These carrot cake oat bars are soft, lightly spiced and naturally sweetened, made with oats, carrot, seeds and tahini for a simple, nourishing result. This is exactly the kind of simple, nourishing food I have been making for years.
As a plant-based retreat chef, I create recipes like this all the time. Some stay in my notebook, others get tested again and again until I know they are worth sharing. This is one of those.
They are simple, filling and genuinely satisfying. The kind of thing you can grab for breakfast, take on a walk or serve as a healthier treat with a cup of tea.
This recipe features in my refined sugar free desserts collection – where you’ll find a complete list of all the recipes I’ve shared here on Kind Earth over the last 14 years.
Tips for getting this recipe right every time
Over the years I have found a few small details make a big difference with recipes like this.
- Finely grate the carrot so it blends evenly into the mixture
- Do not skip grinding the pumpkin seeds as this helps bind the bars
- Press the mixture firmly into the tin so the bars hold together properly
- Let them cool fully before slicing or they may crumble
- If your mixture feels dry, add a small splash of hot water or extra syrup
Why these oat bars don’t last long in my kitchen
Well part from the delicious taste there are a few reasons why my friends and guests love them…
- Naturally sweetened with no refined sugar
- Soft, satisfying and easy to make
- Made from simple whole food ingredients
- Perfect for batch cooking and freezing
- Versatile enough for breakfast, snacks or dessert
When to eat these carrot cake oat bars
There are many times I might find myself grabbing one of these oat bars. They make an excellent grab-n-go snack.
- breakfast oat bar
- hiking snack
- lunch box snack
- afternoon treat
- elevensies with a cuppa
- refined sugar-free dessert
Best oats to use for oat bars
It works best to use scottish oats, or quick oats for oat bars with the ingredients I am using. They bind together with the date syrup and tahini perfectly.
The super thick jumbo oats are harder to bind together unless you use a lot more syrup or binder. However, if you only have jumbo or steel cut oats I suggest you grind them down partially in a blender to make them easier to bind for this recipe.
If you need to make them strictly gluten-free then be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but I’ve written about what makes some oats gluten-free and some not in my article: Are Oats Gluten-free or Not? And Does It make A difference?
Why use tahini instead of oil?
I am using tahini because it’s a healthy alternative to oil, butter, margarine or peanut butter. Tahini is made purely from sesame seeds. I am using just enough, so that the recipe isn’t overwhelmed with extra fat. And what fats you do get are nourishing.
To make tahini, the sesame seeds have been ground down to form a paste in the same way that peanuts are ground to make peanut butter.
What texture to expect
These bars are soft, lightly chewy and hold together well without being dry. They are not overly sweet and have a gentle warmth from the ginger and spices.
How to store carrot cake oat bars
These are an excellent make-ahead snack for batch making. You can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keeping them in the fridge is quite important, as they contain a fresh vegetable – carrot! That is if you have any left and they don’t all get eaten, haha, then you can put them in a container in the freezer where they’ll keep for a few months.
Carrot Cake Oat Bars - refined sugar free, vegan
A vegan wholefood carrot cake oat bar recipe using oats, pumpkin seed, walnut, warming spices, tahini and date syrup to sweeten.
Ingredients
- 300g scottish oats (or quick oats)
- 100g pumpkin seeds
- 200g carrot
- 50g walnuts
- 150ml date syrup (see variations in notes)
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger - finely grated
- 7 cardamom pods (crushed)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Grind down your pumpkin seeds. Save a few to sprinkle in your mix that are left unground. It looks pretty having green pumpkin seed flecks in there.
- Finely grate your fresh ginger.
- Crush your cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar. Alternatively, use a teaspoon of pre-ground cardamom in a jar. Cardamom quickly loses its flavour when left for a while, so you do need extra if using pre-ground.
- Grate the carrot. It doesn't matter if you have a little more or less than 200g of carrot.
- Mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly. It should be super stick when mixed properly.
- Distribute mixture evenly between two 1kg (2lb) loaf tins, that you've lined with parchment paper. Compact firmly.
- Pop them into a pre-heated oven at 190C (375F) and bake for about 20 minutes. You will notice a warm, spiced aroma as they bake, with the ginger and cardamom coming through.
- When cooked, take them out of the tins and put onto a cooling rack.
- Slice when cooled and store in the fridge for up to 5 days in a container. They also freeze well.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Date syrup alteratives
- Swap date syrup for any syrup sweetener. Rcie syrup, agave syrup, and maple syrup work well.
- You can also swap date syrup for 150g dates, blended up with a hand blender. If they are not soft then soak in water until they are blendable.
Tahini alternatives
Peanute butter, almond butter and cashew butter are all good swaps for tahini.
FAQ: Vegan Carrot Cake Oat Bars
Are these oat bars healthy?
These oat bars are made from whole food ingredients with no refined sugar. They contain oats, seeds, nuts and natural sweeteners, making them far more nourishing than most shop bought snack bars. Oats provide soluble fiber that supports heart health and steady energy.
Can I use rolled oats or jumbo oats?
Yes, but they will not bind as easily. If using jumbo oats, it helps to pulse them briefly in a blender to break them down slightly.
Can I replace the date syrup?
Yes. You can use blended soaked dates, maple syrup or another liquid sweetener. Keep in mind this may slightly change the texture and flavour.
Can I make these nut-free?
Yes. Simply replace the walnuts with extra seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Why are my oat bars falling apart?
This usually means the mixture was not compacted firmly enough or the ingredients were too dry. Press the mixture down well and ensure enough moisture from the syrup or tahini.
Can I freeze carrot cake oat bars?
Yes. They freeze very well. Store in an airtight container and defrost as needed.
Are these oat bars suitable for meal prep?
Yes. They keep well in the fridge for several days and are ideal for batch cooking.
Do I need to peel the carrots?
No. As long as they are clean and organic, you can grate them with the skin on.
Can I make these oat bars without tahini?
Yes. You can replace the tahini with another nut butter such as almond butter or peanut butter. This will slightly change the flavour but the texture will remain similar.
More Oat Bar Recipes
I have created a growing collection of oat bar recipes using simple, whole food ingredients. You can explore them all here:
- Turmeric & ginger flapjacks
- Tahini & date oat bars
- Hemp & pumpkin seed oat bars
- Banana & walnut oat squares
- Vegan almond energy oat bars
- Apple & ginger oat bars
- Vegan hiking energy oat bars
Pin Vegan Carrot Cake Oat Bars For Later
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