Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups
Published 3/17/2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Love carrot cake? Love oatmeal? Well, let us introduce you to your new favorite, easy meal prep breakfast — these Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups!
So dang delicious and nutritious, this baked oatmeal recipe has that classic carrot cake overnight oats flavor and baked oatmeal taste, all from using fresh carrots and steel-cut oats.
These carrot cake oatmeal cups are such a great recipe for an easy breakfast every day of the week. I absolutely love ’em because they’re super easy to prepare, use nourishing whole foods, and make meal prep a breeze. Just make your batter, transfer to a muffin tin, and bake for 20 minutes. That’s all, my friends!
Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups – What You Need
- Carrot: Shredded carrots are the star ingredient in this recipe. Not only do they add that classic carrot cake flavor, but they also provide a boost of nutrition.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Also known as steel-cut oats, these oats add a hearty texture to the oatmeal cups. They also provide fiber, protein, and various vitamins and minerals.
- Unsweetened applesauce: This acts as a binder and adds natural sweetness to the oatmeal cups.
- Maple syrup: A natural sweetener for the oatmeal cups, providing a touch of sweetness without using refined sugar.
- Almond milk: We used almond milk as a dairy-free option, but any type of milk can be used.
- Coconut oil: There’s no butter in this recipe! Instead, coconut oil adds healthy fats and moisture.
- Muffin tin & liners: You’ll need these things to make your oatmeal cups! If you don’t have liners, make sure you heavily grease your muffin pan.
Easy Ingredient Swaps & Additions
To keep this meal prep recipe fresh and exciting, we recommend swapping ingredients or adding whatever mix-ins you find appetizing.
For example, you can use instant oats instead of rolled oats. The texture will just be a bit different, but it’ll still taste delicious. If you prefer your oatmeal cups sweeter, add more maple syrup. It’ll make them more of a dessert than a breakfast cup!
Not a fan of golden raisins? Regular raisins will work just fine. Additional mix-ins like chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or chocolate chips would add a tasty element to the oatmeal cups.
Top Tips for Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups
Use fresh shredded carrots if you can. While you can certainly use store-bought shredded carrots, freshly grated carrots will provide the best flavor and texture.
Mix and match your oatmeal cups by making a batch of different flavors. Try adding different fruits, nuts, or spices to each cup for variety.
Make a big batch of these oatmeal cups on the weekend for an effortless and delicious breakfast all week long. Simply heat them up in the microwave for a quick and nutritious meal.
How to Store & Freeze
These Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
They can also be frozen for longer storage. Simply thaw them out before reheating. To reheat, pop them in the microwave or toaster oven until heated through.
What to Serve with Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups
Want to add more tasty elements to your breakfast? Throw in something savory with our Bacon Egg Cups, Sweet Potato Hash Browns, or Breakfast Tacos!
We also highly recommend beverages like this Coffee Protein Shake for a boost of caffeine and protein or this Banana Matcha Smoothie for a refreshing and antioxidant-rich drink.
Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cups Recipe
Ingredients
Dry
- 1 cup grated carrot, we used the large setting on our grater
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup golden raisins
Wet
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix and set aside.
- Add the applesauce, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, and almond milk to a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir. Add coconut oil and stir again. Let sit for 15 minutes before scooping into muffin liners.
- Fill each muffin liner to the top and muffin pan and let them bake for 18-20 minutes or until set and cooked in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Remove them from the muffin pan and let them cool on a wire rack.
- Enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tips & Notes
- We suggest using rolled oats for this recipe, but instant oats will work, too. The texture will just be a bit different.
- Feel free to use whatever ‘carrot cake’ mix-ins you’d like.
- Add more maple if you’d like these to be more of a dessert rather than a breakfast cup.
- Regular raisins can be used in place of golden raisins.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
