It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of energy balls in any way, shape or form. They’re the perfect, easy snack or dessert filled with nutrients, protein and flavor. And with Easter right around the corner, I was inspired to combine my love for protein bites with another longtime favorite–carrot cake. This dense, nutty dessert is easily my sweet of choice, so I wanted to use its key ingredients and take them up a notch with a few healthy tweaks.
The key to a good carrot cake is the add-ins, of course! Walnuts and raisins bring the perfect flavor and texture to these protein balls that will make you think you’re digging into the real deal. I prefer to throw the raisins in at the end to keep their integrity and add the perfect chew to every bite.
Plus, the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice bring the warmth you expect from this dessert. I chose this spice mixture, which typically includes ground ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and cloves, but you can easily use small amounts of each of these individually if you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice on hand.
After a little experimenting, I found that coconut flour is the trick to achieve the dense consistency of real carrot cake. I used my go-to brand for all of my baking needs, Bob’s Red Mill, but any coconut flour you find works perfectly. Likewise, you can easily substitute with almond flour if you prefer.
Finally, if you’ve taken a peak at any of my energy bite recipes, such as my Lemon Coconut Collagen Bites or Fudgey Date Energy Balls, you might have picked up on a consistent finishing touch–coconut. Not only do these tasty shreds make protein balls look beautiful and finished, but they also add the perfect burst of flavor and texture. If you prefer not to use coconut, you can easily leave them as is.
These dense, chewy bites have all the goodness you love about carrot cake with healthy swaps that make them the perfect on-the-go snack, breakfast or post-dinner treat! Easy to whip up and super satisfying, my carrot cake energy balls are exactly what I want in my Easter basket this year
- 4 large carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup pitted dates (soak in warm water for 5 minutes if super dry)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup desiccated coconut (for rolling)
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pink Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Enjoy!
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