These Carrot Cake Protein Balls are loaded with all the flavors you love in a classic carrot cake and make the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or pre-workout snack for spring and Easter! These bliss balls are made with healthy dates, crunchy nuts, grated carrots and packed with protein and nutrition. Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo and freezer-friendly!
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Easy Carrot Cake Protein Ball Recipe
These Carrot Cake Protein Balls are the perfect snack to make when you’re craving carrot cake if you need a super quick no-bake treat. They are jam-packed with all the flavors you love in carrot cake without having to bake an entire layered cake. Made with hearty and delicious ingredients plus you can throw them together in minutes and store them in the fridge all week long!
Everyone could use a healthy make-ahead snack recipe. These simple carrot energy bites have a sweet and nutty flavor that will keep you coming back for more! And it’s easy to customize them with your favorite energy ball ingredients. Looking for more protein ball recipes? You’ll find 12 more delicious Protein Balls here.
What Are Protein Balls?
Protein balls are basically little balls of superfood made with ground nuts, protein powder, dates and more. They’re an ultra-nutritious, ultra-satisfying snack for any occasion. These carrot bliss balls are so chewy and flavorful, and they work with gluten-free, paleo, vegan, dairy-free and grain-free diet plans!
Are These a Healthy Snack?
You bet! Even though these carrot protein balls are sweet and yummy, they’re very good for you as well. The dates are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals, and the nuts provide protein, carbs and more. Overall, these carrot cake energy balls are a well-rounded snack that will fuel your body and make you feel amazing! Plus, they’re naturally vegan, dairy-free, grain-free, refined-sugar-free and paleo-friendly.
Recipe Ingredients
Carrot cake protein bites come together with a handful of hearty ingredients. You can make substitutions to suit your preferences or stick with what’s listed below.
- Cashews and Walnuts: Full of healthy fats, important minerals, calcium and potassium, this combination of nuts is the ultimate energy ball ingredients. If you’re not a fan of cashews or walnuts, you can sub with pecans, sliced almonds or macadamia nuts.
- Medjool Dates: You’ll need about 1 cup pitted dates.
- Protein Powder: We like NuZest Just Clean or Sprout Living Pea Protein but you can use your favorite. We have not tested this with a Whey protein powder since we wanted to keep this recipe vegan but feel free to do so if it fits with your dietary preference.
- Maple syrup: To add a touch of sweetness. You can sub with sugar-free maple syrup, yacon syrup or preferred sticky liquid sweetener.
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes: Adds natural sweetness.
- Carrots: Grated or shredded. You can buy them pre-shredded or grated them using a hand grater or in a food processor.
- Cashew Butter: To hold everything together. Sub with almond butter or any nut or seed butter for a nut-free variation.
- Carrot Cake Spices: You’ll need ground cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg for the best carrot cake flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: For flavor.
- Sea Salt: To taste.
How to Make Carrot Cake Protein Balls
Get ready for the easiest snack of your life! These energy bites are as simple as pulverizing, rolling and chilling.
- Add ingredients to a food processor: Place the walnuts and cashews into a food processor. Process until finely chopped.
- Grind: Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the dates and the mixture clumps together. Taste and adjust consistency and sweetness to taste by adding more nut butter and / or maple syrup.
- Shape: Roll into 1-inch balls. (Chill mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes for easier rolling as needed).
- Roll into coconut: Roll each ball into a little bit of shredded coconut and place on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle each bliss ball with some melted white chocolate. Allow chocolate to set.
- Serve or store: Store in a resealable bag or airtight container in the fridge (for up to 1 week) or freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips for Success
To ensure your protein balls are as tasty as can be, check out the following tips and tricks.
- Use Good Dates: Make sure your dates are fresh and not stale or hard. If they have gotten stale, you can soften them up again and make them good as new! Simply place them in a bowl and pour boiling water into the bowl until all of the dates are submerged. Let the bowl sit, covered, for about 5 minutes, then remove the dates and drain out the moisture.
- Use a Food Processor: You will need a food processor or blender for this recipe in order to pulverize the ingredients. Don’t stop pulsing until the mixture starts clumping together.
- Season/Substitute to Taste: Feel free to add an extra pinch of salt to this recipe, use a different flavored extract or add another kind of dried fruit, if desired. You could also add flaxseeds or chia seeds!
How to Store Homemade Protein Balls
You should keep these carrot cake bliss balls in an airtight container in the fridge. I personally love enjoying them once they’ve been chilled! They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
Can I Freeze These?
You sure can! These carrot cake energy balls will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 1 month. Just remember to keep them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw frozen date balls in the fridge before enjoying.
More Healthy Snack Ideas
We have tons of other healthy snack recipes that you’re sure to love. Don’t be shy, give these ones a try!
These Carrot Cake Protein Balls are loaded with all the flavors you love in a classic carrot cake and make the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or pre-workout snack for spring and Easter! These bliss balls are made with healthy dates, crunchy nuts, grated carrots and packed with protein and nutrition. Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo and freezer-friendly!
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 2/3 cup shredded / grated carrots
- 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes
- 8 Medjool dates , pitted
- 1 tbsp maple syrup , plus more only as needed. You can sub date syrup, yacon syrup, Lakanto sugar-free maple syrp or any preferred sticky liquid sweetener.
- 2 tbsp creamy unsalted cashew butter (or any nut butter / seed butter of choice)
- 1 tbsp plant-based protein powder , we like NuZest Just Clean or Sprout Living Pea Protein but you can use your favorite. We have not tested this with a Whey protein powder since we wanted to keep this recipe vegan but feel free to do so if it fits with your dietary preference.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- unsweetened finely shredded coconut
- 2-3 tbsp melted coconut butter (manna) , OR dairy-free white chocolate, we like Pascha's
Place the walnuts and cashews into a food processor. Process until finely chopped.
Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the dates and the mixture clumps together. Taste and adjust consistency and sweetness to taste by adding more nut butter and / or maple syrup.
Roll into 1-inch balls. (Chill mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes for easier rolling as needed).
Roll each ball into a little bit of shredded coconut and place on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle each bliss ball with some melted white chocolate. Allow chocolate to set.
Store in a resealable bag or airtight container in the fridge (for up to 1 week) or freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Store
Keep your energy balls in an airtight container in the fridge. We personally love enjoying them once they've been chilled! They'll stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
How to Freeze
These bliss balls will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 1 month. Just remember to keep them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw frozen date balls in the fridge before enjoying.
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