Carrot Cake Oatmeal Jars

Naturally sweetened and perfectly spiced oats blended with all the carrot cake flavours, packed into a jar to eat for breakfast. An easy recipe to put on your weekly meal prep rotation!

Why you’ll love this recipe

No cooking: Soaking the oats overnight in the fridge does all the work for you. It does take some time for the oats to absorb the liquid from the milk and yogurt, so give it several hours. When you wake up to a fridge full of perfect Carrot Cake Oatmeal, you’ll be happy that you were patent

Saves time: A meal prep, make-ahead recipe like this one is perfect to put on your breakfast rotation. You can either double or triple the recipe to make several jars at once for your week, or you can use the same base recipe and mix in different toppings for variety

Nutritious and delicious: The ingredients in one serving of this oatmeal recipe provides 7 grams of fibre, 16 grams of protein, and healthy fats, making it a perfectly balanced meal. The warming spices of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup taste like a hug in a jar

Gluten and dairy-free: You can easily customize this recipe suitable to your dietary needs by using dairy-free milk, alternative yogurt like almond or coconut, and gluten-free oats

Ingredients to make this Carrot Cake Oatmeal recipe

• Rolled oats: Use plain Quick Cooking Old Fashioned oats, as opposed to instant oats, to prevent them from becoming too mushy
• Milk: Use any type of unsweetened milk of your choice. This is what the oats need to hydrate. Keep it dairy-free by using almond, coconut, rice, oat, or other nut milk
• Plain yogurt:: Provides the creamy texture and extra protein. You can choose high protein, extra thick Greek yogurt for a more decadent and nutritious result
• Carrot: This is the main ingredient in “carrot cake”! It’s packed with fibre and vitamins, which are important in a good breakfast. Because the carrot is not cooked, you will want to grate it finely. If you choose to keep the shreds larger, you will just have more crunch in your oats
• Raisins: This ingredient is debatable. We are a fan of raisins in carrot cake recipes, but you can choose to leave them out and use extra walnuts instead. They do provide a nice texture and sweetness to the recipe, however
• Walnuts, Packed with healthy fats, texture, and fibre, they are a definite, “yes”, in this recipe
• Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are a warming combination of spices that provide nutrients, help regulate blood sugar, and give this recipe its carrot cake flavour
• Natural sweeteners: We relied on a bit of maple syrup and vanilla extract to naturally sweeten these overnight oats. Both are optional if you rather leave them out
• Pinch of salt: Aside from being an electrolyte, the salt in these oats offsets the sweetness. Use good quality sea salt for best results

Equipment you will need

2 x 10 oz glass jars with lids are a good size, but you can use smaller or larger ones and distribute the recipe as you like between them. The most important part is that the jar has a lid

A vegetable peeler or cheese grater to make fine pieces of carrot

A mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons

How to make overnight oats

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, shredded carrot, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Stir well to distribute the spices evenly
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the milk, yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is well combined. If you like a creamier oatmeal, blend in a blender for 30 seconds before spooning into jars
3. Divide and Refrigerate: Spoon the mixture into two jars or airtight containers. Seal them and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours) to allow the oats to absorb the liquid and soften
4. Serve: In the morning, give the oats a good stir. You can add a splash more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency. Top with walnuts, extra raisins and shredded carrots, if desired. You can enjoy the oats chilled or warm