Description
These Carrot Cake Energy Balls are a quick and easy vegan protein snack that combines the warm flavors of cinnamon, ginger, and carrot with nutritious nuts and oats. Perfect for a healthy, on-the-go bite, they take just 10 minutes to prepare and require no baking.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 cup Carrot peeled, chopped (2 medium carrots)
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup Walnuts
- 2 tablespoons Flaxseed Meal
- ⅔ cup Desiccated Coconut
- 1 cup Oats (instant or rolled oats)
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup Soft Pitted Dates (Deglet or Medjool)
- ¼ cup Almond Butter or peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup (optional, for extra sweetness)
Instructions
- Prepare Carrots: Place the peeled and chopped carrots into the food processor with the S-blade attachment and pulse a few times until the carrots are chopped into tiny pieces. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Process Dry Ingredients: Without cleaning the processor bowl, add walnuts, flaxseed meal, desiccated coconut, oats, grated fresh ginger, and cinnamon. Blend on high speed until the mixture is finely ground into a flour-like consistency, about 1 minute.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Blend: Add almond butter, vanilla, maple syrup (if using), the processed carrot pieces, and soft pitted dates to the dry mixture. If dates are dry, soak in hot water for 10 minutes beforehand and drain thoroughly. Blend on high speed until a sticky dough forms. If the mixture is too dry, add a small amount of water to help it come together, ensuring the dough is sticky but not overly wet.
- Form Energy Balls: Scoop the dough and roll with your hands into golf-ball-sized balls, aiming to make about 16 balls.
- Coat with Coconut: Roll each ball in unsweetened desiccated coconut to coat evenly.
- Chill and Store: Place the energy balls on a parchment-lined plate. Refrigerate for 15 minutes if you prefer a firmer texture, or enjoy immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze and thaw at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- Walnuts can be substituted with almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts.
- Flaxseed meal can be substituted with oat flour, chia meal, or almond flour.
- If dates are dry, soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes before use improves blending and texture.
- Adding maple syrup is optional and can be adjusted based on desired sweetness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Vegan
