These brownie cookies taste like fudgy, chewy brownies in cookie form. They don't require any cooking or baking. They are just 3 ingredients and don't require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil.
1.5cups (222g)pitted Medjool dates, weight and measurement is after pitted
9tbsp (45g)unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, or more as needed
2tbsp (32g)natural cashew or natural peanut butter with no added oils, or more as needed
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Add dates to a food processor and blend until a mostly smooth paste forms. A few small specks of date skin in the paste is okay but you want the paste to be mostly smooth. You will need to scrape the sides of your food processor a few times with a spatula to help the processor mix and blend. If your dates are a little old or dry, soak your dates first before using them to rehydrate them. See notes for more details. If your dates are soft and moist, you do not need to soak them.
Once you have a smooth paste, add in cocoa powder and cashew/peanut butter. Blend until you have a uniform mixture with the consistency of a soft dough. Taste and adjust as needed. If you want a stronger nut flavor, add more nut butter. If you want a stronger cocoa flavor, add more cocoa. If your dough is too crumbly, add a splash of water. If it becomes too soft and sticky to work with, add more cocoa.
Using a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough. Roll scooped dough between the palm of your hands until it forms a smooth ball. Place dough ball onto prepared cookie sheet. Press down on the dough ball with the palm of your hand until it forms a smooth round disk, between 3/8 and 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough. This will be the final shape of your cookie so smooth the edges and reshape as needed.
Place cookies into fridge for about 30 minutes to one hour to firm up. The cookies will not change much but they will be firmer, making them easier to hold and eat. If desired, you can dip the cookies in melted chocolate or drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies for decoration. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
Date note: If you are using an older package of dates or your dates seem dry, you will need to rehydrate the dates. To rehydrate them, soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Then drain out the water and thoroughly pat dry the dates with paper towels. Then add dates to food processor to make the date paste.
Weight and measurement for the dates is after they have been pitted. I used whole dates and removed the pits. I find that dates that have already been pitted are usually more firm and not as soft as whole dates with the pits. I used Joolies Medjool Dates*
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Make sure to use peanut butter or cashew butter with no added oils.
Estimated nutrition does not include melted chocolate garnish.
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.