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.
Hey, just made this once, I’m about to make it again. Delicious. Thank you. Great cake to have around, whole ingredients and very tasty. I did it with cardamom and 4 spices too, just to increase the aroma profile.
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed the flavors!
Just the fragrance alone makes this a winner. Delicious and I hope it freezes well since there is just me and it makes a nice big pan.
Awww thank you so much! Yes, you can absolutely freeze baked oatmeal, and it is an excellent meal-prep option that lasts for up to 3–6 months. For best results, cool the baked oatmeal completely, cut it into single-serving squares or muffins, and freeze in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags to prevent freezer burn.
This is was absolutely delicious! This is the first baked oatmeal that my 4 year old actually ate. She even had seconds! And it’s packed with goodness for her as well. Only change I made was that I used a whole 5 oz container of yogurt for the topping and increased the maple syrup and lemon accordingly. That topping was too good for just a couple of tablespoons ☺️
This is amazing! It’s always a plus when the little ones can’t get enough of one of our recipes. Thank you so much for giving it a try! We’re happy you both could enjoy it.
Very good! I added coconut flakes to mine. Tastes like carrot cake, just not as sweet. I will definitely make this again.
Awesome! So glad the flavor was there (all be it a little less sweet than an actual carrot cake). So happy to hear that you enjoyed this one!