As of March 13, John and I have been married five years. We did it!
To celebrate I’m sharing 20 random facts about us that you may or may not know. Here goes.
- John hates the smell of brownies baking (hence this no bake recipe). He literally vacates the house when I’m baking anything reminiscent of them.
- I love sweets; he could care less.
- We both grew up in Kansas.
- We dated four months before getting engaged.
- We honeymooned in Breckenridge, Colorado, but didn’t ski once. (We ate our way through town and napped all day – it was perfect.)
- We were opposites growing up – he was into computers and I was into sports and my hair.
- We’ve lived in three states and moved 10 times in our five years of marriage!
- We both think Portland, Oregon, is the greatest city on Earth (where we currently reside and intend to stay forev-ah).
- Between the two of us, we’ve visited 14 countries since getting hitched.
- We don’t have kids but are expert succulent caretakers.
- I’m 2 years older than John. He’ll be 27 this year and I’ll be 29 (cougar alert).
- We’re lovers of good wine and coffee.
- I have one older sister, John is the oldest of six!
- Before Minimalist Baker I had many jobs, including web writer, barista, house cleaner, and waitress at approximately 100,000 restaurants.
- John went to law school and hated it. So I put him to work on Minimalist Baker (wink, wink).
- We desperately want to visit Iceland, Ireland, and pretty much every other country we haven’t been to yet.
- We have a Sunday tradition of eating pizza and watching Saturday Night Live.
- John is a voracious reader. I can hardly sit down long enough to write a grocery list.
- While I write the content and take the photographs for the blog, John does literally everything else. We make a good pair.
- I think he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
Now that you’ve taken a virtual tour of our relationship, onto dessert! You deserve it.
These brownies are entirely raw (except for the frosting) and super fudgy and rich. They come together in about 20 minutes and require simple ingredients you likely have on hand right now – such as,
Walnuts
Almonds
Dates
Cacao (or cocoa) Powder + Nibs
Sea Salt
And the ganache? Oh man.
It’s butter-free and utilizes coconut oil for an extra creamy finish.
While your brownies are chilling, whip this up in about 15 minutes and you’re good to go!
Spread it on thick, friends. This isn’t the time to skimp.
These gems are everything you want in a brownie. They’re:
Rich
Dense
Super fudgy
Studded with walnuts (and cacao nibs) for crunch
Incredibly satisfying
Simple to make
& Highly shareable
One bite in and I was done for.
Hence the reason I shuffled downstairs and handed these off to our apartment manager. Brownies of any form are too tempting to have around the house.
Not to worry, though. I managed to consume three before giving them away. OK, maybe four…
John had none, obviously.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, or – our favorite – take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers!
No-Bake Vegan Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
BROWNIES
- 1 cup (93 g) + 1/2 cup (47 g) raw walnuts, divided + more for topping
- 1 cup (150 g) raw almonds
- 2 1/2 cups (~425 g / 15 ounces) dates, pitted (if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes then drain)
- 3/4 cup (60 g) cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp cacao nibs + more for topping
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
GANACHE FROSTING (optional)
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) almond milk
- 1 cup (~175 g) dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or sub vegan butter), melted
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
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Place 1 cup walnuts and 1 cup almonds in food processor and process until finely ground.
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Add the cacao powder and sea salt and pulse to combine. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
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Add the dates to the food processor and process until small bits remain. Remove and set aside.
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Add nut and cocoa mixture back into food processor and while processing, drop small handfuls of the date pieces down into the food processor or blender spout.
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Process until a dough consistency is achieved, adding more dates if the mixture does not hold together when squeezed in your hand. You may not use all the dates.
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Add the brownie mixture to a small parchment lined 8x8 dish and before pressing, add remaining 1/2 cup roughly roughly chopped walnuts and cacao nibs and toss to combine and evenly distribute. Then press down with hands until it is flat and firm. I like laying down a piece of plastic wrap to prevent sticking and get it really flat.
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Lift parchment paper to remove brownies from dish and use hands to slightly squeeze in the sides to create a smaller square - this will make the brownies slightly thicker and more dense.
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Transfer back to dish and place in freezer or fridge to chill for 10-15 minutes before cutting into 12 even squares (If adding ganache, slice afterwards!).
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FOR THE GANACHE: Add almond milk to a mixing bowl and microwave for 45 seconds or until very warm. Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan until just simmering, then transfer to mixing bowl.
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Immediately add chocolate to warm milk and loosely cover. Don’t touch for 2 minutes so it can melt.
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Add salt and stir gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then add melted coconut oil and use a whisk to mix. Set in fridge for 10 minutes to thicken.
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Remove from fridge and add powdered sugar a little at a time to thicken. Whisk again to combine. If it’s still too thin, add another few Tablespoons powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
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Frost brownies generously with frosting and then top with additional raw walnuts and cacao nibs (optional). Slice into 12 even squares.
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Store brownies in an airtight container to keep fresh. Will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature, or in the freezer for at least 1 month (though best when fresh).
Notes
*Brownies adapted from my 5-minute Vegan Espresso Brownies.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 12 brownies generously frosted with ganache.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 12)
- Calories: 390
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated fat: 7g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 8g
- Sugar: 31g
- Protein: 9.4g
Hi, I'm Dana! I am a food stylist, photographer, creator of the Food Photography School and author of the 31 Meals Cookbook and Everyday Cooking.
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These look amazing!!! I loved reading all your random facts :) Happy anniversary!
Congrats on 5 years! It’s always nice to see people still happily married. For me, it’ll be 10 years, lots of give and take (I ended up getting that cat I didn’t want) but it’s worth it. Two kids, two dogs, a cat and like you guys lots and lots of succulents later, we’ve found our happy place. These brownies look great, funny how your husband doesn’t have a sweet tooth. I bet he doesn’t like coconut either. Am I right?!?
Congrats to you on 10 years! thanks for the encouragements, Tom. Hope you love these brownies!
Your love of sweets vs the hubbs indifference is just like how it is in my house. Anything with ganache and I am in. Thank you for the tasty looking recipe.
Happy Anniversary you two! You’ve accomplished and traveled much in your five years! YaY! There’s nothing like doing what you love, and loving where you live; that makes for one happy life! Congratulations !!! These brownies are delicious and that ganache! Gah! Thank you for this Dana!
Thank YOU for following and for the kind words!!
happy anniversary!! you guys are awesome! and i love how these brownies look.
Happy anniversary. I enjoyed reading your 20 facts, especially about your excellent plant care skills. The brownie recipe looks amazing and I plan to give it a try shortly.
haha, thanks Susanne! Hope you love these.
I’d love this post even if it wasn’t actually about brownies, and that says something! ;)
ah, thanks Marta! xoxo
Happy Anniversary! These look absolutely delicious!!
XO Kelly
Love the facts about you and John–so sweet. Oh, and the brownies look good, too. ;)
love. Thanks Kathryn!
Whoa. These look so good! I love love love brownies. I just found your site (??) and pretty much want to make everything! We moved to Portland a couple years ago and I agree, it’s the best :)
ah yay! Welcome!! How’d you find us? Cheers to living in the best city EVERRRR.
I did a Google search for a gluten free crepe recipe and your green tea crepes came up! I had heard your site mentioned a few times but I don’t really follow many food blogs- I follow yours now though and I pretty much want to make everything you post, ha.
Awwww love your list of facts and those brownies look amazing.
I wish I was one of those people that “could care less” about sweets. Lets just say I am very far from that. :)
We’re in the same boat! I wish I didn’t care :D
Awww, happy anniversary to you two! You’re such a cute couple and seem totally perfect for each other. <3
These brownies!! They look insanely delicious… decadent & fudgy. And these photos are incredible.
Thanks Abby! So kind. Hope you try this recipe!
