Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Name: Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Prep time: 4 h 8 min
Total time: 4 h 8 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 40 grams / ½ cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (use gluten-free certified oats if needed, I used Red Tractor Creamy Style Rolled Oats – note 1); 20 grams / ≈ ¼ cup Vanilla Protein Powder (note 2); 8 grams / 2 TSP White Chia Seeds (or use black chia seeds); ½ TSP ground Cinnamon; ¼ TSP Apple Pie Spice (or pumpkin pie spice – note 3); 100 grams Fat Free Greek Style Yogurt (or use fat free Greek yogurt or any thick plain yogurt); 79ml / ⅓ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (or any plant-based or regular milk); 15ml / 1 TBSP Sugar-free Maple or Pancake Syrup (such as Walden Farms Maple Walnut Syrup, or use regular maple syrup); 40 grams / ≈ ⅓ cup shredded Carrots; 8 grams / 1 TBSP chopped Walnuts; 10 grams / 1 TBSP dried Sweetened Cranberries (or raisins)

by Lavina // posted March 11, 2024

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This Carrot Cake Overnight Oats recipe is quick and easy to prepare, high in protein and fiber, and full of scrumptious carrot cake flavors! It’s a healthy breakfast that will fuel busy mornings and they’re perfect for springtime or anytime of the year!

Bowl with carrot cake overnight oats topped with chopped walnuts and dried cranberries.

If you love overnight oats for breakfast and carrot cake that’s full of warming cinnamon flavors and spices, these Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are for YOU!

They are a delicious and convenient breakfast option with classic carrot cake flavors but in the form of healthy no-cook overnight oatmeal.

Here’s what we have going on:

An ultra-creamy vanilla flavor oats base with grated carrots, warming cinnamon notes and spices, chopped walnuts for crunch and sweetened dried cranberries! Yogurt and milk make these overnight oats ultra thick and creamy and taste like a decadent creamy dessert!

However, they are a nutritious breakfast that is quick and easy to whip up in just a few minutes with simple everyday ingredients. Packed with protein and fiber thanks to vanilla protein powder and whole grain oats, they’ll start off your morning right and keep you full and satisfied for hours!

For more dessert-like overnight oats, check out my Tiramisu Overnight Oats, Birthday Cake Overnight Oats or Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats with Reese’s vibes!

Spoon holding up a bite of carrot cake oatmeal.

Why This Recipe Works

Quick and easy to make. All you have to do is mix everything and chill the overnight oats in the fridge for a few hours. Then add your toppings in the morning and enjoy your healthy breakfast!
High protein and fiber. Oats, protein powder, Greek style yogurt, and chia seeds make these overnight oats protein-packed. They will keep you full and fueled for a busy morning!
Delicious carrot cake flavors! You’ll feel like you’re having a tasty dessert but you’re actually fueling your body with nutritious feel-good ingredients!
Meal prep friendly. It’s easy to make ahead several servings to enjoy during the week.
Ultimate creamy texture. Using a whey-casein protein blend, yogurt and creamy style oats yields a satiating breakfast that tastes just like a creamy and rich dessert!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

Labeled ingredients for carrot cake oats on a wooden board.

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. I use Red Tractor creamy style rolled oats. They make these overnight oats ultra-thick and creamy. Any type of old fashioned rolled oats will work. Avoid using steel cut oats as they require a longer soaking time to soften. Quick cooking/instant oats aren’t ideal either as their small size leads to them dissolving in the liquid and a soggy texture.
Vanilla Protein Powder. I use PEScience Gourmet Vanilla Protein Powder, a whey-casein blend. A pure whey, casein or vegan protein powder will work too.
White Chia Seeds: Or use black chia seeds.
Ground Cinnamon: For those warming cinnamon notes that we love in carrot cake!
Apple Pie Spice: I use a store-bought blend made by Apple Creek Farms that’s made with cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and cloves. Feel free to use pumpkin pie spice or allspice which will yield a similar flavor. Alternatively, use a homemade apple pie spice blend using your own recipe or this one on My Baking Addiction.
Fat-Free Greek Style Yogurt: I like my overnight oats to be decadently creamy and thick so I add some fat-free Greek style yogurt. Regular, low-fat or fat-free Greek style yogurt, Greek yogurt or any thick plain yogurt can be used.
Unsweetened Almond Milk: Or use any plant-based or regular milk. I highly recommend vanilla almond milk.
Sugar-Free Maple syrup: I used Walden Farms Maple Walnut Syrup to sweeten these overnight oats. Any sugar-free maple or pancake syrup works will work. Regular maple syrup, agave syrup, date syrup or honey can be used instead if preferred.
Shredded Carrots: Peeled, then either shredded or finely grated using a box grater.
Toppings: Chopped walnuts or pecans and dried sweetened cranberries or raisins.

