Carrot Cake Baked Oats

These Carrot Cake Baked Oats are incredibly soft and moist and full of all the flavors you love in carrot cake! They’re easy to make and perfect for a scrumptious and nutritious high protein breakfast anytime of the year! 

this recipe

If you love carrot cake and baked oats for breakfast, you need to try these Carrot Cake Baked Oats!

Inspired by the viral TikTok baked oats trend, these baked oats are packed with grated carrots, pecans, raspberries and are full of all the warming cinnamon flavors and spices that you love in a carrot cake. There’s also a hidden cream cheese filling which take these baked oats to a whole other level!

They’re made without banana and if you’re looking for a baked oats recipe for one with no banana, you’ve come to the right place!

It doesn’t have to be Easter for you to make these Carrot Cake Baked Oats for one and you can enjoy them for a nutritious and scrumptious breakfast anytime of the year!

If you love baked oats recipes, try my raspberry chocolate chip baked oats and apricot almond baked oats!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: Use gluten-free oats if needed. Instant or quick cooking oats will work too, but I prefer using wholegrain rolled oats as the texture is more cake-like in my opinion. Store-bought oat flour can be used for convenience if preferred. It is already fine ground and doesn’t need to be blended first.
• Vanilla Protein Powder: I used PEScience Gourmet Vanilla Select Protein, a whey-casein protein powder blend. Either a whey-casein, casein, pure whey or plant-based protein will work for these baked oats. If using a plant-based protein powder, you will need to add 1-2 tablespoons more milk as vegan proteins absorb more liquid than other types of protein powders.
• Baking Powder: To help our baked oats rise.
• Spices: Ground cinnamon and apple pie spice to to give our Carrot Cake Baked Oats some signature carrot cake warming spice notes. A store-bought or homemade apple pie spice blend can be used. Alternatively, use pumpkin pie spice or more ground cinnamon.
• Unsweetened Apple Sauce: To help bind the ingredients and make our baked oats nice, soft and fluffy like a cake on the inside! Alternatively, substitute with half a small banana (approximately 50 grams) or 3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt instead.
• Liquid Egg Whites: Another binding ingredient that will help our baked oats rise and add some protein. I recommend using egg whites liquid from a carton because it’s convenient for baking needs. You can find it in the fridge section of most supermarkets. Or you can use 1 whole egg and just add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
• Unsweetened Almond Milk: Or use any plant-based (oat, cashew, macadamia, soy, etc.) or regular milk.
• Brown Sugar Replacement: I use Swerve Brown Sugar which is a sugar-free sweetener made from erythritol. Alternatively, use any other type of sugar-free granulated or liquid sweetener made from monkfruit, stevia etc.  You could also use regular light brown sugar, granulated white sugar or coconut sugar.
• Grated Carrots: Peel the carrot before grating it for the best texture.
• Raspberries: I like to add some fresh fruit to my baked oats recipes and fresh raspberries taste delightful in these carrot cake baked oats! Feel free to use frozen raspberries. Note that you will need to add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time if using frozen in order to avoid wet spots within the baked oats.
• Pecan Halves: Raw and unsalted. Alternatively, use chopped walnuts.
• Cream Cheese: For the cream cheese filling inside! I used Philadelphia soft cream cheese which is spreadable and soft in texture. Regular cream cheese from a block works too.
• Cooking Oil Spray: To lightly coat the inside of the ramekin and create a nonstick coating for easier cleanup.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Carrot Cake Baked Oats

1. Combine the dry ingredients. Blend the oats into a fine flour using a mini blender such as Blend Jet, Nutribullet, or a small food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in the rest of the dry ingredients – protein powder, baking powder, ground cinnamon and apple pie spice. 

2. Add the wet ingredients. Stir in the wet ingredients – the apple sauce, egg whites, milk and brown sugar – until combined well. 

3. Add the mix-ins. Stir in the grated carrots, most of the raspberries and chopped pecans. (Reserve a few pieces of the raspberries and chopped pecans for the topping).

4. Assemble. Pour most of the batter into the lightly greased ramekin, oven safe bowl or small baking dish. Add the cream cheese in the center and cover with the rest of the batter. Top with the reserved raspberries and pecans. 

5. Bake. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 356°F / Gas Mark 4 for 25-30 minutes or until the baked oats has risen and the edges have pulled away from the sides. Cool for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack. 

6. Enjoy! Dig in while nice and warm! 

Or if you’d like to eat it the next day or so, wait for it to cool completely then wrap the ramekin tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil and store in the fridge. You can reheat these carrot cake baked oats in the microwave and enjoy during the week instead!

Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

Variations

• Use nut butter for the filling. Instead of cream cheese, use almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, etc.
• Make it dairy-free. Use a plant-based protein powder and vegan cream cheese. To make it vegan, switch out the egg whites for half a banana, plain Greek yogurt, or a flax egg. To make a flax egg, mix ¾ tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 1 and ¾ tablespoons water to make a replacement for approximately 40 grams of liquid egg whites. Use 79ml / ⅓ cup of plant-based milk as vegan protein powders will absorb more liquid.
• Add toppings. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt, chopped pecans (or walnuts) and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top to make these carrot cake baked oats resemble a carrot cake muffin!
• Add chocolate chips. Sugar-free chocolate chips like the ones from ChocZero and Lily’s brand or regular chocolate chips work! White, milk, dark or even salted caramel chips would all taste delicious!
• Make it gluten-free. Use rolled oats that are gluten-free certified.
• Omit the protein powder. Make up the difference by using more blended oats (60 grams total) or oat flour instead and add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Use an unflavored protein powder. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to yield a similar flavor for the oats base.

