What’s your favorite kind of cake? Mine happens to be carrot cake. Speaking of which, have you tried my healthy carrot cake recipe yet?!
Well, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I could transform carrot cake into a healthy version you could enjoy for breakfast. After making my almond butter apple oatmeal cups, peanut butter banana oatmeal cups and pumpkin oatmeal cups, I thought it would be fun to try out a carrot cake baked oatmeal version.
AND OH MY FREAKING ZAC EFRON. These carrot cake oatmeal cups are my new favorite breakfast! They’re hearty, perfectly spiced with cinnamon, include plenty of carrots, applesauce and maple syrup for sweetness, and nuts, raisins and shredded coconut for texture and true carrot cake flavor. Great for kids, too!
What you’ll need to make carrot cake baked oatmeal cups
You’re going to LOVE the simple, delicious ingredients in these carrot cake baked oatmeal cups. They’re the perfect breakfast for kids and adults! Not only are they naturally sweetened, but they’re also great for customizing with fun add-ins. First, here’s what you’ll need:
- Shredded carrots: you’ll need to shred about 2 medium carrots to get all of the carrot cake goodness, but make sure you measure 1 cup of shredded carrots!
- Unsweetened applesauce: a bit of unsweetened applesauce adds the perfect amount of moisture to the oatmeal cups. If you don’t have applesauce, then 1 ripe mashed banana should do the trick.
- Eggs: for some extra protein and help these oatmeal cups stay together. I haven’t tried flax eggs, but let me know if you do in the comments.
- Dairy free milk: I used almond milk, but coconut milk would also be delicious. Just know you can use any milk you’d like.
- Maple syrup: for a delicious, natural sweetness.
- Coconut oil: you’ll just need a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil for some additional moisture in these baked oatmeal cups.
- Rolled oats: feel free to use gluten free rolled oats if you’d like! I would not recommend steel cut or quick oats.
- Baking powder: to help these oatmeal cups rise a bit.
- Cinnamon: adds a cozy flavor to these oatmeal cups and gives them that carrot cake goodness.
- Salt: to bring the flavors all together.
- Shredded coconut: is there anything better than carrot cake with coconut? YUM.
- Yummy mix-ins: I used raisins and chopped pecans in these, but feel free to use walnuts or other dried fruit.
- For the glaze: cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and a splash of almond or coconut milk.
Easy ingredient swaps
Here are a few ingredient substitutions I can recommend for these carrot cake baked oatmeal cups:
- Swap the applesauce. If you’re out of applesauce you can actually use 1 ripe mashed banana instead. YUM.
- Choose the oil. If you don’t have coconut oil, butter, vegan butter, olive oil and avocado oil will all work well in the recipe. You can also choose an oil like walnut or hazelnut oil.
- Use any milk. I like to use almond or coconut milk in this recipe, but feel free to use any milk you’d like.
- Keep them dairy free. Simply use your favorite dairy free cream cheese for the glaze, or omit the glaze entirely. They will still be delicious!
Can I use steel cut or quick oats?
I would not recommend using steel cut or quick oats in these carrot cake baked oatmeal cups because it will change the texture.
Can I make these vegan?
I think a flax egg or a chia egg will work well in this recipe but haven’t tested it to be sure. Let me know in the comments if you give it a try.
How to make carrot cake baked oatmeal cups
The best part about these oatmeal cups is that they’re easily made in just one bowl. So easy! Here’s how to make them:
- Prep your pan. Preheat the oven and line a muffin tin with muffin liners. I recommend spraying your liners with cooking spray to prevent sticking. See notes to make it in a 9×9 inch pan instead!
- Mix the wet ingredients. Mix together the carrots, applesauce, eggs, almond milk, maple syrup and melted coconut oil.
- Stir in the dry. Then add in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Finally, gently fold in your shredded coconut, pecans and raisins.
- Baking them up. Evenly distribute your carrot cake oatmeal mixture into the lined muffin tray and bake for 25-30 minutes until they’re set and longer look “wet.”
- Add the glaze and enjoy! Make your glaze by mixing the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond milk, and then drizzle or pipe it onto each baked oatmeal cup.
