Carrots + Raisins + Vanilla + Cinnamon + Oats + Greek Yogurt + Chia Seeds = Thick, Creamy, Carrot Cake Breakfast Perfection.
I go through phases with flavors, and lately I’m loving anything with raisins and cinnamon. I’ve been adding them to my yogurt or oatmeal bowls in the morning, tossing them into homemade trail mix in the afternoons, and unabashedly tucking them into sticks of celery topped with peanut butter like the 90’s baby I am.
With a few busy mornings in a row last week, I realized I needed to make some quick, easy, filling breakfasts ahead of time so I could grab them to eat in the car instead of leisurely sipping on a Creamy Cashew Coffee for an hour before breakfast at home.
So, one thing turned into another and I put my two current faves- raisins and cinnamon- into a jar with plenty of oats, greek yogurt, vanilla, chia seeds, and a little bit of nutmeg, then stirred the whole thing up and let it sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning I topped it with a handful walnuts and dug into my thick, creamy, jar of breakfast goodness.
After eating a similar concoction for a few days in a row it occurred to me that if I just added some shredded carrots and bumped up the spices, my overnight oats would turn into CARROT CAKE overnight oats. Obviously I wasn’t about to let that opportunity pass me by, and made sure to add a handful of shredded carrots to my next night’s batch.
The final result? A thick, creamy, undeniably carrot-cakey breakfast.
These little jars of creamy breakfast bliss have all the flavors of carrot cake surrounded by yogurt and soft, chewy oats. They take about 5 minutes to make the night before (including the time it takes to shred a carrot), and are loaded with protein, fiber, and healthy fats (and even a fruit + vegetable, thanks to the raisins and carrots!) to fuel whatever your January mornings may entail.
You could even stir together 5 jars of overnight oats on Sunday night, and have breakfast figured out for the entire workweek ahead.
But wait, I haven’t even mentioned THE WALNUTS. At some point in this whole process, you’re going to want to make these toasty, crunchy, maple candied walnuts. They are made with just 4 simple ingredients and add the perfect extra crunch and touch of sweetness to this carrot cake overnight oats situation. Sure, you could just add a handful of raw walnuts like I did to those original carrot-less overnight oats, but early morning wake-ups are so much better when there are maple candied walnuts involved. Trust me.
I think you’re going to LOVE this easy overnight breakfast recipe as much as I do. Just make sure your pantry is stocked and there’s a carrot somewhere in the house and you’re good to go.
Need more ideas for bringing Carrot Cake to your breakfast table? Check out my Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (which has pineapple in it because I think pineapple in carrot cake is THE BEST!) and Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cake Cookies!
If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below or take a picture and tag me on Instagram! I love seeing my recipes in your kitchen. Happy weekend, friends!
Carrot Cake Overnight Oats with Maple Cinnamon Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt I used plain, full-fat*
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 Tablespoons raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- optional: a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness
Maple Cinnamon Walnuts
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1. Put all ingredients for the overnight oats into a 12-oz or larger jar or other container with a lid. Stir to combine, put on the lid, and place in the fridge overnight (or for up to 5 days). Serve with maple cinnamon walnuts, an extra drizzle of maple syrup or honey, nut butter, sliced banana, etc.
- 2. To make walnuts, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly toasted. Add maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt, then stir to combine, and turn off the heat. Let walnuts continue to absorb the maple syrup for another minute or two in the hot pan before transferring to a plate to cool.
Notes
*If you'd prefer this recipe to be dairy-free or vegan, replace the 1/2 cup of yogurt and 1/2 cup of water with 1 cup of non-dairy milk. Canned coconut milk would be my first choice for its thick, creamy texture. Alternately, 1 cup of thin (non-Greek) yogurt or plain Kefir can also be used instead.