Try these tasty and healthy nut-free carrot cake energy bites! Made with fresh carrots, dates, coconut, rolled oats, and spices, these no-bake treats are allergy-friendly and perfect for on-the-go snacking. This easy recipe is all made in a food processor!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick to make! A food processor makes combining the ingredients a breeze! No need to grate the carrots first (no one likes doing that!) Let the food processor do the work for you.
- These carrot cake energy balls make great snacks for kids' school lunches as they're nut-free! (Coconut can be an allergen for some, but it is a seed, not a nut!)
- I like these carrot cake energy bites as a quick snack after a workout, or late in the afternoon if my energy is lagging a bit.
- Having a healthy bite like these ready in the fridge means I won't be tempted to reach for something less healthy when I'm "hangry!"
I make these on repeat throughout the year, often alternating between these Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Energy Balls, Chocolate Cherry Almond Energy Bites, and No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls! Energy balls are so handy for a quick nutritious snack.
🛒 Ingredients for carrot cake energy balls
You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But before we get to the full recipe, here are a few notes.
- carrots: of course! You'll need one large carrot or 2 medium carrots.
- dates: I like to use soft and squishy Medjool dates, but any dates will do. Make sure they are soft, however. If they seem a little dry to you, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes. This step is important to make sure the dates blend well with the other ingredients, so they can stick together and form balls.
- rolled oats: sometimes known as old-fashioned oats. Use certified gluten-free oats, if necessary.
- coconut: unsweetened, shredded coconut.
- maple syrup: just a couple of tablespoons to help the mixture hold together and add a little natural sweetness. You can omit this if you'd like.
- spices: for those favorite carrot cake flavors, use cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step directions to make this recipe for nut-free carrot cake energy bites perfectly.
- Prepare the ingredients. Peel and roughly chop the carrot, remove pits from the dates (and soften in warm water for 10 minutes if they're not fresh) and measure the rolled oats and the coconut. Have your spices handy.
- Chop the dates in a food processor.
- Add the carrots. When the dates are in small pieces, add the carrots and continue to process until the carrots are finely chopped.
- Add the oats. Next add the rolled oats and pulse, just to break down the oats.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, sea salt, and maple syrup and process until well combined.
- Scoop and roll. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop about one tablespoon of the mixture and form into balls by rolling them in the palm of your hand.
- Chill. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone sheet and refrigerate. Roll in coconut first, if you prefer.
🔁 Possible variations
You can vary this carrot cake energy ball recipe and make it your own with any of the following ideas:
- You can replace ½ cup of dates with ½ cup of raisins if you like.
- If you'd like them to be less sweet, simply leave out the maple syrup.
- If you like white chocolate, add ¾ cup. This will change the flavor and make them much sweeter.
- For extra nutrition, toss in ¼ cup of flax seeds or hemp seeds.
- Roll them in extra coconut, or leave them plain, your choice.
- Instead of forming this mixture into balls, you can press it into a small baking pan. It won't quite fill an 8-inch square pan, so choose something a little smaller. Refrigerate, then slice into squares or triangles once it has been chilled.
👍🏼 Helpful tips to make the best carrot cake energy balls
Using a cookie scoop makes portioning each bite a breeze! Scoop, then press together firmly and roll in the palm of your hands.
You'll need a food processor to finely chop and combine the ingredients for this recipe.
⏰ How long will energy balls stay fresh?
To store: Since these energy balls are made with fresh carrots, they're best stored in the fridge in a covered container. They'll stay fresh for up to a week.
To freeze: You can freeze these carrot cake energy balls in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
🗒 More sweet treats
- Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding (Easy)
- Gluten-Free Maple Walnut Squares
- Sweet and Sea Salty Chocolate Cashews
- Gluten-Free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
When you make these nut-free carrot cake energy bites, please leave a comment and a star rating below. I love hearing from you! Thanks in advance. Subscribe to my newsletter and receive new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Nut-Free Carrot Cake Energy Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cups Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut * plus a little extra for rolling
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Peel and roughly chop the carrot, remove pits from the dates (and soften in warm water for 10 minutes if they're not fresh) and measure the rolled oats and the coconut. Have your spices handy.
- Chop the dates in a food processor. When the dates are in small pieces, add the carrots and continue to process until the carrots are finely chopped.
- Next add the rolled oats and pulse, just to break down the oats.
- Add the coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, sea salt, and maple syrup and process until well combined.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop about one tablespoon of the mixture and form into balls by rolling them in the palm of your hand. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone sheet and refrigerate. Roll in coconut first, if you prefer.
Ben
Made these as an Easter treat - delicous!