These Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are a super easy breakfast to make ahead. They’re warmly spiced with carrot cake flavors and are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast. They’re gluten and dairy free and make a convenient and wholesome snack or no-bake dessert.
As the creator of an online dairy-free and gluten-free baking school, I understand how challenging it is to find delicious dairy and gluten-free goods that taste as good as their conventional counterparts. I guarantee you’ll love the carrot cake taste of these soaked oats. Whether you’re following a gluten and dairy-free diet or just looking for a delicious and ‘healthy’ breakfast, these Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats won’t disappoint!
Table of contents
Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Recipe
Overnight oats are a no cook way to make oatmeal. It’s really easy to make with a base 1:1 ratio of oats to milk, with any toppings and additions that you’d like. These overnight oats are like having dessert for breakfast with a flavor reminiscent of my paleo carrot cake!
Oats and chia seeds mix with warm and spicy cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, with nutmeg and vanilla lending some earthy sweetness. Maple syrup and carrots provide natural sweetness and are balanced with a pinch of salt. Coconut milk and yogurt add richness and additional sweetness. The oats soften as they soak overnight until slightly thick and creamy. You can make this hearty breakfast even more filling with some vegan protein powder.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities.
- rolled oats – ensure you’re using certified gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
- chia seeds
- vegan protein powder – I added some to make these overnight oats more satiating. Feel free to skip it or see the Ingredient Substitutions for other options to increase the protein in this vegan breakfast recipe.
- cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- nutmeg
- sea salt
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
- unsweetened coconut yogurt
- coconut milk – I recommend using full-fat coconut milk rather than the boxed or ‘lite,’ beverage versions for the creamiest overnight oats.
- carrots – use a box or hand grater to finely shred the carrots.
- unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut – toasted (optional, for garnish)
Ingredient Substitutions
- Rolled oats: You can use quick oats instead but they’ll have a mushier texture and won’t need as long of a soak time. I don’t recommend steel cut oats as they don’t work well with the no-cook, cold-soak method used in this overnight oats recipe.
- Vegan protein powder: Use any kind that you’d like. Try an unflavored version or a complementary flavor like vanilla so it doesn’t affect the carrot cake flavor. Note, if your protein powder is sweetened, you will want to lower the amount of maple syrup you use in this recipe.
- Coconut milk: You can use any dairy-free milk that you’d like, noting that they all have different flavors and textures. Soy milk, pea milk, oat milk, and hemp milk are all vegan milks higher in protein than coconut milk, while an alternative like cashew milk will create a similar creamy texture.
- Coconut yogurt: Like the plant-based milks with their various benefits, textures, and flavors, use any type of dairy-free, vegan yogurt that you’d like.
How to Make Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Step 1. Add Dry Ingredients
Combine the oats, chia seeds, vegan protein powder (optional), ground spices and salt in a large bowl. You can also make this in a large mason jar or container with a lid (at least 500mL size) but it may get a bit messy.
Step 2. Add Wet Ingredients
Add the milk, yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla and mix.
Step 3. Add Carrots
Next, add the finely grated carrots and stir to combine well. Make sure there aren’t any clumps of chia seeds at the bottom and that everything is mixed well.
Step 4. Refrigerate
Transfer to 1 large jar or container (1 cup or 500 mL) or divide the mixture into 2 smaller jars (1 cup or 250 mL). Cover with a lid and keep in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours. You want to leave it for at least the minimum time for the oats to soften and the chia to gelatinize as they soak up the milk, creating the thick and creamy, pudding-like consistency.
Step 5. Serve
Remove from the fridge, uncover and give it one last stir. Adjust the consistency by adding a bit more milk if you prefer a less thick texture. Add toppings of your choice like shredded coconut or toasted coconut flakes. Serve cold or warm it up in the microwave if you prefer, either in a bowl or in the jar.
Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Benefits
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free, Vegan Breakfast Option
Without being able to have gluten cereals, bread, eggs, or cow’s milk, it can be difficult to find compliant breakfast options when following a vegan and/or gluten and dairy-free diet. These overnight oats are a really excellent option for a delicious breakfast that’s free of those allergens.
