I love a good slice of carrot cake with smooth, thick cream cheese frosting!
I’m kinda picky about it though…it has to have just the right blend of shredded carrots, nuts, flakey coconut, and spiciness. And the frosting is key; cream-cheesy with just a hint of sweetness! Perfection served with a hot cup of black coffee!!
Today’s recipe is a no bake, shortcut version of this favorite dessert!
It’s SO easy to make and a great recipe to make with kids. Ryan and Andrew (my toughest critics!) both tried and absolutely loved these little bites of deliciousness. Bonus if you’re looking for a gluten free/dairy free/no sugar added treat. Either way, these are a must try!! They’re so good I also included them on my Spring Dessert Platter…
No Bake Carrot Cheesecake Bites (gluten free/dairy free)
Delightful gluten free/dairy free carrot cheesecake bites sweetened with only medjool dates! Perfect for Easter or any time you have a carrot cake/cheesecake craving!
- Cook Time: n/a
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 22-24 bites 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: no bake
- Cuisine: dessert
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
2 cups raw cashews
10–12 fresh pitted medjool dates, halved
1/3 cup Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese
3 tablespoons finely grated carrot
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional, for dipping)
Instructions
- Add cashews to the food processor bowl
- Pulse/process until the cashews are evenly ground.
- Add the dates and pulse/process until they are evenly chopped and combined with the cashews.
- The mixture will begin to stick together. Once you see this happen and the ingredients are well combined, don’t process further or you’ll over process (and end up with too sticky mush!)
- Add the remaining ingredients/spices: cream cheese, carrot, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- Pulse/process a few more times, just until ingredients are integrated into the mixture. Test it to see if the mixture sticks together when rolled into a ball.
- If it does, you are done and ready to roll!
- Remove the blade. Using a tablespoon sized scoop to keep the size uniform, scoop balls of mixture and lightly roll. Place on a parchment paper lined plate or container.
- Repeat until you’re finished scooping/rolling all the mixture.
- (Optional) One by one, dip/roll each ball in the shredded coconut until the entire ball is lightly coated.
- Store in an airtight container in layers (with parchment paper in between to prevent sticking), in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- If you’re serving the same day, chill them for at least a couple hours prior.
Notes
- Use fresh Medjool Dates for this recipe, for their size, taste, and texture. Other types of dates will not produce the same result.
- Dates should be soft and slightly sticky. If they have hardened or dried, you can presoak in hot water for 10ish minutes to soften. But be sure to pat dry with a paper towel before using in the recipe
- Recipe can be halved to make 12 bites.
Funny story…with Easter coming up, I originally wanted to call them “bunny bites.”
Andrew thought they should be called “bunny balls!” Typical 11 year old boy humor, lol. So, we settled on Carrot Cheesecake Bites…carrot cake and cheesecake, really the best of both worlds!
Thanks for stopping by! Drop me a line if you try them and let me know what you think. Have a great day!
Photography: Victoria Saperstein