A quick and easy recipe for the BEST healthy carrot cake bliss balls! Packed with fresh carrots, heavenly scented with spices and naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup, these kid-approved bliss balls are the ultimate lunch box or after school snack! This recipe is simple-to-make, healthy, vegan and can be made ‘nut-free’ too!
Grab a cup of tea. Sit down. And let’s chat about these carrot cake bliss balls for a moment.
It’s no secret I’m a little obsessed with carrot cake….through our lovely little baking adventures I’ve created carrot cake cookies, carrot cake porridge bars, carrot cake scones, and even mini carrot cakes
I ‘heart’ carrot cake! And who doesn’t!? Carrot cake is heart warming, cosy and the quintessential comfort food thanks to its wonderful mix of fragrant spices and sweet shredded carrot that creates the most beautiful hue of orange.
It’s basically a big warm cuddle in cake form.
But with the weather being so hot [summer when will you end?] I needed to make a cool and more refreshing form of our beloved carrot cake.
And these carrot cake bliss balls are it!
These beautiful orange rounds of deliciousness are basically bite sized pieces of carrot cake – served icy cold from the fridge [or freezer] – I prefer the freezer option….cause well…did I mention its stinkin’ hot!?!
The kids LOVE them too!
Not only did Grace and Harry have the best fun making these [see their cooking adventures below] BUT they’ve requested them every day this week!
****happy dance****
Such a clever twist on a classic that not only tastes AMAZING but manages to get a little extra veggies into the kids!
To make your own carrot cake bliss balls simply…
Begin by washing and drying your hands with your child.
Set them up safely at the kitchen bench OR small table. My kids feel confident stating on stools – but when they were younger I would pop their kids sized table into the middle of the kitchen and get them to work at the table.
Read the recipe together and collect the ingredients needed – naming them as you go.
Set up your food processor with the grating attachment. With the motor running, push each carrot through.
Both kids took turns to push their carrot through the processor. Although Grace was a little upset she had to make way for Harry to have his turn. Her face…Hehehehehe 🙂
Next – set your little one up in front of a large wooden chopping board. Guide them through making a slice (length ways) into each date.
Next, ask your little one to open each date to remove the pit. Set aside.
Grab the large bowl of your food processor and place in the normal blade.
Place the grated carrot into the bowl.
Measure 1 cup of oats and add too.
Together, measure 1 cup of pecans and add to the bowl.
Next measure and add 1 cup of almond meal along with 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut to the bowl.
Add your prepared dates to the bowl.
Measure 1/3 cup of coconut oil [melted] and add.
Measure 1/4 cup maple syrup and add.
Measure 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste [or extract] and add.
Finally it’s time to add the spices. Together measure 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and add to the bowl.
Pop the lid on and blitz for 1-2 minutes or until gorgeously wet and combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the mixture one more blitz to combine.
Place 1 cup of desiccated coconut onto a large plate and pop a little coconut oil onto your hands.
Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and roll into rounds.
Roll each bliss ball in the coconut to coat.
Pop into the fridge for 3-4 hours to set. These carrot cake bliss balls can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days OR stored in a freezer safe container in the deep freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy! X
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carrot cake bliss balls
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: approx. 30 balls
Description
A quick and easy recipe for the BEST healthy carrot cake bliss balls! Packed with fresh carrots, heavenly scented with spices and naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup, these kid-approved bliss balls are the ultimate lunch box or after school snack! This recipe is simple-to-make, healthy, vegan and can be made ‘nut-free’ too!
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, grated [approx. 2 cups of grated carrot]
- 1 cup (95 grams) rolled oats
- 1 cup (125 grams) pecans (or nut free version: replace pecans with 1 cup oats)
- 1 cup (100 grams) almond meal (or nut free version: replace almond meal with 1 cup coconut)
- 1/2 cup (30 grams) desiccated coconut PLUS 1 cup (60 grams), to decorate
- 6 medjool dates, pit removed
- 1/3 cup (80 mls) coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup (60 mls) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste [or extract]
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
Instructions
- Place the carrot, oats, pecans, almond meal, coconut, dates, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice and ginger into the large bowl of a food processor.
- Blitz for 1-2 minutes (scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary) or until smooth.
- Place the remaining 1 cup of desiccated coconut onto a large plate.
- Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and with oiled hands roll into rounds.
- Roll each ball in coconut to coat.
- Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours to set. Enjoy x
Notes
Store carrot cake bliss balls in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Bliss balls are freezer friendly. Store in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: Set in fridge
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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These look so yummy, only thing is we are unable to eat nuts (coconuts is ok) do you think we could substitute the nuts with any other ingredients please?
Hi Sally – I’m going to test making these (sometime this week) replacing the almond meal and pecans with oats and coconut. Our school is nut free and I’d love to pop one of these into lunch boxes. I’ll let you know how I go but my foodie brain is saying that the mixture should still work. Yes flavour will change slightly but they should be ok. Stay tuned honey. Thanks for commenting! Kayla X
Can blanched almond flour work in place of almond meal? And any ideas on how/if you could make these without the coconut? Thank you!
Hi Julie – yes blanched almond flour will work too! And you can totally ditch the coconut – simply replace with more pecans or almond meal lovely. Happy cooking – I hope you enjoy these! Kayla X
Hi- would these work gluten free?
Hi Kayla. Can you recommend a safe knife to be used by toddlers? Thank you so much for sharing all these beautiful recipes.
Any of the kids safe knives are great (you can google them in your local area) otherwise a round tip serrated steak knife is fab too. kayla xx
So yummy! All my 3 kids (even bubba) eat them. Great way to get some carrot into them. My 2.5-year-old boy even helped make them. I like to keep them in the freezer
Delicious! Thumbs up from everyone, including our neighbours. I usually make chocolate ones using more dates – but this is a really nice alternative using carrots. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thanks!