Carrot Cake Breakfast Bars {vegan}

This post was originally posted in 2014. I've updated with new photos and better information. I've also made the recipe vegan.

A healthy breakfast bar - so you can have carrot cake anytime. Drizzled in cinnamon frosting, this vegan bar makes for quick and tasty on the go breakfast.

These carrot cake breakfast bars have become a habit of ours lately. When I first started making these bars the kids were just tickled about the idea of carrot cake for breakfast.

I was just happy to have a grab and go breakfast bar that was healthy. Something that would make a few mornings a bit easier.

I've updated the recipe to use flaxseed in place of the eggs and added a cinnamon sugar frosting, and I must say the frosting makes for a prettier and sweeter bar and something akin to cinnamon strudel carrot cake... yep, it is really good.

And I would highly reccomend the frosting.

How to make a healthy breakfast bar

A healthy breakfast bar has to have all the ingredients to make

• Whole grains. These bars are packed full of oats. I also used whole-wheat flour to add some bulk.
• Use a generous amount of fruit or veggies to add texture, moisture, and get some good healthy plants into breakfast! CARROTS -- of course! these bars are meant to remind you of carrot cake.
• BANANAS - also add moisture and naturally sweeten the bars too.
• Use some good fats - almond butter and flaxseed help hold these bars together. The flaxseed actually stands in for eggs and helps bind everything.
• Sweeten naturally if possible. I've used bananas and maple syrup.
• I "LOVE" walnuts here -- a generous half cup. Adds more healthy fats. Walnuts are so, so good. Consider it as an optional ingredient (it is not listed in the recipe below).

Are these breakfast bars vegan

This recipe is vegan. If you don't have ground flax on hand or just prefer baking with eggs, one egg can replace the ground flax with no change to baking times, etc.

For sweetness, use your favorite liquid sweetener. I tend to use honey or maple syrup - but agave or brown rice syrup is nice too. I haven't tried this recipe with a dry sweetener like sugar, brown sugar, etc.. So I don't know how it would turn out.

For a fun and variety - considering adding walnuts, pecans or raisins to the bars.

How to store these healthy breakfast bars

These babies are essentially fat-free. They will dry out fairly quickly, so do yourself a favor and wrap up whatever is leftover and stash them in the freezer if you want these to last you more than a couple of days.

Straight out of the freezer, these bars make great grab-and-go snacks. Just wrap un-frosted bars individually in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. My kids usually eat them up in a day or two. so I have been adding the frosting and don't bother freezing.

These bars freeze beautifully but unfrosted. So if you are going to freeze them, skip the frosting.

You can skip the frosting - but why?   Well... in case you want to freeze these, the frosting gets very sticky for long-term storage.

Makes 8 generous sized bars or 16 snack sized.

3.89 from 26 votes

Healthy Breakfast Bars

A healthy take on carrot cake for quick and tasty on the go breakfast.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 145kcal

Ingredients

• ¾ cup almond milk
• ½ cup almond butter or nut butter of your choice - peanut, sunflower, etc
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup mashed banana about ½ of a large banana
• ¼ cup liquid sweetener agave, maple syrup or brown rice syrup
• 1 cup grated carrot about 2 large
• 2 tablspoons ground flaxseed meal
• 1½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

for the frosting:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespons of almond milk or more to desired consistancy

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350
• Line an 8X8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients and mix well.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.
• Spoon into the prepared baking pan and bake for 32-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of bars comes out clean.
• Once completely cool, cut into bars.
• Combine icing sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time and mix well before adding more. Repeat until desired consistency is reached. I prefer a thicker glaze. Drizzle over bars. Allow glaze to harden before storage.
• Alternative, skip frosting and wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for quick take-along snacks.

Notes

Nutritional information is based on 16 snack-sized bars and includes the frosting. 

Consider adding walnuts. pecans or raisins to the bars for fun.

Bars, with frosting, will keep in a sealed container and refrigerated for about 1 week.

If freezing these bars, skip the frosting. Unfrosted bars will keep frozen for several months.  

 

Calories: 145kcal (7%) Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 5g (8%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Sodium: 101mg (4%) Potassium: 140mg (4%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 13g (14%) Vitamin A: 1336IU (27%) Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 52mg (5%) Iron: 1mg (6%)

Trish Cowper | the infinebalance food blog

Tried this recipe?Mention @infinebalance or tag #infinebalance!

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