nutrient boost of Vitamin A, and can be transformed into so many flavors/textures.
For example, last year I took a carrot and made it into carrot lox – like salmon lox – but minus the fish. You all went crazy on IG for that. If you haven’t tried it out, it’s another great brekkie.
Shredded carrots have that perfect texture for oats – but without adding that strong veggie taste. I love to finely shred them for these carrot cake overnight oats because they just seem to mix in better (and I don’t get a bite with a giant piece of carrot).
What is in carrot cake overnight oats
This recipe is actually fairly simple, which makes it one of my go-to’s for overnight oats. This list may seem a little long, but I bet you have pretty much all these already in your pantry/fridge.
- Old Fashioned Oats – I prefer these type of oats for my overnight oats, but you could also use quick cooking oats or even do 50/50
- Plant Milk – Soy milk has always been my favorite. It’s high in protein and super creamy.
- Finely Grated Carrot – Finely grated will incorporate better into your oats and you won’t get any giant chunks of carrot in your bite
- Greek yogurt – Use a dairy-free or dairy version based on your preference. Plain & unsweetened.
- Maple syrup – Can also use agave, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or whatever you like
- Chia & Ground Flaxseed
- Pumpkin Pie Spice & Pinch of Salt – This spice is PERFECT for these oats because it has everything we need. If you don’t have this, don’t worry – in the recipe card I tell you the simple sub for this
- Vanilla Extract
- Raisins (optional) – I love raisins in mine, but some people are not a fan – so you do you!
How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
1. Mix together wet ingredients
This recipe makes two servings (fits in ~8oz jars) – therefore it is easiest to mix it all together in a bowl first. Grab a medium-sized bowl.
Add your milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, yogurt, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix well
❓What is in pumpkin pie spice? It contains ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. If you don’t have it, you can simply use cinnamon (+/- the other spices)
2. Add dry ingredients
Pour in your old fashioned oats, ground flax, chia, & raisins. Set this aside to thicken up while you grate your carrot.
I recommend finely grating your carrot for this recipe.
Fold in your shredded carrots and make sure it is well combined (and no ground flax or chia is sticking to the bottom)
3. Transfer & Chill
Pour your oats into two jars (I used 8 oz jars as I said but you can use whatever size you like) and let them set overnight (for best results).
At this time you can make your healthy cream cheese frosting and keep in a small container on the side or top your oats right away before they rest.
The downside to topping them at the beginning is that you can’t mix your oats after they have rested overnight.
4. Add optional frosting
In a small bowl, combine your softened cream cheese, yogurt, and small amount of vanilla and lemon juice. Give it a good stir until combined. If your cream cheese it too thick, you have soften it in the microwave for 8-10 seconds.
Drizzle or pour this over your oats (either before or after chilling). I love to top with a garnish of grated carrot and sprinkle of spice to make it look pretty. 🙂 Enjoy!
Storage for overnight oats
You can make carrot cake overnight oats ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. I like to prep a few of these on Sunday night to have throughout the week.
I often like to prep a few other types of overnight oats at the same time like my Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats or Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats.
Tips for 5-Star Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Common Questions
Not all oats are inherently gluten-free. Make sure you check the label to make sure they are Certified Gluten-Free if this is a requirement for your diet.
Choose a Greek yogurt (dairy or dairy-free) instead of plain yogurt. You can also add some vanilla protein powder.
Yes, you can eat them hot. Make sure they are in a microwave safe container before warming. You may need to add an extra splash of milk/water if they are a tad dry. Stir well before eating.
Yes, you can use quick cooking oats for overnight oats. It creates a different consistency than those with rolled oats – it little more creamy and less chewy.
Steel cut oats do not make for good overnight oats because they are too hard and overly chewy.
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Overnight Oat Recipes
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The Very Best Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk I like soy the most
- 2 tbsp plain unsweetened Greek yogurt (dairy or dairy-free)
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice see notes*
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 heaping cup finely grated carrot
- 3 tbsp raisins optional
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp chia seeds
Healthy Cream Cheese Drizzle (Optional)
- 2 tbsp softened cream cheese (dairy or dairy-free) (can pop in the the microwave for 8-10 sec to soften)
- 1 tbsp plain unsweetened Greek yogurt (dairy or dairy-free)
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine your milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, maple syrup, spice, and salt. Stir until well combined.1 cup unsweetened plant milk, 2 tbsp plain unsweetened Greek yogurt (dairy or dairy-free) , 2-3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract , pinch salt
- Stir in your oats, raisins (if using), ground flaxseed, and chia seeds. Let this sit for about 5 minutes to thicken up, and I like to use this time to grate the carrot (since this takes a few minutes).Give the mixture a good stir and fold in your finely shredded carrots.Taste your oats. If you want it sweeter, add more maple syrup.1 cup old fashioned oats , 1/2 heaping cup finely grated carrot, 3 tbsp raisins, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp chia seeds
- Transfer to jars (I used two 8-ounce glass jars). Cover and place in the fridge overnight.I like to make my healthy cream cheese drizzle now by mixing it together in a small container and placing in the fridge until my oats are ready.2 tbsp softened cream cheese (dairy or dairy-free), 1 tbsp plain unsweetened Greek yogurt (dairy or dairy-free) , 1 tsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- The next day give your oats a stir and drizzle your healthy frosting on top of each jar of oats. Feel free to add nuts like pecans as well!Enjoy!These oats will stay good in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Notes
- This is a spice mixture that is often using in pumpkin pie, but contains everything we need to make this taste like yummy carrot cake! It’s also so much easier to use then measuring out each of these spices individually. It contains ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- If you don’t have this, you can simply substitute it for 3/4 tsp cinnamon and small pinches of the rest of the spices (or at least nutmeg).
- Nuts: pecans or walnuts are delicious in this!
- Protein powder (vanilla flavor) – if sweetened protein powder will likely want to decrease maple syrup and increase milk.
- Oats -You can use quick cooking oats instead of rolled
- Maple syrup – Can use agave, brown sugar, coconut sugar
- Yogurt – You can use regular yogurt instead of Greek
- Ground flax & chia – You can omit these if you don’t have them, but they make the oats extra creamy! (And add some omegas)
