These no-bake energy bites have all of the flavors of carrot cake, without the extra calories, fat or sugar. They’re ridiculously good (and also vegan)!
At the risk of sounding immodest, these no-bake energy bites are ridiculously good! They have all of the flavors of your favorite carrot cake (plus almond butter), with a fraction of the calories and sugar.
I’ve been making these no-bake energy balls for years. When my kids were little, I would offer these up as after school snacks (watch for nut allergies!) to my boys and their friends. Every single time I got the thumbs-up sign from every single kid!
The bites can be refrigerated or frozen (instructions below), which means you can always have them on hand for easy snack options. Offer them up with a Berry Banana Smoothie or Pineapple Spinach Smoothie for a quick & healthy breakfast, or save them for pre- or post-workout snacks.
What you need for these no-bake energy bites:
These are the main components of this recipe (affiliate links included):
- Oats: Old-fashioned oats are available in any grocery store, typically in the cereal aisle. If gluten is a concern, be sure to read the label to determine if the oats are processed in a gluten free facility. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats are a good option.
- Carrots: Peel and grate carrots on the large holes of a box grater. Please do not use packaged pre-grated carrots. More on that below.
- Pecans: Start with raw pecans and chop them into small pieces. Pre-chopped pecans are usually on the large side, so you may have to do a little more chopping.
- Almond butter: Use well-stirred natural almond butter. Natural peanut butter can be substituted, though the flavor will be a bit different.
- Flaxseed: Ground flaxseed (or flaxseed meal) can be purchased in most grocery stories.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg add that wonderful carrot cake flavor.
- Sweetener: I prefer pure maple syrup, but agave nectar or honey can be substituted. If you prefer vegan snacks, skip the honey, which is not considered to be vegan.
- Dried fruit: If you’re not a fan of raisins, substitute with dried cherries or chopped prunes.
How to make no-bake energy bites:
- Stir together the oats, pecans and flaxseed meal in a bowl. Next, add the almond butter, maple syrup and spices until the oats are coated.
- I highly recommend grating the carrots yourself rather than purchasing packaged pre-shredded carrots, which tend to be very dry. You’ll need the moisture from the freshly grated carrots for the energy bites to stick together properly.
- Stir the grated carrots and raisins into the rest of the mixture. Ready to roll!
- Use a rounded tablespoonful of the mixture for each bite. A cookie scoop makes portioning each bite a breeze!
- Use your hands to form the bites. Squeeze the portion together in your palm (I make a fist around it). Once the mixture is stuck together, roll into a ball and place on a cookie sheet.
- Once all of the granola bites are rolled, cover with plastic wrap and pop them into the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up.
Frequently asked questions:
How long do energy bites last?
When stored in airtight container like this one, these no-bake energy balls can last for 2 to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I highly recommend refrigerating them because they retain their shape and texture much better.
Can they be frozen?
These carrot cake energy bites can be frozen for up to 3 months. Be sure to store them in an airtight freezer container.
Place the bites on a baking sheet, cover and freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Transfer them to the airtight container. Separate the layers with wax paper or parchment paper so the bites don’t stick together.
To defrost, remove the desired number of bites from the container and place in the fridge until defrosted. That should take a few hours.
Can peanut butter be used instead of almond butter?
Yes, though the flavor will be a bit different. I recommend using natural butter and stirring it well before using.
What if I don’t like raisins?
As I mentioned above, the raisins can be replaced with other dried fruits, such as dried cherries and chopped prunes (dried plums).
Other healthy snacks:
Pineapple Spinach Smoothie {Cookin’ Canuck}
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars {Cookin’ Canuck}
Vegan Raw Crunch Bars {Quiche-A-Week}
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas {A Spicy Perspective}
No-Bake Carrot Cake Granola Bites Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (gluten free, if desired)
- 1/3 cups raw pecans chopped
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 3/4 cup almond butter well stirred
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup packed grated carrot
- 1/3 cup raisins
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pecans and flaxseed meal.
- Stir in the almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined.
- Stir in the grated carrot and raisins.
- Using 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture for each bite, form the mixture into bite-sized balls. Use a medium-sized cookie scoop makes this process easier. Squeeze the mixture in the palm of your hand, forming a fist around it so it sticks together. Roll into a ball.
- Place the granola bites on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve.
- Store the remaining granola bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- To freeze: Place the bites on a baking sheet, cover and freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Transfer them to an airtight freezer container. Separate the layers with wax paper or parchment paper so the bites don’t stick together.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was first published on March 27, 2013 and updated on January 7, 2021.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Jess S. @ Floptimism
I can’t tell you how great it is to see a recipe titled “low sugar” and not find ingredients like splenda, or stevia, etc. Your recipes, when they are low-sugar, are always just naturally low sugar. These look fantastic!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Ohh no bake and these are looking like they are vegan, win!
Ali | Gimme Some Oven
These are super adorable, Dara! I love all things granola bites — especially carrot cake!!
I have some new ones of my own coming up on my blog tomorrow. It’s a granola bite sort of week! 🙂
Deborah
I need these in my kitchen at all times because I’m a horrible snacker. What a great idea!!
