Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Made with steel-cut oats, shredded carrots, walnuts, and crushed pineapple, this Carrot Cake Oatmeal mimics the flavors of decadent carrot cake, made healthy enough for breakfast. 

Looking for more baked oatmeal recipes? You will love my recipes for Banana Baked Oatmeal, Sweet Potato Oatmeal, and Peanut Butter & Jelly Baked Oatmeal Cups.

When you can eat cake for breakfast, you know it's going to be a good day!

And while Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is not exactly cake, this recipe for baked oatmeal features the classic flavors of classic carrot cake or carrot cake muffins, baked into wholesome, hearty oatmeal.

From the shredded carrots to the warming spices, Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is rich and decadent, yet this baked oatmeal is full of protein, fiber, and nutrients to power you through the day.

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal is a delicious and healthy way to start any day!

Notes on Ingredients

• Steel-Cut Oats: Use regular steel-cut oats, NOT quick-cook steel-cut oats or rolled oats.
• Coconut Milk: Use canned full-fat or reduced-fat coconut milk for the best flavor in this baked oatmeal. If you don't have coconut milk or don't care for it, any other variety of milk or non-dairy milk can be substituted. 
• Crushed Pineapple: For this recipe, use a 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple that is canned in 100% pineapple juice. Drain off the pineapple, using the juice and ½ cup of the crushed pineapple for the oatmeal recipe.
• Carrots: Use bagged shredded carrots, or for finely shredded carrots, grate on a box grater yourself.
• Maple Syrup: Use only 100% pure maple syrup. Using pancake syrup will result in artificial-tasting oatmeal. 
• Eggs: The eggs in this recipe help the oatmeal to set up like cake. But feel free to omit, with minimal change, if you need an egg-free recipe.
• Coconut Oil: A little bit of coconut oil adds to the luxuriousness of this oatmeal. Use melted butter in its place or to keep it lower in fat, use unsweetened applesauce.

How to Make Carrot Cake Oatmeal

• Grease a 2-quart baking dish or 9x13 pan with melted coconut oil or cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, pineapple juice, eggs, vanilla, pineapple, walnuts, maple syrup, coconut oil, carrots, ginger, and cinnamon.

• Pour the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish.

• Bake until the oats have absorbed the liquid and are tender.

• After baking, dish the oatmeal out into serving bowls. Serve warm with additional maple syrup, yogurt, and chopped nuts, as desired.

Slow Cooker Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Instead of baking Carrot Cake Oatmeal, you can also prepare it using a slow cooker. To do so, combine the ingredients as the recipe states, and then pour the oat mixture into a greased 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until the oats are tender.

Storage

After cooling slightly, store any leftover oatmeal in a sealed container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings as desired in heat-safe bowls in the microwave.

Recipe Modifications

• Dairy-Free: This recipe is already naturally dairy-free as written, as long as you opt to use coconut oil and coconut milk, instead of subbing them out with melted butter or regular milk.
• Egg-Free: Simply omit the egg from the recipe. The egg helps the oatmeal fluff up a bit and hold together, like a cake, but it is completely unnecessary.
• Nut-Free: Omit the walnuts and be sure to use coconut milk or regular milk, not almond milk.
• Vegan-Friendly: Be sure to use non-dairy milk, and coconut oil (not butter), and omit the egg for a vegan-friendly Carrot Cake Oatmeal.

More Oatmeal Recipes

• Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
• Slow Cooker Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal
• Banana Baked Oatmeal
• Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal
• Healthy Overnight Oats
• Instant Pot Oatmeal

If you tried this Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal, be sure to leave a comment and review.

This post was originally shared in 2015 but updated in 2021 and 2022 with new tips and photos.