Tips for storing & reheating baked oatmeal cups
- In the fridge: bake these carrot cake baked oatmeal cups ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Once ready to eat, just reheat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Freezer-friendly carrot cake baked oatmeal cups: allow them to cool completely after baking, then place them in an airtight container or reusable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, you can microwave them for 45 seconds-1 minute or until warm. I suggest freezing them without the the glaze and simply adding the glaze when you’re ready to enjoy them.
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- The Best Healthy Carrot Cake You’ll Ever Eat (gluten free & paleo-friendly!)
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Get all of our amazing Easter recipes here!
I hope you love these delicious, easy carrot cake baked oatmeal cups! If you make them I’d love for you to leave a comment and a rating letting me know how you liked them. I greatly appreciate it – xoxo!
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups
Delicious, healthy carrot cake baked oatmeal cups with raisins, pecans and shredded coconut. These easy carrot cake baked oatmeal cups are naturally sweetened with a touch of maple syrup and topped with a light cream cheese glaze. A wonderful on-the-go or meal prep breakfast for your week!
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium carrots)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon melted and cooled coconut oil
- Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- For the cream cheese glaze:
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, to thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray to prevent oatmeal cups from sticking.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded carrots, applesauce, eggs, almond milk, maple syrup and coconut oil until smooth and well combined.
- Next stir in dry ingredients: oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir well to combine. Fold in shredded coconut, chopped pecans and raisins.
Evenly distribute oatmeal batter between muffin liners and bake for 25-30 minutes or until oatmeal cups are set.
- To make the cream cheese glaze: in a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and almond milk. Drizzle or pipe over the oatmeal cups. Makes 12 oatmeal cups.
Recipe Notes
Oatmeal cups should be stored in the fridge and will stay good for 4-5 days.
Even better: freezing baked oatmeal cups is easy. Just allow them to cool completely after baking, then place them in an airtight container or reusable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, you can microwave them for 45 seconds-1 minute or until warm.
If you don't have applesauce, then 1 large ripe mashed banana should do the trick.
How to bake these in a pan: make this an oatmeal bake by pouring batter into a 9x9 inch pan and baking for 40-50 minutes until slightly golden brown on the edges and the center is set.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
95 comments
Hi there! I want to make these for my son who has a TON of food sensitivities! Can I use 2 flax eggs instead? And I dont have any raisins or nuts right (don’t know if that would go over well with him anyway), would it change too much if I just omit these?
Hi! I haven’t tried using flax eggs but I think it might work. Let me know if you try it! Also they should be fine without raisins or nuts.
I made these with my 4 year old. Very easy to make, and we subbed in regular milk because that’s what we had and it seemed to turn out fine. Preschooler, toddler, and adult approved!
Perfect! So happy everyone loved them!
I would love to make these! One question – is there something you would suggest to use in place of coconut? I don’t have any and this sounds delicious!
You could use 1/4 cup oat flour or 1/3 cup more oats!
These are delicious! I have made healthy carrot muffins before but these carrot oatmeal bakes are the best! So moist and flavourful. These are going to be made on a regular basis!
Amazing! I’m so glad you love them 🙂
Delicious and easy to make!
One of my new favs! Glad you loved them!
This looks amazing! A couple questions can I use honey instead of maple syrup and vegetable oil instead of coconut? Don’t have these 2 things in my pantry! Thanks!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! The only thing I’m missing is cream cheese for the frosting. Any recommendations for substitutions (or other glazes/frostings that I could make instead)?
Try the glaze from these cookies! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/chewy-carrot-cake-oatmeal-cookies/
These are delicious! The texture is out of this world and the glaze makes these seem much more decadent than they really are (it invokes the feeling that I’m eating a cinnamon roll)! Oh my, it totally satisfies my sweet tooth as a dessert but also makes a perfectly filling snack in-between meals. I will
continue making these again and again. Thank you!
Absolutely! Such a great, nourishing breakfast (that tastes like dessert 😉 ).
I’m making these this week and freezing for meal prep and I can’t wait! I’ve been craving carrot cake! Can these be frozen with the glaze if I just do a small drizzle like your photos? Or would you recommend freezing without the glaze?
