Carrot Cake Overnight Oats (Printable)

Creamy oats blended with grated carrots, warming spices, nuts, and a touch of yogurt for a wholesome start.

# What You'll Need:

→ Oats Base

01 - 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
04 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
05 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Carrot Cake Mix-Ins

06 - 3/4 cup finely grated carrot (approximately 1 medium carrot)
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
10 - Pinch of salt
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - 2 tablespoons raisins

→ Optional Toppings

13 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
14 - 1 tablespoon milk
15 - 2 teaspoons maple syrup
16 - Additional nuts, shredded coconut, or grated carrot as desired

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl or jar, mix the oats, milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until well combined.
02 - Fold in the grated carrot, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, walnuts or pecans, and raisins evenly throughout the mixture.
03 - Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 8 hours overnight to soften the oats and allow flavors to blend.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together cream cheese, milk, and maple syrup until smooth to create a drizzle.
05 - Stir the overnight oats in the morning and serve topped with the cream cheese drizzle, additional nuts, shredded coconut, or grated carrot as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like dessert but keeps you full and energized until lunch, which feels like getting away with something.
  • No cooking required, just jar-and-forget convenience that actually tastes homemade.
  • The cream cheese drizzle makes it feel special enough for weekend brunch but easy enough for a rushed weekday.
02 -
  • Grate your carrot fresh right before assembling—pre-grated carrots that sit for hours start to oxidize and lose their brightness, which is the whole point of this recipe.
  • If your finished oats seem too thick in the morning, don't panic: a splash of milk stirred through brings them right back to the consistency you want.
  • The cream cheese frosting is what takes this from healthy breakfast into something genuinely exciting, so don't skip it just because it's labeled optional.
03 -
  • Make a double batch on Sunday and you've got breakfast for most of the week without opening a recipe again.
  • The cream cheese frosting can be made the night before too—it actually gets creamier and easier to drizzle as it sits in the fridge.
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