High Protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Start your day on a deliciously sweet note with my High Protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats recipe. With just 10 basic ingredients and 2 minutes of prep time you can meal prep your way to a week’s worth of fantastically filling grab-and-go breakfasts that taste like dessert. 😋

If you’ve yet to jump on the protein overnight oats bandwagon, now’s your chance. This simple no-cook breakfast is so easy to throw together and is built for busy mornings! The concept is simple—let rolled oats soak in liquid overnight, allowing them to plump up to their full chewy potential. 

At most basic, you only need oats, milk or juice, the protein powder of your choice, and a jar—but there are TONS of ways to make them your own. I’m usually aiming for something that tastes sinful but is secretly healthy—see my pumpkin spice overnight oats, apple cinnamon overnight oats, and gingerbread overnight oats recipes as examples.

So, next time you’re trying to have your cake (on a diet) and eat it, too, try making a batch of high-protein overnight carrot cake oats! They’re loaded with all the familiar flavors you crave—sweet carrots, warming spices, crunchy nuts, and chewy raisins—but are hearty enough to keep you full till lunchtime.

Jump to:

• What are carrot cake overnight oats?
• What do they taste like?
• Why You’ll Love This Overnight Carrot Cake Oats Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• Substitutions
• How To Make Carrot Cake Overnight Protein Oats
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Success Tips
• Storage Directions
• High-Protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Nutrition
• Pricing Info
• FAQs
• Other Overnight Oats Recipes
• Recipe

What are carrot cake overnight oats?

Why, only the best thing to happen to your morning routine (maybe ever). Imagine the hardiness of a bowl of oatmeal, the protein in your favorite post-workout shake, and a slice of carrot cake all got together to make a love child. These high protein overnight oats would be the result!

Old-fashioned oats are mixed with warming spices, shredded carrots, maple syrup, protein powder, maple syrup and milk, then left overnight in the fridge to marinate and rehydrate. In the morning, you’re greeted with a yummy oatmeal porridge that can be served hot or cold!

What do they taste like?

As the name would suggest, these protein oats taste a lot like carrot cake! Fresh carrots provide a sweet base, while tender oats give a nice nuttiness and chew. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla bring in the cozy vibes, while milk and protein powder add rich creaminess—not unlike your favorite frosting. Add a sprinkle of crunchy toasted nuts and chewy raisins, and each bite will flood your mouth with nostalgic joy.

Why You’ll Love This Overnight Carrot Cake Oats Recipe

• Sweet & Satisfying – If you’ve ever eaten a slice of cake for breakfast, you know it doesn’t have much staying power. Luckily, these protein overnight oats mean you can get the same treat-like vibes while also filling your belly with the good stuff to keep you fuller for longer.
• Quick & Easy – Measure your ingredients, mix them together, then toss ‘em in the fridge. Making these carrot cake oatmeal jars couldn’t be easier!
• Perfectly Portioned – With two little ones and two adults in the house, making sure everyone gets fed can be a little tricky. But, when you make these carrot cake over night oats, it’s easy to divvy them up into single-serve containers so everyone gets their fair share, even on the busiest of mornings.

Ingredients Needed

• 2% Milk – I used Fairlife milk, which has 50% more protein, 50% less sugar, more calcium & Vitamin D, and an extra creamy consistency—all without any lactose. Feel free to use grass-fed or conventional dairy if you prefer. 
• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – When it comes to overnight oats, these are your best choice—rolled oats end up perfectly tender and creamy while still retaining some chew, just like a bowl of oatmeal.
• Freshly Shredded Carrots – Fresh is key! Pre-shredded carrots are typically rather thick, long, and crunchy. When you shred them on a box grater, they end up like cheese shreds—thin, short, and tender. 
• Vanilla Protein Powder – Make sure you use a high-quality protein powder that doesn’t taste gritty for the tastiest results. 
• Pure Maple Syrup – “Pure” is the operative word here. Don’t fall for cleverly packaged “pancake syrup,” which is usually just flavored and dyed corn syrup.
• Chia Seeds – These little nutrient powerhouses add fiber, protein, antioxidants, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. They also help thicken the oats, giving them a wonderful consistency.
• Vanilla Extract – You’ll find this staple in most dessert recipes for a reason—it adds warmth and depth to anything it touches. 
• Ground Cinnamon & Ground Nutmeg – These warming spices are classic additions to carrot cake, helping sell our dessert-for-breakfast theme.
• Chopped Pecans and/or Raisins – While these are totally optional, they add amazing textural interest and extra flavor.