Aw, your random facts are very cute! Although I’m a little confused why John hates the smell of brownies baking… like… what??? Does he hate the smell of cookies and pie baking too?
haha, nope! Just brownies. It’s a complex. if that’s the worst thing I have to deal with, it’s totally fine!! He also just happens to love chocolate chip cookies and apple pie. So, I win even without the brownies :D
My VERY FIRST!!! blog post 6 years ago, early 2009 was raw vegan brownies. Life, the blog, everything has sure changed but my love for the simplicity of this recipe has not! Your brownies are gorgeous!
Thanks Averie! So kind. I’ve missed your sunshiney comments over here!
Happy Anniversary! And I’m dying over this ganache right now. I cannot wait to try it!
Aw! I love the fun facts. And the look of these brownies! Swooning over the photos, the food, and how cute this post is. Happy anniversary!!
These brownies look delicious! Lately I’ve been wanting to try making my own raw bars or similar so I’ll definitely be trying these! Just one question – for the chocolate ganache, will it slightly taste like almonds or coconut? Unfortunately I don’t like either! :(
Nope! It really doesn’t. It’s quite neutral.
Congratulations! You two make such an awesome duo :) and thank you for this delectable looking recipe, I hope I can try it soon!
yess!! It’s pouring rain and I’m bored at home ahhaha now I know what I can do :)
My eyes are about to pop out of my head on account of how AMAZING these brownies look!! The fact that they’re vegan is just icing on the cake (brownie?)! Congrats on 5 years – that’s quite a milestone :)
haha, thanks! Hope you try them out!
Congrats on your 5 year anniversary, that’s really awesome. You both seem very happy with each other and what you do together on the blog. I wanted to move to Portland, Oregon about 8 years ago because I was accepted into 2 culinary arts schools, but I found out that it rains a lot in Oregon and I changed my mind. I have heard that this particular city is absolutely beautiful, though. Maybe one day my family and I could visit Oregon just to check it out. These brownies look amazing.
It does rain quite a bit, but it’s not as bad as some people thing. For instance, it didn’t rain all of February, which is supposed to be our worst month! And coming from the Midwest where the winters are so brutal you can barely leave the house, I’ll take a little overcast weather over ice storms any day!
I’m from Michigan and our winter was brutal last year and this year. I moved to North Carolina towards the end of 2010 and back to Michigan in 2012, but I’ve had it with these crazy winter and plan to move back down south.
I think I died of cuteness about five million times while reading that. And also, laughed out loud (as per usual) at “cougar alert”. I love all the traveling you guys do and that this blog is your shared project. I remember when you first posted these raw brownies and this upgraded version is so pretty! That ganache looks to DIE for. Pinning!
haha, thanks medha! You get me.
So I only have sweetened Cocoa powder to bake with! Do you recommend altering any of the other ingredients?
It should be fine, but if you want, you would use slightly more oats and slightly less chocolate to compensate sweetness :D
Happy 5 years and to such a successful blog together, I loved reading the list! These look amazing :)
I. Just. Love. It. !!!!! So sweet. You two. Ugh, the feels.
But. . .but. . .who doesn’t like the smell of brownies baking?!
haha, I know! It’s pretty much his one “flaw.” I can live with that!
I am new to a dairy free diet. Does it matter whether I use almond milk or anothet type such as soy milk? Are they interchangeable in this recipe? Love your gorgeous photography!
I find that almond milk is better for vegan baking. You can’t even taste it. Soy milk has a distinct flavor and your end result may not taste as good as you’d hope. Also, you might want to use unsweetened almond milk, or soy if you so desire. Anything sweetened might alter the baking process. Cheers!
I don’t recommend soy in most things because it does have a strong flavor. Stick to almond milk or rice milk when in doubt!
Thank goodness I read all these emails! Our family is allergic (not intolerant of the lactose in milk) to cows, goats, & soy milks and are not happy with almond milk but can drink it. I can digest organic rice milk and saw this small note saying I can use it. YAY! Of course I truly don’t need a recipe for another sweet BUT this one sounds like a keeper. Thank you!
I’m new here and wonder if you use apricots to sweeten things, such as pies? Yum!
Thank you both for your help…looking forward to doing some better tasting non-dairy baking!
oh my gah, ganache on a date brownie. That’s genius.
Happy Anniversary! These looks totally, ridiculously scrum-my! Can you actually stop just being so amazing and creating all these wonderful, delicious recipes? Actually don’t stop, that’s a lie but – gah!
mmmm, sorry? ha, hope you love this one, Lucy!
Congrats! Continued love, happiness and (food) joy to you both.
Just wondering whether you used a food processor or your vitamix for these? I can only buy a blender or a food processor and am wondering which route to go down….any advice is greatly appreciated!
I’ve asked myself the same question and I would go with a blender…can’t live without a blender for smoothies. It seems that you can do some food processing in a blender, and a blender is easier to clean.
I have a vitamix and food processor, but only make date bars in my food processor. I don’t know if it would work in a vitamix. Having the larger diameter mixing area is key for sticky dates. Good luck deciding!
I use a Vitamix, but you can definitely use a food processor as well. In fact, I think it’s quicker to use a food processor.
Congrats and thank you, I now weigh 500000 pounds. But it feels so good. ;)
My local newspaper has a travel section on Saturday. They recently featured Iceland. One amazing fact is that only the perimeter is populated because there is no way to travel into the interior.
I’m not eating sugar. Is there something else I can use as a substitute for the powdered sugar in the frosting?
How about blitzing some raw cane sugar or coconut sugar in a spicer grinder to make it into a powder? Otherwise, omit it!
Can you use dates to sweeten the ganache instead of sugar?
I love raw brownies! These look amazing!
I cannot wait to try these brownies. And I must thank you for this recipe because, you’re not going to believe this, but my son cannot stand the smell of brownies baking either. He loves food and cooking, but can’t stand the smell of a lot of things cooking. Strange, huh? I’ve been a longtime follower of your blog, but I’ve not posted here before. And I am curious, what part of Kansas are you from? I only ask because my husband and I are both from a small town in Kansas.
ha! Two of a kind your son and my John. Thanks for saying hi! We’re both from around the Wichita area. You?
We’re from the very southeast corner, Baxter Springs.
Always nice to meet a felllow Kansan.
HAPPY 5 YEARS AND MANY MORE. THE BROWNIES LOOK INCREDIBLY GREAT! WHAT IS THE NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN? LUV TO YOU BOTH.
Should be there now! Sorry about that.
This looks delicious and oh so epic!
this looks absolutley gorgeous! I am so happy I discovered your site- I have still so much to learn about food photography and I might consider buying your guide :) awesome work!
Firstly, these look aaahhhhh-mazing. Secondly, congratulations lovebirds! I celebrate my five year anniversary next month, and I too got engaged after 4 months (when you know, you know!). Best wishes!!
I think we were both professional speed daters :D Congrats to you guys as well!
Ahh! CONGRATULATIONS!!! You guys are too cute, seriously. I loved this post. It’s so great to see what’s on the other side ;) And of course, chocolate (freaking’ delicious!) brownies!!! You are a machine. And these pics! xoxo
So much love. Thanks Emilie!
First of all, happy anniversary! Secondly these look and sound fantastic. I’l have to just call them no bake brownies in our house as hubby is seriously anti-vegan, but I will be trying them since the kids adore dates and walnuts.
Thirdly, if you are going to Ireland, contact me for tips on where to go, what to do and most importantly where and what to eat.
Fionnuala
Ah, thanks Fionnuala! So kind! I’ll put out a little alert when we’re headed that way :D
Thanks so much for the Vegan recipe. We are just embarking into Vegan lifestyle and this looks delicious!
Happy anniversary! These look amazing. I just started following your blog, and I love it. Your food photography is really great. Food never looked so sexy!
Thanks Wilma! So great to hear from new readers :D
Any substitution suggestions for cacao nibs?
Just omit them or sub more chopped chocolate!
