This easy vegan carrot cake overnight oats recipe is a great make ahead breakfast recipe that the whole family will love. It’s like eating carrot cake without the sugar and cream cheese frosting.
Published March 17, 2015, and updated May 25, 2021.
The best carrot cake overnight oats recipe should be easy to make with minimal ingredients, should taste like you’re eating carrot cake, and it should keep you satisfied until lunch.
This overnight oatmeal recipe is all of that.
It has all of the favorite flavors of carrot cake without the guilt.
More Overnight Oats Recipes You’ll Love
Healthy Pineapple Coconut Mango Overnight Oats
Easy & Healthy Strawberry Peach Overnight Oats
Caramel Apple Spiced Overnight Oats
Ingredients and substitutions
Rolled Oats – Oats are a good source of protein, fiber, and nutrients that will energize you and keep you going throughout the morning.
If you want to make a grain free overnight breakfast, substitute the oats for chia seeds.
Dates – We sweeten our overnight oats with dates because they offer important nutrients and are an unrefined sugar.
Substitute with maple syrup.
Carrots – You can’t have carrot cake without carrots, so get your box grater or food processor and start shredding.
Ginger – Not only is ginger good for you, it makes this make ahead breakfast taste amazing! Use fresh or dried.
Cinnamon and Nutmeg – Like the ginger, these warm spices are a vital part of the flavor of carrot cake, so skip them if you must, just know that your oats won’t really taste like they’re supposed to without them.
Vanilla Extract – Just a bit of vanilla goes a long way on flavor.
Substitute with almond extract if needed.
Coconut – Shredded unsweetened coconut not only adds delicious flavor, it adds great texture.
Not into coconut? Just leave it out.
Hemp Seeds – These little nutrition bombs are a great source of omegas, and they add texture.
Substitute with flax seed.
Plant-Based Milk – Use your favorite plant milk, even coconut milk will work.
How to make vegan carrot cake overnight oats
Layer the oats, carrots, dates, spices, coconut, and hemp seeds in a mason jar or a bowl and combine.
Add the plant milk and shake or stir to combine and refrigerate overnight or for at least four hours, or until the oats soften.
Eat it for a grab and go breakfast or as an afternoon snack.
Storage and freezing
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
This is best eaten within a few days of making it, we don’t recommend freezing.
VEGAN CARROT CAKE OVERNIGHT OATS
Equipment
- grater
Ingredients
- ½ of a cup of rolled oats
- 1 date – pitted and shredded
- 2 tablespoons of grated carrot
- ⅛ of a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger or slightly less than 1n ⅛ of a teaspoon of dried ginger
- ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of desiccated coconut
- 1 teaspoon of hulled hemp seeds
- ½ of a cup of unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Put the oats in a jar or a bowl and then layer with the date, carrot, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut, hemp seeds, and almond milk. Stir well and cover. Refrigerate overnight or for at least four hours.
- Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
KE says
Looks yummy! I assume you could use oat milk instead of almond? Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Yes, any plant milk will work. 🙂
Heather says
Love these. A great go to!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Heather!
Nettie Moore says
Thank you for contributing! I appreciate all the shares and comments on this Parade Post. https://parade.com/995182/nettiemoore/best-carrot-cake-dessert-recipes/
Nettie
Linda Meyer says
Thanks for including us, Nettie. Sharing!
Rayna says
Sorry but the nutrition information is kind of off. The oats alone are 140 or 150 calories.
Delicious recipe though!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Rayna. Yes, unfortunately the Nutrition Facts in our recipe plug-in isn't always accurate, which is why we say that it's an estimate only in our notes. We're so happy you enjoyed them! 🙂