Baked oatmeal has all the fiber, protein, and on-the-go needs that you have to get you through a busy week.
While I LOVE all of our baked oatmeals, this carrot cake version is like a treat for breakfast all at once!
If you have never had baked oatmeal before, then you don’t even know what you are missing. Even if you swear you don’t like the texture of traditional oatmeal, we would encourage you to give this recipe a try because the texture difference by simply baking it will wow you!
It uses simple pantry staples so the ingredients you likely already have on hand, so you never had to worry about running out for anything.
No matter the time of the year, this vegan baked oatmeal recipe will be a hit!
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Why You’ll Love Vegan Baked Oatmeal
- No Mushy Texture – One of the biggest complaints about oatmeal is that the texture is mushy; however, with baked oatmeal, that’s not a concern. Baking allows for it to crisp up on the tops and edges and perfect cook the oatmeal itself. If you love oatmeal cookies, you’ll love baked oatmeal as well.
- Lots of Flavor – Most of the time, we hear that people aren’t fans of oatmeal because they lack flavor and they aren’t sure how to fix that. This baked oatmeal has all the flavor you could want inside of it!
- No banana – so many people asked us to make a banana-free baked oatmeal and here you go!

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One Bowl Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Oat Base
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 1½ – 2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (360-480g)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (60g)
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (42g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (180g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1½ cups carrots, finely grated (165g, about 2–3 medium)
- ½ cup fuji apple, grated (60g)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, (60g), optional
- ¼ cup raisins or dried cranberries, (40g), optional
Optional Vegan “Cream Cheese” Drizzle
- 2 tablespoons plant-based yogurt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1-1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix ground flaxseed and water. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken. This makes a flax egg.
- In a large bowl, add in your plant-based milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, flax egg, and vanilla. Whisk together to combine well. Then, add in rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg and whisk again. Add the grated carrots, apple, lemon zest, and, if using, the nuts and dried fruit. Stir again to evenly combine.
- Pour into your baking dish and baked for 35-40 minutes. Let cool for 10–15 minutes before serving.
- Optional cream cheese drizzle: Whisk yogurt, maple syrup, and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the baked oatmeal once it’s cooled.
Notes
Video
Nutrition

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Frequently Asked Questions:
Make sure to use a safe for you non-dairy milk and yogurt. You can replace the coconut oil with another neutral oil like vegetable, avocado, or canola. Omit the optional nuts.
Once it has cooled for a few minutes, you can cut the dish into 6-9 squares or other desired size. Serve as is or add options toppings like vegan whipped cream and fresh fruit to it.
Baked oatmeal can be eaten however you wish – some will prefer it warm, especially freshly out of the oven; while others will enjoy this dish served chilled.
Baked oatmeal should be store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
Yes! This dish is great for meal prepping. Since make and let cool completely, then cover tightly and store in the fridge. Eat within 5-7 days.
Thank you for this versatile recipe. I made it today to have for breakfasts this week. I did have to change a couple things for my household. We don’t care for flaxseed. I read online that silken tofu can stand in for flaxseed as a binder in baked goods. I made your recipe using silken tofu blended in blender with the rest of the wet ingredients. I subbed pineapple for the fuji since that is what I had. For the “frosting” I didn’t have plant based yogurt but happened to have probiotic cream cheese (dairy) so used that instead. Came together quickly and turned out very good.
Aww, thank you so much! We love hearing when others make our recipes with the ingredients they have on hand that work for them. So happy to hear that you enjoyed the flavors of this one! We truly appreciate you giving the recipe a try and sharing your experience here with us!