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These Carrot Cake Baked Oats are sweet, moist, and perfect spiced. They taste just like carrot cake, especially with the optional sweet cashew cream cheese topping!
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These baked oatmeal muffins are packed with veggies, oats, and warm spices. They taste like dessert, but are great for breakfast or snacks.
My kids love these, too, and will even throw one into their lunchboxes.
If you’re looking for a more indulgent type of dessert, try my Vegan Carrot Cake!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Oats – Look for old-fashioned rolled oats for best texture. Quick oats will work, but won’t provide as much texture. Steel cut oats will not work.
Flax ~ Use flax meal, not whole flax seeds. Flax meal absorbs moisture and will help bind the oats together.
Banana ~ The riper the banana, the sweeter is will be. I like to use bananas that are starting to get spotty and brown.
Maple syrup ~ Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup
Spices ~ Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are warming spices typically found in carrot cake so, of course, we’re using them here, too.
Carrots ~ Shred the carrots using the small holes on the box grater. I don’t recommend store-bought shredded carrots here as they tend to be larger cuts and very dry which may make the baked oats crumble. They make work in a pinch, however. Use at your own risk.
Love carrots? You’ll also want to try my Carrot Pineapple Salad, Vegan Carrot Soup, and Roasted Carrot Hummus.
Coconut ~ I like the sweet coconut as a complement to the other carrot cake flavors. If you don’t like or can’t have coconut, you can leave it out.
Walnuts ~ Chopped walnuts offer a nice crunch in an otherwise soft oatmeal muffin. Chopped pecans would work well, also.
Extras ~ I originally made the sweet cashew cream cheese to top my Carrot Cake Pancakes and it works just as perfectly here! The topping is optional and still completely delicious without it.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Step 1: Mash the banana really well.
- Step 2: Add the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk well.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients an whisk well to combine.
- Step 4: Add the dry to the wet and stir until everything is moistened thoroughly.
- Step 5: Add the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts.
- Step 6: Stir well to evenly distribute.
- Step 7: Fill each cavity of the muffin pan completely and pack it down.
- Step 8: Bake until set then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serving suggestions
Breakfast: These portable muffins are perfect for eating on-the-go. Or eat them alongside a heartier breakfast with smoky tempeh bacon, chickpea scramble, or vegan shakshuka.
Lunch: Pop them in a lunchbox for a fun mid-day treat.
Snack: They make great after-school snacks. I also love them to get me through that afternoon slump at the office.
Dessert: They taste like carrot cake, so why not eat them for dessert?! Add the optional cashew cream cheese frosting or a drizzle of pure maple syrup for a bit of indulgence.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Store carrot cake baked oats in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Cool the muffins completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or plastic zipo-top ba. They should keep well for up to 3 months.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel cut oats for best texture and flavor.
~ Use fresh carrots and shred them yourself using the small holes on a box grater.
~ Fill the cavities of the muffin pan all the way to the top and pack the batter down firmly. This will ensure the baked oats hold together well.
~ Allow the muffins to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before removing them to a wire rack to continue cooling completely.
~ For a gluten-free option, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
~ For a nut-free option, leave out the walnuts and use soy milk, rice milk, or oat milk. .
~ This recipe can be made in an 8×8 baking dish instead of a muffin tin if you prefer. It will take about 10 minutes longer to bake through. You can also double the recipe for 24 muffins or a 9×13 pan.
More vegan baked oatmeal recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Carrot Cake Baked Oats
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats gluten-free, if needed
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons flaxmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk I used almond milk
- 1 ripe banana
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups shredded carrots about 2-3 carrots depending on size
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
Toppings (optional):
- sweet cashew cream cheese
- shredded carrots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana really well until it's almost in a liquid state. Whisk in the non-dairy milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, flaxmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and salt.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl, to ensure all the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts and stir well.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan. Fill each cavity all the way to the top and pack it down with the back of the spoon.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops are set and the muffins pull away from the sides of the pan easily.
- Let them cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then, gently with knife or a spoon, lift them out of the tin and continue to let them cool on the wire rack.
- Serve them as is or with a dollop of sweet cashew cream cheese.
Notes
Nutrition facts calculated per muffin and without the Sweet Cashew Cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Natalie
What do you suggest in place of the banana in this recipe–not a big fan of them.
Thanks!
Jenn S.
