What’s your favorite kind of cake? Mine happens to be carrot cake. Speaking of which, have you tried my healthy carrot cake recipe yet?!
Well, last year I couldn’t stop thinking about how I could transform carrot cake into a healthy version you could enjoy for breakfast. After making my almond butter apple oatmeal cups, peanut butter banana oatmeal cups and pumpkin oatmeal cups, I thought it would be fun to try out a carrot cake baked oatmeal version.
AND OH MY FREAKING ZAC EFRON. These carrot cake oatmeal cups are my new favorite breakfast! They’re hearty, perfectly spiced with cinnamon, include plenty of carrots, applesauce and maple syrup for sweetness, and nuts, raisins and shredded coconut for texture and true carrot cake flavor. Great for kids, too!
What you’ll need to make carrot cake baked oatmeal cups
You’re going to LOVE the simple, delicious ingredients in these carrot cake oatmeal cups. They’re the perfect breakfast for kids and adults! Not only are they naturally sweetened, but they’re also great for customizing with fun add-ins. First, here’s what you’ll need:
- Shredded carrots: you’ll need to shred about 2 medium carrots to get all of the carrot cake goodness, but make sure you measure 1 cup of shredded carrots!
- Unsweetened applesauce: a bit of unsweetened applesauce adds the perfect amount of moisture to the oatmeal cups. If you don’t have applesauce, then 1 ripe mashed banana should do the trick.
- Eggs: for some extra protein and help these oatmeal cups stay together. I haven’t tried flax eggs, but let me know if you do in the comments.
- Dairy free milk: I used almond milk, but coconut milk would also be delicious. Just know you can use any milk you’d like.
- Maple syrup: for a delicious, natural sweetness.
- Coconut oil: you’ll just need a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil for some additional moisture in these baked oatmeal cups.
- Rolled oats: because these are oatmeal cups, of course! Feel free to use gluten free rolled oats if you’d like.
- Baking powder: to help these oatmeal cups rise a bit.
- Cinnamon: adds a cozy flavor to these oatmeal cups and gives them that carrot cake goodness.
- Salt: to bring the flavors all together.
- Shredded coconut: is there anything better than carrot cake with coconut? YUM.
- Yummy mix-ins: I used raisins and chopped pecans in these, but feel free to use walnuts or other dried fruit.
- For the glaze: cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and a splash of almond or coconut milk.
Easy ingredient swaps
Here are a few ingredient substitutions I can recommend for these carrot cake baked oatmeal cups:
- Swap the applesauce. If you’re out of applesauce you can actually use 1 ripe mashed banana instead. YUM.
- Choose the oil. If you don’t have coconut oil, butter, vegan butter, olive oil and avocado oil will all work well in the recipe. You can also choose an oil like walnut or hazelnut oil.
- Use any milk. I like to use almond or coconut milk in this recipe, but feel free to use any milk you’d like.
- Keep them dairy free. Simply use your favorite dairy free cream cheese for the glaze, or omit the glaze entirely. They will still be delicious!
Can I use steel cut or quick oats?
I would not recommend using steel cut or quick oats in these carrot cake baked oatmeal cups because it will change the texture.
Can I make these vegan?
I think a flax egg or a chia egg will work well in this recipe but haven’t tested it to be sure. Learn how to make a flax egg here and let me know in the comments if you give it a try.
How to make carrot cake oatmeal cups
The best part about these oatmeal cups is that they’re easily made in just one bowl. So easy! Here’s how to make them:
- Prep your pan. Preheat the oven and line a muffin tin with muffin liners. I recommend spraying your liners with cooking spray to prevent sticking. See notes to make it in a 9×9 inch pan instead!
- Mix the wet ingredients. Mix together the carrots, applesauce, eggs, almond milk, maple syrup and melted coconut oil.
- Stir in the dry. Then add in the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Finally, gently fold in your shredded coconut, pecans and raisins.
