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Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

These EASY Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars make a quick on-the-go breakfast, snack or wholesome dessert! Made with zero refined sugar and drizzled with a delicious maple cream cheese frosting.

These EASY Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars make a quick on-the-go breakfast, snack or wholesome dessert! Made with zero refined sugar and drizzled with a delicious maple cream cheese frosting.

These EASY Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars make a quick on-the-go breakfast, snack or wholesome dessert! Made with zero refined sugar and drizzled with a delicious maple cream cheese frosting.
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Calling all carrot cake lovers! You are going to love this cozy and delicious healthy carrot cake bar recipe. I originally shared this recipe back in 2017, but over the years I’ve had a few complaints that the bars were too crumbly and fell apart. SO I have tested and re-tested this recipe a few times, made some tweaks and I’m LOVING how they turned out! I found that using quick oats instead of rolled oats helped hold the bars together more, making them more cake-like while still holding their shape. Made with wholesome ingredients and the maple cream cheese drizzle on top is literal icing on the cake!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • These healthy carrot cake bars are super easy to make all in one bowl!
  • Made healthier with whole grain oats, a heaping cup of carrots and zero butter or added sugars. Drizzled with a luscious cream cheese frosting!
  • Enjoy these bars as a grab-and-go breakfast, as a midday snack or even healthy dessert bars.
  • Perfect for Easter brunch and packed with a whole cup of grated carrots!
These EASY Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars make a quick on-the-go breakfast, snack or wholesome dessert! Made with zero refined sugar and drizzled with a delicious maple cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • quick oats – I used Bob’s Red Mill quick-cooking oats, just make sure they’re certified gluten-free if making GF bars. I don’t recommend using old fashioned rolled oats in this recipe as the measurements would be off since quick oats are packed more tightly when measured out.
  • oat flour – this helps make the bars lighter and pairs perfectly with the oats. See notes below on how to make your own oat flour. You could also use 1 to 1 gluten-free flour, whole wheat flour or all purpose flour. I do not recommend almond flour or coconut flour in these bars.
  • baking powder – acts as a leavening agent to help the bars rise.
  • carrots – you’ll need one heaping cup of shredded carrots, about 2 medium carrots. Shred carrots using a box grater or food processor. Pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store will work too.
  • eggs – adds protein and gives these bars their fluffy texture and height.
  • coconut oil – for additional moisture and fluffiness!  Feel free to substitute with another type of oil if you prefer or even butter.
  • sweeteners – I used a combination of maple syrup and cane sugar to naturally sweeten these bars without using any refined sugar. You could also use honey, coconut sugar or other natural sweeteners.
  • vanilla extract – extra boost of flavor.
  • warm spices – a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

Feel free to add in some fun mix-ins such as raisins, chia seeds, chopped walnuts, pecans or any other type of nuts that you prefer. You could even sprinkle them on top of the maple cream cheese glaze for a delicious treat!

How to Make Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars

  1. Mix ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, quick oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, cane sugar, coconut oil and vanilla and whisk until well-combined. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients, add in the shredded carrots, and mix until just combined.
  2. Bake the bars. Pour the carrot cake batter into a prepared 8×8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Until edges are golden brown or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the carrot oat bars sit for 5 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  3. Make cream cheese frosting. While the bars are cooling in the baking dish, add cream cheese, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can use an electric hand mixer) and whip on high until smooth. Feel free to add in more milk one teaspoon at a time until you have your desired creaminess. 
  4. Prepare bars. Drizzle the healthy cream cheese frosting over the bars once they have cooled and cut into 16 pieces. Enjoy!
These EASY Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars make a quick on-the-go breakfast, snack or wholesome dessert! Made with zero refined sugar and drizzled with a delicious maple cream cheese frosting.

How to Make Your Own Oat Flour

To make your own oat flour, you simply take old fashioned rolled oats (or instant oats) and blend them in your food processor or blender for about 60 seconds until they resemble a fine, powdery flour – and that’s it!  You can of course just buy your own oat flour at the store, but this method saves you money and the flour will last up to three months in your pantry.  The ratio for oat flour is one cup of oats = one cup of oat flour so it’s pretty easy to measure out.

