3 Ingredient Healthier No Bake Brownies
These healthier brownies are fudgy and rich. They only need 3 ingredients and don't contain flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. They also don't require any baking or cooking.
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.
Serving: 1brownie, Calories: 192kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, NET CARBS: 16
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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