- Baking them up. Evenly distribute your carrot cake oatmeal mixture into the lined muffin tray and bake for 25-30 minutes until they’re set and longer look “wet.”
- Add the glaze and enjoy! Make your glaze by mixing the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond milk, and then drizzle or pipe it onto each baked oatmeal cup.
Want to make regular carrot cake baked oatmeal?
It’s easy! Make this a carrot cake oatmeal bake by pouring the batter into a 9×9 inch pan and baking for 40-50 minutes until slightly golden brown on the edges and the center is set.
Tips for storing & reheating baked oatmeal cups
- In the fridge: bake these carrot cake baked oatmeal cups ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Once ready to eat, just reheat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Freezer-friendly carrot cake baked oatmeal cups: allow them to cool completely after baking, then place them in an airtight container or reusable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, you can microwave them for 45 seconds-1 minute or until warm. I suggest freezing them without the the glaze and simply adding the glaze when you’re ready to enjoy them.
Recommended tools
Don’t forget to check out all of our favorite kitchen essentials.
More carrot cake recipes you’ll love
- Healthier Carrot Cake Banana Bread with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Carrot Cake Smoothie
- Healthy Carrot Cake Cookies (made with coconut oil + dairy free!)
- The Best Healthy Carrot Cake You’ll Ever Eat (gluten free & paleo-friendly!)
- Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze
Get all of our amazing carrot cake inspired recipes here!
I hope you love these delicious, easy carrot cake baked oatmeal cups! If you make them I’d love for you to leave a comment and a rating letting me know how you liked them. I greatly appreciate it – xoxo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium carrots)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon melted and cooled coconut oil
- Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- For the cream cheese glaze:
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, to thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray to prevent oatmeal cups from sticking.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded carrots, applesauce, eggs, almond milk, maple syrup and coconut oil until smooth and well combined.
- Next stir in dry ingredients: oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir well to combine. Fold in shredded coconut, chopped pecans and raisins.
- Evenly distribute oatmeal batter between muffin liners and bake for 25-30 minutes or until oatmeal cups are set.
- To make the cream cheese glaze: in a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and almond milk. Drizzle or pipe over the oatmeal cups. Makes 12 oatmeal cups.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on March 25th, 2020, republished on April 1st, 2021, and republished on April 5th, 2022.
200 comments
Hi there! I want to make these for my son who has a TON of food sensitivities! Can I use 2 flax eggs instead? And I dont have any raisins or nuts right (don’t know if that would go over well with him anyway), would it change too much if I just omit these?
Hi! I haven’t tried using flax eggs but I think it might work. Let me know if you try it! Also they should be fine without raisins or nuts.
I made these with my 4 year old. Very easy to make, and we subbed in regular milk because that’s what we had and it seemed to turn out fine. Preschooler, toddler, and adult approved!
Perfect! So happy everyone loved them!
I would love to make these! One question – is there something you would suggest to use in place of coconut? I don’t have any and this sounds delicious!
You could use 1/4 cup oat flour or 1/3 cup more oats!
These are delicious! I have made healthy carrot muffins before but these carrot oatmeal bakes are the best! So moist and flavourful. These are going to be made on a regular basis!
Amazing! I’m so glad you love them 🙂
Delicious and easy to make!
One of my new favs! Glad you loved them!
This looks amazing! A couple questions can I use honey instead of maple syrup and vegetable oil instead of coconut? Don’t have these 2 things in my pantry! Thanks!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! The only thing I’m missing is cream cheese for the frosting. Any recommendations for substitutions (or other glazes/frostings that I could make instead)?
Try the glaze from these cookies! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/chewy-carrot-cake-oatmeal-cookies/
These are delicious! The texture is out of this world and the glaze makes these seem much more decadent than they really are (it invokes the feeling that I’m eating a cinnamon roll)! Oh my, it totally satisfies my sweet tooth as a dessert but also makes a perfectly filling snack in-between meals. I will
continue making these again and again. Thank you!