Love that! I’d recommend freezing without the glaze 🙂
Very tasty and great to store for a quick breakfast. I have made these multiple times always using a flax egg substitute, which worked out just fine.
Absolutely! I’m glad the flax egg works out well 🙂
Delicious! Easy to make and very tasty. Chock full of “healthier” ingredients. Thanks!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I liked the flavor of the recipe. I just made a few changes to my liking. I added 1/2 a cup of crushed pineapple, a 1/4 teaspoon of all spice, and because the batter was a lot more liquidy than I am use to, I added 1/2 a cup of flour.. .I know I know..not gluten free but it worked out fine. The other adjustments I made is I added 1/4 cup brown sugar, I used granola because I did not have any oatmeal oats. Overall they came out delicious. I just noticed they were not very cake like as they did not rise very much but they were very moist and I would definitely recommend this simple and tasty recipe. Thank you!
Hi Celia! All of those changes are likely what made these not rise very much and have lots of extra moisture. Glad you liked them regardless!
I loved having these in the morning! The icing is perfect for people who like a little more sweetness to their baked goods. The consistency was definitely different than I expected but I loved it (I had never made oatmeal cups before). Definitely a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed! Perfect breakfast 🙂
The mixture was way too moist. Had to add a cup of flour. Then couldnt get paper liner off. Taist was great
Sorry to hear you had issues! These were perfect for me when I tested them a few times. The paper liner likely stuck if you did not grease the inside of the muffin liners.
These have been great if you’re someone who needs a quick on-the-go breakfast. Meal prep win!
Absolutely! Love that.
Hi! I’m planning on making these tomorrow. I’m at a higher altitude (5,000 ft above sea level). Are there any adjustments I should make to the recipe before making it since I’m at a higher altitude?
Hi! I think they should be fine as is!
These turned out very well – I modified for a toddler by omitting the maple syrup and glaze. And actually, I used the same amount of grated apple instead of applesauce. But thanks for a great recipe. My kids loved them!
Perfect! Great snack or breakfast 🙂
I’ve made them a bunch of times. Usually I make them with whole milk, finally tried coconut milk, they were much moister and better. My husband loves them, particularly the frosting as I quadruple the recipe.
Perfect! So happy to hear that 🙂
Hi there! I followed the recipe to the letter and they came out great. I’m not a big fan of coconut in desserts and I was tempted to leave it out but in the end I decided to try it as is and I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty and balanced result. Thank you so much!!!
Hi! So happy to hear that 🙂
Just made these this morning and they are SO yummy! For the icing I decided to use some powdered xylitol with a bit of unsweetened almond milk and then added a scoop of collagen peptides to increase the protein a little. Just right in my opinion! Thank you for a healthy, yummy baked oatmeal (muffin) recipe!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great breakfast 🙂
Will these hold together without the coconut? Or what possible subs-chopped apple, dried mango, or something?
Just add a little more oats and they should be fine!
I made these and they were fantastic! I made them exactly as written except I swapped the nuts for pumpkin seeds because I can’t eat nuts. Oh and I made more frosting too because frosting is soooo yummy. I can’t wait to make them again. My kids loved them too.
Love it! Perfect breakfast or snack 🙂
I have been gluten free for 5 years and weight training for 3 years. I have stopped baking, because I haven’t been able to find recipes that interest me and support my diet restrictions and taste good. I found this recipe “Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups” and I was very excited that it covered all my requirements. So, I set out to make these today and they were scrumptious!!!! Love, Love, Love.
So glad you found these ones! Perfect breakfast 🙂
These muffins are SO good! They’re so moist and one of my favourite snacks!
I’m so glad!!
I just tried this recipe because it looks so good, my cups are in the oven right now.. But i have a question, what is the use of the baking powder since there is no flour? it won’t rise in the oven..
they do rise quite a bit in the oven as the baking powder will react to the other ingredients and create a nice fluffy texture!
These are a family favorite and they freeze wonderfully. I often meal prep for my sister and she asks for these every time. Her picky eater 4 year old son loves them too. I left out the nuts due to an allergy and didn’t add the icing.
