Light and fluffy oats baked into a cake-like dish is the best way to take your morning oatmeal to the next level. And this Single-Serving Carrot Cake Baked Oats is truly a next-level dish! It’s naturally gluten-free, made from a base of hearty rolled oats and carrots, and is filled with a fluffy cream cheese filling that is reminiscent of the classic cream cheese icing. Plus, it all comes together in a single-serving ramekin, so it’s the perfect breakfast (or anytime snack) for one!
Friends, springtime is here full-swing, in the Bay Area. The weather has been so much warmer, the sun has been out longer, and I for one am loving it. To celebrate the springtime, I’ve been making all of my favorite springtime recipes, like my better-than-Starbucks Pink Drink or my new Raspberry Sorbet Champagne Floats. And when it comes to springtime recipes, there is nothing that I love more than a delicious carrot cake.
Carrot cake can be a polarizing treat: some people love it, and some people totally hate it. But for me, I absolutely LOVE it. The cake comes together with carrots for the perfect savory bite, and when it’s topped with the classic, fluffy cream cheese frosting? It’s truly a match made in heaven. This Easter, I will absolutely be whipping up my Best Ever Healthy Carrot Cake for my family. But in the meantime, I am dreaming about eating carrot cake for breakfast, which is how these Carrot Cake Baked Oats were formed.
It’s everything that you know and love about carrot cake, but in a delicious ramekin of baked oats. What are baked oats, you may ask? Well, they’re exactly as they sound: oats (or oatmeal) that is baked until it’s light and fluffy like a cake. They’re naturally gluten-free, packed with whole grains, and make for the perfect breakfast. And these oats truly taste like carrot cake! Not only that, but these oats also come together with a delicious, fluffy, cream cheese filling that only requires two ingredients and truly takes this recipe to the next level. Don’t believe me? Make this recipe for yourself and see how delicious it truly is!
What You Need to Make These Warm and Fluffy Baked Oats
- Rolled Oats: Of course, you need oats to make this recipe! You can use quick oats or rolled oats. Use whatever you have on hand! And if you’re gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free oats, to make sure that this recipe is compliant with your dietary needs. 🙂
- Carrots: What would a carrot cake oat recipe be without the carrots?! You can shred the carrots yourself or buy pre-shredded carrots. Whatever works!
- Milk: Both dairy and non-dairy milk work well, in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla extract adds the best flavor to these baked oats.
- Maple Syrup: Maple Syrup is one of my favorite ingredients to add to oatmeal, so of course it tastes delicious in this baked oats recipe, as well! It also will be used to sweeten the cream cheese filling. However, you can also opt to use powdered sugar for the filling, if you prefer.
- Baking Powder: A little baking powder is what will make these baked oats nice and fluffy!
- Cinnamon: A pinch of cinnamon adds the best flavor to these baked oats.
- Sea Salt: Just a tiny pinch of sea salt gives these oats the best flavor.
- Optional Add-Ins: These are optional, but I love to add chopped walnuts and raisins for a little bit of texture, or even a scoop or two of protein powder to amp up the protein!
- Cream Cheese: Carrot cake is known for its fluffy cream cheese frosting, and adding a dollop of frosting to the center of these oats truly makes them taste like a delicious carrot cake.
How to Make These Single-Serving Baked Oats
To make these baked oats, start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Next, add all of the ingredients for the baked oats base (the rolled oats, carrots, milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt, and any fillings of choice) to a blender and blend for about 30-40 seconds, until they’re combined with some texture left.
Then, grease a 3-4 inch ramekin well with oil or butter and pour about 3/4 of the of the baked oats batter into the ramekin. Then, set it aside while you prepare the cream cheese filling. Add the cream cheese and maple syrup (or powdered sugar) to a small bowl and mix to fully combine. Then, place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the ramekin with the baked oats.
Then, pour the remainder of the baked oats mixture on top of the cream cheese, filling the ramekin to the top. Transfer the ramekin to the oven and allow it to bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden. Once it’s done, allow it to cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
For the Baked Oats Base:
- ½ Cup Rolled Oats
- ¼ Cup Carrots, finely shredded
- ½ Cup Milk of Choice
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Pinch Sea Salt
For the Optional Add-In's:
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped Walnuts
- 1 Tablespoon Raisins
- 1-2 Tablespoons Protein Powder of Choice
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese, both dairy and non-dairy cream cheese work well here
- 1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup, or 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar
Instructions
- To make these baked oats, start by preheating your oven to 350 F.
- Next, add all of the ingredients for the baked oats base (the rolled oats, carrots, milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt, and any fillings of choice) to a blender and blend for about 30-40 seconds, until they're combined with some texture left.
- Then, grease a 3-4 inch ramekin well with oil or butter and pour about 3/4 of the of the baked oats batter into the ramekin.
- Then, set it aside while you prepare the cream cheese filling.
- Add the cream cheese and maple syrup (or powdered sugar) to a small bowl and mix to fully combine. Then, place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the ramekin with the baked oats.
- Then, pour the remainder of the baked oats mixture on top of the cream cheese, filling the ramekin to the top.
- Transfer the ramekin to the oven and allow it to bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden.
- Once it's done, allow it to cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Looks very yummy. Going to fix it
Hi, can I substitute the rolled oats with quick oats? And if so, is it really more just a change in Nutrition versus the integrity of the finished baked product?
Hi Jennifer, I do not recommend using quick oats, as the texture may not turn out the same.