Absolutely! Such a great, nourishing breakfast (that tastes like dessert 😉 ).
I’m making these this week and freezing for meal prep and I can’t wait! I’ve been craving carrot cake! Can these be frozen with the glaze if I just do a small drizzle like your photos? Or would you recommend freezing without the glaze?
Love that! I’d recommend freezing without the glaze 🙂
Very tasty and great to store for a quick breakfast. I have made these multiple times always using a flax egg substitute, which worked out just fine.
Absolutely! I’m glad the flax egg works out well 🙂
Delicious! Easy to make and very tasty. Chock full of “healthier” ingredients. Thanks!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I liked the flavor of the recipe. I just made a few changes to my liking. I added 1/2 a cup of crushed pineapple, a 1/4 teaspoon of all spice, and because the batter was a lot more liquidy than I am use to, I added 1/2 a cup of flour.. .I know I know..not gluten free but it worked out fine. The other adjustments I made is I added 1/4 cup brown sugar, I used granola because I did not have any oatmeal oats. Overall they came out delicious. I just noticed they were not very cake like as they did not rise very much but they were very moist and I would definitely recommend this simple and tasty recipe. Thank you!
Hi Celia! All of those changes are likely what made these not rise very much and have lots of extra moisture. Glad you liked them regardless!
I loved having these in the morning! The icing is perfect for people who like a little more sweetness to their baked goods. The consistency was definitely different than I expected but I loved it (I had never made oatmeal cups before). Definitely a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed! Perfect breakfast 🙂
The mixture was way too moist. Had to add a cup of flour. Then couldnt get paper liner off. Taist was great
Sorry to hear you had issues! These were perfect for me when I tested them a few times. The paper liner likely stuck if you did not grease the inside of the muffin liners.
These have been great if you’re someone who needs a quick on-the-go breakfast. Meal prep win!
Absolutely! Love that.
Hi! I’m planning on making these tomorrow. I’m at a higher altitude (5,000 ft above sea level). Are there any adjustments I should make to the recipe before making it since I’m at a higher altitude?
Hi! I think they should be fine as is!
These turned out very well – I modified for a toddler by omitting the maple syrup and glaze. And actually, I used the same amount of grated apple instead of applesauce. But thanks for a great recipe. My kids loved them!
Perfect! Great snack or breakfast 🙂
I’ve made them a bunch of times. Usually I make them with whole milk, finally tried coconut milk, they were much moister and better. My husband loves them, particularly the frosting as I quadruple the recipe.
Perfect! So happy to hear that 🙂
Hi there! I followed the recipe to the letter and they came out great. I’m not a big fan of coconut in desserts and I was tempted to leave it out but in the end I decided to try it as is and I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty and balanced result. Thank you so much!!!
Hi! So happy to hear that 🙂
Just made these this morning and they are SO yummy! For the icing I decided to use some powdered xylitol with a bit of unsweetened almond milk and then added a scoop of collagen peptides to increase the protein a little. Just right in my opinion! Thank you for a healthy, yummy baked oatmeal (muffin) recipe!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great breakfast 🙂
Will these hold together without the coconut? Or what possible subs-chopped apple, dried mango, or something?
Just add a little more oats and they should be fine!
I made these and they were fantastic! I made them exactly as written except I swapped the nuts for pumpkin seeds because I can’t eat nuts. Oh and I made more frosting too because frosting is soooo yummy. I can’t wait to make them again. My kids loved them too.
Love it! Perfect breakfast or snack 🙂
I have been gluten free for 5 years and weight training for 3 years. I have stopped baking, because I haven’t been able to find recipes that interest me and support my diet restrictions and taste good. I found this recipe “Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups” and I was very excited that it covered all my requirements. So, I set out to make these today and they were scrumptious!!!! Love, Love, Love.
