Carrot Cake Pops Recipes

I am an absolute carrot cake addict. Always. Warm spiced cake paired with rich cream cheese gets me every time. These carrot cake bars take everything I love about classic carrot cake and turn it into something more snack-friendly and low-stress. Instead of a thick layer of frosting in the bars, there are creamy cheesecake swirls baked right into the bars, giving you an irresistible combination with no extra steps. They’re easy to make, easy to slice, easy to serve, and honestly kind of perfect.

Grab and Go Spiced Carrot Cake Bars

These easy carrot cake bars combine the best parts of carrot cake and cheesecake bars into one easy bake. They have a soft, dense crumb and cream cheese swirl instead of a thick layer of frosting on top. To help these swirls bake smooth and set, I added egg yolks to the cheesecake mixture, which meant the cake bars sliced cleanly and Let’s have a good time together! They have a hint of cinnamon spice, natural sweetness from fresh carrots and brown sugar, and just enough rich cream cheese to feel indulgent without being heavy. I think they’d be ideal for lunchboxes, Easter or spring lunches and dinners, or as a simple treat that’s just sweet enough to get you through the day.

Coat your pan with nonstick spray. This helps prevent the bars from sticking to the dish or breaking while baking, and also makes them easier to remove once they’ve cooled. You can also line the pan with parchment paper if you prefer.
Freshly grated carrots work best. I always prefer to chop my own in this recipe because they are finer, softer, and spread better in the batter. Bagged shredded carrots tend to be thicker and drier. You can shred the carrots using a box grater or a food processor with a shredding attachment. I like to peel the carrots before chopping them to avoid a bitter taste in the finished carrot sticks.
Mix until combined. The cream cheese layer naturally makes these carrot cake bars denser, but overmixing can make the crumb tough.
Pull them out before they dry out. Look for a center of the swirl that has set and no longer looks moist, and check with a toothpick for some moist crumbs. This is what keeps these bars soft and more like dessert bars than dry cake cubes.
Cool completely before cutting. The cheesecake swirl takes time to set, and the cheesecake bars will cut cleaner once completely cooled.
Have fun mixing. I use chopped walnuts in these bars for a classic flavor. You can easily swap them out for chopped pecans or chopped almonds if you have those on hand! A handful of shredded coconut, raisins, or a combination of these would also work well here.

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This Easy Carrot Cake Bars Recipe with Cheesecake Swirls is an easy spring dessert made with fresh carrots, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cream cheese!

course dessert

gourmet food American

total cost Recipe $3.90/serving $0.43

preparation time 15

cooking time 40

total time 55

portion size slice

Calories Chapter 282kilocalories

author Jenny Alley

equipment

mixing bowl
hand mixer
8×8” baking pan

raw material

Carrot cake base

non stick spray $0.01
6 spoon vegetable oil 3 oz, $0.22
½ cup brown sugar Packaging, (100g) $0.22
2 big egg $0.33
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract 5ml, $0.68
1 cup grated carrots About 1½ medium/2 small carrots, (100g) $0.21
1 cup all purpose flour 120 grams, $0.17
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 3 grams, $0.05
½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams, $0.01
½ teaspoon Salt 4 grams, $0.02
3 spoon Walnut Chopped, (22 g) $0.65

cheesecake swirl

2 spoon granulated sugar 25 grams, $0.04
4 ounce. cream cheese Softened, (113 g) $0.78
1 big yolk $0.17*
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract 2.5ml, $0.34

instruct

Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8×8 baking pan with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
Add grated carrots, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined.
Stir in walnuts.
In a medium bowl, beat granulated sugar and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy and free of lumps.
Add half of the carrot cake batter to the prepared pan and add about half of the cream cheese mixture.
Spread the remaining cake batter on top, then spoon the remaining cream cheese mixture on top.
Use a knife or fork to stir the batter together.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the center is set and the cheesecake swirl no longer looks soggy. The toothpick should come out clean with some moist crumbs.
Cool completely in the pan, cut into cubes and serve.

See here how we calculate recipe costs.

notes

*because I only use yolk,make sure Save the egg whites for another recipe (Like our chocolate mousse!). It can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.

Nutrition

How to Make Carrot Cake Pops Step by Step Photos

Ingredients for making carrot cake pops.

Collect all ingredients. Preheat oven to 350°F and coat an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.

Place sugar, oil and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.

Mix wet ingredients: Place 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat until mixture looks smooth and well blended.

Place flour, spices, grated carrots and cake batter in a bowl.

Make the batter: Add 1 cup grated carrots, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir everything together until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix so you don’t have a tough texture after baking.

Add the walnuts to the carrot cake pops batter in the mixing bowl.

Gently stir in 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts.

Add sugar and cream cheese to mixing bowl.

Make the cheesecake mixture: In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat 4 oz. Soften cream cheese and add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until smooth.

Add the egg yolks to the cheesecake mixture for the carrot cake bars.

Add 1 large egg yolk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture and mix again until creamy and free of lumps.

Add a layer of carrot cake pop mixture to the baking pan and top with cheesecake mixture.

Add to baking pan: Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan, then spoon about half of the cheesecake mixture on top in small pieces.

Add the cheesecake cubes to the batter for the carrot cake bars.

Add remaining cake batter to this layer. Then spoon remaining cheesecake mixture on top.

Cheesecake swirled on top of carrot cake strips in baking pan.

Make a vortex: Using a knife or fork, gently swirl the cheesecake mixture into the carrot cake pop batter.

Place the finished carrot cake strips into a baking dish and slice into slices.

bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set and the cheesecake swirl no longer looks soggy. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out clean with some moist crumbs.

Let the carrot cake bars cool completely in the pan, then cut into cubes. Serve and enjoy!

Top view of carrot cake pops on plate with fork.

Food recommendations

These carrot cake bars are best served at room temperature after being completely cooled so the crumb stays soft and the cheesecake swirl stays creamy. They’re delicious on their own, but I also like them served with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a cup of hot coffee, cold brew, or tea (I especially love it with chai). If you’re serving these more as a plated dessert, a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream would also be nice. For the cleanest slices, cool briefly before cutting and then let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Storage instructions

Because of the cheesecake swirl, these carrot cake bars should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze them (cut or uncut) for up to 2 months. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and foil and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Try these easy desserts next!

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our Key Lime Cookie Sticks Creamy, tart, and bright, with a simple cookie crust and smooth lime filling. I love these!
These lemon bars It’s a simple dessert that tastes fresh, buttery, and feels especially perfect for spring.

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carrot cake pops

Grab and Go Spiced Carrot Cake Bars

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