Carrot Cake Energy Balls

These tasty, no-bake energy balls have all the flavor of carrot cake thanks to carrots, walnuts, coconut flakes, and fragrant spices. I add dried fruit for some natural sweetness so there's no need to add sugar. Perfect for that little boost of energy when you need it most!

Prep Time:
20 mins
Additional Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 35 mins
Servings:
14
Yield:
14 energy bites

Snacking can be great: Sometimes we miss meals or need to eat on the go, and quick food that provides nutrients and energy can be a lifesaver. But snacking can also upset your stomach or hurt your effort to give yourself a little boost of nutrients during the day if you don’t eat the right food.

These carrot cake energy balls are just the thing. They’re chewy, sweet, and share the flavors of carrot cake. The best part? This snack leaves you feeling better after eating them. The recipe uses great ingredients: Deglet Noor dates, dried apricots, carrots, walnuts, almond butter, and flax meal as well as plenty of seasonings and shredded coconut. 

It’s a no-bake recipe too, so it's low-lift to make and store for the week ahead when you crave a bite of food. After you’ve combined all the ingredients together in a food processor, spoon out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and form them with your hands. Some oil or cooking spray will help shape the dough. 

When you’ve formed the dough balls, place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for at least 1 hour, or until set. These can be stored in the fridge for about 1 week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Editorial contributions by Keaton Larson

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 14 servings

  • 15 pitted Deglet Noor dates

  • 5 dried apricots

  • 1 cup chopped carrot

  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

  • cup unsweetened coconut flakes

  • ¼ cup toasted almond butter

  • 2 tablespoons flax seed meal

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 pinch salt

Directions

  1. Combine dates and apricots in a small measuring cup or bowl. Add enough hot water to cover and allow fruit to soak for 15 minutes to soften.

  2. Drain dates and apricots and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add carrots, walnuts, coconut flakes, almond butter, flax meal, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt. Pulse, scraping down the sides frequently, until mixture comes together to form a mostly smooth, sticky dough, 5 to 7 minutes.

  3. Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough using a lightly greased tablespoon measure. Roll into balls with lightly greased hands.

  4. Place bites into an airtight container and freeze until set, at least 1 hour. Keep stored in the freezer.

    Cook's Notes

    You can process the dough until whatever consistency you prefer — process for a shorter time for a slightly chunkier texture, or longer for a smoother one. Just be sure to continually scrape the sides of the processor bowl so everything combines completely.

    If the dough isn't coming together easily, try adding in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to help it come together. If the dough is too sticky to roll into balls, place into the freezer until slightly chilled, then proceed with rolling.

    Sweetened coconut may be used in place of unsweetened and pecans may be used in place of walnuts, if desired. Roll each bite in extra unsweetened coconut flakes, if desired.

    The number of bites you get from this recipe will depend on how big you make them.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

133 Calories
10g Fat
11g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 14
Calories 133
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 18mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 3g 6%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 187mg 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.