Carrot Cake Granola
Carrot cake granola is seasoned with warm spices and packed with crunchy walnuts, sweet bits of pineapple, and white chocolate. It tastes like dessert but is a hearty way to top your yogurt in the morning!
Homemade granola over fresh fruit and yogurt is my favorite way to channel bed and breakfast vacation vibes at home.
The hostess at Pettigru Place in Greenville, where my husband and I enjoyed an anniversary getaway, was kind enough to share this amazing carrot cake granola recipe with me after our visit.
She served it over sliced honeydew melon with a drizzle of vanilla yogurt and the granola sprinkled over the top.
The recipe is so easy to make at home and keeps in an airtight container for weeks. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Tastes Like Dessert: This easy granola tastes just like my favorite carrot cake—spiced, sweet, and cozy—without the guilt of rich cream cheese frosting.
- Pantry-Friendly Ingredients: Made with oats, dried fruit, and a few baking basics, this recipe keeps things simple and affordable.
- Perfect for Batch Prepping: One big tray makes enough for the week, and it stores beautifully for grab-and-go breakfasts or snack bags.
Ingredients
This ingredient list is short, wholesome, and packed with pantry staples:
- Old Fashioned Oats: Also called rolled oats. Just don't try using instant oats, they won't hold up to the baking.
- Shredded Carrots: I bought pre-shredded carrots from the store. They are thicker than shredded carrots grated on a box grater and hold up better to baking. If you shred them by hand, you might want to use a thicker grate or food processor.
- Chopped Walnuts: I had walnut halves and simply broke them into quarters by hand in just a minute.
- Golden Raisins: I love golden raisins, but you could absolutely use regular raisins if you prefer.
- Dried Pineapple: This can be a pricey ingredient and is sometimes tricky to find. If you don't want to use it, you could skip it. I recommend serving your yogurt with fresh or canned pineapple instead!
- White Chocolate Chips: This is a decadent addition to the granola but is totally optional if you want to keep things lighter.
- Unsweetened Coconut
- Brown Sugar
- Maple Syrup
- Vegetable Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Cinnamon
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Mix the Granola
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, coconut, brown sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, shredded carrots, golden raisins, salt, and cinnamon.
Stir until everything is well-coated and evenly mixed.
Baking Instructions
Preheat your oven to 250°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. This will help the granola from sticking to your pan and makes it easier to stir.
Pour the granola mixture onto your prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even toasting.
Add the Mix Ins
Let the granola cool completely. Then stir in the dried pineapple and white chocolate chips if you'd like to use them.
Alternatively, you could use fresh pineapple to build a yogurt parfait.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Store your cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months—just skip the white chocolate chips and stir those in after thawing.
Variations
- Nuts or Nut-Free Granola: You can substitute pecans for the walnuts if you want a slightly sweeter taste. If you need it nut-free, just leave them out.
- Dried Cranberries: Skip the pineapple and use dried cranberries instead of raisins. This is an excellent variation in the fall.
- Extra Spiced: Stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger or a pinch of nutmeg for even warmer spices.
Serving Suggestions
This sweet, crispy granola is so delicious spooned over a bowl of vanilla yogurt. It would be an excellent make-ahead recipe for a special breakfast or brunch for a holiday or wedding/baby shower.
The carrot cake flavor lends itself a perfect match for an Easter breakfast but would make a cute Thanksgiving breakfast to keep on hand, too.
Serve it on a buffet table for a Mother's Day brunch with a variety of yogurts and fresh fruits.
More Easy Oat Recipes
Looking for more delicious ways to use a container of old fashioned oats? Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
📖 Recipe
Carrot Cake Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup dried pineapple chopped to chocolate chip size
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, walnuts, coconut, brown sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, shredded carrots, golden raisins, salt, and cinnamon. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Cook the granola for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. The granola should be golden brown.
- Once the granola has cooled, add the chopped dried pineapple and white chocolate chips.
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