Carla @ Carlas Confections
Oh I love those! The pop of orange is so perfect. I definitely need to make this version 🙂
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
I’m a carrot cake nut and I know these would be a huge hit! Great recipe, Dara!
[email protected]
What an unusual recipe, Dara, that I bet tastes just great. I love carrot cake, and I get the munchies, so this is right up my alley.
I admit the basket-raiding isn’t as fun when you’ve got 2 in braces and there’s no jelly beans . . .
It’s easy to sneak jelly beans, but the kids count the chocolates and know what *should* be in there.
Thanks!
Cassie | Bake Your Day
These are awesome, Dara. Maybe they will satisfy my carrot cake craving without hurting my diet!
ashley - baker by nature
These look like the perfect snack for road trips! I might have to whip up a batch of these little bites before we hit the road tomorrow! Happy Easter weekend 😉
[email protected]
I love this–it sounds like it would satisfy the need for sweetness, without the damage.
Sharyn
Holy Batman! Going to make these right now! I don’t have any pecans, but I do have almonds on hand…worth a try.
Julia
Fantastic! I have a carrot spice granola recipe that is very good, but our oven is out of commission right now. These no-bake treats are just what I should make!
Kankana
That is a lovely treat and I visited here at the right time. I was just wonderring what different could I do with the carrots 🙂
dessertfortwo
I love these, and so will my carrot-cake obsessed hubby! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Nutmeg Nanny
There is something so appealing about a no-bake recipe to me 🙂 they look yummy and I love that you thought of a healthy option for Easter day, so smart!
Sally
This is one of my favorite new snacks. My whole family also likes them! Thanks for sharing this one, Dara. Love the low sugar, also.
Sophia
When i was 9 my mother became Diabetic. that year for Easter, since she couldn’t have candy, our baskets were filled with fruits and nuts! This was also the year we learned to begin to enjoy Unsweetened Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, and to enjoy Tuna Salad on top of Cottage Cheese, stuffed in a Tomato on a lettuce leaf. So, your granola bites are right up my alley!!
BTW, she also taught us to give her shots in case of an emergency situation. she gave needles, and showed us how to extract from apples and oranges, and how to inject the needles. For years i could promise a shot in times of emergency, but i couldn’t promise it wouldn’t hurt, but you would live!
Now i am diabetic due to my genes, but i know how to give a good shot, and i dont have an issue with the foods!
Carrie Vaughn
Is it okay to eat raw oat?
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Hi Carrie, I’ve never had any problems eating raw oats. If you’re concerned you could toast them in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes. Here is an article from livestrong.com tat talks about the safety of raw oats: http://www.livestrong.com/article/412378-is-eating-uncooked-oatmeal-healthy/
Blair
My five year old daughter and I absolutely LOVE these!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Blair, that makes me so happy to hear! These are always a hit with my kids, too.
Sarah
I pinned these quite some time ago but finally got around to making these after seeing someone else pin them & I’m disappointed it took me so long to make them! I did add a few pinches of nutmeg (half my love for carrot cake comes from the spices) and a few tablespoons of chopped up white chocolate chips (the other half of my love comes from the frosting & white chocolate was the closest ‘frosting’ element I could think of to add to these!). At first I wasn’t too sure how well these would go over with everyone but after seeing my three year old take 3 balls before I could even finish rolling them all out I knew these were going to be great (and they are!) I know the white chocolate somewhat overrides the health factor on these but a tablespoons or two when chopped up really goes along way and sort of completes it, incase. you ever want to try it. thanks for the delicious recipe 😉
Plum
I made these but I used a variety of seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower) instead of the pecans, along with 1/4 cup shredded coconut, I used Mayvers peanut & cacoa (2 ingredient spread) instead of almond butter which is an Australian product and they were really delicious.
Tasha
I’m making these for a Christmas party tonight. Seems like a nice compromise among all the Christmas treats, but they will still look pretty with all the orange carrot bits. I substituted peanut butter, and I think it tastes delicious. The white chocolate chips sound delicious as a bother option. I too love the frosting on a genuine carrot cake!
Elaine
These are amazing! I used maple syrup instead of honey and added a touch of vanilla. These will be breakfast this week. Thank you!!!
Paula S.
Any ideas on how to make this nut free? What would be a good substitute for almond butter? Thanks,
Marissa
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Wonderful idea to incorporate more veggies into a snack. Just made ’em tonight – turned out great. Used some pitted dates that were in the cupboard instead of raisins and made my own nut/seed butter. Wonderful.
Edi - SunCakeMom
It sounds too easy to be true 😀 It’s gonna be a perfect afternoon snack for my boys!
Malinda
I make these all the time. They’re delicious and guilt free. Baked them too as a flattened cookie shape, still yummy.
Martha
I never thought of making this as a bite! I used to make something like this for my son’s sandwich filling when he was little (without the nuts, kids don’t like nuts), and honey instead of maple syrup, and sometime peanut butter instead of almond butter. Now we can enjoy as adults! Thanks!