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More Baked Oats You’ll Love

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More Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Carrot Cake Baked Oats

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Fluffy, soft and incredibly moist, these Carrot Cake Baked Oats are full of all the flavors you love in carrot cake! They’re easy to make and perfect for a nutritious high protein breakfast anytime of the year!

• Author: Lavina
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 1 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• Cooking Oil Spray
• 40 grams / ½ cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (use gluten-free if needed – note 1)
• 20 grams / ≈ ¼ cup Vanilla Protein Powder (I used PEScience Vanilla Select Protein, a whey-casein blend – note 2)
• 2 grams / ½ TSP Baking Powder
• ¼ TSP ground Cinnamon
• ¼ TSP Apple Pie Spice (or pumpkin pie spice – or use more cinnamon)
• 50 grams / 3 TBLS + 1 TSP Unsweetened Apple Sauce
• 40 grams / 2 TBLS + 2 TSP Liquid Egg Whites (from a carton, or use 1 whole egg)
• 50ml / 1.7 fluid ounces Unsweetened Almond Milk (or any plant-based or regular milk)
• 6 grams / ½ TBSP Brown Sugar Replacement, to taste (I used Swerve Brown Sugar – note 3)
• 30 grams / ≈ ⅓ cup peeled and grated Carrot
• 30 grams / ≈ ¼ cup fresh Raspberries (or use frozen)
• 8 grams / 4-5 raw unsalted Pecan Halves – chopped
• 15 grams / 1 TBSP Cream Cheese (I used Philadelphia Soft Cream Cheese)

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Instructions

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 180°C / 356°F / Gas Mark 4. Spray a 12 or 14-ounce (12cm) ramekin, oven-safe bowl, or small baking dish with cooking oil spray. Use your fingers or a pastry brush to coat the inside.
2. Combine the dry ingredients: Use a mini blender (Blend Jet, Nutribullet, or a small food processor) to blend the oats into a fine flour. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the vanilla protein powder, baking powder, ground cinnamon and apple pie spice. Mix well to combine.
3. Add the wet ingredients: Add the unsweetened apple sauce, liquid egg whites, unsweetened almond milk and granulated brown sugar replacement and mix until combined well.
4. Add the mix-ins: Gently stir in the grated carrots, most of the raspberries and chopped pecans (reserve a few pieces of each for the topping).
5. Assemble: Pour most of the batter into the prepared ramekin. Add the cream cheese in the center and cover with the rest of the batter. Top with the reserved raspberries and pecans. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes so that the batter sets and the oats absorb some of the liquid.
6. Bake: Bake on the 2^nd rack from the top of the oven (note 4) for 25-30 minutes or until the baked oats has risen and the edges have pulled away from the sides. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool for 5-10 minutes.
7. Serve: Enjoy warm. Or cool completely before wrapping tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil and storing in the fridge. Enjoy within 3-4 days.

Equipment

12 oz. Mini Cocotte with Handles

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Swerve Brown Sugar

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Apple Pie Spice

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Notes

1. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. Use gluten-free oats if needed. Instant or quick cooking oats will work too, but I prefer using wholegrain rolled oats as the texture is more cake-like in my opinion. Store-bought oat flour can be used for convenience if preferred. It is already fine ground and doesn’t need to be blended first.
2. Vanilla Protein Powder. If using an unflavored protein powder, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to yield a similar flavor. If omitting the protein powder, make up the difference by using more blended oats (60 grams total) or oat flour instead and add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Either a whey-casein, casein, pure whey, casein or plant-based protein will work for these baked oats. If using a plant-based protein powder, you will need to add 1-2 tablespoons more milk as vegan proteins absorb more liquid than other types of protein powders.
3. Brown Sugar Replacement. I use Swerve Brown Sugar which is a sugar-free sweetener made from erythritol. Alternatively, use any other type of sugar-free granulated sweetener made from monkfruit, stevia etc.  You could also use regular light brown sugar, granulated white sugar or coconut sugar.
4. Baking time and oven placement. If your oven is small, bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes for a cake-like texture. If you have a medium or large sized oven, bake on the 2nd rack from the top. It will ensure that the center of these baked oats will be fully cooked within 25-30 minutes. Avoid baking for longer than 30 minutes – it could lead to a dryer than ideal texture.
5. Meal prep option. Multiply the amounts for the recipe ingredients by the number of servings you would like to make. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl before folding in the mix-ins. Assemble as per instructions in oven-safe bowls or ramekins and bake as indicated. Once completely cool, wrap each ramekin tightly in a sheet of aluminum foil or cling wrap. Store in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days.
6. To freeze. Once completely cool, run a knife along the edges of the ramekin to release the baked oats. Wrap with cling wrap or a small sheet of aluminum foil and place in a freezer-friendly airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave for 1 minute or until warm throughout.
7. See the ‘Variations’ section above in the post if you would like to customize these baked oats, make them vegan, use a different filling, etc.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 423
• Sugar: 9.6g
• Sodium: 702.4mg
• Fat: 14.2g
• Saturated Fat: 3.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 40g
• Fiber: 10.9g
• Protein: 32.6g
• Cholesterol: 50.1mg

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