These brownies are rich and moist, achieving the perfect balance of nutty and chocolate notes. They are a great party treat, being both vegan and gluten-free—no one will be left out! The recipe was developed especially for us by superfood chef Julie Morris—so while sinfully sweet, these fudgy brownies still pack the nutritional goodness of almonds, cacao, dates and coconut oil.
No-Bake Fudgy Vegan Brownies
Makes 24
½ cup raw hazelnuts
½ cup raw almonds
24 large medjool dates, pitted
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 tablespoon Dr. Bronner’s Organic Coconut Oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Place the hazelnuts in a small sauté pan, and warm over medium heat. Stirring every few minutes, dry-roast the nuts until they are fragrant and browned, with their skins beginning to crack (about 8-10 minutes). Let the nuts cool.
Place the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and gather the edges of the towel to form a sack. Shake the sack vigorously to remove as much of the bitter skins as possible, which should fall off easily.
Transfer the hazelnuts to a food processor and add the almonds.
Process the nuts into a coarse flour.
Add the dates, and process into a very sticky “dough.” Add the cacao powder, Dr Bronner’s Coconut Oil, and salt, and process until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Transfer the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board.
Press the dough into a compact square, then wrap it in the plastic, compacting it even more, and flattening it into a ½-inch thick layer.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour to allow the brownie dough to set, then cut it into 24 squares. Brownies will soften at room temperature – keep them refrigerated for the best texture.
