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Close up side shot of homemade carrot cake baked oatmeal bars with a cream cheese glaze.
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5 from 1 vote

Carrot Oatmeal Bars

These easy baked Carrot Oatmeal Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze are a sweet breakfast, snack, or satisfying dessert!
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snacks
Cuisine American
Keyword baked oatmeal bars, oatmeal bars, oatmeal breakfast bars
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 9 bars
Calories 284kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups peeled and grated carrots
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup uncooked quick oats (or sub with old-fashioned rolled oats)
  • ½ cup raisins

Optional Cream Cheese Glaze:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar, butter and egg until light and fluffy. Add carrots and vanilla; mix well.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves and salt.
  • Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix just until combined.
  • Stir in oats and raisins.
  • Spread batter in prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Once the bars are cool, prepare the cream cheese glaze by stirring together cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Add milk, stirring to combine. Drizzle over the bars; slice and serve.

Notes

  • Grease the pan well or spray with baking spray so that the bars come out of the pan easily. You can also line the pan with parchment paper, if desired.
  • Let the bars cool completely before slicing -- otherwise they will crumble and fall apart. They also need to be cool before you add the cream cheese glaze on top.
  • Don’t over-bake the bars. Pull them out of the oven when the edges are lightly browned and the inside is set. Cooking them too long can dry them out and the texture won't be quite as soft and chewy.
  • Always use freshly grated carrots that you grate yourself at home. These will be very wet, which is a great way to keep your bars moist. Do not use packaged pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar with cream cheese glaze | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 5023IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg