These healthy carrot cake oatmeal bars taste like a decadent treat filled with nuts, oats, banana and tons of shredded carrots. Enjoy the taste of carrot cake in these easy carrot banana oat bars perfect for breakfast or a quick snack.
As you slice into these carrot cake oatmeal breakfast bars, the aroma of warm spices and sweet carrots fills the air, instantly transporting you to a cozy kitchen. It's like a slice of comfort that you can enjoy for breakfast or as a pick-me-up during the day.
These bars have been my go-to whenever I crave the flavors of carrot cake but want something wholesome and energizing. And the kids love them too!
As you sink your teeth into the cake-like texture, you'll discover the perfect balance of sweetness and nuttiness. It's a treat that's become a favorite in our house, and I can't wait for you to experience the same joy.
Whether you're preparing a quick breakfast, planning a nutritious snack, or even looking for a healthier dessert option, these carrot cake oatmeal bars have got you covered. Packed with nutritious ingredients and bursting with the classic carrot cake flavor, they're a wholesome choice that doesn't compromise on taste.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Cake-like: they have a cake-like texture and classic carrot cake flavor in a perfect bite size healthy snack. Thick, chewy and almost fudgy.
- Balanced: carrot cake for breakfast? These squares will balance out your day starting with a healthy breakfast and oatmeal recipe. Need extra protein? Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder with an extra mashed half banana to balance the moisture.
- Diet friendly: gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, sugar-free oatmeal breakfast bars. A quick breakfast made from wholesome ingredients and vegan.
- Quick to make: easy and flavorful and full of healthy ingredients. An on-the-go breakfast or perfect snack made with only a handful of ingredients.
- No added sugar: these oatmeal breakfast bars are naturally sweetened with dates.
Love these carrot oat bars? Try my other healthy bars and snacks like energy snack seed bars, no-bake black bean brownies, chocolate chip granola bars, almond cherry granola bars and 3-ingredient oatmeal breakfast cookies. Or my favorite healthy carrot cake recipe with vegan cream cheese frosting. Yum!
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make healthy carrot cake oatmeal bars:
Recipe Notes:
- Cashews, walnuts and pecans: adds texture and crunch.
- Quick cooking rolled oats (gluten free): will give the bars a smoother texture.
- Bananas: add creaminess to these easy oatmeal bars.
- Fresh carrot: full of fresh flavor and nutrients.
- Dates: add natural sweetness. I like to use medjool dates to bind the bars as they have a sweet, caramel flavor without the need for coconut sugar or brown sugar. Also, no need for room temperature eggs or flax egg for binding.
- Dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger: add just the right amount of warming spices and carrot cake flavors.
See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap or interchange the nuts with pecans, chopped almonds, pistachios or pumpkin seeds.
- Do not swap with butters like almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower butter, this will make the wet ingredients too moist and make it difficult to cut into bars.
- Substitute for old fashioned rolled oats if you like more texture in your healthy carrot cake bars. Or steel cut oats for more chew.
- Fresh carrots can be substituted with grated parsnips in this easy recipe.
- Raisins or dried cranberries would make great add-ins. You can also swap in chia seeds or hemp hearts.
How to Make Healthy Carrot Cake Breakfast Bars
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch baking pan with two sheets of parchment paper in a criss-cross pattern to cover bottom and sides of pan.
Step 2: Add cashews, pecans, oats, bananas, carrots, dates, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt to food processor.
Step 3: Mix until combined and mixture sticks together easily.
Step 4: Pour mixture into prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until firm.
Step 5: Cool completely in pan and cut into bars or squares.
Note - no need for a perfectly smooth batter when mixing. You want the bars to have some texture.
Expert Tips
Add-ins: raisins or dried cranberries would work well. Use other nuts like almonds, pecans or pistachios. You can also swap in chia seeds or hemp hearts.
More texture: mix all ingredients except carrots in the food processor, then pulse in the carrots at the end to have larger layers of carrots throughout the healthy carrot cake bars.
More sweetness: add a drizzle of maple syrup to the top of the baked bars. Or add a layer of vegan cream cheese like in my delicious carrot cake recipe.
Common Questions
If you want to bump up the protein, feel free to add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder. You can also add hemp hearts or chia seeds. You may need a mashed half banana extra to maintain a moist crumb.
Yes, you can make these breakfast bars nut free by leaving out the chopped walnuts. You can also substitute with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds if you like.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: the carrot cake breakfast bars can be stored in an airtight container for a week. If stacking the bars, make sure to separate each layer with a sheet of parchment paper.
Freezer - the bars can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Wrap each bar or square individually with parchment paper, wax paper or plastic wrap for a quick grab-and-go snack.
More Gluten-Free Granola Bars
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Recipe
Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars
Equipment
- 1 8-inch square baking dish lined with parchment paper
- 1 small food processor
- 1 box grater to grate carrots
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (225 grams) raw cashews
- 1 cup (110 grams) walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup (105 grams) quick cooking rolled oats (gluten free)
- 2 large (275 grams) bananas (1 cup mashed)
- 1 large (170 grams) carrot, peeled and grated
- 3-4 (65 grams) dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven: preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch baking pan with two sheets of parchment paper in a criss-cross pattern to cover bottom and sides of pan.
- Process: add cashews, pecans, oats, bananas, carrots, dates, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt to food processor. Mix until combined and mixture sticks together easily.
- Pan: pour mixture into prepared pan and press evenly.
- Bake: bake for 14-16 minutes until firm and toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Cool: cool completely in pan and cut into bars or squares.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. If stacking the bars, separate each layer with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Wrap each bar or square individually for a quick grab-and-go snack.
- No need for a perfectly smooth batter when mixing. You want the bars to have some texture.
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