No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cake Bites

Growing up, I loved my grandma’s oatmeal raisin cookies and I also love carrot cake.  It’s so moist and filled with raisins and carrots.  What I really love about carrot cake though is cream cheese frosting.  I won’t lie.

Today’s recipe incorporates Oatmeal Raisin Cookies + Carrot Cake, sans frosting.   You can always add frosting, but of course.

 

No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cake Bites

1/ 2 c dry old-fashioned oats + 2 tbsp reserved (use certified gluten-free if necessary)

1/4 c carrots

1/4 c pitted medjool dates (I used 4 large, moist dates)

1/4 c raisins (I used a raisin medley blend) + 1/4 c reserved

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Blend the oats and carrots in a Vita- Mix or food processor for about 10 seconds.  Then add everything else (except the reserved ingredients) and blend for another 20 seconds or until incorporated.  Don’t overblend.

Remove the dough and by hand, stir in the reserved:

2 Tbsp dry oats

1/4 c raisins

Form into bite-sized balls or cookie shapes.  If needed, refrigerate or freeze the dough for 15 minutes to make it less sticky and easier to work with.

Yields: 1 dozen bites the size of a quarter gumball.  Store in freezer or refrigerator.

Optional: Pinch Pumpkin Pie Spice, Pinch Ground Ginger, 1/8 c Coconut Flakes, 1/8 c Walnuts/Almonds, 1/8 c chocolate chips.  Add frosting drizzle at the end, such as storebought Cream Cheese Frosting.  Or, follow my Raw Vegan Cheezecake Filling recipe (and reduce by half) for raw vegan cream cheeze frosting.

Note: For those desiring a more traditional cookie, bake at 350F for 8 to 12 minutes, or to desired level.

A Visual Guide

Oats + Carrots.  Blend for 10 seconds

Add everything else (except reserved items) and blend for 20 seconds or until incorporated.  Don’t overblend and make pulverized mush.

Resulting dough 20 seconds later

By hand, stir in the reserved oats + raisins.  I like the added texture these items give to the finished product.

From into bites, balls, bars.  Or whatever you call them.  I call them easy, fast, and good.

These bites:

Are a “healthy” dessert or snack.  We all have different definitions of healthy, but as desserts go, these are pretty healthy in my book.

They ‘re vegan and came together in less than 5 mintues.  Gotta love anything no-bake.

They’re Gluten Free (see this post at the bottom for a discussion on oats and gluten)

Seed & Tree Nut Free (I like nuts, but not in carrot cake or in oatmeal raisin cookies so I kept them out of this recipe)

And combine two of my fave dessert flavors, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies + Carrot Cake, all rolled into one bite.

If you like the looks of today’s bites, try my No Bake Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

And don’t forget to check my Dessert Ball Recipes Post for a compilation of everything from….

….Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

…to No-Bake Peanut Butter Vanilla Balls

 Do you like carrot cake?