During my sophomore year of college, I lived off campus in an apartment with three other girls. It sat directly across the street from a major grocery store, so we loved how easy it was to walk over and grab whatever we needed for meals and snacks… Especially on those occasions where we ran out of something in the middle of cooking dinner!
A few times throughout the year, we also headed over to pick out celebratory treats after sets of particularly difficult midterms, papers, or finals. The supermarket must have realized how many college students did that because they set up their bakery section at the very front of the store, immediately greeting you with all sorts of sweets the moment you passed through their glass doors.
Although just about everything looked so tempting — cookies, cupcakes, cheesecake, donuts, even palmiers! — we usually gravitated towards the refrigerated display of single cake slices. They cost very little, and the built-in portion control helped, especially compared to the full-sized cakes and two-dozen tubs of cookies!
With the store’s wide selection of flavors, we always had plenty to choose from: vanilla, chocolate, German chocolate, red velvet, spice, funfetti, carrot… You name it! But as huge chocoholics, we picked out slices of that for our first celebratory dessert.
Yet when we grabbed forks back at our apartment, I felt so disappointed. The other girls enjoyed their pieces, but I found the chocolate cake tasted bland, more like an over-sweetened, much too sugary, only chocolate-ish cake… Whereas I was hoping for a deep, rich, decadent, intense chocolate flavor.
At least the creamy chocolate ganache frosting in the center was good!
After that first experience, I picked out an oversized chocolate brownie from the bakery a few weeks later. It had the perfect texture — exceptionally moist and extremely fudgy — and a much richer chocolate flavor… But the bakery had also added espresso power to the batter. I absolutely despised the taste of coffee back then, so I only took a single bite before giving the rest to my roommates.
So finally, on my third trip, I headed back to the original display and reached for a slice of carrot cake. It looked so moist and dense, just the way I love my carrot cake to be, and it was topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. And when I arrived back at our apartment and cracked open the container…
It tasted perfect! Sweet, comforting, so many cozy spices… I slowly savored every bite, and I always looked for the same carrot cake slice for my celebratory treats after that!
So when I spotted individual carrot cake slices sitting right next to trays of brownies at the grocery store last week, I smiled as those college memories floated through my mind… And then a light bulb went off in my head.
What if I combined the two??
So that’s exactly what I did with these Healthy One-Bowl Carrot Cake Bars! They have the same sweet, spiced, oh so irresistible flavors of carrot cake… And the same supremely fudgy texture as brownies!
This fun carrot cake dessert recipe is also really simple to make and perfect for Easter — or any time you’re craving carrot cake! (Which could be almost daily, if you’re like me… 😉 ) And even better? These healthy bars have no refined flour or sugar and 61 calories, including the cream cheese frosting!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CARROT CAKE BARS
Let’s go over how to make these healthy one-bowl carrot cake bars! To make this recipe as easy as possible, you just need a single mixing bowl and a fork to make the bars. I love one-bowl recipes like this because they usually result in fewer dishes, and that makes me one happy girl!
You’ll start by stirring together a teensy bit of melted butter and a couple of egg whites. Just a mere ½ tablespoon of butter! That really small amount, combined with the lack of egg yolks, really helps keep your healthy carrot cake bars low calorie and low fat… Yet they’re still just as moist and fudgy as regular brownies!
And that’s thanks to…
Greek yogurt! If you’ve skimmed through my other recipes before, then you already know how much I love this ingredient. I’ve used Greek yogurt to make everything from cakes and cupcakes to cheesecakes and brownies to muffins and scones… And more! In this recipe, Greek yogurt adds the same moisture to the batter as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your healthy carrot cake bars a protein boost too!
Unlike traditional carrot cake and brownie recipes that often call for plenty of refined granulated sugar, you’ll sweeten your healthy carrot cake bars with liquid stevia and confectioners’ style erythritol instead. Both of these are plant-based, no-calorie sweeteners that contain nothing refined or artificial (aka they’re clean eating friendly!). Erythritol sweetens cup-for-cup like granulated sugar, whereas liquid stevia is highly concentrated. (Just 2 teaspoons of the kind I use sweetens like nearly 1 cup of sugar!)
“But Amy, do I really need to use both??” I can hear you ask…
And the answer is yes! I found that when I just used liquid stevia, these bars tasted really good… But not quite as sweet as traditional carrot cake. When I added a bit of the confectioners’ style erythritol, it amplified their sweetness level, and these healthy carrot cake bars tasted just like those store-bought cake slices I ate in college!
