Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Print version)
Cozy spiced oatmeal baked with carrots, raisins, and warming cinnamon-nutmeg flavors.
# What goes in:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
06 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 cups milk (dairy or plant-based)
09 - ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
12 - ¼ cup melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
→ Add-ins
13 - 1 ½ cups finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
14 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
15 - ½ cup raisins
16 - 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
# Cooking steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, applesauce, and melted coconut oil until smooth and well blended.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Gently fold in the grated carrots, chopped nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is fully set. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
08 - Allow the baked oatmeal to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- It gives you all the comfort of carrot cake without requiring a frosting standoff or a three hour commitment.
- The leftovers reheat beautifully, which means Tuesday breakfast tastes like a weekend treat.
02 -
- Underbaked oatmeal will sink in the middle and fall apart when sliced, so always check that the center is firmly set before pulling it from the oven.
- Finely grating the carrots rather than coarsely shredding them changed everything for me, they virtually disappear into the custard and make each bite more tender.
03 -
- Let the batter rest ten minutes before baking so the oats can begin soaking up the liquid, resulting in a creamier interior.
- Toast the nuts in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them, this single step makes the entire bake taste richer and more complex.