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Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are the perfect way to enjoy all the cozy flavors of carrot cake in a wholesome, fiber-rich breakfast you can prep in just 5 minutes. Made with rolled oats, freshly grated carrots, cinnamon, and simple pantry ingredients, this recipe transforms a classic dessert into a balanced breakfast filled with whole grains, healthy fats, and natural sweetness. It’s ideal for meal prep, a smart way to use up leftover carrots, and a satisfying alternative to sugary breakfast options.
If you love carrot cake but want something healthier for breakfast, these carrot cake overnight oats are about to become your new favorite meal prep breakfast recipe.
Quick Look at the Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: Overnight (at least 5 hours)
Servings: 1 jar (easy to scale for the week)
Method: No-cook, refrigerator
Highlights: Whole grains, high fiber, meal-prep friendly, naturally sweetened
It Started With Extra Carrots!
This carrot cake overnight oats recipe honestly started as a “what can I do with these extra carrots?” moment.
I always seem to have one or two carrots left in the fridge – especially in the spring when I’m making my healthy carrot cake for Easter or prepping carrot cake baked oatmeal. Or sometimes it’s just leftover carrots from a pot of soup. Instead of letting them sit there until I forget about them, I started grating them straight into my overnight oats.
And it works so well.
You get all the warm cinnamon flavor, the natural sweetness from carrots and raisins, and that little bit of crunch from pecans – but in a balanced breakfast that actually fuels you. Whole grains, fiber, healthy fats, and simple ingredients all in one jar.
It’s also one of those recipes that just makes life easier. Five minutes of prep on Sunday and you’ve got breakfast ready for the week. No baking, no cooking, no complicated steps.
And if you love turning cake into breakfast like I do, you’ll also love my Black Forest Overnight Oats or Brownie Batter Overnight Oats– another fun way to enjoy dessert-inspired flavors in a healthier way.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
The full ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s how each ingredient works in this carrot cake overnight oats recipe.
- Rolled Oats. Old-fashioned rolled oats are the only oats I recommend for overnight oats. Instant oats break down too much and turn mushy. Steel-cut oats won’t soften properly without cooking. Rolled oats give you that creamy but structured texture overnight. If you’re gluten-sensitive, make sure your oats are labeled certified gluten-free.
- Chia Seeds. Chia seeds are what give overnight oats that thick, creamy, almost pudding-like texture. They also add fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. You can leave them out if needed, but without them, the oats tend to be softer and less creamy.
- Unsweetened Almond or Coconut Milk. Both are great dairy-free options. If you’d like to increase the protein, regular dairy milk works beautifully too.
- Cinnamon. Cinnamon is what gives this recipe that classic carrot cake flavor. It adds warmth and depth without overpowering the oats.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. Just a splash enhances the sweetness and brings everything together.
- Freshly Grated Carrots. This is important – grate the carrots yourself. Pre-shredded carrots are thicker and drier, and they don’t soften as nicely overnight. When you grate them fresh (especially using the fine side of a box grater), they blend seamlessly into the oats and release more flavor. It’s a small step that makes a noticeable difference.
- Raisins. Raisins plump up overnight and add little bites of natural sweetness. If you prefer them chewy instead of soft, stir them in right before eating.
- Pure Maple Syrup. I recommend adding sweetener in the morning after tasting. The carrots and raisins already provide some sweetness.
- Chopped Pecans. For crunch, healthy fats, and that true carrot cake finish. Walnuts are a great substitute.
Find My Favorite Supplies
If you’re looking for the mason jars, chia seeds, oats, or pantry staples I use for overnight oats, you can find all my recommendations in my Amazon Storefront. I keep everything organized there to make meal prep simple.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients First. In a 16-ounce mason jar, stir together the rolled oats, cinnamon, and chia seeds. Mixing the dry ingredients first ensures the chia seeds and cinnamon are evenly distributed. This prevents clumps later and gives you consistent flavor and texture throughout the jar.
Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients and Carrots. Pour in the milk, vanilla extract, grated carrots, and raisins. Stir thoroughly. Every oat should be coated and fully submerged in liquid. If it looks dry in spots, add a splash more milk.
