These high protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats with Yogurt are a filling and nutritious vegan breakfast that tastes like a treat. They only take 5 minutes to prepare, and are perfect for meal prep. Each serving contains 27g of protein and will keep you feeling full and energized all morning.
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High Protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
I am a big believer in a make-ahead breakfast as a key to healthy eating. Mornings with a toddler are pretty hectic in our household (if you have kids, I know you can relate). It is so easy to reach for the coffee and skip breakfast. But that normally backfires on me around 10am when I hit a hunger flat and end up grabbing the first snack I see when I open the pantry.
I’ve found that I am so much more productive and focused when I eat a balanced, wholesome breakfast. It’s why I’ve come to depend on meal prepping breakfast. I don’t have the time or motivation to make anything from scratch, and I also typically don’t really *feel* like eating first thing. So I need a healthy breakfast that will give me energy, that requires very little time and also tastes great. Now, I love all sorts of make-ahead breakfasts, but I am a sweet tooth and heart, so Chia Pudding and Overnight Oats have become my go-tos.
I have tried SO many different flavors and methods for making them, sometimes blending them so they are smooth (like my viral Blueberry Blended Overnight Oats) or sometimes leaving them chunky with a little texture, like these ones or my Peanut & Banana Oats.
I have added protein powder to this recipe to make it even more filling. Each serving has 27g of protein which can really help hit your protein target for the day. As quoted in Harvard Health, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. Check out this really useful USDA calculator for more information on assessing your own protein requirements.
If you enjoy these Carrot Cake Overnight Oats, make sure to check out some of my other overnight oats like my Strawberry Oats with White Chocolate, Choc Blended Oats, or Date Caramel Oats.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: With just 5 minutes of prep time, this recipe is perfect for a quick meal prep session on a Sunday evening. Trust me, you’ll thank your past self on Monday morning! It’s such a convenient recipe for work weeks.
- Healthy: These high protein overnight oats made with yogurt are refined sugar-free, vegan and very nutritious.
- Tastes Like a Treat: If you love the flavors of carrot cake, then this is the breakfast for you. It has the same warming spices of nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon, plus it’s dense, sweet and has the added creamy topping of yogurt which is similar to the classic cream-cheese frosting you’d expect on carrot cake.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is a shopping list of everything you’ll need to make these easy high protein carrot cake oats at home. Note, some of the ingredients can be substituted or omitted, so scroll down to the Substitutions section of this post for suggestions.
You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Rolled oats
- Grated carrots
- Maple syrup
- Milk (I use soy)
- Greek yogurt (I use soy)
- Almond butter
- Vanilla extract
- Dates
- Pecans
- Protein powder (optional)
- Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger and Salt
Instructions
Here’s how to make these easy, high protein Carrot Cake Overnight Oats with Yogurt:
Step One: Peel, then finely shred 1-2 small carrots. You’ll need about 1/2 a cup.
Step Two: Divide the rolled oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt grated carrots, chopped dates, maple syrup and vanilla between your serving jars or containers.
Step Three: Next, add the Greek yogurt, milk.
Step Four: Stir each jar or bowl to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
Step Five: Seal with the lids and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. This allows time for flavors to develop and for the oats to soften by absorbing the yogurt and milk.
Step Six: In the morning, remove the jars from the refrigerator. Add an extra dollop of yogurt on top.
Step Seven: Finally, add the chopped pecans for a bit of crunch.
Step Eight: Dig in and enjoy!
Substitutions & Variations
The great thing about overnight oats is that they can easily be customized. Providing the base ingredient ratios of oats and milk remain the same, you can pretty much swap out any other inclusions as you’d like. Here are some reliable substitutions that I recommend to stay in keeping with the carrot cake flavor profile:
- Rolled Oats: Can be substituted with quick oats for a softer texture. I don’t recommend steel cut oats, as these are very hard and require a long soaking time.
- Maple Syrup: Substitute with honey or agave syrup if you prefer a different sweetener.
