Ingredients
Scale
For the Baked Oatmeal:
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten-free if needed)
- 1½ cups shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs for vegan)
- 1¾ cups milk of choice
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- ⅓ cup raisins (optional)
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Drizzle (Optional but Recommended):
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter, ensuring all corners and sides are coated to prevent sticking.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until well combined and slightly frothy. This creates the liquid base that will soften the oats as they bake.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In the same bowl (or separately if you prefer), add the rolled oats, shredded carrots, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Stir everything together until the oats are evenly coated with the wet mixture and the carrots are distributed throughout.
- Add Optional Mix-ins: If using walnuts, raisins, or coconut, fold them into the mixture now. Don’t overmix—just stir until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the oatmeal mixture into your prepared baking dish, using a spatula to spread it evenly across the pan. Gently press down on the surface to ensure even distribution.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set (it shouldn’t jiggle when you gently shake the pan). A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean.
- Cool Slightly: Remove from the oven and let the baked oatmeal cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. It will firm up slightly as it cools, making it easier to slice.
- Make the Cream Cheese Drizzle (Optional): While the oatmeal bakes or cools, whisk together softened cream cheese, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if needed.
- Serve: Cut into squares and serve warm with a drizzle of cream cheese topping (if using). Add extra toppings like a sprinkle of cinnamon, chopped nuts, or fresh fruit if desired.
- Store Leftovers: Let any remaining portions cool completely, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Texture Preference: For a denser, more cake-like texture, reduce milk by ¼ cup. For a softer, creamier texture, add an extra ¼ cup milk.
- Sweetness Level: The recipe as written is moderately sweet. Adjust maple syrup to ¼ cup for less sweet, or up to ½ cup if you prefer it sweeter.
- Carrot Prep: Pat shredded carrots dry if they seem very wet to prevent the oatmeal from becoming soggy.
- Make it Vegan: Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs, plant-based milk, and skip the cream cheese drizzle (or use vegan cream cheese).
- Protein Boost: Stir in 2 tablespoons of protein powder with the dry ingredients, or serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (⅛ of recipe, without cream cheese drizzle)
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 47mg