Substitutions

Need to make some changes? Not to worry. Here are some easy ingredients alternatives to try:

• 2% Milk – Feel free to swap in the dairy or plant-based milk of your choice! You can also use another liquid (e.g. apple juice or even water), but you’ll lose out on the creaminess and added nutrients milk brings to the table.
• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – In a pinch, you can use quick-cooking or instant oats. Just note that they have a higher glycemic index and can end up tasting a little mushy.
• Freshly Shredded Carrots – Have fun experimenting here. I think shredded apples or shredded zucchini would both be great!
• Vanilla Protein Powder – Try subbing in a complimentary flavor (e.g. cinnamon, cheesecake, etc.), or use plain protein powder. Powdered egg whites would also work!
• Pure Maple Syrup – You can use any sweetener you like, but I’d stick to natural varieties like agave nectar, honey, or maple sugar.
• Chia Seeds – Feel free to omit these (but reduce the liquid by a few tablespoons), or swap in flax seeds, flax meal, hemp hearts, or psyllium husks.
• Vanilla Extract – You can use an equal amount of vanilla paste or powder. Alternatively, experiment with other flavoring extracts (e.g. cake batter or almond).
• Ground Cinnamon & Ground Nutmeg – You’re welcome to use any warming spice blend you prefer. 
• Chopped Pecans and/or Raisins – Omit these, or swap in the mix-ins of your choice (e.g. sultanas, walnuts, granola, or white chocolate chips).

How To Make Carrot Cake Overnight Protein Oats

Prepare to have your mind blown—this is as easy as breakfast gets:

Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a medium glass jar or container. 

Step 2: Stir until well combined, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Step 3: Garnish with chopped pecans and/or raisins if desired. Serve!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments

• Dairy-Free/Vegan – Use plant-based milk and vegan protein powder to make these carrot cake overnight oats vegan-friendly.
• Cheesecake Topper – If your favorite part about carrot cake is the cream cheese frosting, take a cue from my friend Ashley’s berry cheesecake overnight oats and add a fluffy layer of sweetened blended cottage cheese. As a bonus, you’ll get more protein!  
• Added Sugar-Free – Most milk has some naturally occurring sugars, but you can cut back a bit by swapping in a sugar-free sweetener (like monkfruit) for the maple syrup.

Serving Suggestions

While I typically prepare these high-protein overnight oats as an easy breakfast option, don’t feel limited! Here are a few ideas of how to serve them:

• Heat Them Up – Cold oats not your jam? Don’t fret! Make sure you use containers that can go from fridge to microwave (like Pyrex or mason jars), then zap these carrot cake oats for about 3 minutes at 50%. Stir and heat for another minute or two as needed.
• Delicious Drizzle – Add richness with a small drizzle of half n’ half and some extra maple syrup to make your oats taste extra decadent. A dollop of whipped cream is also welcome—especially if you’re eating them for dessert!
• Post-Workout Snack – Nobody said overnight oats were only for breakfast! Whenever I finish a tough workout, I often crave something sweet to reward myself. These overnight protein powder oats are the perfect choice—I can scratch my sweet tooth itch, but also give my body the fuel it needs to recover.

Recipe Success Tips

While overnight oats are a snap to make, there are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

• If you’re making multiple servings at once, combine everything in a large mixing bowl, then divvy it out into individual storage containers so you don’t have to measure each ingredient multiple times. 
• Mix the dry ingredients together first before adding the liquid to ensure an even distribution of flavor. Once you add the liquid, make sure no dry pockets remain.
• Make sure your storage containers leave some head room—the oats will expand as they absorb the liquid.
• Don’t rush it! The oats need a minimum of 4 hours to soak before eating, and are better after 8. 
• Wait to garnish with any crunchy toppings until right before serving, or they won’t be crunchy by the time you get to them.

Storage Directions

• Refrigeration – These carrot cake-flavored high-protein overnight oats will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
• Freezing – They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. (Make sure your containers have at least ½ inch of head room for expansion.)
• Reheating – Allow frozen overnight oats to defrost overnight in the fridge before serving. You can serve them warm or cold!

High-Protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Nutrition

If you’re looking for a filling breakfast, you can’t do much better than these carrot cake oats. Each serving (sans nuts or raisins as garnish) is loaded with a whopping 27 grams of protein, 66 grams of cabs (12 of which are from fiber), and 11 grams of fat. 

This well-balanced macro makeup is well-suited to keep you feeling sated till lunch, and it’ll only cost you 469 calories. There are also only 160 milligrams of sodium per serving, so nothing much to worry about there!

Note that the type of milk and protein powder you use can alter these values significantly, so if you need to cut back on fat or calories, you have options. You can also amp up certain values with your preferred mix-ins (e.g. nuts have fat and fiber, yogurt has protein, etc.).

All in all, eating these carrot cake overnight oats for breakfast is something you can feel good about!

Total nutritional content per serving is:

• Calories: 469 calories
• Total Fat: 11 grams
• Protein: 27 grams
• Sodium: 160 mg
• Carbohydrates: 66 grams
• Fiber: 12 grams

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Pricing Info

This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:

• ¾ cup Fairlife 2% milk: $0.52
• ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats: $0.13
• ¼ cup freshly shredded carrots: $0.03
• 2 tbsp vanilla protein powder: $0.25
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup: $0.14
• 1 tbsp chia seeds: $0.13
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: $0.04
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon: $0.05
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg: $0.02

The total comes out to be around $1.31 per serving!

FAQs

Other Overnight Oats Recipes

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Recipe

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xoxo Megan