So glad you found these ones! Perfect breakfast 🙂
These muffins are SO good! They’re so moist and one of my favourite snacks!
I’m so glad!!
I just tried this recipe because it looks so good, my cups are in the oven right now.. But i have a question, what is the use of the baking powder since there is no flour? it won’t rise in the oven..
they do rise quite a bit in the oven as the baking powder will react to the other ingredients and create a nice fluffy texture!
These are a family favorite and they freeze wonderfully. I often meal prep for my sister and she asks for these every time. Her picky eater 4 year old son loves them too. I left out the nuts due to an allergy and didn’t add the icing.
Love it! Such a great breakfast 🙂
This was my first recipe from your blog and these came out perfectly. My batch made a little more than 12 muffins, so I put the leftover batter in a small loaf pan and added some chocolate chips for a sweeter option. When pouring the batter, I thought it was a little too thin, but I trusted the recipe and they were great – super moist and delicious.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Hello! I love all your baked oatmeal recipes, and I’m wondering if this recipe could be made into baked oatmeal (in 8×8 pan) instead of as cups?? Thanks!!
Hi! Yes that should work out well 🙂
Made these today and loved them! Followed the recipe exactly. I think they’re perfect without the icing, but I’m sure that would be excellent, too.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
These baked oatmeal carrot cake cups are delicious! Easy to make and full of flavor! Made the recipe as is except using extra oats in place of the coconut. We will definitely make these again!
So glad you enjoyed!
SO GOOD! Love them without the icing maybe more than with?!
The best!!
Pretty good, but definitely not very sweet. I subbed Chocolate chips in place of raisins.
These aren’t meant to be very sweet as they’re a baked oatmeal, but chocolate chips sound great! If you’re looking for something a little sweeter try my carrot cake muffins 🙂
Delicious! I subbed currants for the raisins since I didn’t have them. Definitely will make again.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
So good. I cut the recipe to make 4 servings and baked it in a small Pyrex dish. Reheats well too!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
5 stars! I call them my carrot cake cupcake muffins. So delicious. So light and not overly sweet. Scrumptious with or without the frosting. You have to make these!
Love that! So glad they’re a favorite!
These Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups are sooo good! Made them Easter morning for the family and we all enjoyed them!! I love that I now have some left over to pop in the microwave! Def make these!!
Love that! Glad they were a hit!
I made the recipe as directed. Yummy. I made for brunch on Easter along with other items. Next time I’m leaving off the frosting. They were so good, it didn’t need it.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Should I use the smaller grater or large grating side for the carrots? Thanks!
Smaller is best! 🙂
Where are the amounts of oats, apple sauce, etc. The only measurement I see is 1 cup of carrots and a single egg. Wanted to try this, but WHY is there no measurements? Looked and looked but didn’t see any.
Hi! You’ll find the full recipe at the very bottom of the post. Feel free to scroll all the way down or click the “Jump to Recipe” button that’s under the photo at the very top!
Fantastic recipe! Truly scrumptious and a hit with my four year old. He actually prefers them without the icing so even better! We’ve made them twice they’re so good.
Love that! Perfect breakfast or snack 🙂
Delicious! Super decadent and flavorful, but health-ified. Great breakfast that feels like a treat. Easy to make. Will definitely be in the rotation for easy to grab breakfast post-partum.
Absolutely! Glad you loved these!
So good! We love your peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cups so I knew these would be equally delicious. I did not have cream cheese so I melted a little coconut butter instead for the glaze ingredients. Yum! Baked for about 27 minutes as a double batch of cups.
Perfect! Love that!
Amazing!! Delicious!! Easy to make!! My boyfriend who doesn’t normally like baked things, such as muffins and cakes, really enjoyed these and I will make them again. Also shared the recipe with my Mom and sister who love to try new recipes.
So happy to hear that!!
These have been so useful on busy mornings when I don’t have time for a long sit down breakfast with my two year old. We pop two in the microwave and she eats happily on the walk to nursery
So happy to hear that! Perfect breakfast to make ahead of time.
