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If you’re craving dessert for breakfast, these warmly spiced Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are the ideal thing to try. Flavored with grated carrots, coconut, pecans, and cinnamon for that classic carrot cake taste in meal-prep form.
This recipe is naturally high in protein, thanks to Greek yogurt, which adds a tangy flavor similar to cream cheese (because you can’t have carrot cake without a cream cheese frosting!) – no protein powder needed! I’ve added chia seeds too for a fiber and protein boost, plus they thicken the mixture making it even creamier. I also like adding pecans or walnuts as well as toasted coconut for for extra crunch and flavor.
For more dessert-inspired oats, try these Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats or my Cookie Dough Overnight Oats.
Recipe Overview
Before You Get Started
- If you want these to be a grab-and-go breakfast situation, make sure the jars you’re using have tight-fitting lids so that the oats don’t leak in your bag!
- You can double the batch if you like and just keep them in the fridge so your breakfast for the week is sorted.
- It’s easy to switch up the carrot for something like grated zucchini or butternut squash if you want a different flavor.
- For a natural sweetness boost, you can stir in chopped dates, canned pineapple or raisins.
- Make the recipe vegan by using a dairy-free yogurt. Coconut yogurt is delicious here but is low in protein so, if you want the higher protein content, go with a vanilla soy yogurt instead.
- Oats are naturally gluten free but may be cross-contaminated when they’re processed. If needed, seek out oats which are specifically labelled as certified gluten-free.
Common Questions
I like to use a combination of milk, for its creamy neutral flavor, and Greek yogurt, for gentle sweetness and some tang. This combo creates the best texture and flavor in overnight oats as they won’t be too thin and will have a creamy texture.
Yes they tend to be eaten straight from the fridge. However, you can let your jar of oats sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to let them warm up slightly. You can also heat them up in the microwave although you may need to add more liquid as this will thicken them even more.
No! The name is simply because people tend to make them the day before they want to eat them for convenience. The oat mixture does need time in the fridge so it can thicken, but this can be as little as 4 to 5 hours.
No, the rolled oats are simply stirred together with liquid and left overnight in the fridge to thicken. Technically, rolled oats you buy from the store are slightly pre-cooked as they’re processed with steam, so they’re digestible when simply soaked in a liquid until soft.
Ingredients Needed
Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats. The full quantities can be found in the recipe card further down the post.
- Rolled oats: I think the texture of rolled oats is best here as they have a little more texture; however, you can use quick oats if that’s all you have. You can’t use steel-cut oats for overnight oats.
- Unsweetened almond milk: This has a neutral, creamy flavor that works well for the oats. You could also use vanilla-flavored almond milk or your favorite unsweetened non-dairy or dairy milk.
- Vanilla Greek yogurt: You can use non-fat Greek yogurt for the highest protein level, but a 2% fat Greek yogurt will give you creamier results. Feel free to use a non-dairy yogurt if you need to make this recipe vegan.
- Grated carrots: Finely shredding the carrots works best here as they will meld into the oats more seamlessly. If you’d like more of a carrot-forward texture, you can grate them on the coarse side of a box grater.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg: These are key ingredients for bringing that classic, warmly spiced flavor of a carrot cake. If you don’t have nutmeg, you can increase the ground cinnamon by 1/4 tsp.
- Vanilla extract: I like adding this to give the oats a sweeter flavor. You can leave it out if you don’t have any.
- Chia seeds: These are added to help thicken the oats while also bringing some more fiber and protein to the recipe. You can leave them out if you’re not a fan, but the oats won’t be as thick.
- Shredded coconut: I use unsweetened coconut in this recipe as we’re already adding maple syrup for sweetness.
- Maple syrup: You can adjust the amount of maple syrup you add to make the oats more or less sweet. Honey or agave syrup works equally well.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts: For a nice pop of texture in the oats, I add chopped nuts. You can toast them beforehand in a skillet until fragrant if you want to boost their flavor.
- Optional toppings: I like to add some toppings before serving these oats for added flavor and texture. My usual choices for this recipe are vanilla Greek yogurt, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, and raisins.
How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Below is a step-by-step process on how I made these overnight oats.
1️⃣ Combine the liquids
In a large bowl, stir together the 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 2-4 tbsp maple syrup.
✏️ You could use agave syrup or honey instead of maple syrup if you prefer.
2️⃣ Add the dry ingredients
Mix in the 1 cup rolled oats, 2 tbsp chia seeds, and 2 tbsp shredded coconut, ½ cup finely grated carrots, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg
, and ¼ cup chopped pecans.
✏️ Make sure everything is well-mixed so that the chia seeds don’t clump.
3️⃣ Stir and chill
Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes and stir once more. Pour into glass jars and chill for at least 4-5 hours (or overnight) until thickened.
✏️ By stirring the oats after letting them sit for a short while, this reduces clumping and makes them taste creamier.
4️⃣ Serve
When ready to eat, you can serve them as-is or add toppings like Greek yogurt, raisins, coconut, or chopped pecans.
✏️ Nuts will soften in the liquid oats, so if you like them crunchy, it’s best to sprinkle them on just before serving.
Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, vanilla flavor works
- 1 cup rolled oats, or 1 ½ cups quick oats, use gluten-free option
- ½ cup finely grated carrots
- ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, or walnuts
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup, depending on how sweet you want it
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- vanilla Greek yogurt, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, or raisins, optional toppings
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate.
- Next, add in the 1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup finely grated carrots, ¼ cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, 2 tablespoons shredded coconut, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg into the liquid mixture.
- Stir the mixture together to incorporate. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Divide the oat mixture into 2-4 lidded mason jars (depending on the sizes you have).
- Store in the fridge for 4-5 hours or overnight to thicken up. When ready to serve, top the overnight oats with toppings of your choice like vanilla Greek yogurt, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, or raisins. Enjoy
Notes
Tips:
- If you want these to be a grab-and-go breakfast situation, make sure the jars you’re using have tight-fitting lids so that the oats don’t leak in your bag!
- You can double the batch if you like and just keep them in the fridge so your breakfast for the week is sorted.
- It’s easy to switch up the carrot for something like grated zucchini or butternut squash if you want a different flavor.
- For a natural sweetness boost, you can stir in chopped dates, canned pineapple, or raisins.
- Make the recipe vegan by using a dairy-free yogurt. Coconut yogurt is delicious here, but it is low in protein, so if you want the higher protein content, go with a vanilla soy yogurt instead.
- Oats are naturally gluten-free but may be cross-contaminated when they’re processed. If needed, seek out oats that are specifically labelled as certified gluten-free.
- The oats will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
- We don’t recommend freezing overnight oats as it changes the texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations & Substitutions
→ Tropical Carrot Cake Overnight Oats: Add a handful of canned pineapple (drained and chopped) to the oats before chilling. Use thin coconut milk (sometimes called coconut drink) in place of the almond milk.
→ Pumpkin Overnight Oats: Use peeled, finely shredded butternut squash or pumpkin in place of the carrots.
Storage Recommendations
- The oats will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
- I don’t recommend freezing overnight oats, as it changes the texture.
You May Also Like
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Carrot Cake Energy Balls
- Banana Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Simple Carrot Cake
- Carrot Cake Muffins
- Carrot Zucchini Bread
More overnight oats
- Banana Bread Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Tiramisu Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
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