Delicious and easy Carrot Cake Energy Balls that taste like a slice of carrot cake! These no-bake almond butter carrot energy bites are made with creamy almond butter, shredded carrots, heart-healthy walnuts, oats, raisins, coconut and protein powder. Easily vegan & gluten free for the perfect on-the-go snack or breakfast!

carrot cake energy balls on parchment paper

Looking for a healthy treat that tastes like a cross between a slice of carrot cake and a doughy soft cookie? I’ve got the perfect recipe: no-bake Carrot Cake Energy Balls!

They’re loaded with crunchy walnuts, chewy oats, creamy roasted almond butter, cozy spices and an optional scoop of protein powder, if you’d like. Yum!

These protein-packed carrot cake energy balls are perfect for a breakfast on the run or as a late afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea! Looking to change up the flavor? Try our No-Bake Matcha Protein Bites.

carrot cake energy balls made with almond butter and oats

Ingredients Needed:

These carrot cake energy balls are made with simple, nourishing ingredients and taste like carrot cake with plenty of crunchy, yet doughy texture. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make these energy bites:

Rolled oats – The base of these energy bites is rolled oats. Feel free to use gluten free.
Almond butter – These energy balls use creamy, natural roasted almond butter that’s just almonds or almonds and salt. Sub with peanut butter as desired.
Protein powder – For an extra boost of protein, feel free to add a scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder. Tera’s Whey protein is my favorite brand! To keep these dairy free and vegan, either omit the protein powder or use a plant-based protein powder.
Extras – For that classic carrot cake flavor, we’re adding in shredded carrots, raisins, walnuts and shredded coconut.
Honey – For a little natural sweetness you’ll need just 1 tablespoon honey. Feel free to swap with pure maple syrup, if preferred and to make these vegan.
Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger are mixed in for a warm cozy flavor.

ingredients for carrot cake energy balls divided into small bowls

How to Make No-Bake Energy Balls

These energy balls are easy to make and also happen to be gluten free and easily dairy free! All you’ll need is a few ingredients, a food processor and a cookie scoop (or you can use your hands).

Here’s the simple process, but for full, printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon per ball, squeeze it in your palm to get it to stick. Then, roll into a ball. Place on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Chill in the fridge for about 1 hour and then enjoy!

mixing energy ball ingredients in a food processor

Variation Options

Feel free to get creative and use ingredients you have available and truly make these energy bites your own!

Nut butter – instead of almond butter, feel free to use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter. You can also use a natural, crunchy nut or seed butter instead of creamy, if preferred.
Vegan energy balls – to make these vegan, simply be sure to use pure maple syrup and not honey and also use a plant-based protein powder or omit the protein powder and use an additional 1/4 cup of oats.
Gluten-free energy balls – if the oats you’re using are certified gluten free, these energy bites are naturally gluten free.
Add-ins – feel free to sub the raisins for dried cranberries or blueberries and the walnuts for pecans. Also, if you’re not a fan of coconut, you can omit the shredded coconut.

Everything We Love About Carrot Cake Energy Bites

There’s so much to love about these tasty little bites! They are the perfect healthy snack or breakfast to meal prep! Here’s some of the reasons they’re so great:

No bake recipe – There’s no baking needed to make this easy recipe!
Kid-friendly – These taste like a sweet dessert and even picky eaters love these snack bites. My kids also love these Oatmeal Energy Balls.
Portable – If you have these meal prepped in your fridge, you’ve got a ready-to-go snack to grab anytime you need one.
Nutritious – These energy balls are filled with healthy, wholesome, all-natural ingredients with no refined sugar!
Customizable – This recipe is easy to change up and experiment with different mix-ins. For a different spin on these, we love Pumpkin Chip Energy Bites and Peanut Butter & Jelly Energy Bites.

How to Store Carrot Cake Energy Balls

In the fridge: No-bake energy balls are great stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

In the freezer: You can also store these energy balls in the freezer for up to 3 months. If they get too hard, let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating.

carrot cake energy bites on parchment paper

Try adding this energy balls recipe to your weekend meal prep! You’ll have a nutritious snack ready-to-go for a busy week. This recipe is also super easy to double (or triple), and freezes well, so keep that in mind when you are getting your meal prep done. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for reading! You can watch the video down below and if you make this recipe I would love for you to give it a ★ rating below. And be sure to follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for more healthy food inspiration.

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4.92 from 24 votes