Chewy, gooey, chocolate-y raw vegan keto brownies! (Just reading this line makes me want to bite into one.) These brownies are rich and delicious, and will absolutely satisfy your chocolate cravings. If you’re like me and you have no self-control, I suggest only making a small batch or give some away. I went through batches of brownies this month because of how good they are!
One of the most popular desserts on my blog are these raw vegan brownies. They are dense, fudgy, and really sweet. So why another raw brownie recipe?
Well, a few people mentioned that what keeps them from raw desserts is the date base. I kind of love dates, but it turns out that there are a lot of people who can’t stand the taste. It makes sense. Dates do have a distinct flavor, and if you’re not into it, it can really overpower a raw dessert.
I think that not liking dates or dried fruit is actually a thing. My mom can’t stand raisins. My sister would not touch any dried fruit (except for dried bananas, which taste like candy, and dried tomatoes because they are only honorary fruit). And my grandpa used to say that the best way to deal with dried fruit is to soak it in something alcoholic and then dip it in melted chocolate.
There you have it.
So, if you’re not a fan of dates or dried fruit, try these low-carb brownies. They are a winner!
Tips for Making Keto Brownies
Ingredients
The base ingredient in these keto brownies is nut flour. Almond flour is probably the most versatile low-carb flour. However, not all almond flour is created equal. For this recipe, you want finely ground almond flour. Anything that calls itself almond “flour” should be ground finely enough that you can make fine-textured cakes and bread that rival their wheat-based counterparts.
I have made these brownies with other nut flours – finely ground walnuts and hazelnuts – and they all work. What’s most important is the grind.
The “binder” in these low-carb brownies are, again, nuts. My favorite are cashews or macadamia nuts because they are slightly sweet. I process the nuts in a food processor, so technically, it’s nut butter (which is really sticky). The addition of a liquid sweetener makes the nut butter seize, resulting in a sticky paste. While you can use any liquid sweetener you like, I wouldn’t recommend stevia. Maybe it’s just me, but I find that stevia-based sweeteners don’t work so great when chocolate is involved. The somewhat bitter aftertaste is really accentuated.
What gives these brownies a rich chocolate flavor is cacao powder (or cocoa powder). I prefer cocoa powder because of its milder flavor, but if you’re going for truly raw brownies, you’ll need cacao powder. If you want to take these brownies to another level, add a little bit of espresso powder. You won’t taste the coffee. It will just enhance the chocolate flavor in these brownies.
I decided to use the same topping as I did for these date-based raw brownies, but you can use any chocolate you like.
Technique
These keto brownies are such a quick raw dessert that there really isn’t ant excuse to not make them. The only appliance you’ll need is a high-speed blender (or a food processor). If you don’t have either, you could just use store-bought cashew butter (instead of whole cashews).
If you’re starting with whole raw cashews, you’ll want to soak the nuts for a few hours first. Soaked nuts are not only easier to digest, but they break down and blend into smooth nut butter much faster. Once soaked, blend the nuts together with all the other liquid ingredients until you get a thick, sticky paste; this is the binder.
If you’re using a food processor, add the rest of the ingredients and pulse a few times until combined. If you’re using a blender, you’ll need to use a bowl and a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
Press the brownie mixture into a parchment paper-lined pan, and chill until firm. If I want the brownies to be really thick, use a 6 x 6 inch (15 x 15 cm) pan. If you’d like the same thickness that you see in the images, use a 5.5 x 7.5 inch (14 x 19 cm) pan.
Tools You’ll Need
1. Food Processor (Breville Sous Chef) | 2. Blender (Vitamix Pro 750) | 3. Mixing Bowls (Set of 3, Pyrex, Glass) | 4. Glass Dish (Pyrex, Glass) | 5. Knife Set (6 Pieces, Utopia, Stainless Steel) | 6. Cutting Board (24″x 18″, Michigan Maple Block, Maple) | 7. Measuring Cups (Set of 6, Bellemain, Stainless Steel) | 8. Measuring Spoons (Set of 6, 1Easylife, Stainless Steel)
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Chewy, gooey, chocolate-y raw vegan keto brownies! (Just reading this line makes me want to bite into one.) These brownies are rich and delicious, and will absolutely satisfy your chocolate cravings.