You don’t taste the banana. I added it for sweetness so I could cut back the sugar a bit. You could just leave it out though. If your mixture seems to dry, just add a splash more of the non-dairy milk. Enjoy!
Lucie @WIN-WIN FOOD
I can totally see my entire family digging these! Breakfast, snack, midnight snack, anything. No wonder your kids love them 🙂 And so healthy! Amazing that you’ve kept them oil-free too <3
Jenn S.
Thank you, Lucie!!
Linda @ Veganosity
Well you know that I LOVE carrot cake. These are genius, Jenn. I can see why your kids loved them. And that sweet cashew cream looks amazing!
Jenn S.
My carrot cake baked oatmeal for breakfast and your carrot hazelnut cake for dessert. Sounds like the perfect day to me! 🙂 Thanks, Linda!
Aimee / Wallflower Girl's Kitchen
I love carrot cake anything but especially love the fact that these would make the BEST on-the-go breakfast snacks!
Jenn S.
Yes, super portable! No excuse for skipping breakfast anymore! (not that I ever did that – I wake up dreaming about breakfast!) 🙂 Thanks, Aimee!
Gin
Mmm, healthy little carrot cakes for breakfast! With the cashew cream it’s just over the top. They look delicious!
Kat | curlsnchard.com
I love carrot cake baked oatmeal! It’s such a wonderful treat in the morning – it’s genius that you made yours in muffin tins, I have to try that as well 🙂
Jenn S.
Thanks, Kat! I love the muffin tins for baked oatmeal. Perfectly portioned for the kids that way!
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes
WHAT?!?! This recipe just blew my mind! Absolutely brillant, Jenn! Pinning it!
Jenn S.
Oh, thank you so much, Vanessa! It truly does taste like carrot cake!!
The Vegan 8
These look SO good girl! I love carrot cake and I love that you turned that into baked oatmeal, a great idea! I can imagine how heavenly your place smelled too. Great recipe!
Jenn S.
Yes…the smells! Divine! Thank you, Brandi!
Jacqueline Meldrum
I was interested to see your recipe for this as I add carrot, banana and coconut to my Scottish oaty flapjacks which are chewy snacks, but I think these are more cakey. It’s interesting! I know how good they taste though, even though the texture is different as the flavours are the same. We particularly like to make them for our hillwalking or for my wee one’s lunchbox. Porridge oats are a staple here in Scotland, so they are included in lots of our dishes, both savoury and sweet as well as our morning porridge.
Stumbled, pinned and yummed.
Jenn S.
Thanks, Jac! Those flapjacks looks so good!! You can tell they are really moist in the middle! Yum!! So fun how the same ingredients can give different results!
Sophia @veggies dont bite
Adorable little bites for breakfast! And I love carrot cake oatmeal so I’m sure they’re delicious! Perfect take and go.
Jenn S.
Thanks, Sophia!
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
I love the idea of adding carrots to this oatmeal. It is great to hide vegetables in baked goods. I actually love combining veggies with cakes, muffins, breads etc. I need to try your baked oatmeal. Pinning!
Jenn S.
Anytime I can get more veggies into my kids is a win! Thanks, Ilona!
Mary
I’ve never had baked oatmeal, unless granola counts, and this recipe makes my mouth water. I just talked myself out of devouring a piece of carrot cake and I know these little morsels of goodness would satisfy my cravings. I’m off to check and see if I have all the ingredients… fingers crossed 🙂
Jenn S.
You should try it…it’s really good! Definitely different than granola! These are soft and moist, but hold together just like a muffin. I hope you love them! Thanks, Mary!
Christine
Making these tonight!!
Jenn S.
Oh great! I hope you love them, Christine. Please come back and let me know how they turn out!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
Snack, breakfast, dessert (with that frosting mmmm), dinner, lunch–all the meals I’d take a little carrot cake baked oatmeal! You really do just keep topping yourself with these flavors, loving the carrot cake <3
Jenn S.
Who knew baked oatmeal would become my specialty? LOL! Thanks, Natalie! It’s all-day eats for sure!
Strength and Sunshine
This is the kind of breakfast I want!!! <3 Well and for lunch and snacking….basically any time 😉
Jenn S.
Thanks, Rebecca! Perfect for all day long!! Just found this comment in the spam folder, so sorry I didn’t reply sooner. 🙁 So weird.