If you love classic carrot cake but want an easier, healthier option, these paleo carrot cake bars with cream cheese frosting are going to be your new go-to dessert. They’re soft, perfectly spiced, and made with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, maple sugar, and freshly shredded carrots for incredible moisture and flavor in every bite.
If you love classic carrot cake but want an easier, healthier option, these paleo carrot cake bars with cream cheese frosting are going to be your new go-to dessert!
They’re soft, perfectly spiced, and made with healthy real food ingredients like almond flour, maple sugar, and freshly shredded carrots for the best moisture and flavor in every bite.
Unlike layered cakes, these carrot cake bars come together in one bowl (yes!!) and bake up with the perfect classic height.
Thick enough to feel like cake, but easy to slice and serve! The texture is tender and fluffy with just the right amount of density, and the dairy-free paleo cream cheese frosting takes them to another level!
They’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, yet they taste just like a traditional carrot cake, making them perfect for holidays, birthdays, or anytime you’re craving a cozy homemade treat!
If you’re looking for a traditional layered cake instead of bars, try my paleo carrot cake recipe, which has the same warm spices and soft texture.
Why You’ll Love These Paleo Carrot Cake Bars
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Soft and moist texture made with almond flour and freshly shredded carrots
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Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg
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Naturally sweetened with maple sugar or coconut sugar
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Easy one-bowl recipe with simple ingredients
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Topped with creamy dairy-free cream cheese frosting
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Gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly!
Ingredients for Paleo Carrot Cake Bars
If you’re already familiar with paleo baking, you’ll probably have most of the ingredients you need for these carrot cake bars.
Here’s everything you’ll need:
- eggs
- maple sugar or coconut sugar
- refined coconut oil
- pure vanilla extract
- carrots
- blanched almond flour
- tapioca flour, or arrowroot
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- ground cinnamon
- ginger
- nutmeg
- cloves
How to Make Paleo Carrot Cake Bars
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8×8″ pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides for easy removal.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, maple sugar, coconut oil and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the grated carrots, stirring gently.
To the same large bowl, add the blanched almond flour, tapioca or arrowroot, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves and stir until combined, careful not to overmix.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then carefully remove, using the parchment to help, and continue to cool completely before frosting.
Once the bars are completely cool:
Spread the prepared paleo cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to help the frosting set. Cut into squares using a sharp knife. You can cut into 16 bars for regular size bars or 9 for larger cake-like pieces.
What Makes These Carrot Cake Bars So Moist
The secret to moist paleo carrot cake bars is the combination of almond flour, eggs, and freshly shredded carrots. Almond flour naturally contains healthy fats that keep baked goods tender, while eggs help create a soft, cake-like texture.
Fresh carrots add moisture and sweetness, giving the bars their classic carrot cake flavor. A small amount of tapioca flour helps balance the texture so the bars stay soft but still slice cleanly after baking.
The Best Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting for Carrot Cake
I recently updated and perfected my paleo cream cheese frosting and it’s better than ever!
My frosting is made with cashews, refined coconut oil and coconut cream. The cashews blend into a smooth, creamy texture while lemon juice adds the signature tangy flavor associated with traditional cream cheese frosting.
I like to sweeten it with either honey or maple syrup and it turns out rich, smooth, and perfect for spreading over cooled carrot cake bars!
After blending, the frosting needs a good 3 hours to chill and thicken, so make sure to plan accordingly when preparing these bars. I like making it the day before so I don’t need to worry about it.
Tips for Perfect Almond Flour Carrot Cake Bars
Use finely shredded carrots so they blend smoothly into the batter and bake evenly. After shredding, gently squeeze out excess moisture using paper towels to prevent the bars from becoming too wet.
Avoid overbaking, since almond flour can dry out like other flours. The bars are done when the center is set and the edges are lightly golden. Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting, and chilling briefly in the fridge before slicing helps you cut the cleanest squares!
How to Store and Freeze Carrot Cake Bars
Store frosted carrot cake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The frosting stays firm when chilled and the bars remain moist.
To freeze, place the cut bars on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Easy Ingredient Substitutions
You can use all maple sugar or all coconut sugar depending on what you have available. Both provide a similar sweetness and caramel-like flavor. You can also use a combination of the two.
Melted ghee can be used instead of coconut oil if dairy is not a concern. Arrowroot starch works well as a substitute for tapioca flour and vis vera. They are interchangeable in all of my recipes!
Because the blanched almond flour provides the main structure of the bars, it cannot be substituted with coconut flour or other flours in this recipe.
Can I Make These Nut-Free?
These carrot cake bars rely on almond flour for their texture and structure, so they are not easily adapted to be nut-free.
Almond flour creates the moist, tender crumb that makes these bars similar to traditional carrot cake.
If you need a nut-free version, I DO happen to have a nut free carrot cake cupcake recipe with coconut flour as the base! Feel free to use that recipe to make bars or a cake!
Can I Add Nuts or Raisins to Carrot Cake Bars?
If you enjoy a traditional carrot cake with mix-ins, you can easily add them to these bars. Stir in about 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for extra texture and flavor.
Raisins can also be added if you like a sweeter, classic carrot cake style. If using raisins, about 1/3 cup works well without affecting the texture of the bars.
Keep in mind that leaving the bars plain gives them the softest crumb and lets the cream cheese frosting shine.
What Is the Best Way to Shred Carrots for Carrot Cake?
For the best texture, use the small holes of a box grater to finely shred the carrots. Finely shredded carrots blend more easily into the batter and soften perfectly while baking.
Avoid pre-shredded store-bought carrots, since they are usually thicker and drier. Freshly grated carrots provide the best moisture and flavor for carrot cake bars.
Why Do You Need to Squeeze the Carrots Dry?
Fresh carrots contain a lot of moisture, which can affect the texture of baked goods, weighing them down.
After shredding the carrots, gently press them with paper towels to remove excess moisture before adding them to the batter.
This step helps the carrot cake bars bake evenly and prevents the center from becoming too soft or dense.
You’ll still get plenty of carrot flavor and moisture, but the bars will have a better overall texture.
Can I Make These Paleo Carrot Cake Bars Ahead of Time?
Yes! These carrot cake bars are actually a great make-ahead dessert. You can bake the bars a day in advance and store them covered in the refrigerator.
Once completely cooled, frost them and keep them chilled until ready to serve.
Chilling the bars also helps the frosting set, which makes them easier to slice into neat squares.
Many people find the flavor is even better the next day as the spices and carrot cake flavors have time to develop, so this absolutely works!
The Best Paleo Carrot Cake Bars for Any Occasion
These paleo carrot cake bars are everything you love about classic carrot cake, made simpler!
They’re soft, moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with a rich dairy-free cream cheese frosting that makes a special treat!
Because they bake in one pan and slice easily into squares, they’re perfect for holidays, gatherings, or anytime you’re craving a cozy homemade dessert without the time and effort of a layer cake.
Whether you’re making them for Easter, spring celebrations, or just a weekend baking project, these carrot cake bars are sure to become a favorite!
If you try this recipe, let me know how it turned out and don’t forget to rate the recipe below!
Paleo Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2/3 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup refined coconut oil or ghee, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups carrots grated and squeezed dry with paper towels
- 1 3/4 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides for easy removal.
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In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, maple sugar, coconut oil and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the grated carrots, stirring gently.
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To the same large bowl, add the blanched almond flour, tapioca or arrowroot, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves and stir until combined, careful not to overmix.
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Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then carefully remove, using the parchment to help, and continue to cool completely before frosting.
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Once the bars have cooled completely, spread the prepared paleo cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
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Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to help the frosting set. Cut into squares using a sharp knife. You can cut into 16 bars for regular size bars or 9 for larger cake-like pieces.
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Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These bars are delicious chilled and the frosting stays firm and creamy.
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They can also be frozen (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
Prep time does not include the time to make the paleo cream cheese frosting. The frosting will need to be chilled for 3 hours prior to using, so I recommend making it a day ahead of time and storing in the refrigerator.
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