Carrot Cake Bliss Balls (Grain-Free!)

Carrot cake in bliss ball form! Energy bites packed with walnuts and grated carrots naturally sweetened with dates and raisins. Perfect for meal prep!

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.

At the beginning of March I made myself a goal for the month to get outside for a 15 minute walk every day.

The idea: Lace up the sneakers, bound out the door, and walk.

It’s so liberating leaving my sometimes cluttered kitchen and mind at home while making large loops around my neighborhood complex.

I’m happy to report that half way through March I’m crushing it; with no missed days yet.

Usually I like taking my stroll first thing in the AM, but this week I’ve been rocking my sunset walks, sauntering around the block as the last rays of light hit the asphalt.

So make those healthy habits happen.

You know what else I made a habit recently?

These Carrot Cake Bliss Balls have all of the sweet notes of carrot cake rolled into a compact ball.

You just need 8-ingredients to make these Carrot Cake Bliss Balls that are grain-free, and naturally sweetened with dried fruit!

It’s almost spring, guys.

We’re almost there.

So let’s eat carrot cake, but make it no-bake and in energy ball form, OK?

Carrot Cake Bliss Balls are so easy to make.

Here’s what you need:

• grated carrot
• Medjool dates
• raw walnuts
• cinnamon
• raisins
• No-Sugar-Added SunButter
• coconut flour
• shredded coconut (optional for topping)

That’s it!

I love sneaking vegetables into my snacks, so the thought of adding shredded carrots to raw balls made my heart skip a beat.

So let’s start there, with freshly grated carrots.

You need about 1-2 medium/large-ish carrots for this recipe.

The batter is forgiving, so if you have a little more or a little less it’s OK.

Make sure you rinse and peel the carrots for the best flavor.

Chop them into large chunks and toss them in a high-speed blender or food processor.

I used a Vitamix to process mine into a finely grated texture.

Be careful not to over-process– you want a grate and not a mushy purée!

Set aside the grated carrots, rinse out the blender, and add in the pitted Medjool dates.

(Ever accidentally added whole non-pitted Medjool dates to the blender before? It’s not fun, haha.)

When measuring your Medjool dates, make sure you pit them first and REALLY pack them into the measuring cup for the most accurate measurement.

If your dates are really dried out, try soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes before draining and incorporating into the recipe.

Add the dates to the blender and pulse several times until the dates are broken down but not puréed.

Now add in the walnuts and process again until you have a sticky crumble.

We’re getting close!

At this point, add back in the carrots along with the cinnamon, SunButter, and half the raisins.

You may need to use a toggle to encourage the mixture to combine while blending.

If your blender or food processor doesn’t have a toggle, try scraping down the sides to recombine between blending breaks.

Continue blending until the mixture is well orange, well-combined, and sticky.

It’s OK for the mixture to have a little texture, but for the most part you don’t want any large chunks of carrot, walnuts, or date popping out at you.

The batter is super creamy, yeah?

It’s because I used a few spoonfuls of this No-Sugar-Added SunButter.

I love this creamy sunflower seed butter that has only two ingredients– roasted sunflower seeds and sea salt!

If you’re looking for a nut-free variation to your Carrot Cake Bliss Balls, try substituting gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats for the walnuts for a fun variation.

This version won’t be grain-free, but it is a delicious alternative if you’re avoiding nuts for any reason!

If you’re staring at the mixture in the blender thinking, Lauren, this is NOT going to roll easily into balls.

I hear you.

This is where the coconut flour comes in.

Transfer the sticky mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the coconut flour and remaining whole raisins.

Stir with a spatula until the mixture is thick and pliable.

If you don’t have coconut flour on hand, try using almond flour instead, or oat flour for a nut-free option.

At this point, the batter should be rollable.

If it’s still too sticky, add a little more coconut flour in 1 TBSP increments to reach desired consistency.

Use a cookie dough scoop to mound the carrot cake batter into 1.5″ balls.

The batter should make anywhere from 16-18 balls.

Try rolling them in unsweetened shredded coconut flakes for a fun and fresh texture and flavor.

Rolling them in the coconut also makes the balls less sticky for serving and storage.

Another topping idea is to roll the balls in coconut flour or drizzling them with warm coconut butter.

Yum.

Enjoy these Carrot Cake Bliss Balls (Grain-Free!) as a sweet spring-time or anytime snack!

Sweet, cinnamon-y, and fresh, these balls are also packed with protein, fiber, Vitamin A, iron, healthy fats, and complex carbs.

I love grabbing a few for a mid-morning or afternoon snack, knowing I’m totally having my cake AND eating bliss balls too.

If you really want to go crazy, try using a different color carrot (yellow, white, or purple!) for even more fun.

The bites store well in the fridge for up to one week and freeze well for long term storage!

Enjoy!

If you make these Carrot Cake Bliss Balls (Grain-Free!), I want to see!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipe like this one to make later.

Want more easy energy ball ideas? Check out my SunButter Date Energy Balls and Pumpkin SunButter Chocolate Chip Bliss Balls too!

Do you love this post and want more? Go to my homepage and subscribe to get updates delivered right to your inbox!

XO Lauren

 

Print

This post is brought to you by SunButter, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!