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Prepping and Storage

To Store: You can keep these carrot cake oatmeal bars stored in a sealed, airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days in the fridge. I like to store them in a single layer to prevent messing up the cream cheese frosting.

To Freeze: These healthy bars freeze really well too!  I recommend freezing the bars individually and just pulling them out to thaw as needed.  When ready to eat, just pop them in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds or simply thaw out at room temperature.  These will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months for the perfect snack!

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Hope you all enjoy these Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars! If you love these as much as we do, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! Follow for more healthy recipes!

These EASY Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars make a quick on-the-go breakfast, snack or wholesome dessert! Made with zero refined sugar and drizzled with a delicious maple cream cheese frosting.

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Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

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These EASY Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars make a quick on-the-go breakfast, snack or wholesome dessert! Made with zero refined sugar and drizzled with a delicious maple cream cheese frosting.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 106kcal

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

For the Frosting:

  • 3 oz cream cheese
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp milk of choice
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together quick oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, cane sugar and vanilla. Stir until well-combined.
  • Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients, add in the grated carrots, and mix everything until just combined.
  • Pour the oat mixture into a prepared 8×8-inch baking dish and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the carrot cake bars sit for 5 minutes then remove from pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. If you cut them too warm, they may crumble easier.
  • While the bars are cooling, add cream cheese to a small bowl and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Add in the maple syrup, a tablespoon of milk and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and whisk together until smooth. Feel free to add more milk a teaspoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.
  • Slice the bars into 16 pieces and drizzle the cream cheese frosting over top, enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.7g | Protein: 2.8g | Fat: 5.5g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Cholesterol: 26.1mg | Sodium: 57.1mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 5g

The post Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars appeared first on Eat Yourself Skinny.

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Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Celebrate Easter with these festive Bird's Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes that are super moist, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce, all topped with a cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut and chocolate candies! 

Celebrate Easter with these festive Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes that are super moist, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce, all topped with a cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut and chocolate candies! 

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The Easter bunny is on his way soon and these carrot cake cupcakes make the perfect festive treat!  The cutest little desserts that are not only delicious, but make such a great addition to your holiday table.  These carrot cake cupcakes are made healthier with whole wheat pastry flour, shredded carrots, coconut oil in place of butter and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce.  The cupcakes are topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut making adorable “bird’s nests” with egg-shaped chocolate candies.

For these bird’s nest cupcakes, I wanted to go with a carrot cake to stay with the fun Easter theme, but you could of course make any type of cupcakes or frosting you’d like!  However I highly recommend making these deliciously moist carrot cake cupcakes as I KNOW you won’t be disappointed!  My 2 year old kept calling them “baby bird treats” and absolutely loved them.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • whole wheat pastry flour – I love baking with whole wheat pastry flour as it has all the nutritional benefits of whole grain flour while giving these cupcakes a light and fluffy texture.  I highly recommend using this, but if you don’t have any on hand you could use white whole wheat flour or regular all-purpose flour.
  • baking soda + baking powder – these act as leavening agents to help the cupcakes rise.
  • carrots – you’ll need to grate about 2 medium carrots to get a heaping cup for this recipe, the grated carrot also helps keep these cupcakes moist.
  • applesauce – just a little bit of unsweetened applesauce in these cupcakes helps to reduce the amount of oil we need to use and also adds a little extra sweetness.  You could also use a mashed banana as well.
  • coconut oil – this takes the place of butter in these cupcakes and helps make them moist and fluffy!
  • eggs – gives these muffins their structure and height.
  • sweeteners – I used a combination of coconut sugar along with some maple syrup to naturally sweeten these cupcakes without using refined sugar.
  • spices – a delicious combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
  • vanilla – pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor in these cupcakes and tastes so good with the warm spices.
  • shredded coconut – this is what we’ll use to create the little “nests” on top of the cupcakes and make sure to use unsweetened shredded coconut that has longer strands, not coconut flakes that look more like chips.
  • cream cheese – this is needed to make the frosting!  You’ll want this at room temperature so that it is easier to whip.
  • chocolate eggs – cute little chocolate eggs are used to finish off the cupcakes!

