Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Printable)
Cozy breakfast combining carrot cake flavors with hearty baked oatmeal, loaded with warm spices and wholesome ingredients.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
03 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
04 - 1 tsp baking powder
05 - ¼ tsp salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
08 - ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
09 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
→ Add-ins
10 - 1½ cups grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
11 - ½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
12 - ½ cup raisins
13 - 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, stir together the rolled oats, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
04 - Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold in the grated carrots, chopped nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut (if using) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly golden brown.
08 - Allow the baked oatmeal to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into portions and serving warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It captures every warm spice and sweet bite of carrot cake but passes as a legitimate breakfast you can feel good about.
- You can assemble it the night before and simply bake it fresh, which makes early mornings dramatically easier.
02 -
- Squeezing excess moisture from the grated carrots before folding them in prevents a soggy center that no amount of extra baking can fix.
- Letting the baked oatmeal rest the full ten minutes is not optional, because cutting too early turns beautiful squares into crumbly chaos.
03 -
- Toasting the nuts in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them intensifies their flavor tenfold and is absolutely worth the extra step.
- If you like a denser, richer oatmeal, replace half the milk with a mashed banana and reduce the maple syrup slightly to keep the sweetness balanced.