Healthy Carrot Cake Bars
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
These healthy carrot cake bars are made with almond flour and sweetened with coconut sugar. They’re delicious topped with a cream cheese frosting.
Carrot cake is one of those desserts I never get tired of, but sometimes I don’t want to deal with layering a full cake or making it feel like a whole production. That’s exactly why I love these bars.
They have everything you want in carrot cake. Soft texture, warm spices, a little sweetness from the carrots and raisins and that creamy frosting on top. But instead of being a full baking project, these come together in one bowl and bake up in a simple pan.
I’ve made these for spring gatherings, Easter and even just as a random weeknight treat and they always disappear fast! They’re easy, a little nostalgic and just one of those recipes that always works.
Table of Contents
“Just made this for the first time and it was delicious! Satisfied my carrot cake craving without too much sweetness. Paired it with the healthy cream cheese icing – which was also delicious! Will definitely be making both again. Thank you for the recipe.”
Why I Love These Carrot Cake Bars
- All the carrot cake flavor, less effort: You get that classic taste without having to make and frost a full cake.
- Perfect soft texture: Moist, tender and not dense like some almond flour baked goods can be.
- Made with better ingredients: Almond flour and coconut sugar keep things simple while still tasting amazing.
- Great for any occasion: Easy enough for a casual dessert but still feels special enough to share.
Lexi’s Clean Kitchen Cookbook
When I received a copy of my friend Lexi’s cookbook, Lexi’s Clean Kitchen, and saw this recipe for Carrot Cake Bars, I knew they had to happen.
In her cookbook she has 150 paleo-friendly, clean recipes and in true Lexi’s Clean Kitchen fashion, each recipe has a gorgeous photo.
The cookbook includes a ton of nutritious, healthy meals from breakfasts to soups, hearty salads (yay!) and main course dinners. And then there is a section for sweet desserts and treats, which is where these carrot cake bars come in.
Ingredients Needed
- almond flour – I like using Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour. Make sure you are getting almond flour and not almond meal as the texture is finer and better for baked goods.
- coconut sugar – If you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, granulated sugar or cane sugar will work as a substitute.
- eggs – another key ingredient in these bars. The eggs help the bars rise.
- unsweetened applesauce – this helps to keep the bars moist and tender.
- grated carrots – the star of the show here! You can use store-bought shredded carrots or peel and grate carrots yourself.
- chopped walnuts – feel free to sub in a different nut like pecans or almonds or skip the nuts all together if you need these bars to be nut-free.
- raisins – I love the hint of natural sweetness the raisins add to these bars.
- cream cheese frosting – adds that classic creamy finish that makes these bars taste like true carrot cake. I used my healthy cream cheese frosting, but the classic frosting recipe in Lexi’s cookbook (on page 288), is an excellent option!
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Carrot Cake Bars
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Step 2: Add the eggs, applesauce, vanilla and ginger, if using, and whisk until smooth. Fold in the grated carrots, walnuts, raisins and chocolate chips, if using.
Step 3: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top.
Step 4: Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan, then frost, slice and serve.
Brittany’s Tips
- Use finely grated carrots: Smaller shreds blend into the batter better and keep the bars soft and evenly moist. Thick shreds can create uneven texture and pockets of moisture.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once the wet ingredients are added, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the bars dense instead of light and tender.
- Let the bars cool completely before frosting: The frosting will melt and slide if the bars are even slightly warm, so give them time to fully set for clean slices and the best texture.
How to Store Carrot Cake Bars
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, you can store these bars in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’re storing these in the freezer I would recommend storing them unfrosted. The day before you’re ready to serve, let them thaw in the fridge then frost and decorate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can bake the bars a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Add the frosting right before serving for the best texture.
No, the bars are still delicious on their own, but the frosting really gives them that classic carrot cake feel.
This usually happens from overmixing the batter or using a coarser almond flour. Stick with finely ground almond flour and mix just until combined.
More Carrot Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Almond Flour Carrot Cake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almond flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ginger powder, optional
- ⅓ cup grated carrots
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup raisins
- 3 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips, optional
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups healthy cream cheese frosting, or Lexi's vanilla buttercream frosting (page 288)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well blended.1 cup blanched almond flour, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Whisk in the wet ingredients: eggs, applesauce, vanilla and ginger, if using, until smooth.2 large eggs, ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- Fold in the carrots, walnuts, raisins, and chocolate chips, if using.⅓ cup chopped walnuts, ¼ cup raisins, 3 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips, ⅓ cup grated carrots
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
- While the cake is baking, make the frosting and set aside.1 ½ cups healthy cream cheese frosting
- When the cake is done, let it cool completely in the pan before frosting or cutting.
- Spread the frosting evenly across the top of the cake and garnish with extra chopped walnuts, if desired. Cut into 9 to 12 bars to serve.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Frosting: I used my healthy cream cheese frosting, but Lexi recommends using the vanilla buttercream frosting from her cookbook (page 288). Feel free to also go the store-bought route. My favorite healthier store-bought frosting is Miss Jones Baking Organic Buttercream Frosting.
- Storage: Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted bars in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then frost before serving for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
I would love to try this recipe, but my stomach is pretty sensitive to anything apple related. Is there anything I can replace the applesauce with? Perhaps some type of neutral oil, like avocado? Or maybe some plain yogurt? If so, what kind of ratio would you recommend? Thanks! Xx
Hey Elia – Yes, you can swap the applesauce with 1/4 cup yogurt. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Thanks, will do. By the way, is the oven pre-heated to 350ºF using fan-forced or conventional settings?
350F with a regular oven!
I made them into muffins. It made 8-9 and baked for 20 minutes.
Love that idea, Sharon. Thanks for sharing how they turned out as muffins!
I was so pleased with this recipe. I substituted in almond meal in place of the almond flour and it worked perfectly fine! Once I tried pureeing pineapples instead of applesauce and it was delicious.
Love hearing this, Sharon! Your tweaks sound amazing, especially the pureed pineapple. And yay for it being blood sugar–friendly, even with the icing. Thanks so much for making it and leaving a review!
Just made this for the first time and it was delicious! Satisfied my carrot cake craving without too much sweetness. Paired it with the healthy cream cheese icing – which was also delicious! Will definitely be making both again. Thank you for the recipe.
YUM! I am so excited to hear you are loving this recipe, Adele. Thanks for taking the time to share your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!