These no bake carrot cake bars are topped with a dairy free cashew cream frosting. They are gooey, chewy, so delicious and make the best Easter dessert.
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No Bake Carrot Cake Bars
I am so excited to share these no bake carrot cake bars. I love no bake recipes, like these no bake brookie bars and these no bake salted caramel pretzel cups. They are very easy to make but pack in the delicious flavors of traditional carrot cake.
The base of these no bake carrot cake bars are made by blending together soft, chewy dates, oats and crunchy cashews. Grated carrots, shredded coconut, raisins, chopped pecans and spices are blended in to give the bars a ton of flavor. A creamy and luscious cashew cream frosting is smoothed on top to take these bars to the next level!
These no bake carrot cake bars are dairy free, vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free, making them the perfect dessert for a variety of diets. They are great for Easter Sunday dessert or any occasion this Spring!
Carrot Cake Bar Ingredients
Dates: dates are the main component of the base of these bars. They give these carrot cake bars a soft and chewy texture.
Cashews: cashews are mild so they don’t add a ton of flavor to the bars, but help the consistency.
Oats: oats help firm up the bars and also add some nutrients.
Maple syrup: adds natural sweetness.
Vanilla
Carrots: you can’t have carrot cake bars without carrots! The carrots are grated finely so they add texture and flavor without being overpowering.
Shredded coconut: also a key ingredient in carrot cake and add great flavor.
Raisins: raisins add a nice chewy texture.
Pecans: the pecans add some crunch and additional nuttiness.
Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger give these bars a classic carrot cake flavor.
Cashew Cream Frosting Ingredients
Cashews: the cashews for the frosting are soaked ahead of time to make them soft and easier to blend into a smooth frosting.
Maple syrup: for natural sweetness.
Apple cider vinegar: just a little bit, to give the frosting a bit of a tang, similar to cream cheese frosting.
Coconut oil: the coconut oil adds richness and also helps create a thick consistency.
Coconut cream: this is the thick part at the top of a can of coconut milk (or is also sold separately). The coconut cream helps make this frosting thick, rich and creamy.
Vanilla
Sea salt
Equipment
How to Make Carrot Cake Bars
In the base of a food processor, combine pitted dates, oats, cashews (not soaked), maple syrup, vanilla and spices. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes, stopping the food processor a few times to scrape down the sides as needed. Blend until a dough forms, one that stays together when you press it between your fingers.
Next, add to the food processor the grated carrot, shredded coconut, raisins and chopped pecans. Pulse everything until the carrot cake ingredients are incorporated into the dough.
Turn out the dough into a parchment lined 8×8 inch baking dish. Press the dough down into an even layer. Refrigerate the bars for at least one hour.
How to Make Cashew Cream Frosting
To a high speed blender, add soaked cashews, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, coconut cream, vanilla and sea salt. Blend on high until you have a very smooth consistency, ensuring to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
Pour the frosting into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic wrap touches the top of the frosting and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Assembly
When the base and frosting have chilled, take both out of the fridge. Remove the carrot cake base from the baking dish. Remove the plastic wrap from the frosting and mix it well.
Cut the bars into 9 equal pieces. Using a rubber spatula, frost the bars with an even layer of frosting. Alternatively, you can frost the bars and then cut them.
Storage
Wrap bars in plastic wrap and seal in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips
- Pat the carrots dry before grating them to avoid excess moisture.
- Grate carrots finely so they add taste and texture without being too prominent.
- If you do not have time to soak the cashews for the frosting overnight, soak them in boiling water for 1 hour.
- It is important to use a large high power blender when making the cashew cream frosting. The ingredients might blend slowly at first, but be sure to stop the blender every 30 seconds or so to mix up the ingredients and scrape down the sides.
- When chilling the frosting, ensure the plastic wrap is touching the top of the frosting in order to prevent a film from forming on the top of the frosting.
- To get extra fluffy cashew cream frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the frosting after it has chilled.
Substitutions
Maple syrup: honey can be used in place of maple syrup (not vegan)
Pecans: walnuts work great too if you do not have pecans.
Apple cider vinegar: use an equal amount of lemon juice in place of the apple cider vinegar
More Recipes You’ll Love
- No Bake Brookie Bars
- Homemade Vegan Snickers Bars
- Vegan Pecan Pie Bars
- Mini Apple Cinnamon Cheesecakes (Dairy Free)
- S’mores Cookie Dough Bars
If you make these no bake carrot cake bars, be sure to leave a comment below and rate this recipe! If you snap a pic, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thechowdown! I love seeing your creations!
No Bake Carrot Cake Bars
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Bar base
- 1 1/2 cups dates
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup pecans roughly chopped
Cashew Cream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups cashews soaked overnight
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil softened
- 1/4 cup coconut cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- In the base of a food processor, combine pitted dates, oats, cashews (not soaked), maple syrup, vanilla and spices. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes, stopping the food processor a few times to scrape down the sides as needed. Blend until a dough starts to form, one that stays together when you press it between your fingers.
- Add to the food processor the grated carrot, shredded coconut, raisins and chopped pecans. Pulse everything until the carrot cake ingredients are incorporated into the dough.
- Turn out the dough into a parchment lined 8x8 inch baking dish. Press the dough down into an even layer. Refrigerate the bars for at least one hour.
- To a high speed blender, add soaked cashews, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, coconut cream, vanilla and sea salt. Blend on high until you have a very smooth consistency, ensuring to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
- Pour the frosting into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the plastic wrap touches the top of the frosting and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Cut the bars into 9 equal pieces. Using a rubber spatula, mix the frosting well and then frost the bars with an even layer of frosting. Alternatively, you can frost the bars and then cut them.
Delicious and easy to make
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed them!
Do you have a nutrition breakdown? KJ ?
Can I skip the maple syrup and raisins?
You can definitely omit the raisins and you should be okay to not use maple syrup in the bars because dates add sweetness but it is the only ingredient that sweetens the frosting. You could also try agave, honey or liquid stevia to sweeten the frosting but I have not tested those options myself.
Excellent recipe. My young son who never finishes anything, ate it all then asked for a second piece. And he finished that one too! It’s so rich and tasty.
Thank you, so happy to hear this! Glad you both enjoyed 🙂