Healthy No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites
These No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites are made with nutritious, whole food ingredients and are sweetened with dates. Gluten and dairy-free options available!
Oh, how I wish I had these Healthy No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites as a kid! Growing up, I was never a huge fan of traditional cakes like chocolate mousse and such… but carrot cake is a WHOLE other story.
It’s just SO good, and I love it just as much today as I did back then. I hope you guys enjoy this delicious and healthy snack option, inspired by my love for all things carrot cake!
This recipe for these homemade no-bake carrot cake energy bites requires zero use of the oven (always a win). Plus, this healthy snack is made with nutritious, whole food ingredients and no added sugar (another win)!
All ingredients are also vegan and gluten-free; however, I love to top mine with a smear of plain Greek yogurt for that “cream cheese” flavour.
The addition of Greek yogurt and peanut butter as toppings adds an extra dose of protein and healthy fat, making this a more filling and balanced snack. Of course, the topping is totally optional and these taste fantastic on their own as well.
Want more energy ball recipe ideas? Check out my roundup of healthy, no-bake energy balls! I’ve also got a roundup of 30+ healthy meal prep snack recipes for even more snack inspiration!
How To Make Energy Bites
Making energy bites is super easy and only requires a few ingredients and steps. For equipment, you will need a food processor, mixing bowl, and baking sheet.
Start by peeling the carrots and removing the pits from the medjool dates.
Then, you’ll want to pulse the carrots in the food processor until they are shredded into tiny pieces. Set these aside into a large mixing bowl.
Next, pulse the dates along with the pecans, walnuts, cinnamon, ground ginger, and a pinch of salt.
You’ll want everything to still have some texture and bite, so make sure not to use the food processor for too long – the dates should be slightly smooth and the nuts should still be in small pieces.
Add the pulsed dates and nuts to the bowl with the shredded carrots. Then, add in the rolled oats and chia seeds. Mix everything until well-combined.
At this point you will likely have to add a few tablespoons of water to the bowl to make things stick together. You’ll know it’s ready when you can make balls of the mixture with your hands.
Scoop a couple spoonfuls of mixture into your hands and roll into balls. If you want, you can then roll these balls into shredded coconut (optional).
Place the balls onto a baking sheet, making sure to leave enough space in between.
Once all the balls are rolled, put the baking sheet into the freezer for at least 30 minutes to let the energy bites harden.
How To Store Energy Bites
Once the carrot cake energy bites have solidified, you can transfer them into an airtight container for storage. The bites can either be stored in the fridge for about a week, or kept for a longer time in the freezer.
If storing in the freezer, be sure to let them thaw for a few minutes before eating.
As you can see, these are a perfect make ahead healthy snack to keep on hand!
Ingredient Nutrition Benefits
Not only do these energy bites taste delicious, but they are jam-packed with nutritious ingredients, too! Let’s break down some of the nutrition benefits.
Carrot Nutrition:
- rich in several micronutrients like:
- vitamin A (from its precursor beta carotene)
- vitamin K
- vitamin B6
- potassium
- biotin
- an excellent source of different carotenoids (beta carotene, lutein, lycopene), which are plant compounds with antioxidant activity
- rich in fibre, with a 1-cup serving providing almost 4 grams!
Rolled Oat Nutrition:
- an excellent source of dietary fibre, particularly the soluble type.
- soluble fibre helps to slow digestion, promote satiety, lower cholesterol, and improve blood sugar control
- a source of different micronutrients like:
- B vitamins
- vitamin E
- manganese
- phosphorus
- copper
- iron
- zinc
- folate
Medjool Date Nutrition:
- rich in dietary fibre (2 dates provide over 3 grams)
- a source of essential micronutrients like:
- potassium
- magnesium
- copper
- manganese
- iron
- vitamin B6
- a source of antioxidants like flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid
- like other dried fruit, they’re a concentrated source of natural sugar and are not a low sugar food
- despite their high sugar content, they also pack in a ton of nutrition benefits and can be enjoyed in moderation!
