Description
These Carrot Cake Energy Bites are a wholesome, no-bake snack packed with natural sweetness, warm spices, and wholesome ingredients like carrots, dates, pecans, oats, and peanut butter. Perfect for a quick energy boost or a healthy dessert option, these bite-sized treats combine the comforting flavors of carrot cake in a convenient, nutritious form.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Fruits
- 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/4 cup soft pitted dates
Nuts & Seeds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
Grains
- 1/2 cup oats
Spices
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger powder
Other Ingredients
- 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Process Carrots and Dates: Add chopped carrots and soft pitted dates into a food processor and pulse for about 1 minute until the carrots and dates are cut into small pieces, creating a coarse mixture.
- Add Remaining Ingredients and Combine: Add pecans, desiccated coconut, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder, crunchy peanut butter, vanilla bean paste, and maple syrup to the food processor. Pulse repeatedly, stopping occasionally to push down the mixture on the edges, until all ingredients are combined into a sticky, cohesive mixture.
- Form Energy Bites: Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon (about 1 tbsp in size), scoop out portions of the mixture and roll each into small, round bites using your hands until evenly shaped.
- Store or Serve: Enjoy the energy bites immediately for a quick snack, or store them in an airtight container. For best texture and freshness, refrigerate the bites.
Notes
- These energy bites can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for longer storage.
- For a nut-free version, substitute pecans and peanut butter with sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter.
- You can adjust the sweetness by adding more or less dates or maple syrup to your taste.
- Use rolled oats for best texture; quick oats can make the mixture too fine.
- Make sure to pulse the mixture in short bursts to maintain some texture and avoid over-processing into a paste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 energy bite (approx. 15g)
- Calories: 70 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