Mine didn’t stick together, maybe because I left out the coconut they were to wet . They seemed a little bland, I think adding some orange zest would give these the added flavor needed (if you dont like coconut, the orange zest would be good taste)
The coconut does help them stay together well, so I would suggest keeping it in next time! Orange zest sounds great 🙂
This is one of my favourite muffin recipes! So easy to make and delicious.
I’m so glad!!
So delicious and easy to make! I will be making these again and again!
Glad you loved them!
I loved this recipe!! Great ingredients, super quick and easy as well. I would maybe add a little more icing because I just wanted it a little sweeter.
So glad you enjoyed! And feel free to double up on the glaze if you’d like 🙂
These are so delicious and healthy. I made a batch and then froze them to take out for a quick breakfast when needed. Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you loved them, Alicia!! Great idea to freeze a bunch for later 🙂
I just made these for the first time – and I am quite sure I’ll be making them again! They are so quick and simple to make, and incredibly delicious and satisfying!
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Deanna 🙂
This is on repeat at our house. We use GF oats and DF milk (usually coconut or almond) I ran out of raisins so I threw in some chopped green apples. We baked it in a 9×9 pan and it was fantastic as always, thank you.
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m so happy you love these. Great idea to add apples 🙂
Its really amazing website It really helpful for me. Thanks for sharing it.
I absolutely love this recipe, it’s so easy and delicious! I have tried other baked oat recipes but none taste quite like a real treat like these do!
The first time I made these, I did not make any major substitutions and they were perfect. The second time I did and I regret it. I would advise people not to replace the applesauce with banana, the banana made them soggier and mushier on the bottom. And I left out the sweetened coconut, which I wouldn’t recommend because it made them a lot less sweet.
But overall, amazing recipe!
So happy you’re enjoying these!! And good to know about those subs 🙂
That’s is an amazing and beautiful Recipe. I really love it. It makes my day super. thanks for it
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
Its really and amazing and delicious recipe really love it, Thanks for sharing
Yummy! I made these without glaze as my husband is diabetic and still so tasty. Made it in 9×9, cut into 12 servings & freezing for breakfast on the go.
Its an amazing website. It really helpful for me. Thanks for sharing it.
Really an amazing blog post thanks for sharing
Its an amazing website. It really helpful for me. Thanks for sharing it.
The flavor of these was great! The batter was too liquidy and they turned out a little too moist and fell apart easily. I’ll use less milk next time.
Hmm that’s strange, I haven’t had that happen! Good call on reducing the amount of milk 🙂
Nice blog! Thank you for sharing a valuable information and I hope keep posting.
Amazing! I’m very happy. Everyone loves them
It is really amazing it is first useful for me thanks for sharing
I am not a fan of maple syrup. Can I use honey instead?
Hello! I think honey should work ok in here. Enjoy!
Just made these. Great way to enjoy oatmeal. They’re yummy but remember it’s an oatmeal breakfast item not a cake like muffin.
These were delicious! I did make some modifications that were mentioned. I used banana instead of applesauce, butter instead of oil, used whipping cream diluted with water to make milk and added some sugared walnuts. Finally I just dusted them with powdered sugar instead of the drizzle of cream cheese frosting, mainly because I didn’t have any cream cheese. I will be making these often with different variations. Thanks for a great recipe!
Nice! So happy you loved these. And the subs sound great 🙂
I omitted the maple syrup and the glaze, as I was making it for the little ones too, and it was still so good! The raisins give it enough sweetness in every bite. A great breakfast or anytime snack! Thanks for another good one 🙂
Glad they were still delish! Thanks, Melinda 🙂
I really enjoy the blog. Thanks for sharing this informative blog
I would like to make this for passover, could i use almond meal or matzo cake meal
Thank You for your feedback
Hi, Eileen. I haven’t tested either of those so I can’t be sure, sorry! Almond flour might work, though. Let me know if you end up trying it 🙂
These are THE BEST snack for spring! These oatmeal cups are soft, chewy, and the perfect amount of sweetness, and the cream cheese glaze is *chef’s kiss*!