Happy Anniversary. I love the list. But, hates the smell of brownies baking? Is that possible?
scrummy, im in love with these x
Wow, I’m so going to make these brownies this week. I’m an avid chocolate lover so I cannot miss this opportunity.
A big, chewy brownie is the best. I love that thick ganache on this!
Totally making these for dessert tonight! It’s been waaaayyy too long since I’ve had any sweets!
Let me know how it goes!
Happy Anniversary to you both! It warms my heart to see people happy together like you are, I’m a suckered for a good love story :D and ohhhhh boy those brownies! I haven’t made a raw dessert in too long, but I’m scared to make these cause I don’t have anyone nearby to give them to haha! Just myself ;)
Ah, thanks Elly! Glad you enjoyed the post + hope you love this recipe!
Vegan or not – these are amazing!! I did not make the icing, as I am not a fan of icing on brownies (or cake even)…I could not stop licking the spoon while making and I have “sampled” twice now to see how they have firmed up in the fridge. Everytime i make brownies I always use a round pan (??!!) I think it’s so I can sample the “edges” as I cut them into squares.
Congrats on 5 years of marriage – and many more to come!
Oh, by the way, the brownies taste like brownies, not almonds, walnuts or dates – so picky eaters could probably be fooled (IMHO).
Ah, thanks Robin! So glad you enjoyed these. xoxo!
Congratulations on 5 years! And I’ll add an extra congrats for the creation of these ridiculously awesome raw brownies. That fudgy ganache layer looks amaaazing!
Happy anniversary you guys!! You are the sweetest couple ever. Please tell me you argue once in a while or I will be forced to hate you. ;) Your no-bake brownies are THE BOMB! They saved me when I did a cleanse last year. Can’t wait to try this ganachey version. <3
haha, thanks Alanna! Of course we have our disagreements. But we are just a really good match and he’s just kind of so adorable I can’t stay mad. Hugs from OR!
I used peanuts and pecan for these, as I didn’t have the others on hand. They are so dang good! Like someone else said, they taste just like real brownies! Thanks for another great recipe. And happy anniversary!
That’s awesome! I let a friend try these and they didn’t even realize they were no bakes. Glad they went over well with your friends, too!
These look amazing! That ganache is calling my name. Congrats on five years! We are coming up on ten! It goes by fast.
It was so great to meet you guys last year! Congrats on 10!!
I just love you two. And these brownies. Happy five years (!!!)
These look so rich and delicious!!! Happy Anniversary :)
I can’t wait to try these! They look like a healthier, more wholesome alternative for a treat that I love. Thanks so much!
Oh my, these brownies are unbelievable. My favorite desserts incorporate whole foods like dates and nuts. Amazing job, yet I can’t believe John didn’t even have a nibble! I suppose your love for sweets and his lack thereof are the perfect balance. Agreed about Portland.
Time out: John has FIVE younger siblings?! This is news to me! Congrats on five years of marriage, you too. I miss you!
*you two. I need more coffee.
haha, more coffee is always a good idea. Thanks friend!
these turned out very delicious. Only issue was the brownie part wasn’t thick enough / was too sticky. I used cashews instead of almonds, maybe that was it. I’m also gonna try to see if leaving them refrigerated longer will allow me to cut them.
Love the combo of the brownies + ganache! I make those brownie bites all the time, but will have to now layer on the delicious chocolate ganache! Happy anniversary btw! I have a 50 random facts about me page, so I loved getting to know you guys better!
Made these tonight and oh my WOW. I will NOT be giving a single one away. :) Well, maybe my husband can have one. Maybe. :)
haha, great! Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!
These look amazing! We have been following your blog for a while and recently launched our own! Since we are a brand new blog and would love love love if you took a look around our blog! There is a recipe for Crunchy Chickpeas that we think you might like. You might also enjoy our Chunky Monkey Cookies!
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Would you know how many Medjol dates are equal to 2-1/2 cups?
I think like 40-50, depending on their size.
Amazing! I was drooling at the pictures when you first posted them but never got around to making them, but tonight I was so desperate I didn’t mind I only had enough ingredients for two brownies – I whittled down the amounts and oh wow, am I glad I did! I’m a university student with an autoimmune disease (so I’m short on time but make up for it in food intolerances..) and your recipes are really helping me out for quick food ideas and sweet treats, so thank you so much! And happy (late) anniversary! :)
Thanks for sharing, Ada! Glad we could help!!
Congrats and happy anniversary! You guys are so cute :) I made these brownies today and they are AMAZING! Too good…I’ll be giving most of them away very soon :)
Have you ever tried substituting another nut for the walnuts? I want to make them for a friend who is allergic.
Thanks!
I think almonds would work fine in this recipe, as would pecans. Good luck, Jessie!
That ganache though. I need it.
Congrats on 5 years. I’d marry you too if you made me these brownies.
haha, I do?
Congrats on your anniversary!! I love the idea of raw brownies. I just discovered your blog a couple of months ago and have been following along ever since.
All of your recipes look and (the ones I’ve tried) taste amazing!!
love these… i added hand ground cardomon for that extra lift… keep up the good work :)
Congratulations!!
Thank you for your great site. I am a new vegan and was thrilled to find you. I’ve made several things already (the black bean brownies are in the oven now!) and everything has been great.
Have a great weekend! :)
hi congrats on ur anniversary. vegan brownies look delicious. Im thinking of starting a food blog ur resources are of great help for me and im interested in genesis theme rather than thesis but idont know abc’s of coding what to do? your suggestions are highly appreciable please help me out.
Congrats to you two talented humans! I have to say I am glad to hear that you guys moved so much as well! We have moved ten times since getting married in 2006, living in three states. Gosh its an adventure, but I am so glad you guys found your forev-ah spot in Portland! And yes on Iceland. Dying to go there as well! And these brownies… well YUM of course.
Congratulations on your 5 year milestone guys! Wishing you many more happy years, filled with many more yummy recipes!
Love this recipe, what a great idea to add a ganache on top! It looks divine.
John is missing out big time!
Happy anniversary!
Those brownies are heaven. I made them yesterday and they turned out just wonderful!! So soft and chocolaty and the ganache on top is just to die for. I used hazelnuts instead of almonds because the store was out, and it worked very well.
Keep up the good work! Love you recipes, the photos, the texts!
Dani
So great! Thanks for sharing Dani! xoxo
Looks delicious and I’m planning to make it:)
Oh my, these sound BEYOND! And I just loved reading your list. My husband and I are really close and it’s great to see that kind of partnership in other couples…
Made these yesterday and they were absolutely divine! Will make again… Thanks for the recipie
I made these for a business meeting and everyone gobbled them up! They were putting them in napkins to take home, too.
I work for an organic/sustainable online grocery company, and getting my uber-healthy-eating co-workers to indulge in sweets, then ask for more, is nothing short of a miracle. The raw dates and nuts, and low-added sugar set their minds at ease.
I made them the night before, then let them in the fridge overnight to encourage the ganache to set a bit more firm, then I let them come to room temp before the meeting. They were so fudgy, and tasted like baked brownies. There was no faint taste of dates or nuts other than the extras added for crunch.
This recipe is a keeper, and a crowd-pleaser! Thank you for sharing it!
I have made probably 10+ different raw brownie recipes and this one TOPPED ALL!!!:):):) love it. Thanks Dana:) I have made probably 20 or more of your recipes….every one is amazing! I always look for your emails every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday!!:):):) YAY! You’re by far the best healthy eating blog on the web.
Oh, thanks Kate! Such a sweet comment! Made my day :D
I’m not making these brownies anymore!!! They are too good! I ate most of them in 4 days! Oh what have you done to me, chocolate is my kryptonite!!! I love them, thank you so much and happy anniversary! I’m making a batch tonight to give tomorrow to my friend and her mom! You’re awesome! ;-)
haha! Sorry about that! Thanks for the sweet note!