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes OR you could make 24 mini carrot cake muffins!  You will make the batter the exact same way, you’ll just need adjust the cooking time for the smaller muffins.  Here’s how to make them!

  1. Mix dry ingredients.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, coconut sugar, salt and spices, then set aside.
  2. Mix wet ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together grated carrot, eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla until all combined.  Then mix in the coconut oil, just make sure you melt the coconut oil first and let it cool before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Make the batter.  Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix the batter.  Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffins cups lined with cupcake liners (or you could spray them with non-stick spray), making sure to fill each cup about 2/3rds full.  You could also make 24 mini muffins!
  4. BAKE!  Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean then let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.  If baking mini-size muffins, bake at 350 for about 10 to 13 minutes.  Next I’ll show you how to make the cream cheese frosting and assemble your bird’s nests!

How to Make the Bird’s Nests

While the cupcakes cool, you can toast the coconut and make the cream cheese frosting!

  1. Toast the coconut.  Toasting coconut adds such a robust, nutty flavor to otherwise plain coconut and gives these cupcakes great texture!  Start by adding the shredded coconut to a large dry skillet (no need for oil!) and cook over medium heat, making sure the coconut is in an even layer in the pan.  Continuously stir the coconut in the skillet until golden brown and fragrant, being careful not to let the the coconut burn.
  2. Make the frosting.  In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or you could use a hand mixer), combine softened cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla and whip on high until smooth.
  3. Assemble the bird’s nests!  Once your cupcakes are completely cool, frost each cupcake using a knife or spatula (no need to use a pastry bag to make them look pretty since we’re going to be coating them in coconut!) then sprinkle toasted coconut over each cupcake, pressing down slightly so that the coconut sticks to the frosting.  Then place a little bit of frosting onto the bottom of each egg-shaped candy and press into the center of each cupcake.  You’ll need 3 candies per cupcake.

How to Store Bird’s Nest Cupcakes

The great thing about these cupcakes is that they taste even better the next day!  Just make sure to store them a sealed, airtight container and they will last for about a day on the counter then transfer them to your fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.  If you’re making these for an Easter or Mother’s Day event, you can absolutely make them ahead of time!

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Hope you all enjoy these adorable Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes and if you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave me a five-star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!

Celebrate Easter with these festive Bird's Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes that are super moist, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce, all topped with a cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut and chocolate candies! 

Print

Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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Celebrate Easter with these festive Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes that are super moist, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce, all topped with a cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut and chocolate candies! 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 250kcal
Author Kelly Gellner

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Pinch of ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, coconut sugar, salt and spices; set aside.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together grated carrot, eggs, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla until all combined.  Then mix in the coconut oil, making sure it’s melted and cooled before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix the batter.  Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffins cups lined with cupcake liners (or you could spray them with non-stick spray), making sure to fill each cup about 2/3rds full.
  • Pop the cupcakes in the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, then let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
  • Toast the coconut.  While the cupcakes are baking, add the shredded coconut to a large dry skillet (no need for oil!) and cook over medium heat, making sure the coconut is in an even layer in the pan.  Continuously stir the coconut in the skillet until golden brown and fragrant, being careful not to let the the coconut burn.
  • Make the frosting.  In the bowl of your stand mixer (or you could use a hand mixer), combine softened cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla and whip on high until smooth.
  • Once your cupcakes are completely cool, frost each cupcake using a knife or spatula (no need to use a pastry bag to make them look pretty since we’re going to be coating them in coconut!), then sprinkle toasted coconut over each cupcake (about 2 Tbsp each), pressing down slightly so that the coconut sticks to the frosting.
  • Place a little bit of frosting onto the bottom of each egg-shaped candy and press into the center of each cupcake.  You’ll need 3 candies per cupcake.  Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake + frosting | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.1g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 17.1g | Saturated Fat: 13.3g | Sodium: 218.2mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8.1g

The post Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes appeared first on Eat Yourself Skinny.