Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Who says you can't eat cake for breakfast?!

This bowl of oatmeal is loaded with sweet carrots, chewy raisins, crunchy pecans, and loads of warm spices. As a delicious hat tip to the frosting you'd typically find smeared over a carrot cake, I've topped the oats with a maple cream cheese drizzle.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal is decadent enough for entertaining for sure. To make it that much easier on myself in the morning, I like to throw all the ingredients in a crockpot the night before. Cook on low for 8-9 hours and you'll have a delicious bowl of oatmeal waiting for you in the morning. Depending on how thick or thin you might like your oats, just add another splash of milk to the bowl to loosen 'em up!

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Ingredients

For the oatmeal

· 4 cups milk or almond milk

· 2 large carrots, peeled and shredded

· ¼ cup maple syrup

· 1 tsp cinnamon

· 1 tsp ground ginger

· ½ tsp ground clove

· ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

· 1 pinch salt

· 1 tbsp vanilla extract

· 1 cup steel-cut oats

· ½ cup raisins

· ½ cup chopped pecans

For the cream cheese drizzle

· 4oz cream cheese, softened

· 2 tbsp maple syrup

· ¼ tsp cinnamon

· Pinch of salt

· 1-2 tbsp milk

For the oatmeal…In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, carrots, syrup, spices and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Whisk in the oats. Add the raisins and pecans. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the oats are cooked through but al dente.

For the cream cheese drizzle…while the oats cook, combine the cream cheese, syrup, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl using an electric mixer. Beat on high until smooth. Add the milk a splash at a time and continue to beat the cream cheese until smooth. The mixture should be pourable but not too runny.

Drizzle a spoonful of the maple cream cheese over a bowl of warm oatmeal!

Serves 4

GF Friendly

Gluten Free Friendly!

Double check your nutrition labels to ensure the oats and nuts are processed in a gluten free facility.