Easy to make and soft in texture these carrot cake protein balls have all the flavor of carrot cake without all the calories! A protein ball recipe with oats, vegan protein powder, and banana, these bites make a great snack or easy, no-bake dessert!
Keep it simple in terms of flavor and prep work with these carrot cake energy bites!
Most carrot cakes (and their variations) are calorie and sugar-dense. Topped with a cream cheese frosting, they’re delicious but not exactly health-conscious.
These carrot cake energy bites are the opposite.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I love that they're made with real-food ingredients and low in calories, having a few on hand in the fridge means that there’s always something to grab and go when hunger strikes.
These low-calorie carrot cake energy balls:
- Whip up in just ten minutes
- Work as a snack or a healthy dessert
- Are dairy-free and gluten-free
- Are great because you don't need a food processor
- Do not contain dates
- Are drizzled with a 3-ingredient, coconut icing
Ingredients You’ll Need
Regular Oats: the base of this recipe is oatmeal! It gives them a bit of sustenance while providing a bit of plant-based protein. Ensure the oats are certified gluten-free if needed.
Banana: these carrot cake energy balls are sweetened naturally with just bananas and protein powder to keep them as healthy as possible.
Carrot: make sure to grate the carrot as finely as possible so that the balls are smoother in nature and bind together properly.
Molasses: a great source of iron and definitely under-used (learn what to make with molasses). Molasses helps bind the balls together while giving them a nutrient boost.
Almond butter: no protein bites would be complete without a healthy dose of fats!
Vegan protein Powder: texture and flavor will vary slightly depending on the one you choose as each vegan protein powder absorbs liquid differently based on its blend. Scroll down to see specific notes but know that adding protein powder is a killer way to increase your intake. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet.
Dairy-free icing: the carrot protein balls are drizzled with dairy-free cream cheese frosting but piping on buttercream frosting would work also!
How To Make The Protein Balls
Whipping up these carrot cake energy balls is beyond simple and can actually be done in a couple of ways. The way below is without a food processor.
Step 1: Mash the banana and combine all the wet ingredients (including carrot!)
Step 2: Add in the protein powder and oats.
Step 3: Mix well. Let sit for 3 minutes for the protein powder to absorb.
Step 4: Use a trigger ice cream scoop to portion out seven balls. Pop them into the fridge to set.
Step 5: Meanwhile, mix together the icing ingredients and get it into a plastic baggie. Cut the tip.
Step 6:Drizzle the icing over the balls and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to eat!
Other Topping Ideas
You can switch up the protein balls as needed with the following options:
- Rolling the protein balls into sweetened, shredded coconut (this makes them vegan too FYI)
- Rolling the balls into crushed pecans (yum)
Important Teaching Tips & Variations
The kind of protein powder you choose will affect both the texture and flavor of the protein bites. Learn more about choosing the best protein powder for your goals.
You need to use vegan protein powder for the balls because that's what absorbs the liquid.
The carrot cake balls are sugar-free and very nutmeg-flavored. If you want a bit of a sweeter variation (taste test before you roll!), sub the molasses for honey (so long as you're not vegan) or add a pinch of stevia to the mix. You could even add a pinch of coconut sugar to them to sweeten it up.
These carrot cake energy bites don’t need a lot of time to firm up, make them within 20 minutes if you need them as a dessert!
Though I initially mashed the banana by hand and did everything manually, I've recently found that the balls are smoother and hold together better if you:
- Place half the oats and all other ingredients except protein powder milk, and carrots in a food processor and blend until mixed.
- Pour the mixture over the remaining oats, protein powder, and carrots.
- Add in the milk (only as needed!) and mix.
- You want a thick sticky batter, so you may not need all the milk depending on your protein powder.
- Use a trigger ice cream scoop to press and portion the protein balls.
Choosing A Protein Powder For The Carrot Cake Protein Bites
For these carrot cake energy balls, I used Genuine Health’s Fermented Vegan Protein Powder. It helps fuel your goals, recover and stay full.
Made with 20 grams of plant-based protein, this vegan protein powder is dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and certified organic. It’s also voted one of the best tasting vegan protein powders.
Fast, crave-worthy snacks that hit your protein goals (without tracking or extra cooking time).
Frequently Asked Questions About Protein Bites
Typically protein bites will last 10-14 days in the fridge if in a sealed container.
Homemade protein bites are often made with a combination of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. They can be a healthy addition to any diet and often make great, on-the-go snacks!
More Protein Recipes You’ll Love
- Peanut butter and jam protein balls
- Chocolate fudge protein balls
- Savory blueberry protein oatmeal
- High protein cookies
- High protein pancakes
- Yogurt protein pancakes
- Energizing protein bar
- Easy, no-bake vanilla protein bar
- High protein snack recipes
Low Calorie Carrot Cake Protein Balls
Equipment
- Muffin cups
Ingredients
- 1 banana large
- ¼ cup carrot finely grated
- 1 cup oats gluten free
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ tablespoon molasses
- 2.5 tablespoons almond butter
- ¼ cup vegan protein powder
- 1 tbs Plant-based milk
Instructions
- In a food processor, grind half the oats into a chunky powder.
- In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork until mostly smooth. Add in the remaining wet ingredients including the carrot.
- Add in the dry ingredients except for the milk and mix well until everything is combined.
- Add in the milk half a tablespoon at a time and ONLY if needed, only using as much as you need to make the batter thick and sticky.
- Line a cutting board with parchment paper and use a trigger point ice cream scoop to portion out the mixture into balls. When you scoop, press down into the scoop with a spatula to get them to bind as best as possible.
- Place the bites onto the parchment paper and put the tray in the fridge.
- Whip up the cream cheese frosting and pipe it on top. Serve!
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Shelby S says
So mini but so packed with my favorite fall flavor!
Raia Todd says
My kids are going to love these! They even sound easy enough that my kids can make them by themselves.
Renee D Kohley says
Oh I bet that hazelnut flour is amazing! YUM! My girls will love these - thanks!