Overnight carrot cake oatmeal is a simple slow cooker breakfast recipe. This easy make-ahead breakfast cooks while you sleep!
Overnight Carrot Cake Oatmeal is an easy, prep-ahead breakfast that cooks in the slow cooker while you sleep. It’s also an easy way to some extra fruit and veggies to your diet.
I love all things carrot-flavored – carrot cake muffins, carrot cake cookies, and carrot pudding. This carrot cake oatmeal has spices, carrots, and a hint of creamy coconut – just like a slice of carrot cake.
It’s a better-for-you want to enjoy carrot cake for breakfast!
“Warm, filling, and healthy! Can’t beat that!” – Caroline
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Steel cut oats: It’s important to use steel cut oats and not quick oats or old-fashioned oats because steel cut oats hold up well to the longer cooking time.
- Almond milk: I like to use a blend of almond milk and coconut milk because it makes for creamy oatmeal. If you prefer to use different milk due to allergies, you can. However, I don’t recommend using dairy milk as it can curdle in the slow cooker.
- Coconut milk: You can use canned or refrigerated coconut milk. Feel free to use all coconut milk if you prefer to omit the almond milk.
- Golden raisins: You can use dark raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apple, or omit the raisins.
- Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices to taste.
How to make overnight carrot cake oatmeal
Step 1: Lightly grease the inside of 2 quart slow cooker.
Step 2: Add steel cut oats to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Stir almond milk, coconut milk, raisins, carrot, and spices together.
Step 4: Pour almond milk mixture over oats.
Step 5: Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Step 6: Serve topped with brown sugar, coconut flakes, and chopped pecans.
Recipe Tips!
- Gluten-free: The ingredients for this oatmeal are generally gluten-free. However, it’s important to check labels to ensure that the specific ingredients used are gluten-free if necessary.
- Doubling: You can double this recipe in a 4 quart or 5 quart slow cooker.
- Toppings: I like to sprinkle the oatmeal with coconut flakes, chopped pecans, and a sweetener, like brown sugar, at the end. You could use a different type of sweetener, like maple syrup or honey, if you prefer.
Storage
Store any leftover carrot cake oatmeal in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More oatmeal recipes!
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Overnight Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Equipment
- Crock pot
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 2 cups almond milk
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup finely grated carrot
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Toppings
- Brown Sugar
- Coconut Flakes
- Chopped Pecans
Instructions
- Lightly grease the inside of 2 quart slow cooker.
- Add steel cut oats to the slow cooker.1 cup steel cut oats
- Stir almond milk, coconut milk, raisins, carrot, and spices together.2 cups almond milk, 2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup finely grated carrot, 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pour almond milk mixture over oats.
- Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Serve topped with brown sugar, coconut flakes, and chopped pecans.
Notes
- Steel cut oats: It’s important to use steel cut oats and not quick oats or old-fashioned oats because steel cut oats hold up well to the longer cooking time.
- Almond milk: I like to use a blend of almond milk and coconut milk because it makes for creamy oatmeal. If you prefer to use different milk due to allergies, you can. However, I don’t recommend using dairy milk as it can curdle in the slow cooker.
- Coconut milk: You can use canned or refrigerated coconut milk. Feel free to use all coconut milk if you prefer to omit the almond milk.
- Golden raisins: You can use dark raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apple, or omit the raisins.
- Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices to taste.
- Nutrition values are estimates.Â
Nutrition
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Originally published 1/3/2017. Updated 3/1/2025 with new photos and tips.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Tiff says
Can you freeze this for future use? Anyone tried?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried freezing this oatmeal, but oatmeal usually freezes well.
Rachel says
If I only have canned coconut milk, can I use that or just use 4 cups of almond?
Kate says
I think that canned coconut milk will work. You could also use all almond milk, if you prefer.
Sonya Kramer says
Do you think you could double or triple this recipe for a large group and have it still come out fine?
Kate says
I think so. I think that it may work, but I’m just not sure if you would need to increase the cook time or not. Good luck!
Danielle Pitt says
Are there substitutes to lower the carb content? We are trying to follow a more keto friendly diet, but 32 grams of card is my max for the day and that is 1 serving.
Kate says
That’s a hard one because most of the carbs come from the oats. I’m not sure how it would work to sub a lower carb grain like quinoa, but maybe that would work.
Brianna says
Can you reheat leftovers? Also what brand of coconut milk do you use?
Kate says
You can. I just rewarm the oatmeal in the microwave. I use the Silk refrigerated coconut milk.
Caroline says
Warm, filling, and healthy! Can’t beat that!
Kate says
Absolutely! Thank you!
Melanie Feuerman says
Can maple syrup be used in place of the brown sugar?
Kate says
Absolutely! The brown sugar just adds sweetness, so you could use maple syrup, coconut sugar, honey, or any other sweetener.
Cheryl says
How many servings does this make with only one cup of oatmeal added? Thinking one or two? Can’t wait to try it but have a family of four.
Kate says
Actually, you should get more like 6-8 servings. =) The steel cut oats absorb the liquid and really expand while they’re cooking. I have a family of 5, and this easily feeds us. Hope that helps!
Carol says
About how many servings does this make?
Kate says
You should get about 6-8 servings.
Jamie says
Do you add the raisins to the crockpot or are they a topping?
Kate says
I added them in (and updated the recipe to reflect that). I like that they soften while they’re in the crock pot. If you wanted to, you could certainly just add them at the end as a topping instead.
cakespy says
I love everything about it: the cleverness, the deliciousness, and the easy-to-make aspect!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Stephanie @ Velez Delights says
OMG!!! This is just mouth-watering!!!
Kate says
Thank you!!