Such a great one to keep on hand for easy breakfasts, right?? I’m so glad you love them, Stacy!
These are now my toddler’s new favourite. I switched the pecans for walnuts and used cashew milk (Elmhurst) for a nut milk. The banana I used was small so I still added a small amount of the applesauce. Best part … When I opened the cream cheese, it had spoiled so I used mascarpone instead … and it was fabulous!!! Overall a great recipe / thank you!
These sound awesome! I was thinking about adding protein powder to them to make them a little higher protein for the morning. Would you suggest this or do you think it would ruin them?
Hi, there! I haven’t actually tried that for these, but you could maybe add a couple scoops plus extra almond milk so that the batter’s not too thick. (You can watch the video in the blog post to see what the batter consistency should be like 🙂)
Love these muffins! They are moist,flavorful & healthy! I added sugar free chocolate chips to mine & made a sugar free glaze. They would be just as good without either!
I made this as an oatmeal bake. And… holy yummy goodness! I used brown sugar instead of maple as we were out of the syrup. I think it turned out a bit sweeter than the recipe intended but it was darn good. The thing will be gone within 24 hours 😬
I’m not sure if this has been asked already or not but can you use vegetable oil in place of the coconut oil? I got all the ingredients I didn’t have from the store to make these but forgot the coconut oil. 🙁
Yep that should work just fine!
Hi Monique, these muffins look delicious! I was curious if you had any guidance on how I could incorporate a plant based protein powder into the muffins for added protein?
Hi, Alex! I haven’t actually tried that for these, but you could maybe add a couple scoops plus extra almond milk so that the batter’s not too thick. (You can watch the video in the blog post to see what the batter consistency should be like 🙂 )
QQ – what is accounting for the 5g saturated fat? Seems like a lot at breakfast but can’t find anything in the list of ingredients that looks like it contributes? Thanks!
Hi! It’s from the coconut oil + shredded coconut + cream cheese in the glaze 🙂
I baked it today.
Excellent recipe , steps are easy to follow ,
So much flavor .
I actually used fresh pineapple instead of the apple sauce that I puréed in a small food chopper .
Give it a try ,
So happy you tried and loved these, Mila! Love that you added pineapple — sounds amazing 🙂
Loved these! Used veg oil in lieu of coconut because I didn’t have it and omitted pecans so they are toddler friendly. They taste plenty sweet to me. I skipped the cream cheese glaze, but a little whipped cream makes these a decadent treat! Texture is great, just note that these are oatmeal cups NOT muffins so they’re going to be a different texture.
SO glad they came out great, Christine! Thanks so much for leaving a review. And whipped cream sounds AMAZING as a topping 😍
Made these for the first time and they are delicious. I used honey instead of maple syrup and we didn’t use the cream cheese topping to save on sugar. I loved the textures with the oats and pecans. Thanks so much!
SO happy they came out great, April! Thanks so much for the review!
I followed this to a T and the muffins just fell apart in the wrapping and there was twice as much batter. I’m very confused
Hmmm I’m not exactly sure what you mean. Are you saying they fell apart after baking? And did you use a standard size muffin tin?
These were relatively simple to make and a great healthy treat that’s good to have on hand for breakfast, a snack or dessert!
Can I skip the cupcake liners if I spray the cupcake pan with PAM? I would also use a jumbo size muffin pan, will they come out without the liners?
That should be ok, but I always use liners just to be safe!
Love carrot cake! THis would be great to make.
Hope you can try them!! 🙂
Are the oats supposed to be ground up to a powder or whole?
Whole!
