Carrot Cake Oatmeal Recipe: Spiced Overnight Oats with Carrot and Walnut

Carrot Cake Oatmeal may sound unusual, but it’s a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy oatmeal for breakfast.

This post was sponsored by Sprouts. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Kroll’s Korner running.

This recipe makes old-fashioned rolled oats taste like carrot cake while staying healthy, simple, and fast — perfect for busy mornings when you need something filling and satisfying.

If you want more carrot cake flavors, try the Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars, Carrot Cake Bread, or Carrot Cake Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches for dessert-style options that echo this breakfast’s flavors.

These oats are prepared on the stovetop, but an overnight oats version is provided below if you prefer a no-cook option.

Carrots bring beta carotene, vitamin K, and potassium to the bowl. Beta carotene gives carrots their orange color and supports eye and skin health among other benefits.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal is a balanced breakfast that keeps you full longer — no more getting hungry an hour after breakfast. Best of all, this stovetop version takes about 10 minutes.

If you like make-ahead breakfasts, try Zucchini Carrot Muffins or simple Overnight Oats for grab-and-go mornings.

I like to finish these oats with a dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, and extra chopped walnuts for creaminess, sweetness, and crunch.

February is Heart Health Month and walnuts are a heart-friendly addition. They help support healthy cholesterol levels and can contribute to lower blood pressure when included in a balanced diet.

I buy walnuts in the bulk section at Sprouts, which lets me scoop exactly what I need and avoid waste — handy when recipe testing and grocery trips are frequent.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Ingredients:

• Carrots: Finely grate carrots using the small holes of a box grater or the grating disc on a food processor.
• Rolled oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats work best for texture; steel-cut or instant oats weren’t tested with this method.
• Salt: A pinch of salt enhances flavor.
• Water: Cooks the carrots so they’re tender in the oatmeal.
• Raisins: Add natural sweetness, fiber, and iron — a classic carrot cake mix-in.
• Cinnamon and allspice: The warm spices that give carrot cake its signature flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Adds depth — useful in both stovetop and overnight versions.
• Walnuts: Provide crunch, healthy fats, and heart-healthy omega-3 ALA.
• Canned crushed pineapple: Brings sweetness and moisture; pineapple is often paired with carrot cake for extra sweetness and tenderness.
• Brown sugar: Optional; use brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey for sweetening, or omit if you prefer less sugar.
• Milk: Dairy or any non-dairy milk such as almond or oat milk will create a creamy texture.

How to Make Carrot Cake Oatmeal:

1. Add water, finely grated carrots, and salt to a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat to soften the carrots.
2. When the water is boiling, stir in oats, raisins, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, walnuts, and crushed pineapple.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 3–4 minutes.
4. Stir in brown sugar and milk until the oats reach a creamy consistency. Simmer 1–2 more minutes to heat through.
5. Serve warm and top as desired with extra walnuts, coconut shavings, Greek yogurt, or a drizzle of maple syrup.

How to Make Carrot Cake Oatmeal for One:

The recipe yields two hearty servings. To make a single serving, halve the ingredients. Leftovers refrigerate well and reheat quickly in the microwave or on the stovetop — add a splash of milk when reheating because oats thicken in the fridge.

Tips for Making the BEST Carrot Cake Oatmeal

• Use rolled oats: Old-fashioned oats hold their texture and cook quickly without becoming mushy.
• Avoid instant oats for this method: Instant oats can overcook during the simmering step and lose their texture.
• Add tasty toppings: Toppings boost creaminess, texture, and flavor. Try:
  • Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
  • Nuts: walnuts, pecans, or almonds
  • Shaved or shredded coconut
  • A drizzle of maple syrup or honey
  • Nut butter such as almond, peanut, or cashew

How to make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

1. Combine 1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup finely grated carrots, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/3 cup raisins, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp allspice, and 1 tbsp chia seeds in a bowl.
2. Add 2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, and 2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup. Mix until combined.
3. Pour into a jar, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Garnish before serving with toppings from the list above.

How to make this into a Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake

1. For a baked version add 2 cups oats, 2 cups milk, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 4 Tbsp melted butter, and 1 large egg to the ingredients listed above.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix oats, shredded carrots, salt, raisins, cinnamon, allspice, walnuts, brown sugar, and baking powder.
3. Whisk milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla, and pineapple in another bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry, pour into a sprayed 8×8-inch baking dish, and bake 40–45 minutes until lightly browned on top.
4. Slice and serve warm with maple syrup and yogurt if desired.

PS If you try this recipe, please leave a rating in the recipe card or a review in the comments — feedback is appreciated. You can also follow Kroll’s Korner on Pinterest or Instagram and sign up for the email list to get updates and more recipes.

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe.

4.70 from 52 reviews

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Total: 10 mins

Servings: 2 people

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Carrot Cake Oatmeal delivers the flavors of carrot cake in a healthy, fiber-rich breakfast and can easily be made vegan.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup carrots, finely grated
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (plus more for garnish)
• 1/4 cup crushed pineapple
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar (or honey)
• 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)

Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe.

Instructions

• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add water, finely grated carrots, and salt. Bring to a simmer to soften the carrots.
• Reduce heat to medium and stir in oats, raisins, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, walnuts, and crushed pineapple. Simmer ~3–4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir in brown sugar and milk until creamy. Simmer 1–2 more minutes to heat the milk.
• Serve warm topped with additional walnuts, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a dollop of yogurt if desired.

Equipment

Spoon to stir oats

Notes

• To make vegan, use a non-dairy milk and maple syrup for sweetening.
• Finely shredded carrots blend best into the oats, but larger shreds work too if you prefer more texture.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 bowl, Calories: 394 kcal, Carbohydrates: 35 g, Protein: 8 g, Fat: 13 g

Nutritional information is an estimate. Ingredients and portion sizes can vary, so treat it as a guideline rather than an exact guarantee.

© Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner