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My carrot cake protein bars are sweet, chewy, and coated with a thick vanilla protein frosting. They’re diet-friendly and have 20 grams of protein per bar!
Love all things carrot cake? Try my carrot cake cookies, carrot cake bars, and carrot cake protein balls next.
Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve been eating protein bars since before they were fashionable. That also means I’ve had my fair share of chalky, unimaginative, and overpriced protein bars…
The lack of options is what got me making protein bars from scratch. Since coming up with my homemade protein bar recipe, I’ve been looking to re-create my favorite treats in protein bar form. This time around, we’re tackling carrot cake!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Cheaper than store-bought. Protein bars have skyrocketed lately, and let’s just say the quality has not risen with it…
- Healthier, too. The ingredient list on most bars is chock full of artificial sweeteners and fillers. My bars are made with a shortlist of clean and simple ingredients.
- The perfect texture. I use a mix of oat and coconut flour to give the bars a chewy bite, the almond butter and carrot puree add essential moisture and richness, and the frosting is good enough to eat all on its own.
- No oven needed. Which means fewer dishes, less clean-up, and more time to make protein bars!
Ingredients needed
- Oat flour. I prefer using oat flour since it adds density and fiber. Save money and make your own with only a bag of oats! Use gluten-free oats if needed.
- Coconut flour. This gives the bars a cakey and doughy texture and keeps them from crumbling.
- Protein powder. I strongly prefer vanilla protein powder. As for the type, I used brown rice vegan protein powder, but any kind will do so long as you enjoy the flavor.
- Sweetener. Optional, but recommended if your protein powder is unsweetened. I used allulose, but any sweetener or regular sugar will do.
- Cinnamon. A must for carrot cake.
- Almond butter. For richness and to thicken the bars. Use a drippy, unsweetened brand, or make my homemade almond butter.
- Maple syrup. For sweetness and to bind the ingredients.
- Carrot puree. I highly recommend this over shredded carrots. To make it, steam the carrots until tender, then blend until smooth.
- Milk. To thin the thick batter. I used unsweetened almond milk.
For the protein frosting:
- Vanilla protein powder. The base for the frosting.
- Cinnamon. For flavor.
- Sweetener. Use sweetener or regular sugar.
- Milk. To thin the frosting.
How to make carrot cake protein bars
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix dry ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3- Fold in the wet ingredients. Melt the almond butter and maple syrup until smooth, then add it to the bowl and combine. Add milk, one splash at a time, until you have a thick batter.
Step 4- Chill. Press the batter into the baking dish and chill for 20-30 minutes.
Step 5- Add frosting. Mix the frosting ingredients until creamy, spread on the bars, and chill until firm.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Swap the almond butter. I like the natural sweetness of almond butter, but cashew butter would work well too. For a nut-free version, use sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- Add mix-ins. Like raisins, walnuts, shredded coconut, or extra grated carrots.
- Amp up the spices. Add nutmeg, ginger powder, allspice, or even just a pinch of salt to elevate the other ingredients.
- Make a cream cheese frosting. Mix cream cheese, cinnamon, and sugar until smooth. They’ll have slightly less protein, but the flavor will be spot on.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
To freeze: Place the bars in a freezer bag and freeze for 6 months.
More easy protein bar recipes
Carrot Cake Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup protein powder
- 2 tablespoon allulose optional * See notes
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup almond butter can sub for any nut butter
- ½ cup maple syrup can use brown rice syrup or agave nectar
- 1/2 cup carrot puree cooked carrots blended until smooth
- 1/4 cup milk ** See notes
For the Protein Frosting
- 1/2 cup protein powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon allulose
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, protein powder, granulated sweetener and cinnamon and mix well.
- In a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan, combine the almond butter and syrup and heat until melted. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix well. Add the pureed carrots and mix until combined- The batter should be crumbly. Using a tablespoon, add the dairy free milk of choice one spoonful at a time until a thick, firm batter is formed.
- Transfer to lined baking dish and press firmly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Once firm, frost with frosting, if desired.
For the frosting
- In a small mixing bowl, add the vanilla protein powder, cinnamon and sweetener and mix well. Using a tablespoon, add dairy free milk of choice until a thick batter is formed. Spread on protein bars and refrigerate until firm.
I never mashed carrots in puree before only potatoes. Its nice.
I never buy milk. Is it necessary in this recipe?
Full of flavour, tasty, healthy. Thanks!
All ingrediens I have! I just dont use maple syrup or agave syrup. You think it will be okay without it?
Yes
Good recipe. I like when your recipes contain carrots!
These look awesome!
Question: If I don’t have coconut flour, do you have a recommended substitute?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried, but you could see if extra oat flour works.
What is the macro?
Feel free to calculate it using myfitnesspal or similar
How do you make your mashed carrots?
Steam them 🙂
I keep finding links to these pages with no recipes — was this because they were pulled to put in the cookbook? Wish my Pinterest wall wouldn’t keep suggesting recipes that can’t be accessed 🙁
Hi Rebecca! I’m so sorry, I was having issues with the site earlier- They should be visible now 🙂
There are no calories or nutritional value!!!
That is correct- You can calculate it using a calorie calculator 🙂 Enjoy!
How long can these store for?
Hi Syd! They can be refrigerated for at least a week, or frozen at least 2 months 🙂
Hi can I leave out the protein powder (because I haven’t got any!)