Step 3: Refrigerate. Seal the jar tightly and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight. As it sits, the oats soften, the carrots release flavor, and the raisins plump up.
Step 4: Adjust and Top. In the morning, stir the oats and taste first. Then add 1–2 teaspoons maple syrup if needed. If the oats feel thicker than you like, stir in a splash of milk until you reach your desired consistency. Top with pecans and enjoy straight from the jar or in a bowl.
Expert Tips
- Grate Your Own Carrots. Finely grating fresh carrots allows them to soften beautifully overnight and blend evenly into the oats. Pre-shredded carrots are thicker and won’t incorporate as well.
- Sweeten After Soaking. Flavors develop overnight, so always taste before adding maple syrup. Start small and adjust.
- Adjust Texture Easily. If your oats feel too thick in the morning, that’s completely normal. Stir in milk 1–2 teaspoons at a time until creamy.
- Add Pineapple (If You Love It). If you’re a pineapple-in-carrot-cake person, stir in 1 tablespoon crushed pineapple. It adds natural sweetness and moisture.
- Boost the Protein. For a cream cheese-style finish, stir in vanilla Greek yogurt (check out my overnight oats with greek yogurt) or cottage cheese (check out my cottage cheese overnight oats) in the morning. You can also add collagen or protein powder when mixing the dry ingredients if you want to increase protein further.
- Prefer It Warm? Even though overnight oats are designed to be eaten cold, you can absolutely warm them. Microwave for 45–60 seconds or heat gently on the stovetop.
Storage Tips
For the Week: Make 3–5 jars and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The oats will thicken over time – just stir in a splash of milk before eating.
For the Freezer: Assemble the dry ingredients (minus milk and pecans) into freezer kits. When ready to use, pour into a jar, add milk, and refrigerate overnight.
See more overnight oats meal prep tips.
Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are the perfect way to enjoy all the cozy flavors of carrot cake in a wholesome, fiber-rich breakfast you can prep in just 5 minutes. Made with rolled oats, freshly grated carrots, cinnamon, and simple pantry ingredients, this recipe transforms a classic dessert into a balanced breakfast filled with whole grains, healthy fats, and natural sweetness. It’s ideal for meal prep, a smart way to use up leftover carrots, and a satisfying alternative to sugary breakfast options.
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Course: Breakfast, breakfast recipe
Cuisine: American
Keyword: carrot cake oats, carrot cake overnight oats, carrot cake overnight oats recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 1 person
Calories: 417kcal
Equipment
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1 16-ounce mason jars
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1 plastic mason jar lids
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1 Box grater
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons grated carrots
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
Instructions
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In a 16-ounce mason jar container, stir the rolled oats, cinnamon, and chia seeds together.
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Pour in the almond milk, pure vanilla extract, grated carrots, and raisins. Stir together until all of the oats are coated with the liquid.
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Tightly place the lid on and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, add the pure maple syrup a little at a time until you get the desired level of sweetness.
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If the oats still seem thick, stir in a few splashes of almond milk until you get the desired consistency.
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You can enjoy it from the jar or pour the oatmeal into a bowl.
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Sprinkle with pecans and more raisins. Enjoy.
Notes
Storage tips
For the week.
You can prepare 3-5 jars of overnight oats and store them in the refrigerator for the week. Remember that the longer the oatmeal sits in the fridge, the thicker the oats will be. To loosen them up to a creamier consistency, stir in a few splashes of milk.
For the freezer.
You can also assemble the ingredients (minus the milk and pecans) into individual kits for the freezer. This is a great way to use up all your leftover carrots and has the ingredients for carrot cake overnight oats ready ahead of time. Here are some more tips on overnight oats meal prep freezer kits.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 5020IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 3mg
Did You Try These Carrot Cake Overnight Oats?
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About Tammy Overhoff
Hi, I’m Tammy Overhoff, a busy mom, wife, and entrepreneur. I am the owner, author, and recipe developer here at Organize Yourself Skinny. Since 2011 Organize Yourself Skinny has become a trusted resource for clean eating recipes to meal prep, reviews, and lifestyle hacks to help you fit healthy habits and routines into your busy schedule. Check out my online shop Reset & Flourish for all of my eBooks, Guides, and Bundles!
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