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

How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, mason jar or meal prep container, mix together the dry ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients. Mix again until smooth and creamy.

Added milk, yogurt, maple syrup to bowl with oats, chia seeds, protein powder and cinnamon.

Stir in the carrots. Stir in the shredded carrots until evenly combined. Smooth out the top using the back of a spoon.

Added shredded carrots to bowl with overnight oats.

Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best creamy texture.

Enjoy! In the morning or when ready to eat, top with chopped walnuts and dried sweetened cranberries. Then enjoy!

Bowl with carrot cake overnight oats and carrots behind.

Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

Cook’s Tips

Use a high-quality protein powder. PEScience Select protein powders are made with high quality ingredients and are delicious! I adore their Gourmet Vanilla Select Protein, which is what I’ve used in these carrot cake overnight oats. Their protein powders also taste great in various baked oat recipes including my carrot cake baked oats. Use my referral link to save $10 dollars on your first order with them!
Adjust the amount of milk. Use more or less milk depending on how creamy and thick or runny you prefer your overnight oats. You can also always stir in more milk in the morning before adding the toppings if they absorb too much liquid and become too thick for your liking.
Meal prep and make ahead tips. You can double, triple or quadruple the ingredients amounts if you’d like to make multiple servings for meal prep. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and divide evenly into bowls with lids, mason jars or meal prep containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. If they thicken too much over the days, stir in more milk before topping with chopped walnuts and dried cranberries or raisins.
Cover the bowl with foil or cling wrap. If using a bowl that doesn’t have a lid, cover by tightly wrapping a small sheet of aluminum foil or cling wrap around the rim. This works if you’re making 1 serving the day before eating. If you’re making multiple servings for meal prep, use any container with a lid to ensure that these carrot cake overnight oats will still taste fresh after the first day.

Spoon in bowl with carrot cake overnight oats topped walnuts and dried cranberries.

Variations

Make it vegan/dairy-free. Use a vegan/dairy-free protein powder (not whey or casein based), oat or nut milk, and a dairy-free Greek or thick Greek Style yogurt such as coconut yogurt by Cocobella or something similar. Alternatively, a vanilla or plain yogurt by Kite Hill brand (almond milk and soy yogurt) can be used instead too.
Top with a dollop of cream cheese. You can either top with a spoonful of low-fat or regular cream cheese or stir some into the oats base to give these overnight oats some more carrot cake vibes!
Use different nuts. Chopped roasted pecans, almond, hazelnuts or brazil nuts, etc.
Add coconut. For more healthy fats, stir in a tablespoon of unsweetened shredded coconut or top with toasted unsweetened coconut flakes for some extra crunch.
Omit the protein powder. If omitting the protein powder, use 60 grams oats instead. Feel free to stir in any or top with any nut butter of your choice and/or use protein yogurt instead to add some extra protein if desired.
Use soy milk. Unsweetened soy milk will further increase the protein content in these carrot cake overnight oats.

FAQs

Can I make blended overnight oats?

Use blended oats instead of old fashioned rolled oats. In this case, blended quick cooking/instant oats can be used if desired.

Can overnight oats be made with water?

Yes, they can. However, they won’t taste as creamy if making them with water instead of milk.

Which protein powder is best for overnight oats?

Either a whey-casein blend, pure whey, pure casein or vegan protein powder will work well in overnight oats. Whey-casein, casein and plant-based protein powders yield the best creamy and thick texture. Note that if using a vegan protein powder, more milk will be required as it tends to absorb more liquid than other types of protein powders.

How long does it take for overnight oats to be ready?

While soaking the oats for 8-12 hours is ideal and will yield the best creamy and thick texture, overnight oats can be eaten after chilling for 2-4 hours in the fridge.

Spoon holding up bite and carrot overnight oats in bowl. Text overlay "Carrot Cake Overnight Oats", "Gluten Free | High Protein" and "thatspicychick.com".

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