Carrot, Orange & Ginger Bars with Creme Cheese Frosting
6 colorSTHE WHY BEHIND THIS RECIPE
I really, really love carrot cake. We had it for our wedding cake, and it’s just my favorite combination of flavors ever. I have many other carrot themed recipes — a cupcake meets a muffin (aka a cuffin), carrot morning glory muffins, carrot cake protein balls, carrot cake smoothies — you get the picture. So, these raw carrot cake bars with notes of orange and ginger felt like the natural next edition to the carrot lineup.
These are everything I want in a treat: sweet but not too sweet, packed with sneaky micronutrients, fiber and protein, blood sugar friendly and no refined sugars — just juicy medjool dates and a drizzle of raw honey in the frosting. They are also no-bake and come together quickly in a food processor.
Like most of my recipes, it’s also wildly flexible! You can use any seed-oil-free nut butter you like (cashew is my go-to for its creamy sweetness), any gluten free flour, and you can swap the cream cheese frosting for coconut yogurt or cashew cream if dairy’s not your thing (see notes in the swaps section).
This is the kind of recipe I want in my fridge at all times in early spring! Something to reach for after lunch, bring to a weekend gathering, or maybe even serve for an Easter celebration?
Yields: 9-12 bars
Total time: ~45 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
TOOLS
Parchment paper
Spatula (for spreading the frosting)
INGREDIENTS
For the Bars
1 cup medjool dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 10 mins, then drained
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp seed-oil free nut butter (almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter work great here — I love doing this with Artisana cashew butter)
Zest of 1 orange (about 3 tsp, but note you’ll need zest of 2 oranges + juice from 1 orange for this whole recipe!)
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups grated carrots (tightly packed)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional; if skipping, add an extra 1/4 cup flour)
2 cups almond flour, coconut flour, or gluten-free flour of choice
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tbsp chia or zen basil seeds
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
For the Frosting
8oz or 1 cup cream cheese (room temp)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp raw honey (I use Lineage Provisions, use code SONJA for 10% off)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice from one orange, or 3 tbsp orange juice
Pinch of salt
Topping
Zest from second orange, if available
Sprinkle of sea salt, crushed walnuts, or cinnamon, optional
HOW TO DO IT
1. Make the Bar Mixture
In a food processor, combine 1 cup soaked medjool dates, ¼ cup + 2 tbsp nut butter, and zest of 1 orange. Pulse until mostly smooth and jammy.
Add 2 cups grated carrots, ½ cup walnuts, and 1 tbsp melted coconut oil. Pulse a few times to combine — leave a bit of texture!
Add the remaining ingredients: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (or an extra ¼ cup flour if skipping), 2 cups almond flour, 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, 2 tbsp chia or basil seeds, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt.
Pulse until a thick, sticky dough forms. The mixture should hold together when pressed between your fingers.
If too dry, add a bit more nut butter or a touch more coconut oil.
If too wet, add extra flour or coconut flakes a tablespoon at a time.
2. Press into a Pan
Line an 8x8 dish or loaf pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with avocado oil to prevent sticking. I also like to use mini binder clips on the pan’s edges to tame the parchment paper!
Press the mixture evenly into the pan using your hands or the back of a spoon.
Pop into the freezer for 10–15 minutes to firm up while you make the frosting.
3. Make the Frosting - See vegan frosting option in notes!
Use a hand mixer to whisk together: 8oz (1 cup) room temp cream cheese, 1 tbsp + 1 tsp raw honey, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and juice from 1 orange (about 3 tbsp) until smooth and creamy.
Add a pinch of salt, always! It brightens the flavor!
Taste test and add more honey if desired.
4. Assemble
Spread the frosting evenly over the chilled bars.
Sprinkle with zest from the second orange, and/or dust with cinnamon.
5. Chill & Slice
Freeze for 30 minutes until firm.
Lift out using the parchment paper and slice into bars or squares.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for a month!
SWAPS, TIPS & TRICKS
SWAPS:Nut butter → Almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter all work beautifully. You can also use tahini, but tahini will add a slightly bitter edge—balance with a touch more honey if you go this route!
Protein powder → Optional but makes it even more blood sugar friendly! If you skip just add an extra 1/4 cup flour. I love the BeWellByKelly Vanilla protein powders for this recipe — both the vegan and grass fed one are excellent.
Flour → Almond flour gives the bars a soft, nutty taste. Coconut flour add a little more density and fiber, but if you use coconut flour you might need a little bit more coconut oil or nut butter. Gluten-free blends work great too!
Chia or Basil Seeds → These help bind and add bonus fiber, but you can also use ground flaxseed or hemp hearts
Honey → Maple syrup can be subbed 1:1.
Creme Cheese Frosting → Cashew Creme Cheese Frosting: In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend all ingredients below together until thick and creamy:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp sea salt
TIPS:Soaking dates → Always soak your medjool dates in warm water for 10 minutes to make them extra soft and easy to blend.
Orange zest → Use a microplane and zest before you juice the orange. Zesting after juicing is a mess!
Grating carrots → A box grater works, but a food processor with a shredding attachment also works since you are already getting your food processor out!
Texture check → After pulsing, the dough should feel tacky but not overly sticky. It should press into a pan without crumbling. Add moisture with more nut butter or coconut oil, or balance it out with extra flour or coconut flakes.
Spray the parchment → These bars like to stick, even to parchment! A quick spray with coconut oil or avocado oil spray helps them release cleanly.
Chill time → Don’t skip it! Freezing before slicing helps the bars set up and makes for cleaner cuts. You can also pop them in the fridge for an hour if you’re not in a rush.
Frosting flavor → Want to level it up? Add a tiny bit of orange zest into the frosting if you want it to be a bit more orange, or experiment by adding a dash of cardamom or cinnamon into the frosting. I’m a huge cardamom and cinnamon fan, so I’ve done this!
Serving tip → These are best cold! Serve straight from the fridge or freezer!
Nutritional Info
Per serving, yields 9-12 bars
Calories: 390
Carbohydrates: 24g
Fiber: 4g
Net carbs: 18g
Protein: 10g
Fat: 32g
Sodium: 88mg
Sugar: 14g
