These Healthy Carrot Cake Bars taste like a treat but make a healthy breakfast or snack! This is a quick and easy no bake recipe. Save This Recipe! Enter your email and I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Happy Healthy Mama.
Just like you probably shouldn’t admit if you have a favorite in your family, I probably shouldn’t play favorites with my blog recipes. I can’t help it, though. These healthy carrot cake bars immediately made their way to the top of my favorite recipes list the first time I made them.
It’s probably because I just love carrot cake so much. I have a whole lot of carrot-cake inspired recipes on this little website of mine. I have Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes, Carrot Cake Cookies, Carrot Cake Energy Balls, Carrot Cake Oatmeal Muffins, and even a Carrot Cake Smoothie.
All of that, but no actual classic carrot cake recipes. 🤣 That’s because if I can make a healthier version and enjoy the flavor and essence of carrot cake without all the refined sugar and refined flour, I’m going to do just that. These Healthy Carrot Cake Bars do just that, plus they’re really easy to make.
There’s so much to love about this healthy dessert/snack/breakfast. Yep, these are healthy enough to eat for breakfast or a snack. And we most certainly have.
First, they are very low in sugar. The bars are sweetened with dates, raisins, and just a little maple syrup. They are gluten-free, too. I used some rolled oats, but no flour or wheat at all. The texture is perfect! They aren’t Larabar-ish, despite the dates and nuts used to create the bars.
Because carrot cake isn’t carrot cake without a cream cheese frosting, I used real cream cheese for these. I wanted to ensure the frosting stayed nice and thick and I didn’t want to add anymore sugar, so I used liquid stevia drops
to sweeten the frosting. It worked perfectly, but if you don’t have liquid stevia, you can use this recipe for cream cheese frosting sweetened with maple syrup. Let’s check out all the recipe ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients–What You Need
You’re going to love this ingredient list!
Rolled Oats
Oats form part of the base for these healthy carrot cake bars. Consumption of oats has been shown to help lower total cholesterol, control body weight, and have an anti-cancer effect. (source) Quick oats will work, but I never have them on hand.
Walnuts
Walnuts are another part of our base. They have strong anti-inflammatory properties thanks to their omega-3 fatty acids.
Almonds
Another part of the base is almonds. They are high in vitamin E, which is great for keeping your immune system strong.
Dates
Pitted dates help keep the bars together and add sweetness without adding refined sugar.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup adds another layer of sweetness. If you don’t have any or prefer a less-expensive option, try another one of your favorite natural sweeteners, like honey. You can also leave it out if you favor treats that are only lightly sweet.
Raisins
Raisins add more sweetness and keep this more authentically like traditional carrot cake.
Dried Pineapple
If you love regular pineapple in your carrot cake, you’ll love the addition of dried pineapple here. It can be hard to find dried pineapple without added sugar, so feel free to use a few more raisins and leave this ingredient out.
Fresh Carrots
Of course we have shredded carrots in our healthy carrot cake bars! Start with five medium carrots, which will give you 4-5 cups of shredded carrots. This recipe is flexible. You can shred them with your food processor shredding attachment or use a box grater.
Spices
Carrot cake isn’t carrot cake without using warm spices like cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. These are a must.
Cream Cheese
The cream cheese frosting is my favorite part of carrot cake, so I make a healthy simple cream cheese frosting for these bars. If you want to keep yours vegan carrot cake bars, use a vegan cream cheese or try cashew cream cheese frosting.
Liquid Stevia
To keep the added sugars as low as possible, liquid stevia was the answer to sweeten the cream cheese frosting.
Vanilla
Pure vanilla extra lends another layer of flavor to the frosting.
How to Make Healthy No Bake Carrot Cake Bars
These Healthy Carrot Cake Bars could not be any easier. You can use your food processor
for the whole thing. No other bowls needed. If you don’t have a food processor (get one!!), you can chop everything by hand, but it’ll be a bit more work.
And you don’t even need to turn on your oven. This carrot cake bars recipe is a no-bake recipe! They can be ready in about 20 minutes, tops. Here are the steps:
- Using the fine shredding attachment on your food processor, shred the carrots. (Alternatively, use a hand grater)
- Next, put in the S-blade and then add the walnuts, almonds, and dates. Process until everything is broken down and you have a crumbly mixture. Add the oats, raisins, pineapple, maple syrup, and spices and pulse until everything is well mixed. (Alternatively, you can chop the nuts and dates by hand and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. The texture may be slightly different, but it should still work. Disclaimer: I have not tried this.)
- Line an 8X8 inch pan with parchment paper or lightly oiled tin foil. Press the carrot mixture into the pan. Put it in the freezer to help it set while you are making the frosting.
- Rinse out the food processor and put the S-blade back in. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and stevia and process until it is just mixed. Don’t over process. You can use an electric mixer to do this if you don’t have a food processor.
- Use a spatula to put the frosting on top of the bars. Optional: Grate some carrots on top of the cream cheese frosting. See below for how it looks with and without.
- Cut into the size you desire. These need to be stored in the fridge because there is no sugar in the cream cheese. Store them in an airtight container. Enjoy!
(Alternatively, you can chop the nuts and dates by hand and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. The texture may be slightly different, but it should still work. Disclaimer: I have not tried this.)