Since my daughter became passionate about raw food diets, I’ve tried a few desserts, but these brownies top the list!
Gave a sample to a friend, who loved them too. Since all my baked brownies come out dry, this will now be my go-to brownie recipe. Very fudgy, especially with the icing. As a bonus, they’re perfect for Passover since they contain no flour!!
these are absolutely delicious! I made a batch for my mum who doesn’t eat any gluten and she adored these! Thank you for the recipe
100%-ly SUPER yummy:)
I made these 5 days ago, and ate them all (aside from sharing two, or three) in 2 days. I go a bit crazy over chocolate, especially raw brownies. This recipe is THE BEST no bake brownie recipe. The ganache is super yummy, too.
I made these again today without the ganache, and am happy to have them again. :)
*I didn’t add salt, nor cacao nibs, both times, but it’s still the grandest brownie recipe.
I fully plan on making these this Sunday as our Easter dessert and serving them with Stevie’s Dairy Free Cinnamon Coffee Ice Cream ( don’t worry I will tag you with a picture on instagram). Anyways, is there anything you would recommend for me to substitute the powder sugar with for the frosting?? I have to watch my sugar intake since I am hypoglycemic and would like to use something natural like maple syrup but wasn’t sure if it would whip up the same way! Thoughts???
Hi Cristina! You want something with a lighter texture than maple syrup. What about putting some coconut sugar or cane sugar in a coffee or spice grinder and whirling it into powder? Hope that helps!
Congrats on 5 years!
I don’t suppose there is anything I can substitute in the recipe for the walnuts and almonds? I’m a vegan and severely allergic to nuts but these brownies look jaw dropping-ly mouth watering-ly good so wondered if there might be an alternative. ThAnk yoU!
How about subbing raw or roasted peanuts!? Then it would take on a peanut butter chocolate flavor. Yum. Also, you can sub up to half with oats!
Unfortunately I can’t eat peanuts either but oats sound great! Cannot wait to make them – THANK YOU SO MUCH! :)
I swapped walnuts for sunflower seeds and almonds for pumpkin seeds and they turned out perfect
Great, will definitely give them a go. Thank you!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Bonnie!
I made this recipe last weekend and was so pleased by the results. They tasted great and I will certainly make them again. My only thing was that the ganache didn’t adhere to the brownie well, any suggestions for my next batch?
Hmm, maybe heating the ganache a little before spreading next time? It may have gotten too stiff while sitting…
Made these for an Easter brunch. They were gobbled up by both adults and kids. Fudgy and delicious., will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe. Great blog!
In the last couple weeks, I made these and your mint brownie ice cream. Both were crazy delicious. So glad I found your blog!
Are these basically the same as your 5 minute espresso walnut brownies minus the coffee and ganache? These look better for some reason but id still like to add a tsp of ground coffee.
Very similar!
I loved your post & everything about it. I loved this brownie recipe even more. My daughter is highly allergic to all things dairy, lactose or eggs. Which makes me sad because she’s missing out on so many good things. It makes baking especially tricky & this recipe is perfect for her. She can finally experience chocolate, & even better, yummy chocolate brownies!!!
what kind of chocolate foe the ganache? semi sweet? unsweetened?
Used 1/4c Arbonne chocolate protein powder, 1/4c cacao powder, 1/4c cocoa. Added a little water to squeeze the base together before freezing because my dates weren’t as soft as I thought, total awesomeness. Thank you!!
What could I use instead of Walnuts? Im allergic but would love to try out this recipe? Could I use pecans instead??
I used sunflower seeds and they worked great!
I was surprised that I didn’t like these more. I did not make the topping and suspect it would make them much better. Wanted to keep a little healthier. I think I’ll try one of the other brownie recipes on this site and see if it hits home more for me.
For the info of the other lazy, disorganised bakers (without complex dietary requirements) out there:
– I substituted 100% cacao chocolate bar, grated, for the cacao powder, just using slightly less, and it seems fine.
– I substituted cows milk for almond milk in the ganache and it still turned out beautiful. Make sure you sieve the icing sugar!
– Also in the ganache, I used part milk chocolate and part solid cacao, again using slightly less, and the ganache is beautiful and very chocolatey.
Enjoy!
I thought I could use my vitamix as a food processor but I was very wrong. Turns out you can just chop the dates then knead all the ingredients together. Takes a lot longer but they still turned out very yummy!!
I just made these! I am going to surprise my boyfriend with them later. I didn’t have a pan to make them nice and square, so I just made a heart shaped one! Thanks for the recipe! Pretty easy to make and I give it 5 stars for sure. Yum.
Oh – and I used my ninja blender as food processor and it actually worked really well! I saw someone else wasn’t able to use their blender but I was – maybe because it has multiple blades and one that is more for food processing with a bowl.
i love this recipe very much! but I was wandering am I supposed to use already pitted dates or just take the pit out of regular dates? thank you so much!
Either way! As long as they’re pitted. I pit my own.
I made these today and they were pretty damn good, but I did have an issue with the ganache… The coconut oil didn’t combine with the chocolate, it literally poured out of the pan while the chocolate clung to the inside. And there was still a very strong coconut oil taste to the ganache from what oil did make it into the mix, which was a bit overpowering. I wonder if there is something else you could use instead of coconut oil… or maybe I’m just doing it wrong.
Hmm, I would say you didn’t whisk vigorously enough. Next time either use vegan butter OR refined coconut oil, which has a more neutral flavor (not coconutty at all).
hey! I didn’t use coconut oil at all because I didn’t have any so I just used any flavourless oil (I used avocado and it worked great!) you just need to make sure to mix well and it combines great
Hi there,
I made these yesterday. They are amazing. Do you think they would freeze ok? If I don’t freeze them, I’m going to eat them all!!!
Ok I just found where you said you could freeze for up to a month. Thanks
Best no-bake brownie ever! I was a little short on dates so added a little coconut oil to keep the it together. Super rich and delicious.
Just made them and they taste as good as they look! I think I over blitzed the dates to begin with so when it came to adding them to the nut/cocoa mix it was quite a lot of work as was so sticky and took some time (definitely more than 21 minutes!) but it was totally worth it! I’m taking them for a cake table at a wedding on Saturday so hopefully they’ll go down as well there. If they aren’t all snaffled before – my man differs from yours and has a VERY sweet tooth! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to try more :)
Whilst drooling over your brownies I noticed something which you may find strange… Your engagement ring! I have the exact same setting. Thing is, I live in Melbourne Oz, I got the ring in the US when travelling there. In Australia, no one seems to have this setting, the prongs are never the same…. The way the diamond sits floating above the band. I find it get soooo dirty and greasey when cooking because of this, how do you keep yours clean?
This may be the strangest comment yet?!
:)
Ps… Brownies look amazing!
Hi Dana,
These look amazing. I’m going to give them a go tomorrow but had a question about the powdered sugar. Could I use stevia, agave or honey instead and if so would it be a similar quantity or should I start with a little and just keep adding until it tastes right?
Thanks,
Sally (UK)
Hi Sally! You should be able to sweeten with any of those three, honey being the most preferable. Start small and sweeten to taste. Best of luck!
Im not a big fan of dates….which other thing can I use?
Mayba Agave nectar or Maple Sirup, but the dates are moist. I think it could change the consistency of the recipe with something else…
I’m not a huge date fan either but I’ve found that when they’re mixed with cocoa they are delicious!! I’ll be making them soon so I’ll let you know how I find these ones.
i dont like dates is there anything eles i could use?
The ganache looks amazing – can’t wait to try this! What size baking tray did you use?
Do you think it can be possible to make it with soaked nuts? Why the nuts aren’t soaked?
Just made these – absolutely delicious!
Making these again tomorrow…. The last time I made them I had to give them out to a whole host of people as a ‘last day party’ type thing. SO looking forward to hogging them all to myself, THEY’RE JUST SO FUDGY…. hehe.
