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
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.
Directions with Pictures
Here's how to make carrot cake energy balls:
- 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.
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.
Storage
Store carrot cake balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
More Healthy Energy Balls
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📋 Recipe
Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked old fashioned oatmeal
- ½ cup carrot shredded; 1 large carrot
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ cup raisins
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature; any kind
- 8 Medjool dates pits removed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Fill a glass container with very hot water. I heat 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, but may not be necessary if dates are very soft.
- Remove dates from water and place in a small food processor.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of the water the dates soaked in to the food processor.
- Pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add additional water to thin the consistency of the paste, if desired.
- Set date paste aside.
- Combine cream cheese, date paste and vanilla extract in a small bowl with beaters. Measure out ½ cup of frosting mixture.
- Combine oatmeal, carrot shreds, coconut flakes, raisins, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Add frosting to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate the dough for about 15 minutes if possible so the batter is easier to work with.
- Form dough into Tablespoon-size balls.
- Refrigerate balls in an airtight container.
Noelle
I love making oatmeal balls but I have never thought of a carrot version, definitely will be trying this soon!
Justine
I might be slightly obsessed with carrot cake. I LOVE THESE! And I especially love that there's no added sugar!
Marjory
I'm a little crazy for carrot cake right now too! Thanks for your comment!
Lo
I don't see in the recipe where to add the raisins. Based on the pictures, I assume they go in with the dry ingredients, whole? Thanks!
Marjory Pilley
Yes! Add raisins with the other dry ingredients. Thank you so much for pointing that out! It's been updated.
Claudia
Is this 75 cal per ball?
Marjory Pilley
Yes it is.