Cottage Cheese Carrot Cake Bars Recipe
These Cottage Cheese Carrot Cake Bars are a healthy and delicious twist on classic carrot cake. Packed with protein-rich cottage cheese, grated carrots, and whole-grain almond or oat flour, these bars are lightly sweetened with natural maple syrup or honey. They make a perfect snack or breakfast option that’s gluten-free, nutritious, and easy to prepare in under an hour.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Total Time: 35-40 minutes
- Yield: 9 bars 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2–3 tbsp maple syrup or honey (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour (or oat flour)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Vegetable
- ½ cup grated carrot
Optional
- 2–3 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by lining it with parchment paper or lightly greasing it to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup or honey (if using), and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Carrot: Add the almond or oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and grated carrot to the wet mixture. Stir gently until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. If you are using nuts, fold them in now.
- Transfer Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface with a spatula to distribute evenly.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the surface is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the baked bars to cool in the dish for at least 10 minutes. Once cooled, slice into 9 bars and serve.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, omit the walnuts or pecans.
- Use maple syrup or honey according to your preferred sweetness or dietary restrictions.
- Grate carrots finely for better texture integration.
- Storage: Keep bars refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- These bars can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw before serving.
- Almond flour lends a nuttier flavor, oat flour provides a milder taste and can be friendlier for those with nut allergies.
Keywords: Cottage cheese carrot cake bars, gluten-free snack bars, healthy carrot cake, protein snack, baked carrot bars