I made these for book club last week and everyone loved them! They were so amazing!
OMG ! I just made them ! they are incredibly delicious !!! although I did´t make the ganache cause some of those ingredients I can´t find in Chile, but just like that , ganache-less…..they won my heart !
THANKS !!!
How the hell does brownies baking bother someone?
this is an amazing recipe!! it’s so so good and utterliy irresistible!!! I just kept making more and more and ate the all my self ? love this thank you!! xxx
These look absolutely mouth-watering! Can’t wait to make them.
Made These Today for a Family Gathering! Super moist and chewy and delicious, thank you for this amazing recipe!!
You are a genius! These are spectacular. I’d put this against again non vegan dessert any day. And the fact that they’re no bake? Unreal. I’m in love!
Glad you enjoyed them, Laura! xoxo
Hello Dana,
Thanks for sharing this greedy vegan desert. I tried it yesterday and It’s absolutely delicious. For ganache i’ve just tried to substitute sugar by Honey and it’s tasty and nourishing too :).
I appreciate it with fruit like an apple for tea time…
In waiting for new vegan recipes .
I tried making the ganache but it came out a bit curdled. Was the almond milk too hot? Delicious just a little less beautiful than yours.
Yeah, sounds like the almond milk was a bit too hot. Glad it still tasted good!
Made em, in fridge, v excited!
Long time reader, first time commenter.
First—happy anniversary. It’s fun to read about the woman (and her husband) behind the recipes.
Secondly—thank you for doing what you do. Your blog/books were recommended to me by a friend, and I’ve found such joy in following your recipes and creations. I admire how you strive for simplicity and describe the how and why behind a recipe.
Lastly, OHMYGOODNESS THESE BROWNIES ARE TO DIE FOR. The frosting reminds me of buttercream, and the overall brownies remind me of ones my Mom made. Delicious! I thought about sharing these, but thought again and I’m keep them to myself ;)
Cheers!
So kind! Thanks for leaving such a sweet, encouraging comment! So glad you loved these brownies. Much love! Dana
Is there anything I can use as a substitute for powdered sugar? Maybe arrowroot powder? Thanks!
Love these! Really easy to make. Thanks for sharing! Here’s what mine looked like: https://instagram.com/p/8tEC4alF4v/
Gorgeous!
Love the simplicity! Do you think I can pull it off with a Blend-tec instead of a food processor… and agave instead of medjool dates?
Super belated happy anniversary ;-)
JD
I think so on the blendtec. But on the dates, they’re key and I wouldn’t suggest agave!
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, Dana. Will definitely try these!
This is the most scrumptious brownie I’ve ever eaten! I make them every Sunday to keep me going through out the week.
Although for the chocolate ganache, I use 100gr of dark chocolate with 100ml of coconut milk and pour it over the dates mixture I leave it in the fringe. Its soft and yummy. Once I added hole peanuts before pouring the ganache and it tasted just like sneakers! Obsessed !!! Thank you
What is the nutritional info, without the ganache?
Hmm, not sure! If you’d like to try and calculate that, I usually rely on caloriecount.com’s recipe analysis function.
Beautiful recipe! Easy to follow. Our humble assistant (11 y.o. daughter) has taken over! Thank you. All the best from west coast Scotland.
How wonderful! So glad you all enjoyed them! xoxo
It’s rich,velvety and soooo chocolaty.Yum……
These look wonderful! I made raw/vegan/paleo chocolate truffles a similar way and loved them. Even my “non healthy eating” family lives them! Such a great idea :)
-sara
Just made these brownies! Amazing!
These were my adjustments (due to an almond sensitivity and a preference for pecans):
– Pecans and pumpkin seeds instead of almonds and walnuts for the brownie ‘base’ and topping
– hemp milk instead of almond milk for the ganache
– homemade powdered turbinado sugar using a Vitamix for the ganache
What a wonderful website and wonderful life you seem to have with your hubby! Congrats on that! I’ve very recently decided to turn vegan and I’m a big fan of cakes and sweet tooth is insane lol… So stumbling across this was a god send! Made them on Monday without the cacuanibs and extra walnuts on top and instead opted for strawberries… They were phenomenal!!! Thank-you for posting this recipe!!! :-)
Hi dana, I tried making the brownies and it tasted awesome! The only problem that I faced was that the batter was not sand like texture, it was more of a pudding consistancy and when i put it in the fridge for more than a day, it still stayed the same texture. Please help me out and tell what mistake I did and suggest me any tips which might help me out when I make it next time. Thanks alot for this recipe!!!!
Hmmm, it sounds like maybe you added too many dates and not enough nuts! Add more nut meal to turn it back into a dough!
These are the best brownies ive ever tasted in all 4 years of me being vegan!! and they look beautiful!! A co-worker made them for me today and wow… these are a treat for anyone whether vegan or otherwise!! see how pretty they turned out : https://www.instagram.com/p/_DvvivrOIe/?taken-by=thislittlechicky Thanks Minimalist baker :)
This recipe seems really amazing and these brownies look so good that I definitely need to make them ASAP! My favourite part of this though is the 20 facts – they are so cute and add such a personal touch. I really enjoyed reading them :)
Hello. Do you think I could add some puréed steam beetroot to this and what proportion would you recommend?
Thanks a lot and I’m looking forward to trying these!
I made these ~ 1month ago and they were fantastic! My substitutions (due to allergies) were:
– Pecans and pumpkin seeds instead of almonds and walnuts for the brownie ‘base’ and topping
– hemp milk instead of almond milk for the ganache
– homemade powdered turbinado sugar using a Vitamix for the ganache
Turned out wonderful! Will definitely be making them again. This recipe marks my first successful ganache icing. Woop!
Miss Dana–
I can not thank you enough for this recipe! I’ve made these brownies twice now and they were absolutely delicious both times! As a birthday treat for myself, I decided to whip up a batch for my family. I can’t wait to share with them how amazing raw vegan desserts can be. :)
Keep up the great work– I love your site & your recipes are the BEST!
xo,
Audrie
As a dark-chocolate lover with an egg allergy, I’m looking forward to making these no-bake beauties. My sweetie and I have been married 44 years and lived in Portland and area for 42 of them. Best city anywhere!
I was trying not to comment until I baked these, but everyone else did. It would be nice to see two different categories on your Comment & Review Page. One for actually trying the recipe and the other for compliment you,( which is well deserved). I read through all of them, and didn’t get any idea on how others liked, disliked or had changed the recipe to suite them. First of all these brownies look delicious, but they also look mighty wet, gooey and soggy. Are they?
Also, why doesn’t the newest comment show up at the top instead of having to scroll down to the latest one?
They aren’t soggy! They’re moist and tender, but not soggy. Thanks for the tips on the comments! We’re always looking for ways to improve site usability.
I made these the other night as part of my boyfriend’s and my attempt to get back to whole foods in the new year. They’re definitely not your typical brownie, but they are reminiscent of those Little Debbie brownies, which brings up all kinds of nostalgia for childhood. They’re thick, fudgy, and rich, and the chocolate ganache is a must! I added fresh raspberries to mine, and it was a perfect dessert without all the refined sugar.
AMAZAING ! So so good !
YUM! Made these for Xmas day and everyone (non Vegans) LOVED them! Thanks so much for your amazing website, its my number one go to. :)
Making these again for a second time in a week, they are AMAZEBALLS! Thank you:)
Wow! This is a great recipe. The only change I made was to substitute hazelnut milk for the almond milk. These brownies taste so good. That ganache recipe is excellent. Thanks so much for posting this!!!!
Dana is right! Don’t skimp on the ganache. It is arguably the best part. I would do somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of the ganache because it was that yummy. The combination of the two textures (guilt-free, granular bottom layer and the smooth, decadent top layer) was great.
