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Healthy Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Enjoy the delicious taste of carrot cake in a healthy, no-cook breakfast. These oats are packed with warm spices, sweet carrots, and crunchy walnuts, perfect for a quick and nutritious start to your day.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 595
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g rolled oats not instant or jumbo
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • A pinch of salt
  • 250 ml milk of your choice I use semi-skimmed dairy, but almond or oat milk works well
  • 120 g plain Greek yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large carrot about 100g, finely grated
  • 40 g walnuts roughly chopped
  • 30 g sultanas or raisins optional
For the Topping (Optional)
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese or extra Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • A sprinkle of chopped walnuts and desiccated coconut
  • Genuine Flavour: This isn't just oats with a bit of carrot. The balance of warm cinnamon fragrant nutmeg, and a hint of ginger, combined with sweet carrots and vanilla, genuinely evokes the taste of a freshly baked carrot cake.
  • Ready in 10 Minutes: The hands-on preparation time is minimal. You can mix up a batch for the whole week in about 10 minutes making your mornings completely stress-free.
  • Flexible Recipe: This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. You can use any milk you prefer swap walnuts for pecans, add a spoonful of desiccated coconut, or leave out the sultanas if they're not your thing. It’s easy to make it your own.
  • Great for Meal Prep: These oats work beautifully for meal prepping. I often make four jars on a Sunday evening and my breakfasts are sorted until Thursday. They keep perfectly in the fridge.
  • Family Tested: My kids are always asking for this breakfast. They see it as a pudding and I know they're getting a nutritious start to their day. It’s one of those recipes that everyone seems to love.

Method
 

  1. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the rolled oats, chia seeds, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Give it a good whisk to ensure all the spices are evenly distributed. This step prevents clumps of spice in the final mixture.
  2. Add the Wet Ingredients: Pour in the milk, Greek yoghurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until it's well combined and there are no dry pockets of oats.
  3. Fold in the Stars of the Show: Add the finely grated carrot, chopped walnuts, and sultanas (if using). Fold them into the mixture until they are evenly incorporated. The mixture will look quite liquidy at this stage, but don't worry – the oats and chia seeds will absorb the liquid overnight.
  4. Portion and Chill: Divide the mixture evenly between two jars or airtight containers. I find that 400ml jars work well. Seal the containers with lids.
  5. The Magic Step: Place the jars in the refrigerator to set for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight. This gives the rolled oats enough time to soften completely and for the flavours to meld. I find that giving the jars a quick stir after about an hour helps to distribute the chia seeds evenly and prevent them from settling at the bottom.
  6. Prepare the Topping: In the morning, if you're adding the creamy topping, mix the cream cheese or extra yoghurt with the teaspoon of maple syrup in a small bowl until smooth.
  7. Serve and Garnish: Your Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are ready! Give them a final stir. You can eat them straight from the jar. Top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture, an extra sprinkle of chopped walnuts, and a dusting of cinnamon or desiccated coconut before serving.

Notes

Great for meal prep; keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Requires at least 6 hours of chilling, preferably overnight, for the best texture.