- Chia Seeds: Typically I add chia to my overnight oats recipes as it helps thicken the mixture. For variety, I chose not to include them in this recipe, but you could also add 1 tablespoon if you’d like a slightly firmer consistency to the oats. Ground flaxseed would also have the same effect.
- Milk: I prefer soy milk as it is plant-based, a good source of protein and when fortified has a similar nutritional profile to dairy milk (if you’re curious, you can read more about vegan protein substitutions here). But any milk such as oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or dairy milk (if you’re not vegan) can be used. Just keep in mind some plant-based milks have very low protein content and the nutritional profile of the recipe will be different depending on which milk you choose.
- Yogurt: I like to make my own Greek style soy yogurt at home. The recipe is easier than you’d think and very affordable, highly recommend checking it out. But you can also use regular dairy Greek yogurt if you’re not vegan, or any yogurt of your choice. Again, if you’re eating plant-based, I suggest soy as it is a good source of protein.
- Dates: Can be swapped for your dried fruit of choice or omitted entirely. I recommend keeping some sort of dried fruit in the recipe for a little bit of a nice chewy texture. Raisins are probably the next best choice if you want to stick to the classic carrot cake flavor profile, but chopped dried apricots or cranberries would also be very tasty.
- Chopped Pecans: Walnuts or almonds would also work well. You could use pumpkin seeds to make it nut-free.
Storage
You must keep these overnight oats in the refrigerator in a well sealed jar or container. They’ll keep for up to 5 days but I recommend eating them within 3 days. If you notice any separation of water on top, just mix it back in before eating. I have written the recipe with convenience in mind, so I recommend portioning out the oats into individual containers to make your mornings as easy as possible.
Expert Tips
Grate the Carrots Finely: Finely grated carrots blend better with the oats, giving a smoother texture and more even flavor distribution.
FAQ
Stored in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator, these overnight oats will keep for 5 days, but I recommend consuming within 3 days for the best consistency and flavor.
I haven’t tried making this recipe with steel-cut oats before. Steel-cut oats are much harder than regular oats, and require a longer soaking time and have a chewier texture. If you prefer to use them, soak them for at least 24 hours for the best results. You may also need to add a little extra liquid to compensate. If you try it out, I’d love to hear how you went with it so please leave a comment below the recipe to give me feedback š
Absolutely! If you prefer your oats warm, simply microwave the jar (without the lid) for 1-2 minutes before adding any cold toppings.
You can substitute maple syrup with agave syrup, or your preferred sweetener.
Yes, I have included an optional scoop of protein powder for this recipe. I recommend using a neutral flavored powder or vanilla flavor. Adjust the liquid slightly if needed to maintain the desired consistency.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
If you’re also an overnight oats girlie, then make sure to try out some of my other recipes below. I’m determined to make eating healthier as easy as possible, so I’ve made these taste like treats wherever possible. My motto is why use willpower to eat better when you can just make nutritious food taste delicious?! Here are some of the most popular recipes:
- Tiramisu Oats
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Blended Oats with Smash Top
- Chocolate Oats with Raspberry Chia Jam
- Mango Oats with White Chocolate Topping
If you enjoy this recipe, I would be super grateful if you could leave a star rating and reviewāit really helps the algorithm send my recipes to more people! You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram @glowdiaries___ so I can reshare your posts to storiesā it’s always so fun to see what you’re making!
Carrot Cake Overnight Oats with Yogurt (High Protein & Vegan)
Ingredients
Overnight Oats
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups milk I use soy
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt I use soy
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot (about 1-2 peeled carrots)
- 1/4 cup protein powder (optional)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 2 tbsp dates pitted and chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ginger
- Tiny pinch of salt
Topping (optional)
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt I use soy
- 2 tbsp pecans chopped
Instructions
- Divide the overnight oats ingredients into two ~19 oz (580ml) jars or food storage containers.
- Mix well to combine.
- Seal the jars or containers, then then transfer to the refrigerator. Leave overnight or for at least 8 hours to set.
- When ready to eat, top with a dollop of extra Greek yogurt and chopped pecans, then enjoy!
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