For those want to use powdered sugar that is not refined using any animal products these resources may be helpful.
http://www.ordinaryvegan.net/vegansugar/
http://cookieandkate.com/2014/how-to-make-powdered-sugar/
I’m allergic to walnuts. What do you suggest – more almonds or put in another nut? These look terrific and I’d like to try them.
Many thanks no congratulations,
Julie
I just made these for the Superbowl. Everyone loves them and they look exactly like the photo!! (great directions!)
Holy crap you’re my favorite blog like ever and all this time I had no idea you live in the same city as me!
These are amazing! I used carob powder instead of cacao powder and they turned out great. Very easy and delicious!! 5 stars for sure. So glad I found your site!
If you really wanna visit Iceland and Ireland go for it. I know especially Iceland freaks a lot of people out but it’s not as foreign as it may seem, trust me. I visit my family there every year and am planning on moving to Reykjavik after I graduate. Best time to visit is mid to end of August. A lot of festivals around that time and if you’re lucky you can see Aurora borealis in early October. It’s not even that cold yet then. I recommend combining the trip with Ireland, flights are really cheap from Ireland to Iceland. Btw, can I sub the powdered sugar with something healthier like date sugar or Coconut sugar?
I was AMAZED with how great these were! Best raw vegan brownie recipe ever! My family NEVER like my vegan desserts. They LOVED this one…….happy me :) Thanks :)
Hi Dana, I know it’s Long sinceramente you’vè publishing this recipe, but I’d rally love to male the and brina them to Scholl for my Class mates and let them surprised! I was just wondering if I could let them out of the fridge for three hours without any inconvenient and also if I could substitue the sugar in the ganche with date syrup. Thank you so much and sorry for my bad english
Lucia
Where in Kansas are you both from? I live in Overland Park, KS!!
This is absolutely amazingly good. Thank for a great recipe!
Love your recipes usually but could you please list substitutions when dates are called for? Those are really expensive for some of us.
Love this recipe!!! Only trouble I had was with the dates in the blender, as they kept getting stuck. I ended up just mixing the ingredients manually, and added a bit of maple syrup to moisten the mix (it was a little too dry because the dates hadn’t been chopped into small enough bits). Worked great and everyone loved them!! Easy and delicious!
Any more natural subs for powdered sugar?
These look AMAZING!
My lactose-intolerant 4-year-old ate delicious brownies. And, you know, her mom may or may not have eaten a few, too. Some. Okay, a lot. Was nervous I’d taste the dates too much, but no. (although some people caught a hint of “fruit” when they ate it.) That ganache will be used on other things, too. Or possibly just free-based. (She asked if she could have a brownie for breakfast this morning. It kinda pained me to say “after dinner.”)
Ha! So glad she liked them, Amy!
Any recommendations for a raw cocao brand? Something that’s yummy in raw desserts!
Simply AMAZING! I made them for a friend’s birthday and we all loved them!
Since my friend has a walnut allergy, I used cashews and haselnuts instead and topped with crushed cashews, coconut flakes and orange zest. DIVINE!
This is the second sweet recipe I’ve made and both have been a success! Having quit sugar since last summer, I’ve had difficulty finding good no-sugar recipes. Your blog has changed that – thank you!!
Hi there! I have the medjool dates from Trader Joes. I think these are fresh but they are naturally a little dry. Should I still soak them in advance? I am excited to try this :)
Hi! Looks yummy!! Would you recommend another nut instead of almonds? I’m allergic
THESE ARE LIFE CHANGING!!!! :)
First of all…thanks for sharing. This is an amazing recipe!!!! They make an awesome, guilt-free breakfast lol. Keep up the great work?
So delicious!! I made these yesterday! Unfortunately I do not own a food processor, so i used my basic blender. Boy was that a challenge. I ended up having to blend the flour portion separate from the dates. Then ended up folding everything together with my hands! A little messy, but did the trick. I am on a diet for GI issues and have been craving sweets. I substituted the powdered sugar for xylitol and stevia. Overall, excellent recipe! Actually reminds me of real brownies. Yummmm
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing a bit about you two. I was cracking up at the cougar part as you so do not apply to that slang terminology.
It only applies when the woman is much older, like old enough to be their mama… Think a 40 year old woman dating a 20 year old.
As for the brownies, I use to make similar ones without ganache.
I will have to give them a try with as it looks insanely yummy!
Thank you for the laugh and the sharing! Much love and blessings to you both! <3
Thanks Jamie! So kind. Glad you enjoyed. xo
Just made these and they are Fab! I switched dried apricots for the figs, delicious!!!! I also added some good cocoa powder to the ganache to thicken it a little rather than keep adding icing sugar. Came out all shiny!!!
Great tips!
Hi Dana,
Thanks! Best brownie recipe I’ve had, vegan and raw, thanks to my sis. My go to recipe now.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Hi can I use chocolate chips instead of cacao nibs because where I live those are not available here?
Sure!
This looks incredible but am I the only one concerned with how expensive it is to make a batch of these? A pound of medjool dates where I live is 9€, the nuts are another 3€, the vegan chocolate 3€. I am sure i will make these, but not as often as I would like strictly because of the high cost.
It’s a blog. Thus the blah, blah, blah. Maybe try using epicurious or another site that’s recipes only?
Wow! These were delicious. I was hesitant to try these as previous attempts to make vegan brownies have benn utter disasters in particular another vegan blogs sweet potato brownies. However these completely changed my mind. The only bad thing is I ate half a tray in one afternoon. Thank you for making such a wonderful recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Jordan!
I had a really hard time getting my “dough” to stay together in the dish. I think it’s because I had no idea what consistency I was looking for so I think it may have been too liquid, I’m not sure what went wrong there. However, I ended up making truffles and covering them with shredded coconut, cocoa powder, walnuts and sprinkles. They are delicious like that! I’m putting them in cute little baggies for friends’ gifts this weekend and attaching the recipe. Thanks for the inspiration!
I just made these! yummy..but my frosting just would not firm up/? I don’t know what I did wrong??
Hmm, did you leave it in the fridge long enough? What kind of chocolate did you use? Adding a little more powdered sugar usually helps.
These were just great! I found them to be far tastier once they’d been in the fridge overnight. Since mine didn’t end up being moist enough to clump (maybe my dates were a little dry), I melted a bit of coconut manna (a few tbsp) along with another tbsp or so of coconut oil, and they turned out just delicious. For the frosting, I used semi-sweet vegan choco chips and the vegan butter and it was perfect. Thanks!!
can i sub the almond milk with coconut milk? also can i sub the powdered sugar for stevia?? also can i sub almonds with more walnuts??
I made these brownies yesterday and they were an absolute hit! You can’t really taste the dates and after I told my colleagues that I made them with dates they were like whaaaattt! I did have a disaster though, after blending the nuts and started blending the dates, my blender started to smoke and stopped working! So I had to hand chop the dates which was not an easy task since they were so sticky, I was surprised that I didn’t have large lumps in them. After that I just mashed everything together with my hands, still turned out really great, thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi Dana!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe with everyone. My Boyfriend is going vegan and I’m trying to be as supportive as I can. I actually tried another recipe prior to yours and it was not good. After trying your recipe, I’m convinced that vegan food can taste as good/better than non-vegan ones!
I’m so happy that these taste so good and no one could tell that no dairy products were used! (The only difference I made to this recipe was using chocolate hazelnut milk instead and no coconut oil for the frosting.)
Looking forward to trying even more of your recipes!
Cheers!
I just made these and I swear they’re the best raw brownies I’ve ever made! The frosting was absolutely perfect! I usually struggle with making it nice thick yet light but not this time, yay! Thank you so much for sharing <3
Veronika
Thanks Veronika!
Is this paleo?
Not sure! I am not familiar with the tenants of the paleo diet.
Thank you so much for this recipe! It was a huge hit. I didn’t have much for icing so I used coconut oil, maple syrup and Cocoa powder, it was really good. The brownies some how got even better after a day in the fridge. I will make this from now on instead of the super unhealthy ones! I tried to rate this five stars but it won’t let me.