These turned out great! I need to incorporate more oats in my diet and I can’t wait to try some other recipes. I did sub dried cranberries for raisins, and added some crystallized ginger pieces for an interesting bite. No glaze needed, so yummy! Thanks!
Great recipe, I used baked apples instead of applesauce it came out delicious
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed.
Wow! These are amazing! I didn’t have the traditional, unsweetened applesauce. I had no sugar, strawberry applesauce, so I used that. I also didn’t have raisins. I did have dried mango, so I cut that up. I also didn’t have pecans, so I used chopped almonds! These are amazing. I absolutely love the flavor and all the amazing textures.
I have made these in a pan on several occasions, sometimes I replace the raisins with pineapple pieces. It’s delicious either way
These did not turn out for me. I had doubled the recipe and made a decision to decrease the almond milk by 1/2 cup as could tell the batter was too liquidy. I did gently grind half the oatmeal but still made sure to have 4 cups. I did not have the dessicated coconut but instead added more raisins and some dark chocolate chips. Any idea why this didn’t work out? I’m refraining from rating the recipe as it could be something I did wrong. Otherwise I’m sure I would have loved it as has my favorite ingredients.
What did not turn out?
These look amazing!
I made these, and they are delicious but turned out a bit wet. I baked for 30 min so they’re definitely cooked. Next time I’m going to try grinding half the oats in my nutribullet to make a flour. I think that might help with the wetness. Thank you for a healthy and delicious alternative to muffins!
I made these over the weekend and they were a big hit. The only substitution I made was non dairy cream cheese in the icing. They are very filling and not overly sweet. I will definitely be making these on repeat
Yay! I am excited to hear that you are loving this recipe and that it turned out great for you ❤️
I have replaced the raisins with crushed pineapple, delicious.
Yay! SO glad this recipe turned out great for you, sounds delicious!
Yum, yum, yum! I love carrot cake, so does the hubby.
Yay! I am so glad 🙂
These are moist but very flat; they need a lot more spice to compare with regular carrot cake. I was very disappointed. I’m on a dairy free, sugar free, gluten free diet and find most baked goods blaaah tasting.
So sorry these did not turn out as you had hoped. I have lots of other good gf/df recipes on my site. Hope you give them a try!
These turned out great! My batter was a bit “wet” when I filled the muffin cups, so I had to bake a little extra long, approximately 15-20 extra minutes. But, turned out delicious and moist.
I subbed 2 small bananas for the apple sauce (2/3) cup. I also used GF oatmeal. I didn’t have maple syrup, so just left it out. Taste great without. Thanks for the recipe!
I tried – followed all the directions but swapped maple syrup and used a couple tablespoons brown sugar. They did not puff up or really come together. The inside had a gummy texture, even though I baked them for longer because the seemed raw inside. They tasted OK but a weird gummy yet but crumbly texture.
Question: When I put the coconut oil in the microwave to melt it, it literally broke my microwave! It flashed and buzzed loudly like what happens when metal is in it, but it was simply a glass cup and the coconut oil. It was so weird. Has this happened to anyone else??
Hi! I would recommend subbing a liquid sweetener for the maple syrup, it’ll change the consistency of the batter which will change the end result… I have never had that happen to coconut oil, I would recommend melting it in intervals (10-15 seconds at a time). Hope that helps!
These are delicious!! I have made them 2x so far. 1x with applesauce and the second time with ripe bananas instead! The ripe bananas were a little sweeter. I like grinding 1/2 of my oats into flour. I don’t make the frosting but simply top them with whipped cream cheese! Like I said delicious!! I don’t eat oatmeal but I love these!! Thanks for my new favorite recipe!!
Nice!! Love the idea of using bananas in here. Thanks for sharing! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
These were delicious, I just used lactose free milk in them as I didn’t have the almond milk in the house. Love them nice that they don’t use artificial sweetners
Sounds amazing, so glad you’re loving this recipe and they turned out great for you, Kim ❤️
Omg I love these muffins!!! I just happened across this recipe and so thankful I did!!! Thank you 😊 I work long crazy hours and these are perfect for the road.
