Sticky chewy, sweet. These Paleo Carrot Cake Bars make you feel like you’re eating just the edges of a very chewy, delicious cookie.
A lot of people I know don’t seem to like vegetables because of its texture. And I get it. Badly prepared veggies can be mushy, wet and soggy.
But these paleo carrot cake bars are among the chewiest desserts I’ve ever made.
They’re also soft, incredibly moist and fall-apart tender.
Ingredients used to make these Carrot Cake Bars
**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Almond flour – I used blanched almond flour
- Carrot – Known for their high beta carotene, vitamin K1, and potassium, carrots are full of fiber and antioxidants and make great crunchy midday snacks. I like to thinly shred the carrots for this recipe so that they’re well incorporated with the other ingredients. I used a box shredder/grater like this one to thinly shred the carrots.
- Eggs – I used regular large eggs
- Salt – Pink Himalayan salt is what I have at home, so it’s what I use, but you can use any kind for this recipe. Since I use only a small amount, the conversion (between kosher and fine salt, for example) isn’t necessary.
- Coconut Sugar – You can use any granulated sugar for this recipe. Coconut, date and maple sugars are less processed sugars I would recommend. Honey and maple syrup should also work, but I have not yet tried. For keto options, you could also use stevia (but be sure to convert according to package instructions).
- Apple Cider Vinegar – lemon juice also works if you don’t have apple cider vinegar
- Coconut Oil – If you don’t have coconut oil, use avocado oil or olive oil instead.
- Walnuts and Raisins – these are completely substitute-able. I love the chew and extra nutrition they provide to the bars and there are plenty of other ingredients that can be used instead. For example, you can use cranberries (I recommend the lower sugar option) or chopped dates if you don’t have raisins. You can use pecans if you don’t have walnuts.
For the Crust I used:
- Almonds – coarsely ground in the food processor or with a knife
- Coconut Oil – The one that’s semi-solid at room temperature like this one
So a couple of notes on the recipe:
I have two versions of this recipe which is 1, with an almond crust (the first photo) and 2, without (the frosted one).
The crust is easy to make if you use a food processor, but definitely not worth it if these bars are the only thing you’re making (I hate washing my food processor).
So you can totally leave out the crust if you don’t want to. You also can coarsely chop almonds with a knife and cutting board–but it can be messy.
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
- Instead of carrots, try using parsnips (carrot’s close but less known relative) instead
- Add 1 tsp cinnamon into the batter
- Add 1 tsp of turmeric to boost up nutrition and color
What are some ways you can eat these?
- Right out of the oven as soon as it’s cool enough to handle
- Frosted with a cream cheese frosting
- Drizzled with maple syrup or my healthy 2-ingredient almond butter frosting
How to Store
Store these bars covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If you need to store them longer, you can place them in the fridge for up to a week or freeze up to 4 months. Defrost at room temperature.
Final Tips
- Use batter right away after prep. They will deflate over time, so I’ve found that you don’t want the batter sitting out on the counter for too long.
- Baking time (as well as serving size) will vary based on the size of your pan, the material (silicone vs metal vs glass) of the pan. Bake until the carrot bars until the color is golden-brown on the top, or until a toothpick comes out clean/dry when poked into the middle.
More Healthy Snack recipes
Here’s the recipe! (makes one 7 x 7 pan)
PALEO CARROT CAKE BARS WITH A CHEWY ALMOND CRUST
Ingredients
Cake Layer
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4-1/3 cup granulated sugar of choice*
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cup almond flour
- 1.5 cup thinly shredded carrot
- 2 Tbsp raisins
- 2 Tbsp walnuts
Crust
- 1/2 cup coarsely ground almonds
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- First, prepare the nut base by mixing 1/2 cup coarsely ground almonds, 2 Tbsp coconut oil, 1/4 tsp baking soda together
- Press the nut base onto parchment-lined 7×7 or another pan about this size.
- In another bowl, cream coconut oil and sugar together until well mixed.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing the carrots/raisins/walnuts last.
- Pour and press the batter over the nut base
- Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
Leave a Reply