This Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal delivers all the rich, spiced flavor of the real thing—just in a nourishing, make-ahead form. Creamy, lightly sweet, and layered with texture from raisins, coconut, and walnuts, it’s the ultimate way to start your Spring or Easter morning! Bonus: it’s loaded with 41g of protein and 11g of fiber, so you’ll stay full and focused without sacrificing flavor.
Y’allll it is carrot cake season…AKA the best season! I’m counting down the days until I get to make & eat some carrot cake for Easter, and in the meantime, I’ve been satisfying the craving via this Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal. This really is everything you love about a slice of carrot cake, but in the form of a healthy meal-prep breakfast. Need I say more?
I highly recommend taking 10 minutes out of your evening to prep a batch (or two, or three…) of this Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal so that you can have an easy grab-n-go breakfast on busy mornings. No need to re-heat, either! It feels sweet & indulgent, yet still packs in a serving of veggies, 41g of protein & 11g of fiber! Now that’s my kind of Spring breakfast.
Oh and did I mention these creamy, delicious overnight oats are perfectly spiced with warming flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger? They’re also full of texture from the chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, grated carrots & raisins, but you can customize the add-ins to your liking! Either way, I have a feeling these are going to be your new hyper fixation…whether it’s for Easter brunch or busy Spring mornings. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love this Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal
- It’s a breakfast that tastes like dessert but is made with wholesome ingredients!
- Each serving of carrot cake overnight oatmeal packs in 41g of protein & 11g of fiber.
- It tastes just like a slice of classic carrot cake, with all the same warming spices.
- It’s easy to make, with just 10 minutes of active prep work!
- They make for a great grab-n-go breakfast to meal prep & have all week long.
What You Need to Make this Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal
- Milk: Whatever milk you prefer! I always use 2%, but this would also work great with whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk.
- Vanilla Protein Powder: I’ve only tried this with Wellious vegan vanilla protein powder which is made with simple ingredients & sweetened with monkfruit.
- Greek Yogurt: This gives the carrot cake overnight oatmeal a delicious, creamy texture, a boost of protein & probiotics! I recommend full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr.
- Maple Syrup: If you end up using an unsweetened protein powder, I recommend doubling the amount of maple syrup or adding more raisins.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg & Kosher Salt: The same warming spices that you’ll find in a classic carrot cake!
- Rolled Oats: I personally like to use Bob’s Red Mill “Protein Oats” which taste the exact same as normal oats but will boost the protein even more!
- Carrots: I buy large carrots, then peel & grate them on the large holes of my box grater. A boost of veggies in your breakfast is always a win!
- Shredded Coconut: The unsweetened kind. Adds a bit more carrot cake flare to these overnight oats, but completely optional.
- Walnuts: Another classic carrot cake ingredient, and offers some healthy fats and omega-3s. Optional!
- Raisins: For another pop of sweetness and texture, toss in some raisins (or chopped dates).
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds add additional fiber, protein and antioxidants to this breakfast recipe. They also help to thicken the overnight oats.
How To Make this Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal
Stir together Wet Ingredients:
First, in a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, protein powder, greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract & spices until smooth. If you’re using an unsweetened protein powder, I recommend adding at least 1 more tsp of maple syrup.
Add in Dry Ingredients & Let Soak:
Then, add in the oats, grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, raisins and chia seeds and stir until incorporated. Transfer to a jar or airtight container with a lid and let refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
Top & Enjoy:
When ready to eat, stir your carrot cake overnight oatmeal and optionally, top it with another layer of greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Which Protein Powder Should I Use?
Any vanilla protein powder (whey-based or plant-based) should work here. However, the taste and texture will vary slightly depending on which brand you use! I have only tried this recipe using the Wellious vegan vanilla protein powder. It’s one of the best plant-based protein powders I’ve had because it’s not chalky. It’s also sweetened naturally with monkfruit which adds some additional sweetness (but no sugar) to this carrot cake overnight oatmeal.
As listed in the notes of the recipe card, if you use an unsweetened or unflavored protein powder, I recommend increasing the amount of maple syrup to at least 2 tsp. Otherwise your oats will be lacking in flavor & sweetness a bit!
Expert Tips & Tricks:
Carrot cake overnight oatmeal is really quite simple to make, so you shouldn’t run into any trouble, but here are some tips & tricks that will help you achieve the best results!
- Finely grate your carrots: I recommend skipping the store-bought matchstick carrots and instead peeling & grating your own carrots. I usually use the large holes on my box grater, but even the size down from that would be great too. They’ll soften up as the oats soak overnight!
- Don’t skip the salt: Yes, kosher salt belongs in sweet recipes too…it enhances all the other flavors! If you don’t have kosher salt and are using table salt instead, reduce it to just a pinch, as table salt is much saltier.
- Customize the add-ins to your preference: To really give this the true “carrot cake” feel, I added in all the good stuff…shredded coconut, chopped walnuts & raisins. But feel free to omit any of those that you don’t like. This recipe is flexible!
- Let soak for at least 8 hours for the best texture: 3 hours is the minimum, but this carrot cake overnight oatmeal gets even better when you let it soak for at least 8 hours.
- Top with a layer of greek yogurt: To mimic cream cheese frosting on top of carrot cake, I like to top these oats off with full-fat plain greek yogurt. But only do this after they’ve soaked overnight.
How Long Does Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal Last?
This Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal will last in the fridge for about 4 days, so it’s great for a meal prep breakfast all week long! Be sure that it’s stored in an airtight container with a lid, and note that the texture will continue to change as it sits. Always stir before serving, and wait to add any toppings (like greek yogurt) until ready to eat!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for more Meal Prep Breakfast Recipes?
- Date Caramel Apple Overnight Oats
- Peaches & Cream Chia Pudding
- Apple Chai Baked Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Overnight Oats
Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal
Equipment
- peeler
- box grater
- medium bowl or jar
- whisk
- spoon
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup milk of choice (I use 2%)
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder *
- 2 tbsp full-fat plain greek yogurt
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt (reduce if using table salt)
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- splash of vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup rolled oats (I use Protein Oats)
- ¼ cup grated carrots
- 1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 tbsp raisins (optional)
- ½ tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, protein powder, greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract & spices until smooth. If you're using an unsweetened protein powder, I recommend adding at least 1 more tsp of maple syrup.⅔ cup milk of choice, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 2 tbsp full-fat plain greek yogurt, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp kosher salt, ⅛ tsp ground ginger, ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg, splash of vanilla extract
- Add in the oats, grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, raisins and chia seeds and stir until incorporated. Transfer to a jar or airtight container with a lid and let refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.⅓ cup rolled oats, ¼ cup grated carrots, 1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts, 1 tbsp raisins, ½ tbsp chia seeds
- When ready to eat, stir your carrot cake overnight oatmeal and optionally, top it with another layer of greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.