I made these yesterday and they are absolutely scrumpalitious!! Thank you for the amazing recipe. The ganache is simply delicious. I used normal soya milk instead of almond only because they had run out in my local supermarket but still tastes so yummy! Will continue to make these raw brownies as they’re the best I’ve had!
2. *Couldn’t* care less. Not could.
Hi, Dana! These look so amazing. Can I subtitute almonds for cashews, and coconut milk? I have an allergy, but wonder if it will come out the same.
Check out our Recipe FAQ for information about nut and coconut milk substitutions!
I think so! Definitely check out our Recipe FAQ for more information about substitutions! I haven’t tried this but give it a shot and let us know how it turns out!
Literally the best vegan, no grain brownies & ganache ? My favorite, far above wheaty kinds. Thank you!!
Literally the best vegan, no grain brownies & ganache ? My favorite, far above wheaty kinds. It’s one of my go-to recipes for parties. Thank you!!
Hi, I don’t have any nuts, what can I use instead?
This is seriously the best brownie recipe I’ve had (and I’m a sweet addict, so that’s saying something). The fact that it’s vegan, and better for you than regular brownies, makes it that much better. I’ve made it three times so far, and each time is just as delicious (if not, more) than the last. I highly, HIGHLY, reccomend this recipe. I also reccomend trying some of The Minimalist Baker’s other recipes, because they are all spectacular, and oh so healthy.
Made these brownies for my department at work and they were amazing; had nothing but compliments about them, including my favourite comment of “they don’t taste vegan!” Thanks for the recipe, I will definitely be making these again! :D x
These are amazing! I’ve made them a few times and today I decided to add some peanut butter to them…omg delicious! Thank u for this recipe, it’s a winner :)
I want to try making these more peanut buttery.. can you tell me how much you added and at which point?
Soo delicious!.. If you’re reading this you have to try it, I made it with my 3 year old daughter, love that she could help in everyway! YUM!
Hi awesome saver of my craving moods! Following you, Dana since 6 minths, made many recipes of yours , they are all delicious. Now this one I have altered : 200 grams of mashed avocados with 225 grams of dates. Next imeI want to use sesameoil, because I am not allowed coco any more (so sad). We are enjoying them in sunny Spain.. no harsh winters in Andalucia! You are my helper in my transition for vegan and raw food diet. Thanks so much. Sabina xx
These were really good.
Thank you for this recipe, I just made these and the ganache is delicious!
I made these and I’m so insanely impressed by how they turned out! They actually taste like real, fudgy, delicious brownies. My two year old, 10 year old, and my husband (who is not a huge chocolate fan like the rest of us) all absolutely loved them! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
Sorry I forgot to include my rating 5 stars for sure!
Hey Dana,
I’ve been travelling through Asia now for around 2 months and I was really graving for a chocolate cake, but almost noone here has an oven. So I finally looked for no-bake recipes and came to your sweet site with all the pictures making me hungry. To cut a long story short, I found a bakery supply store in Taipei without further ado, got all the ingredients and made these brownies two days ago.
Yesterday evening, my host in Taipei came back home from work and the first thing she said was: “Oh gosh, I was waiting all day to come back home and eat those delicious brownies again!” Well, I guess that’s your good deed. Thanks for that! ♥
Kind regards
Korinna
Any suggestions to substitute out the powdered sugar?
You could just ditch it and sub stevia! Just refrigerate for longer and whip more. It won’t be as fluffy but still delicious! Use this as a guide.
Why do people not post AFTER they have made something . We don’t care that you think they look amazing. That is no use to anybody. Make them and then comment. Jeez.
Can the ganache be made without the sugar? I’m not looking to replace it without anything – I’ve cut out all sweeteners from my diet so I’m hoping it will still be good without it!
Hi! I don’t think so.. How about blitzing some raw cane sugar or coconut sugar in a spicer grinder to make it into a powder? Otherwise, omit the ganache!
I couldn’t wait to make this recipe. I also loved reading the random facts about you and your hubby!
Do you think pecans instead of walnuts would still be good? I am all out of walnuts!
Pecans would be tasty as well so go for it!
Hello, In this case can prunes be substituted for the dates?
Hi! That should work, but I have not tried it! If you do, report back! :D
What’s the nutritional info without the ganache please?
Hmm, not sure! If you’d like to try and calculate that, I usually rely on caloriecount.com’s recipe analysis function.
WOW! I just made these and helllooooooo, they are amazing! Great recipe :)
Hello! Unrelated to this recipe. I love following you on IG and saw on your IG story you had a new espresso machine. What brand is it?
Hi Cara! Dana got her espresso machine at Clive Coffee in Portland and it is a Mini Lucca.
Hi,
I enjoyed it, and above all, both my wife and daughter did!
The only thing that bothered me was the numerous pieces of dates found while munching them.
Anyone has a recommendation on how to grind the dates as thinly as possible?
Thank you!
Hi Pierre! Did you use a food processor? That should do the trick!
Hi! Yes, I did.
Hmm interesting. In future, try adding the dates bit by bit to allow your processor to mix them in and break them apart better! Hope that helps!
Hey, it is really hard for me to incorporate dates, too. When I first blended my dates in a processor they formed a huge ball that just stuck to the side. I was determined for these brownies to be well mixed though, so I scooped the dates out, divided it into smaller pieces, turned on my empty food processor, and fed in small amounts at a time. It still got sticky fast, but I figured it may have blended a little bit more. Once I got to the step where I was mixing the dates with the nut mixture, the mixture quickly got to a point where everything was stuck to the sides or bottom, so AGAIN I scooped everything out. This time, I mixed it all with a wooden spoon and evenly dispersed everything. Then I fed the mix into the food processor again and it was very well mixed. Sorry for the long-winded directions, but I think I understand your problem and with this method mine turned out great! It’s pretty time consuming but if you’re a perfectionist like me you’ll be satisfied :)
Hello Dana,
I just wanted to leave a comment here, I am slowly trying to switch myself and my two girls over to a (mostly) plant based diet, and we love this recipe! I’ve been skipping the ganache and making these brownies as a treat/snack for us and today we used a different brand of dates which were drier than our usual. The mixture wasn’t sticking together in the mixer so we tried half a tablespoon of coconut oil, and then some water, to make it stick together. I’m not sure, but I suspect it was the coconut oil, but it was even more delicious than normal!
Anyway, thank you so much for all your hard work, we are really enjoying every recipe we try!
Dana,
Omg! These are great! I was afraid at first, I am not gonna lie, but they turned out amazing. I added coconut flakes to the top of the ganache. Delicicious delicious delicious! Thank you again for this recipe!
I made these brownies and they are really good, except I had a problem with the ganache. I tried making it twice, and each time I added the powdered sugar, it got really oily and gooey. I cooled it in the fridge, so it wasn’t hot at all. Your frosting looks so good, though. Do you maybe know what went wrong?
Hi Caroline! Hmm did you change anything in the recipe?
I just made these because I wanted to use up the dates that I had in my fridge. I was honestly kind of skeptical of these raw brownies because I’m a big fan of baked goods, but they are very tasty! I think they would make a great treat to bring to a party or picnic. I only had 2 cups of dates and the mixture was definitely moist enough to pat into a pan. Very rich, you only need a tiny square! Another reason these would make a good shareable snack, as the recipe says! This also might make a good crust for a raw vegan cheesecake…hmmmmm :)
One question though: what type of food processor do you have? The only thing that was troublesome while making this was the fact that the dates clogged up my food processor and it was difficult to mix. I ended up pouring it out into a bowl and feeding in small amounts of the mixture to get it well blended, and I had to do this process twice. My processor is definitely not top-notch, but I’m interested in getting a good one in the future.
Hi Daela! This is the one I use!