- the protein, fibre, and fat content of the other ingredients in this recipe will lessen the impact of dates on blood sugar
Chia Seed Nutrition:
- jam-packed with fibre – 2 tablespoons provide 10 grams of fibre, or about 40% of your daily needs
- rich in omega-3 fatty acids
- a source of plant-based protein
- a good source of minerals like:
- magnesium
- calcium
- iron
Walnut Nutrition:
- rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3s
- a decent source of plant proteins
- a good source of micronutrients, like:
- vitamin B6
- vitamin E
- folate
- copper
- phosphorus
- manganese
Pecan Nutrition:
- also rich in heart-healthy fats
- a source of fibre and protein
- rich in micronutrients like:
- vitamin A
- vitamin E
- folic acid
- calcium
- magnesium
- zinc
- a great source of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant
If these aren’t the most nutritious little bites ever, I don’t know what is!!
More Healthy Snack Ideas
- 4-Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Date Balls
- 5-Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Bliss Balls
- No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites
- Healthy Homemade Trail Mix: 3 Ways
- Strawberry Orange Frozen Greek Yogurt Bark
- 4-Ingredient Chia Seed Pudding
Did you give this Healthy No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bite Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Healthy No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw carrots, shredded
- 10 medjool dates
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- sprinkle of sea salt
- Optional: shredded coconut to cover
- Optional: plain greek yogurt, creamy peanut butter (to serve) (benefits of Greek yogurt)
Instructions
- Wash and peel 1-2 carrots (depending on size). Roughly chop and add to a food processor to shred them. Set shredded carrots aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Halve dates and remove pit. Place dates in food processor, along with pecans, walnuts, cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt. Process until nuts are in tiny pieces. Add all processed ingredients into the mixing bowl with shredded carrots.
- Add rolled oats and chia seeds to mixing bowl, and combine all ingredients together with a large spoon. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to get things to stick together.
- With a spoon, grab about a tbsp of mixture and roll into balls (about the size of a ping-pong ball). If you'd like, you can now roll these balls into shredded coconut.
- Place energy bites onto a baking sheet, making sure to leave room between them so they don't stick together. Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes (you can store them in here too!)
- Serve with a dollop of plain greek yogurt and creamy peanut butter, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
Pin it for later:
12 Comments on “Healthy No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites”
Wow, these look INSANE! Can’t wait to try
Hope you loved them hehe. Let me know if you try the Valentine’s Day ones next!!!
Hey they look amazing! But since the schools have no nut policy i cant giVe theSe to my kids for mid snack. Could be plz show something eaqually yummy , full of energy but without nuts? Thanx your amazing!!
Hi Rachna,
Thanks so much! Totally understand the situation! I haven’t tried a nut-free version of this myself, but you could try substituting the nuts with a mix of more oats, or try using different seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, or hemp seeds! The flavours will be a bit different but I’m sure it will taste great. I will make note to test a nut-free energy bite version next – thanks for the idea 🙂
These are incredibLe!! My family loved them. Cant Wait to try more of your recIpes! Thank you so much!!
Thank you so much Joanna!! I’m so happy to hear they were a hit with your whole family :). I can’t wait to see what you try next!
The perfect healthy afternoon pick me up! I’ve taken to keeping these in the fridge each week. Thanks for the recipe Carrie.
Thank you so much, Liane!! So happy to hear you’ve been enjoying these – they’re so great to keep in the fridge for a quick pick me up :). Thanks again for sharing your experience!
Hello, do you know the calorific content of each ball roughly please? They are absolutely delicious 😋
Thank you, Emma! So happy to hear you enjoyed these. I don’t count calories, but you can always enter the recipe into an online nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal or VeryWellFit! I hope that helps!
Hi, this looks fabulous but I’m curious about the raw oats. Should I use quick oats? Raw seem like they would be really chewy or hard to chew?? Thanks!
Hi Beth! Great question! You can certainly use quick oats, but I wouldn’t cook them first. I don’t find that they are hard – they get mixed with all the other ingredients and end up softening quite a bit as they sit! I regularly use raw, rolled oats in energy ball recipes and never have an issue 🙂