I cut these healthy bars into small bars for portion control in hopes that I’d be able to eat just one or two in a sitting. It didn’t work. You are going to LOVE these healthy carrot cake bars! But be warned: they are addicting.
Print
Healthy No Bake Carrot Cake Bars
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 30 small bars 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
You are going to LOVE these healthy carrot cake bars! But be warned: they are addicting.
Ingredients
- 5 medium carrots, tops cut off and scrubbed clean (no need to peel)
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 1 cup whole almonds
- 1 cup whole pitted dates, packed
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats, packed
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup dried pineapple pieces (use more raisins if you don’t have these)
- 1/8 cup+1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch salt
for the frosting
- 8 ounces cold cream cheese (can use vegan cream cheese)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 20–30 drops liquid stevia
Instructions
- Using the fine shredding attachment on your food processor, shred the carrots. (Alternatively, use a hand grater) Put in the S-blade and then add the walnuts, almonds, and dates. Process until everything is broken down and you have a crumbly mixture. Add the oats, raisins, pineapple, maple syrup, and spices and pulse until everything is well mixed. (Alternatively, you can chop the nuts and dates by hand and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. The texture may be slightly different, but it should still work. Disclaimer: I have not tried this.)
- Line an 8X8 inch pan with parchment paper or lightly oiled tin foil. Press the carrot mixture into the pan. Put it in the freezer to help it set while you are making the frosting.
- Rinse out the food processor and put the S-blade back in. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and stevia and process until it is just mixed. Don’t over process. You can use an electric hand mixer to do this if you don’t have a food processor.
- Use a spatula to put the frosting on top of the carrot cake bars. Cut into the size you desire. These need to be stored in the fridge because there is no sugar in the cream cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
Recommended Equipment: Food Processor
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: snack recipe
- Method: food processor
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 5.9g
- Sodium: 39.9mg
- Fat: 7.9g
- Carbohydrates: 12.5g
- Protein: 2.8g
This post was originally published in 2015. A video was added in 2019 and process details added in 2024.
Recommended for this recipe: Food Processor
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I hope you love these Healthy Carrot Cake Bars as much as my family does! If you try this or any of my other healthy recipes, please leave a comment and star rating below. It helps other readers know which recipes are tried and true and also helps my recipes be found more easily. I appreciate you! Share your photos of my recipes you make on Instagram and tag me and I’ll feature you!
I am loving this recipe. You know what I love to cook no-bake recipes. Probably this carrot cake will love my kids. They really love cakes. Thanks for the recipe.
Another great recipe!
thank!
Hi Maryea,
Thanks for this healthier carrot recipe. I love this version. I want to cook it this weekend.
Can you sub stevia granular for the liquid?
I think that would work!
Any ideas on what to sub for the oats to make these grain free?
I would try 1/2 cup extra almonds and 1/2 cup extra walnuts. The texture won’t be exactly the same, but I think it’d still be good. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out! Thanks! 🙂
Thank you!!! I wanted to make a sugar-free dessert for my aunt’s birthday, so I tried your recipe. These bars were freaking amazing! They were perfect even without the cream cheese frosting. I am excited to try more of your recipes.
Thanks Lauren! 🙂
These look delicious. Do you have a suggestion for a grain free alternative to the oats?
I wonder if some almond meal would work? It’s worth a shot! 🙂
Wowzers! This is sinfully delicious, without any guilt. I decided not to sub the oats, but next time I think I’ll add some melted coconut oil to help it stick. I also omitted the stevia and the frosting is still perfect. This is definitely going into my recipe book.
Thanks for the feedback, Jane!
These are amazingly delicious! I may have put a tad too much maple syrup in them, because they were a bit gooey.
Carrot cake is my favourite and it’s nice to have a healthier alternative!!
Thank you.
Tara
I’m glad you liked them, Tara! These are definitely one of my favorites. 🙂
Nutrition?
How long do these bars last?
About a week!
…I should have added in the fridge. 🙂
Yum. Thank you. I had a lot of leftover carrot sticks from a BBQ so this recipe was perfect. To make the bars more portable, increase the protein and therefore slow the carbs, I added some plain whey isolate and didn’t frost. Thanks again.
You’re welcome! I’m glad these worked out for you.:)
Thank you for this recipe. Would you say those bars would stay together well enough to be taken on hiking trips?
Yes, I think so! I’m not sure how well the cream cheese will hold up, but I they are good without the frosting, as well!
I would definitely take unfrosted bars on hikes. Thank you. 🙂
im in love. I want to try this but my children are allergic to nuts. What to do?
Oh, my heart hurts for you! If I were you, I’d substitute seeds for the nuts. It won’t be exactly the same, but I think it’ll work. I’d go for larger, sturdier seeds like sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (not chia or sesame). Please let me know if you try it and if it works!
Can you replace the dates with something else?
How do you think these would work if frozen?
man oh man, i am pinning these. or rather, can you just come make them? please?
I would love to make these for you! 🙂
Mmm those look great! Love how healthy they are 🙂
Thanks June!
Wow!! These look amazing! We can’t do walnuts, but I wonder if maybe using all almonds would work? I need to give it a try!
Yes, I think all almonds would work. Let me know if you give it a try!
Oh my goodness! YUM! I have to try these.
Thanks Kelli! I hope you do. 🙂
Holy yum! I loooove carrot cake and I love this healthier version. I may need to try it this weekend.
You really should! 🙂