Hi Stephanie, you sure can- Just adjust the milk of choice 🙂
Hi, what’s a large baking sheet? Any measurements available?
Hi Eva! A large baking sheet/tray is what I use- It’s usually 9 x 9 but I don’t always cover the whole thing- It depends on how thick I want theb bars to be 🙂
Cheers!
Just made these, and they’re delicious! Do you know if they freeze well, or if not, roughly how long they last?
Hi Carla! So glad you tried them out! They certainly do- I usually freeze a huge batch and thaw it out a few hours before eating 🙂 They can easily last frozen for 2-3 months- I know from experience when I cleaned out my freezer 😀
what does T mean? Sorry I’m not an English speaker….
Hi Roni! Sorry about that- It’s ‘tablespoon’ so 15 mls 🙂
I am making these. But do you think I could sub coconut butter for nut butter??
Hi Allie! I’m sorry I’ve never tried it with coconut butter- From experience, coconut butter has a different texture/consistency which firms up differently. Can you use sunbutter?
Hey Arman! Quick question: what do you use when you say “mixed spice”? I wasn’t sure if it was chef’s choice (?) or if there was a store-bought blend you would recommend. Thanks so much!
Hi Hannah! Haha sorry about that- I think most grocery stores stock a ‘mixed spice’ blend- They are generally quite generic but if you can’t find it, simply mix up cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to your hearts content 🙂
I have found it labeled as “pumpkin pie spice” my whole life (40+ years), if that helps any.
You do realise you may have just started a new trend? Goodbye tins of pumpkin, hello jars/tins of baby food mashed carrots! Probably cheaper and work just as well as pumpkin in recipes!
YES! There’s a brand I always used, in Green packets 🙂
Those look amazing… and no bake too?? Yes please!
Thanks so much, Holly!
I love this and I am definitely putting this on the to make list for next week. As a loyal member of team carrot cake I just can’t miss out! We have a really good apricot baby food here. Carrots I never tired. I think I might make just make it the usual way 😛
Today is the day of stupid questions as it seems: Is this Bai Molokai Coconut more on the milky or juicy side. Just to give me an idea how it should be.
Hello pickle. The Bai is more like…hmm I’m thinking back to my German supermarket days. Gatorade? I’d sub it with milk 🙂
See this why you really wanted to go down the baby aisle in Whole Foods yesterday.
Did you known the US, they are trying to make the “tomato sauce” on pizza count as a vegetable serving in the school system? Crazy right!
Okay, fine. You caught me.
I saw that on a documentary! Crazy stuff!
okay, that intro/HS comparrison was on point! so good, and true 😀 LD but, coconut flour. you use it so much i’m intrigued. does it taste like coconut…?
🙂 Try it out buddy!
Um this frosting = to die for. I think I’m the only one on the planet who still hasn’t tried Bai…
The frosting is SO good!
Carrot cake (and red velvet) are my FAVORITE cake flavors. Naturally, I’ll have five of these bars, please. Extra frosting.
You may have TWO bars 🙂
Carrot cake is my favorite dessert of all and I love that you have created a healthy, guilt-free version. By the way, the Bai Coconut flavor is my favorite too, although I’ve recently tried the Blueberry and love that one as well. Can’t wait to give these bars a try!
Thanks so much, Joanie! The coconut one with some malibu is pretty epic 😉
OMG so remember that time you said “Wait till Friday..” and yesterday I was all oooh cake batter this must have been what he was talking about. =l AND THEN THIS HAPPENED. Also.. remember that time i made your carrot cake bread like once a week. And then remember that time you posted a bigger and better recipe every. single. day? There must not be much to do in Ohio, because this is too good to be anything less than full-time magic. (You should audition for America’s Got Talent) or whichever country of your choice.
In the mean time i will be quitting my job and enrolling in full time no bake carrot cake protein bars. The fact that I have carrot cake almond butter is another reason life just can’t get any better than this. Did i peak too soon?
hahahaha what am I doing to youuuuuuuuu
True story: If I had to choose a favorite dessert, carrot cake it would be. With cream cheese frosting of course. You can just tell how moist these are from the pictures. Well done, Arman. Well done.
Thanks so much, Ashley! 🙂
I’ve been samplinga ALOT of the “popular” protein bars lately…and i just don’t like them. But, these, I am all over anything cake flavored!
🙂 Thanks so much, T-Dawg!
Yum! Carrot cake is Riley’s favorite, so I may need to create these for him. Carrots are definitely overrated, I love them.
Have a great weekend, friend!
🙂 Omg. I can’t comment on your Friday Favorites but the Sims…omg. I linked it to everyone I could think of last week and they were all like ‘we never played it’
Haha…I love the high school commentary! I was totally the pumpkin. For real. Ok, maybe not. I was the princess who turned into a pumpkin at midnight. Wait, maybe not that either. Oh forget it! I’m just going to make a batch of these carrot cake bars and call it a day! 🙂
Hahaha you were the princess, weren’t you!
Carrot cake is one of my all time favorite desserts! Making these this weekend! The frosting looks amazing. 🙂
YES! Let me know how it goes, Katelyn!
These look absolutely amazing! I’m a sucker for anything carrot cake!
You and me both, Alida! Thank you!
That frosting is calling me!
It’s so good!
Agreed, carrots definitely deserve the limelight and what a delicious way to make them shine!
Right? Thanks so much Cara!