Chia seeds and gluten-free oats are high in protein and dietary fiber, so the overnight oats can keep you full for longer making it a satisfying breakfast option. Plus, you can boost the protein by adding vegan protein powder or using other types of plant-based milks and yogurts. And with the carrots you get some veggies right at the start of your day.
Convenience
Since you make it the night before, breakfast is ready when you wake up which is ideal for busy mornings! You can meal prep breakfast for the entire week on a Sunday by batch making the oats then dividing it into individual jars and storing in the fridge until ready to serve.
Customizable
Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less maple syrup. If you make it sweeter, you may want to add a touch more salt or vanilla to balance the overall flavor.
When you take it out of the fridge in the morning, you can adjust the consistency by adding a bit more milk if you don’t want it so thick. You can also use a different type of dairy-free milk with a lower fat content for a less thick and creamy version if you prefer.
Add additional toppings like shredded coconut, a dollop of yogurt, more shredded carrots, a drizzle of maple syrup or sift some cinnamon over top. Other add-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, cacao nibs or dairy-free chocolate chips, or a drizzle of almond butter or other nut or seed butters would go nicely. Add your toppings of choice the morning that you’ll have it so they stay fresh, especially for things like nuts, seeds, and fresh fruit.
Portable
It’s perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack to take with you to work, school, or anywhere.
Versatile
These overnight oats are also great as a snack or lightened-up dessert. It’s carrot cake flavor and pudding-like consistency make it a lovely sweet treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chia seeds add texture and thickness to the overnight oats as they absorb liquids and plump up, to help create the creamy and puddling-like consistency. You can omit them if you prefer, just note the texture may differ.
You can try to break up clumps with a fork and add some more milk to help thin it out.
If your oats are too thin, you can add some more oats or chia seeds. Also, put it back in the fridge for longer to allow the oats and chia to absorb more liquid and thicken naturally.
While overnight oats are typically served cold, you can heat them in a bowl or in a microwave-safe jar in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I hope you love these Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats. If you do, I would appreciate it if you would give the recipe a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious.
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Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Recipe (Gluten-Free)
- Total Time: 2-8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These easy Vegan Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are made with gluten-free oats and rich coconut milk and yogurt, with a warm, sweet carrot cake flavor! It’s perfect to make ahead for a quick and convenient breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 TBSP chia seeds
- 3 TBSP unsweetened vegan protein powder (optional)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 TBSP maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt (or other dairy-free yogurt)
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk (or other dairy-free milk)
- 1/2 cup finely grated carrots
- unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut, toasted (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large bowl*, add rolled oats, chia seeds, vegan protein powder (if using), cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg, and sea salt, and stir together.
- Then, add maple syrup, vanilla, yogurt, and milk and stir together.
- Add the carrots and stir until well combined. Make sure there are no large clumps of chia seeds at the bottom or throughout the mixture, so that everything is mixed well.
- Divide into jars or containers and cover with a lid.** Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.***
- Remove from the fridge, uncover, and give everything one more stir. Add a splash of milk if you want the oats a bit thinner. Serve cold or heat in the microwave in a bowl or in the jar (if it’s microwave-safe) if you prefer it warm. Top with toasted coconut flakes and any other toppings and garnishes that you’d like.
Notes
*You can also make this directly in one large, wide-mouthed jar that’s at least 500mL but it might get a bit messy and harder to stir.
**1x of this recipe makes 2 cups which you can transfer into one 500mL-sized jar, two 250 mL-sized jars, or into more jars with smaller amounts.
***The longer the oats soak the softer they’ll be. As the oats and chia seeds absorb the liquid, the mixture will be thicker and creamier with a longer soak or chill time in the fridge, up to 5 days.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours or longer
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Hey there, Is there any way to make this recipe AIP friendly?
Hi! This recipe has many components that aren’t AIP so I wouldn’t try to alter it but I do have hundreds of AIP breakfast recipes on the blog that you can check out
I don’t do much with oats, but this looks intriguing. Would a full recipe be considered two servings? How many would this serve, as the sole breakfast item? Thank you!
Hi! The full recipe is about 2 cups. It’s up to you on how much you’d like to have per serving but I typically get two servings from this. You can serve fruit on the side, additional protein like bacon or sausage etc.