These healthier no bake brownies are rich and fudgy. They only need 3 ingredients and don’t contain any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The brownies don’t require any baking or cooking. They are easy to make and store well.
These brownies are a great snack or dessert. They have a rich cocoa flavor and have a fudgy and slightly chewy texture. I like to keep them in the fridge or freezer for whenever I’m craving a healthy chocolate treat.
Ingredients
- Cocoa powder
- Cashew butter
- Dates
Cocoa powder: These brownies get their chocolate flavor from unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder. While they can also be made with natural cocoa powder or cacao powder, I recommend Dutch process cocoa powder because it has a richer cocoa flavor and tastes less bitter than natural cocoa and cacao powder.
Cashew butter: Make sure to use natural cashew butter with no added oils. I chose cashew butter because it is naturally sweet and has a very mild nut flavor. You can substitute with natural peanut butter but you would taste the peanut butter flavor.
Dates: The brownies are naturally sweetened with dates. This recipe uses Medjool dates, which are a larger type of date. You want to use Medjool dates because they have more soft flesh which makes for a better smooth date paste.
How to Make No Bake Brownies
- The dates are first soaked in hot water to soften them. They are then patted dry and added to a food processor and blended until you have a mostly smooth date paste.
- Add the cashew butter and cocoa powder into the food processor and blend until you have a uniform mixture. The mixture should be like a thick paste.
- Spread the mixture into your prepared baking pan, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula. Place it into the fridge to set up and then it’s ready to cut and serve. If desired, you can also add frosting on the brownies before serving.
Texture
These brownies have a fudgy and slightly chewy texture. They don’t have a crumb like classic baked brownies but they do have a chewy brownie texture to them. The brownies are also lightly sweet.
Expert Tips
- Make sure you have a smooth date paste before adding in the cashew butter and cocoa powder. You will not be able to make a smooth date paste once you add in the other ingredients.
- Use a food processor and not a blender to mix. The batter is too thick for a blender.
More Healthier Brownie Recipes
- 4 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Brownies
- 3 Ingredient Healthier Brownies
- 3 Ingredient Healthy Banana Brownies
3 Ingredient Healthier No Bake Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) pitted Medjool date halves
- 1 1/2 cups (384 g) unsweetened natural cashew butter (no added oils)
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (58 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Add dates to a large bowl. Add enough hot water to completely cover the dates. Let the dates soak for about10 minutes until the dates get soft. Drain dates from water and thoroughly pat them dry with some paper towels.
- Add drained dates to a large food processor. Pulse until the dates are completely smooth and like a paste. This can take a few minutes and you want to stop your food processor and scrape the sides a few times to help it blend. A few bits of visible date skin is okay but you do want a mostly smooth paste. See photo in post for reference.
- Add the cashew butter and cocoa powder to the date paste and blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the machine as needed. The batter will be quite thick, like a thick paste. It should feel tacky but not sticky. If your batter is too dry, you can add a tiny bit of water (start with 1 tsp because a little goes a long way). If your mixture gets too sticky, you may need to add a little more cocoa powder.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. I used my hands to help press/spread the batter across the pan and then smoothed the surface with an offset spatula. Place brownes into fridge for about 1 hour to firm up a little more, which will make them easier to cut.
- Cut brownies with a sharp knife. If desired, you can also frost the brownies before cutting and serving. Store brownies in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- You can halve this recipe and use an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan if you want to make less.
- I use Joolies Medjool Dates (Amazon | Target)*, Octonuts pure cashew butter* and Rodelle Dutch process cocoa powder*
- My 8 inch square pan* does not have straight edges so only the top of the pan measures 8 inches by 8 inches. The bottom of the pan measures 7 inches by 7 inches. If you are using a true 8 inch pan, I recommend not spreading the brownie batter all the way across and making your brownies about 7 x 7 inches so that the brownies are not too thin.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Optional Healthy Frosting
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder or natural cocoa powder (Dutch process does not work)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, chilled
- Add coconut oil and cocoa powder to a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Then whisk in the syrup until incorporated and the frosting thickens. Frost the surface of the brownies with an offset spatula. You do not need to use all the frosting. The frosting should set about 15-30 minutes after it is made or you can put it into the fridge to help it set faster.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Do you use a dought hook or regular blades to make this in the food processor?
We just used the regular blades to make this recipe!
Could almond butter be used instead of cashew butter?
We haven’t tested this recipe with almond butter but it will likely work with an almond butter that has no added oils. You can also substitute with natural peanut butter but you would taste the peanut butter flavor.
Is it possible to use a different type of vegan butter?
Hello! This recipe does not use any butter so I’m not sure what you are trying to substitute
Wow I love this recipe alot
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Sounds great but the recipe didn’t show up
The full recipe is always at the bottom of every post! You can also click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top and it will take you right there.