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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 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.
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!