Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Printable Version)
Cozy spiced oatmeal with carrots, raisins, and warm cinnamon-nutmeg flavors.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
06 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 cups milk (dairy or plant-based)
09 - ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
12 - ¼ cup melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
→ Add-ins
13 - 1½ cups finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
14 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
15 - ½ cup raisins
16 - 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, applesauce, and melted coconut oil until smooth and well blended.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Gently fold in the grated carrots, chopped nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut until evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is fully set. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
08 - Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into portions. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes genuinely like carrot cake but you can eat it for breakfast without a single ounce of guilt.
- One bowl wonder territory here and the leftovers reheat beautifully all week long.
02 -
- Grate the carrots as finely as possible because coarse shreds will not soften properly during baking and you will end up with chewy unexpected chunks.
- Letting the baked oatmeal cool fully before refrigerating makes the slices hold together dramatically better when you reheat them later.
03 -
- Squeeze the grated carrots in a clean kitchen towel before adding them to remove excess moisture and prevent a soggy center.
- Toasting the nuts in a dry skillet for three minutes before folding them in intensifies their flavor tenfold with almost zero extra effort.