Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Printer-friendly)
Warm baked oats with grated carrots, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts — hearty breakfast ready in under an hour.
# What You Need:
→ Grains & Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups rolled oats
02 - 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Fruits & Vegetables
06 - 1½ cups finely grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
07 - ½ cup raisins or chopped dates
08 - ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 2 cups milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - ⅓ cup pure maple syrup or honey
12 - 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Stir until evenly distributed.
03 - Add the finely grated carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts to the dry mixture. Toss gently to coat the carrots and distribute the add-ins evenly throughout.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
05 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
06 - Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer using a spatula.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly golden. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
08 - Allow the baked oatmeal to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into portions. Serve warm on its own or topped with a dollop of yogurt.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like carrot cake but you can eat it for breakfast without a single guilty glance.
- The leftovers reheat beautifully, which means Monday morning you is going to be very grateful to Sunday evening you.
02 -
- Do not use steel cut oats by accident, they will not cook through properly and you will end up with a chewy, unpleasant mess.
- Squeezing excess moisture from the grated carrots before mixing them in prevents the bake from turning soggy in the center.
03 -
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for five minutes before adding them, it doubles their flavor with almost zero effort.
- Let the baked oatmeal sit overnight in the fridge before reheating, the texture firms up and the spices deepen overnight.