Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars

You know those recipes you make months back and forget how good they taste? THESE ARE THEM. I originally made this carrot cake in the fall, but truly fell in love with it all over again this past weekend.

These bars are made from a mixture of shredded carrots, oats, coconut oil and pure maple syrup. The flavors resemble some good old bakery style carrot cake, except these are filled with fiber and whole-grains. They’re topped off with an easy 4-ingredient cream cheese icing, or an optional sweet cashew glaze. I love them with my coffee, or during that 4-o’clock snack attack.

These gluten-free carrot cake oatmeal bars can be made nut-free if you leave out the walnuts, and dairy-free if you substitute vegan cream cheese for the glaze.

I haven’t tested any flour substitutes, so if you don’t have oat flour, you can make your own by blending whole oats in the blender until fine.

This recipe has already been such a hit on Instagram, I know you guys are going to love it!

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars

5 from 5 votes

Course: Baked goods, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free

Servings

16

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

• 1/3 cup oat flour (or about 1/2 cup oats blended into flour)

• 1 cup grated carrots, about 3 medium carrots

• 1/2 cup softened coconut oil

• 1/4 cup maple syrup, honey or agave

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

• Glaze Option 1: Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp whipped cream cheese, dairy or non-dairy work

• 1 1/2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

• 1-2 tbsp non-dairy milk

• 1 tsp vanilla

• Glaze Option 2: Cashew Cream Glaze

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp raw cashews

• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk

• 1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Whisk together the eggs, oil, carrots, sugars and vanilla.
• Fold in the remaining ingredients except the walnuts and mix well.
• Pour batter into a parchment lined 8 x 8 baking dish, and bake on 350 for 25-30 minutes, until firm to touch.
• For the cream cheese glaze, whisk ingredients together in a bowl and add the milk by the tbsp as needed.
• For the cashew glaze, blend together until smooth. If the icing is too thin, add more cashews by the tbsp.
• Let cool for 10 minutes and top with glaze of choice, then add the chopped walnuts if using.
• Keep stored in the refrigerator for up to a week!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @somethingnutritious on Instagram- I’d love to see your creations!

Other baked goods to pair with your morning coffee:

Gluten-free Coffee Crumb Cake

Gluten-free Orange Loaf

Almond Butter Banana Muffins