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Carrot cake for breakfast? Yes please! This Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is naturally sweetened with ripe bananas, full of oats, carrots, and crunchy walnuts, and only takes one pan to make. Perfect for meal prep, even better with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Recipe At a Glance
- One bowl, one pan: mix and bake, no blender or mixer needed
- No eggs, no oil, no refined sugar
- Naturally sweetened with ripe banana and raisins
- Freezer- and meal-prep-friendly
- Baby- and toddler-friendly texture: soft and spoonable
- Protein and fiber from oats, chia, peanut butter, and walnuts
- Tastes like carrot cake, fuels like a real breakfast
If you love this baked oatmeal, you’ll also want to try my Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal, Easy Strawberry Baked Oatmeal, and Baked Peach Oatmeal. And for the days you’re craving veggies over sweetness, this Savory Baked Oatmeal with Vegetables proves oatmeal can go savory too!
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Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Bananas – Use very ripe, spotty ones for the best sweetness and smoothest mash.
- Rolled oats – Old-fashioned work best. Quick oats go mushy. Steel-cut won’t soften in time.
- Peanut butter – A drippy, natural-style nut butter blends in easiest.
- Chia seeds – A fiber and omega-3 boost that also helps everything set. I love this brain booster mix! I keep it in the freezer and sprinkle into so many things!
- Grated carrots – Fine grate for a smoother bite, coarse grate for more texture.
- Baking powder – This is what keeps the bake light instead of dense.
- Greek yogurt (topping) – A protein-rich, tangy stand-in for cream cheese frosting.
Substitutions
- Peanut butter – almond butter, cashew butter, or this homemade sunflower seed butter (for nut-free)
- Walnuts – pecans, sunflower seeds (nut-free), or leave out
- Raisins – dried cranberries, chopped dates, dried pineapple, or leave out
- Milk of choice – any dairy or plant-based milk (oat, almond, coconut all work well)
- Bananas – 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (texture will be slightly less rich and a bit less sweet)
- Chia seeds – ground flaxseed, same amount
- Greek yogurt topping – dairy-free yogurt, or this healthy cream cheese frosting
How to Make Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Grate the carrots. Finely grated carrots blend right into the oatmeal, while coarsely grated carrots add more texture. We usually go with the larger grate.
Step 2: Mash the bananas until smooth.
Step 3: Add all the remaining ingredients.
Step 4: Stir everything together until well combined and evenly distributed. Then Bake!
Expert Tips
- Grate carrots to match your texture goal. Fine for a smoother bite, coarse for more visible texture.
- Use very ripe bananas. More brown spots means more natural sweetness.
- Press the mixture down firmly so the oats fully soak up the liquid.
- Check doneness at the center. It should be set, not jiggly. It firms up more as it cools.
- Let it rest before slicing. Cutting in too soon gives you a mushier slice.
- Line your dish with parchment for an easy, clean lift-out.
Variations
- Tropical carrot cake oatmeal: Add ¼ cup crushed, drained pineapple and swap raisins for shredded coconut.
- Apple carrot version: Add ½ cup grated apple along with the carrots for extra moisture and natural sweetness.
- Protein-boosted: Stir in a scoop of vanilla protein powder and add 2–3 tablespoons extra milk to compensate for the added dryness.
- Nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter and swap walnuts for pepitas or omit.
- Oatmeal cups: Divide the mixture into a greased muffin tin and bake at the same temperature for 18–22 minutes, until set.
Serving Suggestions
- Warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt – the tangy contrast plays like a lightened-up cream cheese frosting.
- Drizzle with extra peanut butter or nut butter for more protein and a richer, dessert-like finish.
- Top with fresh fruit like sliced banana, berries, or a few extra grated carrots for texture.
- Add a splash of milk if serving chilled straight from the fridge. It softens the texture back up.
- Pair with eggs or a protein shake on the side for a more filling, balanced breakfast. Try the perfect scrambled eggs!
- Crumble over yogurt as a parfait-style layer for a fun twist on the classic slice.
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal FAQs
Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze, cut into individual slices, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe bag. It will be good for up to 3 months.
You can reheat in the microwave (at 30 second intervals) or on the stove with a splash of milk.
Yes. Bake it fully, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. It reheats beautifully and actually tastes great cold too, straight from the fridge.
Quick oats will turn mushy and steel-cut oats won’t soften enough in this bake time. Old-fashioned rolled oats give the best cake-like texture.
Yes, as long as you use certified gluten-free rolled oats, since oats are often processed in facilities that also handle wheat.
It likely needed a few more minutes in the oven. The center should look set, not jiggly, before you pull it out. It will also continue to firm up as it rests for those first 10–15 minutes out of the oven, so give it that time before judging the texture.
Have More Carrots?
Try these easy, nutritious recipes!
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Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 medium overripe bananas
- 2 cups rolled oats (200g)
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (I love this brain booster mix)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 cups milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Greek yogurt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease or line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
- Grate the carrots. Finely grated carrots blend right into the oatmeal, while coarsely grated carrots add more texture. We usually go with the larger grate. Set it aside.
- Add the bananas to the baking dish and mash them until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir everything together until well combined and easily distributed.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly golden.
- Let cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Notes
- Grate carrots to match your texture goal. Fine for a smoother bite, coarse for more visible texture.
- Use very ripe bananas. More brown spots means more natural sweetness.
- Press the mixture down firmly so the oats fully soak up the liquid.
- Check doneness at the center. It should be set, not jiggly. It firms up more as it cools.
- Let it rest before slicing. Cutting in too soon gives you a mushier slice.
- Storage: Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze, cut into individual slices, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe bag. It will be good for up to 3 months.
Grate the carrots based on your kids’ preferences! Finer if you want them to blend in more, coarser if you want a bit more texture.