Only thing I changed was, I used crasins (I don’t like raisins for some reason) and added more cinnamon because I LOVE CINNAMON lol.
First time I made them, I used the glaze, which yum yum! But I decided to go without the glaze, because of the sticky mess they make in my lunch box (I only have a couple of minutes to eat…hard to explain my job and time, but I usually eat 1 of these completely in about 2-3hrs 😢 yes that’s how long it takes to be able to enjoy 1 without scarfing down my food ) anyway sorry for long post
BOTTOM LINE THSES ARE THE BEST!!! THANK YOU!
WOO! This is seriously the best, Bobbi 🙂 I am SO glad you’re loving these muffins and they turned out great for you!
Love these so much!
So glad you’re loving this recipe, Kate!
These look fabulous! I need a breakfast dish to take to a ladies potluck. Do you think these would work in a mini muffin tin? Is it important to use a muffin liner?
Sure! I would probably decrease the baking time a bit.
Your cupcake recipes are so easy to do, it’s hard to resist. 🙂 I made these with a few changes. As I don’t like raisins and walnuts, I used dried cranberries and roasted hazelnuts. I used oat milk and added cardamom with cinnamon. I am also not a fan of white glaze, so I added a bit of melted dark chocolate on top. It was brilliant! For next time, I will put chocolate chips in the mixture. 😀
Your cupcake recipes are so easy to do, it’s hard to resist. 🙂 I made these with a few changes. As I don’t like raisins and walnuts, I used dried cranberries and roasted hazelnuts. I used oat milk and added cardamom with cinnamon. I am also not a fan of white glaze, so I added a bit of melted dark chocolate on top. It was brilliant! For next time, I will put chocolate chips in the mixture. 😀
I see most of the nutritionals posted except the one I really need- what is the sodium per serving please on the carrot cake oatmeal cups
Hi, Eve! So sorry, we don’t include sodium content in our recipes because it can vary so much depending on the brands of ingredients you use. Feel free to leave out the salt + leave off the cream cheese glaze to reduce the sodium!
I made these in normal, greased muffin tins which was a mistake. The batter is VERY wet and like the recipe says you need liners. Also used a flax egg with a ratio of 1:2 flax, water bc I thought this might happen
Sorry to hear that! Let me know if you try it again with liners – that should help!
Another wonderful recipe! I gave some to my 2 year old toddler and he gobbled it up! I always look to your recipes to feed him and it has been so helpful.
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
The first time I made these I did them as muffins and they were so good! This time, I made it into baked oatmeal for ease, I replaced the raisins with dates because I had them already and prefer them, and instead of doing the drizzle, I made a Greek yogurt “frosting” for extra protein! I mixed about 1 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt with maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, then spread it on the baked and cooled oats. It was AMAZING all week long! Like eating cake for breakfast.
That sounds delicious!!
Imade this recipe in a 9inch square pan. Iined it with parchment. The only thing I didnt have is the raisins and I used sweetened coconut.
Baked as directed. It took about 45 minutes in my oven. I love the texture and its so delicious. I wouldn’t change a thing. I will be making this often!
Thank you
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Made 3 times now…delicious recipe. I don’t do dairy so I skipped the icing but drizzle honey on top before eating and it’s scrumptious! The first time I made them I didn’t have raisins so I substituted Craisins. The honey on top paired really well with the tartness of the Craisins.
Perfect! So glad you love these!
This just wasn’t my favorite thing I’ve made from AK. It needs a bit more sweetness and it’s a bit mushy. Maybe it needs a little binder of some kind of flour, GF or otherwise? Anyway, I have other favorites I’ll make instead.
Hmm the oats and shredded coconut should help them bind, but you could try reducing the applesauce a bit? If you add more maple syrup I’d also suggest adding a bit more rolled oats.