Name: Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked old fashioned oatmeal; 1/2 cup carrot (shredded; 1 large carrot); 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes; 1/4 cup raisins; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature; any kind); 8 Medjool dates (pits removed); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Go ahead and devour delicious Carrot Cake Energy Balls! This no-bake, healthy snack is naturally sweetened with Medjool dates.

We had leftover ingredients from our Pineapple Carrot Muffins; the next thing you know, we were snacking on raw carrot cake energy bites too! Just like our Chocolate Date Balls and Date Balls with Rice Krispies, there's no added sugar, and they're easy to make.

If the flavors of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting make you swoon, then this recipe is an easy way to satisfy those cravings using simple ingredients.

And they're pretty too! These carrot cake protein balls are elegant enough for special occasions like Mother's Day and Easter, especially when you roll them in shredded coconut or chopped nuts.

They're naturally gluten-free, and there's a vegan option too so everyone can enjoy them!

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Ingredients
Directions with Pictures
Tips and Variations
Storage
More Healthy Energy Balls
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Ingredients

These are the healthy ingredients you'll need for carrot cake energy balls:

Old-fashioned rolled oats - Quick oats can be used.
Fresh Carrot - Use a handheld grater or food processor to shred. Make the shreds fine or larger, depending upon your preferences. Pre-shredded fresh carrots are also available at the grocery store.
Coconut flakes - We use unsweetened shredded coconut. Sweetened flakes will make the final carrot cake balls even sweeter.
Cream cheese - Use any type, including plant-based. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes while gathering the other ingredients. Almond butter, peanut butter, or any type of nut butter can be substituted.
Medjool date paste - Puree 6-8 dates in a food processor with a Tablespoon of water. Check out How to Make Date Paste for a full tutorial on making this fantastic sugar substitute. Regular dates, like Deglet Noor, can be used but are not as sweet.
Vanilla extract
Ground Cinnamon
Raisins - Other dried fruit can be used instead.

Note: If you make a batch of our Date Cream Cheese Frosting, replace the cream cheese and Medjool dates with ½ cup of that recipe.

Fingers holding a raw carrot cake energy ball with a bit removed.

Directions with Pictures

Here's how to make carrot cake energy balls:

Picture collage of steps to make carrot cake energy balls: 1) dates soaking 2) pureed dates in food processor, 3) beaters with cream cheese, date mixture 4) combined ingredients in a bowl.

Fill a glass container with very hot water. I heated about 2 cups in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes. Add dates to water, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 5-10 minutes. This step softens the dates and makes them easier to puree, it's unnecessary for already soft dates.
Remove dates from the water and place them in a food processor or high-speed blender. Add one tablespoon of the water the dates soaked and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add additional water to thin the consistency of the paste, if desired.
Combine cream cheese, date paste, and vanilla extract in a small bowl with beaters. Measure out ½ cup of frosting.
Combine oatmeal, grated carrots, coconut flakes, raisins, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Add the cream cheese mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients and combine.
To prevent sticky dough, refrigerate it for about 15 minutes. Firm batter will be easier to roll into tablespoon-size balls.

No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites in 3 rows on a rectangle plate.

Tips and Variations

You'll experience pure bliss eating these Carrot Cake Energy Balls! Here are a few more things to consider:

This is a more or less recipe, meaning you can adjust the ingredient amounts a little bit by adding another tablespoon of date paste to make the recipe sweeter or leaving out the raisins.
The balls are easier to roll if the batter is chilled in the refrigerator.
You may have extra frosting once you measure what's needed for the recipe. Serve the frosting on the side for dipping!
Or, dip the carrot cake balls in white chocolate for a fancier version. Check out How to Dip Candy and Truffles Video Tutorial by Crazy for Crust if you go this route!
Roll the protein balls in walnuts or coconut shreds, as shown in the picture below.
Use dried cranberries, pineapple bits, or apricot for a tasty variation of this recipe.
The yield will vary depending on the size of the balls. Use a teaspoon or Tablespoon ice cream scoop to make consistent-sized balls.

Carrot cake energy balls that have been rolled in coconut and walnuts on a cutting board and one in a bowl.

Storage

Store carrot cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.

More Healthy Energy Balls

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