Easy 10-Minute Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Packed with flavor and good-for-you ingredients, these Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are a nourishing and delicious way to start the day! Veggie-loaded and perfect for a snack or grab-and-go breakfast, they’re packed with grated carrots, oats, shredded coconut, raisins, and more. Best of all, no cooking required! Perfect for making ahead to make a busy morning a little easier. Easy substitution make this recipe vegan, dairy free and gluten free.

If there was ever a time for a classic overnight oats recipe to be part of breakfast (and meal prep!), it is during those hot months of summer.

No cooking. No heat. Just lovely tender, chilled oats that are perfectly sweetened and (you guessed it) veggie-loaded. Well, at least these oats are.

Overnight oats are a classic summer recipe that I have been enjoying for years. But I recently decided to see if they could handle having veggies add to them like many of my other nourishing oatmeal recipes can. And when I start to think about how I will add veggies to a dish, carrot recipes always come to mind since carrots are so versatile and are something many people often have on hand. And when I think of carrots, I can’t help but think of carrot cake. Friends, meet Carrot Cake Overnight Oats.

These easy no-cooking required carrot cake overnight oats are as delicious as they are healthy. Naturally vegetarian, this easy breakfast can be made vegan when you use your favorite plant based milk and is easily gluten free when you use gluten free oats. Taking only 10 minutes to prep and making 2 servings, it is the perfect recipe to make during meal prep to have on hand for a busy morning.

If you love this overnight oat recipe, be sure to try my Zucchini Strawberry Overnight Oats as well!

Why you need these oats in your life

• These carrot cake overnight oats are not only delicious, but super filling and loaded with good-for-you ingredients.
• They are a great part of meal prep. Toss the ingredients together and enjoy fresh out of the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Overnight oats are easy to adapt to fit pretty much any eating style. Check out the Suggested Adaptations section below for how to make them vegan, gluten free and/or vegan.
• Perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast. Just store the servings in small containers and grab one on the way out the door!
• They get veggies in at breakfast in a way that your whole family will love. Talk about starting off the day on the right foot!
• Super easy to make. Just mix the ingredients together and toss it in the fridge to “cook” overnight.

Can I omit the coconut? Or do I need to replace it?

Absolutely! If you don’t have on hand or it is simply not something you enjoy (my daughter feels ya on that one), leave the coconut out. No need to replace it.

Do I heat up overnight oats or eat them cold?

Overnight oats are meant to be enjoyed cold out of the fridge. They soak in milk overnight to soften the oats so that they don’t require cooking.

However, you CAN warm them up if cold oatmeal just isn’t your thing. Zap them in the microwave or warm them in a pot on the stove for a bit to take the chill off and enjoy!

Can overnight oats be made with steel cut oats?

It can be done but requires doing a little cooking, which removes the glory of NOT cooking 😂. Steel cut oats require a lot more liquid and love to soften them up enough to eat. For that reason, I don’t recommend using steel cut oats in this carrot cake overnight oat recipe.

Are quick cooking oats okay to use instead of rolled oats in this recipe?

Yes! Swapping quick cooking oats 1:1 for rolled oats works out well in this (and most) overnight oat recipes.

How long do overnight oats keep for?

Usually overnight oats should be enjoyed within 3-4 days of making them.

Wondering how to store your carrots so they stay fresh as long as possible? Check out my post on How to Keep Cut Carrots Fresh and get the most out of your produce buck!

Suggested Adaptations

• Make these carrot cake overnight dairy-free and vegan by using your favorite plant milk. I made these with unsweetened almond milk and they were delish!
• Omit the coconut if it is not your thing or don’t have it on hand.
• Replace the raisins with grated apple, applesauce, or diced pineapples. Or, add those WITH the raisins! Yum!
• Make these overnight oats gluten free and use certified gluten free oats.

Other veggie-loaded breakfast recipes that you are going to want to get your hands on

• Healthy Apple Carrot Pancakes
• Chocolate Zucchini Oatmeal
• Zucchini Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Paleo Almond Butter Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
• Strawberry Zucchini Overnight Oats
• Blueberry Zucchini Waffles
• Creamy Cauliflower Blueberry Smoothie

Did you try this overnight oat recipe and now you’re hungry for more? 

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