Love it! Such a great breakfast 🙂
This was my first recipe from your blog and these came out perfectly. My batch made a little more than 12 muffins, so I put the leftover batter in a small loaf pan and added some chocolate chips for a sweeter option. When pouring the batter, I thought it was a little too thin, but I trusted the recipe and they were great – super moist and delicious.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Hello! I love all your baked oatmeal recipes, and I’m wondering if this recipe could be made into baked oatmeal (in 8×8 pan) instead of as cups?? Thanks!!
Hi! Yes that should work out well 🙂
Made these today and loved them! Followed the recipe exactly. I think they’re perfect without the icing, but I’m sure that would be excellent, too.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
These baked oatmeal carrot cake cups are delicious! Easy to make and full of flavor! Made the recipe as is except using extra oats in place of the coconut. We will definitely make these again!
So glad you enjoyed!
SO GOOD! Love them without the icing maybe more than with?!
The best!!
Pretty good, but definitely not very sweet. I subbed Chocolate chips in place of raisins.
These aren’t meant to be very sweet as they’re a baked oatmeal, but chocolate chips sound great! If you’re looking for something a little sweeter try my carrot cake muffins 🙂
Delicious! I subbed currants for the raisins since I didn’t have them. Definitely will make again.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
So good. I cut the recipe to make 4 servings and baked it in a small Pyrex dish. Reheats well too!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
5 stars! I call them my carrot cake cupcake muffins. So delicious. So light and not overly sweet. Scrumptious with or without the frosting. You have to make these!
Love that! So glad they’re a favorite!
These Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups are sooo good! Made them Easter morning for the family and we all enjoyed them!! I love that I now have some left over to pop in the microwave! Def make these!!
Love that! Glad they were a hit!
I made the recipe as directed. Yummy. I made for brunch on Easter along with other items. Next time I’m leaving off the frosting. They were so good, it didn’t need it.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Should I use the smaller grater or large grating side for the carrots? Thanks!
Smaller is best! 🙂
Where are the amounts of oats, apple sauce, etc. The only measurement I see is 1 cup of carrots and a single egg. Wanted to try this, but WHY is there no measurements? Looked and looked but didn’t see any.
Hi! You’ll find the full recipe at the very bottom of the post. Feel free to scroll all the way down or click the “Jump to Recipe” button that’s under the photo at the very top!
Fantastic recipe! Truly scrumptious and a hit with my four year old. He actually prefers them without the icing so even better! We’ve made them twice they’re so good.
Love that! Perfect breakfast or snack 🙂
Delicious! Super decadent and flavorful, but health-ified. Great breakfast that feels like a treat. Easy to make. Will definitely be in the rotation for easy to grab breakfast post-partum.
Absolutely! Glad you loved these!
So good! We love your peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cups so I knew these would be equally delicious. I did not have cream cheese so I melted a little coconut butter instead for the glaze ingredients. Yum! Baked for about 27 minutes as a double batch of cups.
Perfect! Love that!
Amazing!! Delicious!! Easy to make!! My boyfriend who doesn’t normally like baked things, such as muffins and cakes, really enjoyed these and I will make them again. Also shared the recipe with my Mom and sister who love to try new recipes.
So happy to hear that!!
These have been so useful on busy mornings when I don’t have time for a long sit down breakfast with my two year old. We pop two in the microwave and she eats happily on the walk to nursery
So happy to hear that! Perfect breakfast to make ahead of time.
Mine didn’t stick together, maybe because I left out the coconut they were to wet . They seemed a little bland, I think adding some orange zest would give these the added flavor needed (if you dont like coconut, the orange zest would be good taste)
The coconut does help them stay together well, so I would suggest keeping it in next time! Orange zest sounds great 🙂
This is one of my favourite muffin recipes! So easy to make and delicious.
I’m so glad!!
So delicious and easy to make! I will be making these again and again!
Glad you loved them!
I loved this recipe!! Great ingredients, super quick and easy as well. I would maybe add a little more icing because I just wanted it a little sweeter.
So glad you enjoyed! And feel free to double up on the glaze if you’d like 🙂