Name: Carrot Cake Baked Oats
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 2 tablespoons whole-milled flaxseed; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup shredded carrot (about 3 small-medium carrots); 1 cup unsweetened soy milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract); 1/4 cup pure maple syrup; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 ounces cream cheese, softened; 2 tablespoons whole milk Greek yogurt; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; 1/2 lemon, zested & juiced; 2 tablespoons coconut flakes

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Carrot cake is a classic flavor combination. These carrot cake baked oats are a delicious way to enjoy it for breakfast! Wholesome and hearty, low in sugar and smothered in a delicious and healthyish cream cheese “frosting”.

carrot cake baked oats with healthy cream cheese frosting

Every spring I ask myself the same question: what else can I carrot cake? I’m admittedly not a cake-lover generally, but carrot cake is one of my favorite treats. I love all of the texture and warm spices. Don’t even get me started on the cream cheese frosting. It pairs so perfectly and feels indulgent without the sugar crash of traditional frostings.

After seeing the blended baked oats trend really take off, I wanted to put my own spin on it. And while you can certainly eat this as a baked oatmeal with a fork, you can also cut it into smaller squares and pick it up with your hands.

I added a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness in a quick and easy cream cheese frosting. Sweetened with maple syrup and full of fiber, these will be a new favorite for any of my fellow carrot cake lovers out there.

Ingredients

oats
baking powder
cinnamon
ginger
flax
salt
shredded carrots
soy milk
vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
maple syrup
olive oil
frosting: cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice & zest, maple

Perhaps the most alluring quality of these is they come together in a blender. Everything gets chopped up nice and tiny so it eats more like a cake and less like… well, oatmeal. Plus it’s fast and simple. Just blend and pour in a baking dish, bake for 20 minutes and voila!

Ingredient Substitutions:

Leave off the frosting, or use dairy-free cream cheese (like Kite Hill) to keep these vegan
Any unsweetened milk or milk alternative will work in place of the soy milk.
Garnish with cinnamon, coconut flakes and additional shaved carrots for a fun presentation, or just go with the frosting.

Make these for a grab and go breakfast at the beginning of the week or for a hosted brunch. The beauty of this recipe: it’s delicious enough to serve at a holiday gathering, but also simple enough to make just for you. I absolutely love this one!