Made these today and they turned out really well. I’ve been trawling the internet for the past few days for a raw brownie recipe after trying one at a salad bar here in Oslo, Norway, where the price tag is about $10 for a small piece (yes, Norway is *that* expensive). I soon realised there are *so* many recipes, but this one stood out for me, owing to the simplicity of the ingredients, absence of sugar in the ‘dough’ (I didn’t bother with the icing), and the pictures, of course. Really pleased with the final product- a great little guilty treat, but with a slightly better conscience ;0)
I usually feel anxiety growing inside when it comes to relationships. But reading your post made me want to commit (for just a couple of minutes, but it did). Congratulations for your anniversary!
btw, the brownies look delicious, gonna try them soon
Arianna
I just love these brownies <3 It's the best thing I've recently made. Thank you sooo much for the recipe!
I made these today without the ganache and they taste amazing! I put pecans on top instead. So yummy. Thank you for the recipe!
I made today this recipe after looking at this page several times in the past. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to pull the trigger! These brownies are so good. I had been hesitant to make them because my husband doesn’t like dates. But, he loved it! The only issue I had was getting the dough to form so I added 1 1/2 TBS of water. This recipe is super rich, but I will definitely be making these again.
Made these with a few edits:
-left out the extra 1/2 cup of walnuts and cacao nibs
-used only 85g dark chocolate
-needed only about 1/2 the date paste for the brownie dough, so used the rest instead of sugar in the frosting
It was still the single most delicious thing I have made.. in a couple years. So rich and chocolatey!! Thank you tonnes :)
Made these tonight. I made half the recipe to test it out and was able to cut 9 squares. I skipped the sugar in the ganache and followed the rest of the recipe. Tastes very rich and gooey. Will bring them to the office to share with my colleagues. Thanks for the delicious recipe
Hello Dana,
I’d like to try your recipe but I can’t find a dairy-free chocolate (France is not familiar with veganism!) should I try with cocoa powder for the frosting ?
Hi!
I was browsing through your brownie recipes and I was wondering if you could use the ganache to top the simple vegan brownies?
Yes! That would be delicious!
Thanks, I will give it a try ??
Amazingly satisfying and delicious! Best brownie recipe ever! I could not imagine it was made purely from all healthy ingredients! Thank you so much for sharing!
Such a darling post and cute couple. Congratulations on 5 years. It’s fantastic that you’ve set up a life where you work and travel so compatibly and love where you live. My husband (of 17 + years) and I will be in Portland this weekend so I’m eager to try out your vegan resto suggestions. Blessings to you both and keep up the great work.
Just made these (again!) but commenting to say that this time I was using up some date sugar (the proper stuff in cylinders someone brought back from Malaysia), but was having to guess about how to use it as I couldn’t find recipes for it or even how to use it when substituting. Because I’d messed up re-hydrating it, in a panic I whizzed up some oats & put them in. Arguably to make them healthier ;) but they really work with the nuts- adding something to the texture & amping up the nuttiness. :) Next time making this I think I’ll add water again just to sneak in the oats!
Also I’ve never managed to properly make the ganache (IDK why!) so this recipe is great with the nibs & walnuts on top as you can get away without topping.
(The 4 star is because that ganache doesn’t fly, if it wasn’t listed at all it’d be a 5)
Those look great! One question – is it possibe to freeze them and will they taste as good after it? Thanks :)
Hi! You can store them in the freezer up to 1 month!
Hi,
I am really excited to make this recipe. It looks wonderfully delicious!
I don’t have a food processor though. Would it work with a blender too?
Kind regards,
Thessa
Hi! Yes, depending on your blender, that should work but just might take a little longer!
Thank you :), can’t wait to try this recipe!
I have fig trees (I LOVE figs), do you think I could mix with or substitute for the dates in your raw brownie recipe?
Hi! You could mix or substitute!
I love these brownies, have also tried with pecans, or whatever mix of nuts I have on hand.
If I serve with ice cream then my kids will even eat them :)
I am a midwife, and have also been telling my patients to check out your recipe, as so many are into eating dates now at the end of pregnancy.
thank you!
Made these brownies for the second time and they are the best ones I’ve ever tasted, my hubby totally agrees! Thanks for the recipe ?
Holy cow! These are AMAZING! I used milk chocolate chips for the cacao nibs. The texture was perfect and the taste divine!
I’m going to try this recipe but I think I’ll substitute the powdered sugar with coconut sugar.
I love this recipe ~ it’s my go-to raw brownie recipe. I’ve used almonds and cashews as the nut mixture, which turns out great. And it also tastes really yummy to add 4-5 drops peppermint essential oil for a peppermint chocolate brownie!
I made the brownies for the first time this weekend as I downloaded a copy of the top recipes e-book (for which I am so excited).
The brownies were a hit! I used a Ninja Pro blender, because I don’t have a few prcessor. It took for ever to mix everything together, but it was sooooo worth it! I made the genache with semi-sweet chocolate Chips, it’s what I had on hand. I found the icing to be too sweet and overpowering, but hubby who has a (very) sweet tooth loved them. So did my 3 year old, who didn’t notice or care there were dates (yaye for toddler ingesting fiber)!
I’ll be making these again for sure, but next time with a less sweet chocolate, or other icing or no icing.
I made this for a game night snack with non-vegan loving people, and they loved it! I also ate the mixture right out of the food processor like the ravenous chocolate-lover I am and it was just the best experience. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
I made these brownies they were insanely delicious. I did modify this recipe though, I don’t have a sweet tooth really so I reduced dates quantity and added 1-2tbsp of coconut oil and little water to form the texture, they turned out amazing!!!! Very satisfying and not too sweet as I wanted. Raw cacao is everything I’d say.
For the ganache, I added a bit of fresh espresso oh my, the combination was fantastic. My mum and her colleagues loved these so much. I’ll deifnitely make brownies again soon. Thanks for the recipe
Yumm! These brownies are so delicious! Love your blog!
Great recipe Dana! And this is only one of the reasons why you get so many comments .
The other is your very personal inside you gift to your page visitors ???
It is now 2 years further down the road and I hope that you two are still happy. Keep going !
These are amazing!!! Congrats on your anniversary and thank you for the recipe. I’ve made a version of the base before but the ganache made it over the top!
Wanting to minimize sugar, I used a 100% unsweetened Cacao bar, doubled the almond milk and added powdered Swerve sweetener. Amazing.
What a great recipe and post..all the sharing of the 20 fun facts, smile. I stumbled into your site, umm, about two years ago and it has been a deep admiration ever since. I pretty much think you a genius food wizard!
Wow, I definitely need to try this amazing recipe ;)
Used it as a cake instead of brownies ?AMAZING ???
Hi! I’ve tried making raw brownies with dates in the past, and although the results have been edible, I can’t taste the chocolate! It just tastes like blended up dates, no chocolate flavor, and I get so confused when people leave comments on how chocolatey and fudgey their brownies get! Do you know what I could be doing wrong? I’d love to make this recipe, but I want to make sure I can get it right after all of my previous failed attempts, so that I can truly enjoy some nice raw brownies! If I want to eat something that tastes like a bunch of dates, I’ll eat a bunch of dates and not bother with the blending and the rest of the ingredients :P
Just wanna say- Dana you and your husband are a great team!!! Love,
Love your recipes!!! Best wishes and God bless you both!!!
This is a brilliant recipe! I have made them sooooooo many times now. Everyone loves them – not just vegans! I do tweak the ganache, tho. However, it’s just preference but here goes. I make powdered sugar mixing 1cup coconut sugar to 1T corn starch (or arrowroot powder) and mix in the Vitamix on high until powdered sugar consistency. I also omit the oil – it is my favorite frosting (excellent when salted chocolate bars are subbed). Thank you, thank you, thank you, for this amazing recipe!!!
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Becca! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
Omg these were amazing
Yay!
Is it possible to replace 1 cup (~175 g) dairy-free dark chocolate for something else?