Tip: I actually buy both of these sweeteners online because those are the best prices I’ve found! Here for the liquid stevia and here for the erythritol. (And you’ll use the liquid stevia in all of these recipes of mine and the erythritol in all of these recipes of mine!)
The spices are actually my favorite part of carrot cake… So you’ll add those next! You’ll need cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. This is my favorite cinnamon because it tastes richer, stronger, and sweeter than regular cinnamon. (I buy it online at that link too!) Then the allspice and nutmeg create a deeper, fuller, more robust spice flavor. It’s definitely worth using all three!
After stirring in the milk, it’s time to add the flour and baking powder! For these healthy carrot cake bars, you’ll use whole wheat flour. Because of the rich spices and supremely moist texture from the Greek yogurt, nobody could tell I used whole wheat flour — they thought I used regular all-purpose flour like in traditional carrot cake recipes instead!
Hint: I also included my two favorite gluten-free alternatives in the Notes section of this recipe, if you’d like to make your healthy carrot cake bars gluten-free!
And please oh please… Do not dump the baking powder into the center of your bowl! Instead, sprinkle it over the flour before mixing both of them in together. Sprinkling helps prevent clumps of baking powder, which means your healthy carrot cake bars will bake evenly and have the best texture imaginable!
One last key ingredient for you… Freshly grated carrots! Yes, they must be freshly grated! Do not substitute store-bought pre-shredded carrots (also called “matchstick” carrots). They’re thicker and drier, and they don’t soften properly while baking. I promise it’s worth taking the extra time to grate your own!
Tip: If you own a food processor with a grater attachment, that makes grating the carrots much easier and quicker!
Once your healthy carrot cake bars have cooled completely to room temperature, you must let them rest for at least 6 hours before cutting into them. Yes, I know this feels nearly impossible… But they turn even moister and fudgier as they rest on your counter!
And while you wait…
You can make some cream cheese frosting to spread on top of them! I have two cream cheese frosting options for you, and both of them start with a surprising ingredient…
More Greek yogurt! That’s right — both of these healthy cream cheese frosting recipes include no butter and no powdered sugar. Yet they’re still just as sweet, smooth, and creamy as traditional recipes!
To make either of my cream cheese frosting recipes, you’ll beat Greek yogurt with well-softened light cream cheese and more liquid stevia. The first frosting option has a slightly thinner consistency, whereas the second frosting option includes another ingredient that makes it thicker and stiffer (it’s actually stiff enough to pipe on top of cupcakes!) See the Notes section of this recipe for more information! 😉
Then once your healthy carrot cake bars have finished resting on the counter… And once you’ve slathered a thick layer of frosting on top…
It’s time to slice, serve, and dig in! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ????) I’d love to see your healthy one-bowl carrot cake bars!
| Healthy One-Bowl Carrot Cake Bars | | Print |
- ½ tbsp (7g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
- 3 tbsp (27g) confectioners’ style erythritol (see Notes!)
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp (135mL) nonfat milk
- 1 ½ cups (180g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ cups (158g) freshly grated carrots (peeled first — and see Notes!)
- cream cheese frosting, for serving (see Notes!)
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter and egg whites. Stir in the vanilla, liquid stevia, and erythritol. Add in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no lumps remain. Stir in the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the milk. Pour in the flour, and sprinkle the baking powder over the top (to prevent it from clumping!). Stir in the flour and baking powder until just incorporated. Gently fold in the carrots.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 300°F for 30-34 minutes or until the edges look firm and the center looks slightly underdone (see Notes!). Cool completely to room temperature in the pan, and let the bars rest for at least 6 hours once they’ve reached room temperature for the best taste and texture before frosting, slicing, and serving.
Whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten-free if necessary!) may also be substituted, but be extra careful when measuring it!
For the gluten-free option, I recommend the following: ¾ cup (90g) millet flour, ½ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.
Any oil may be substituted for the coconut oil or butter.
I highly recommend using the liquid stevia! It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too. (I always buy mine online here because it’s the cheapest price I’ve found!)
If you prefer, ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (135mL) of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave may be substituted for the liquid stevia AND the milk. (Do not use the milk if using any of these liquid sweeteners!) However, your carrot cake bars won’t taste as sweet. Alternatively, substitute 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (216g) of coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar for the liquid stevia AND the milk.
I buy my erythritol online here, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too! Coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar may be substituted for the erythritol.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Do not substitute store-bought pre-shredded carrots (also called “matchstick” carrots). They’re thicker and drier, and they don’t soften properly while baking.
The bars are ready to come out of the oven when the edges look firm but the center still looks glossy and underdone! The heat from the pan continues to cook the center while they cool. If the edges of the bars pull away from the edges of your baking pan within 10 minutes of pulling them out of the oven, then you’ve baked them for long enough!
If you’re too impatient to wait for 6 hours once your bars are at room temperature, then you can stick the pan in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours once they’ve reached room temperature to speed up the process!
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING, OPTION 1: In a medium bowl, beat ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 4 oz (113g) well-softened light cream cheese, and ⅜ teaspoon liquid stevia (or adjusted to taste!) just until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to frost your cupcakes. This frosting option is clean eating friendly and a little thinner in consistency.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING, OPTION 2: In a medium bowl, beat ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 4 oz (113g) well-softened light cream cheese, 1 serving (8g) fat-free, sugar-free cheesecake instant pudding mix, and ⅜ teaspoon liquid stevia (or adjusted to taste!) for 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before you’re ready to frost your bars. (You just need the dry instant pudding mix; don’t prepare it according to the package directions!) This frosting option is thicker and stiffer in consistency (and it’s great for piping on top of cupcakes too!).
For both frosting options, any type of cream cheese will work (Neufchâtel cream cheese, Greek yogurt cream cheese, fat-free cream cheese, even regular cream cheese!). Just make sure it’s very well softened first!
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low sugar}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Carrot Cake
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Carrot Bundt Cake
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Cookie Bars
♡ Healthy Carrot Pound Cake
♡ Healthy Mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy carrot cake recipes!
I have powdered stevia. Do I use same amount as liquid stevia ? Also the other sweetener, never heard of it. I live in Malta, a small island and many products you take for granted don’t exist here.
Buying from Amazon is prohibitive because of the expense of shipping.
Thanks so much.
Antoinette Abela
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Antoinette! Since many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, the amount of powdered stevia that you’ll need actually depends on the exact product. What’s the brand and product name of the powdered stevia that you have? For the other confectioners’ style erythritol, I’ve actually included substitution alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe — I know it can be easy to miss that! 😉
I’m from Malta too. I found liquid stevia at Pavi 🙂
Thanks so much. Good to know
These look just, well, like perfect art.. with the orange colour of the carrot, the creamy white frosting, the wonderful pecans on top … sO beautiful..! And, of course – they look pretty damn delicious – as every single one of your dreamy recipes ☺️✨
Oh Carolin — you just made my ENTIRE day!! You’re such a sweetheart! Thank you SO much! ♡ Your kind words truly mean the world to me, and I’m incredibly honored that you’d take the time to let me know. 🙂 If you ever decide to try making these bars, I’d love to hear what you think of them!
How many servings? I cannot find that number in your recipes.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes Claire! The number of servings is included directly underneath the recipe title in the recipe box (next to the word “Yields”), and it’s also included in the full Nutrition Information (located directly underneath the recipe box). I know it can be easy to miss both of these! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these carrot cake bars if you try making them — or any of my other recipes!
Made these yesterday for myself and a friend who are both focusing on plant-based and sugar free diets after breast cancer…they turned out beautifully and taste wonderful. I used 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 oat flour, cashew milk, egg replacer, and a vegan creamy cheese – my bars look the same, so pretty!
Some would not like the non-sugary taste (like my teenage kids) – next time I might try some maple syrup.
I’m so glad you and your friend enjoyed these carrot cake bars Karen! Thank you for taking the time to let me know — that truly means a lot! 🙂 I really appreciate you sharing your recipe modifications as well. I always love hearing what tweaks work! (And if you do end up trying a second batch for your teenage kids, I’d love to hear how that turns out too!)
Would a coconut flour work for these to make them keto? If so how much would i use? Thanks!
I’m honored that you’d like to try making this recipe, Brooke! Unfortunately, coconut flour won’t work, but almond flour would! You may need to add a touch more (ie an extra 1-2 tablespoons) if the batter seems too wet because almond flour isn’t quite as absorbent as wheat-based flours. The batter should pretty thick, almost like really wet cookie dough, rather than thin like cake batter. Does that make sense? 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these carrot cake bars if you try making them!