- 1 1/2 cups nut flour*
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews**
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or monk fruit syrup***
- pinch sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or monk fruit syrup
- pinch sea salt
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Add the macadmia nuts and liquid sweetener into a blender (or a food processor) and blend until completely smooth.
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In a large bowl, mix together the nut flour, cacao powder, and salt. Add the macadamia mixture, and mix until well combined. The mixture will be very thick (dough-like consistency). It should easily stick together when you press it with your fingers.
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Line a 7.5 x 5.5 inch (19 x 14 cm) pan with parchment paper. (The size of the pan isn't all that important. These are just the dimensions of my pan), Using your hands, press the brownie mixture evenly into the pan. Freeze for 20 minutes while you make the chocolate topping.
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Whisk the melted coconut oil, cacao powder, liquid sweetener, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined.
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Remove the brownies from the freezer and pour on all of the chocolate topping. Carefully transfer the pan back to the freezer and let it rest on a flat, even surface. Chill uncovered for at least 20 minutes, or until the topping is firm enough to slice.
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Using the excess parchment paper, lift the brownies from the pan. To cut the brownies, run a sharp knife under hot water for ~20 seconds. Wipe off excess water. Press the knife down slowly, slicing the brownies into squares.
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Store leftover brownies covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (If you leave the brownies out on the counter, the chocolate topping will melt a bit and lose its shape). For longer term storage, freeze in an airtight container for 1-2 months.
*You can use any nut flour you like. My favorite are almond flour, hazelnut flour, pecan flour, and walnut flour.
**Soak the macadamia nuts in water for at least 8 hours (or overnight) so they soften up and are easy to blend. To quick-soak macadamia nuts, pour boiling hot water over the nuts and soak for 1 hour uncovered. When the nuts are done soaking, drain the water and rinse them thoroughly. (Note: if you do the quick soak, the brownies will no longer be raw).
**I initially posted this recipe only with cashews (I get raw cashews here: https://nutritionrefined.com/really-raw-cashews) but a lot of people have expressed that they can't eat cashews. So, I added macadamia nuts as an alternative. You can use either or.
***Prep time does not include soaking the nuts (~8 hours).
Thank you!
1. Can I sub the maple syrup for Agave? Do you think I should be fine?
2. When the cashews are done soaking, drain the water and rinse the cashews thoroughly. (Note: if you do the quick soak, the brownies will no longer be raw).
I’m not sure how soaking has to do with raw… anyway it’s hard to say that regular cashews you get are raw, due to cashew processing.
Yes, totally. Any liquid sweetener will work.
“To quick-soak cashews, pour boiling hot water over the cashews and soak for 1 hour uncovered.” Pouring boiling water over the cashews makes them no longer raw because the water temperature is above 118°F/48°C. You can indeed purchase truly raw cashews (hand-opened). Places that sell raw cashews online are NaturalZing or TheRawFoodWorld. Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Oh, now I get your point. Well, Vitamix can handle cashews pretty well even if you don’t soak them but nevertheless it’s recommended to soak all types of nuts.
As for the truly raw cashews: They do exist, they use a special tool as it’s impossible to shell them by hand because of the dangerous acid.
Truly raw should like this: https://youtu.be/g63GqYy-wdU (7:44) in that website it doesn’t look the same…
Anyway, the are quite expensive and uncommon. I assume that 99% of the people use normal cashew so it’s not raw from the first place 😉
Yes, I agree with that. Generally, people wouldn’t use raw cashews, but they could if they wanted to. A great alternative are macadamia nuts 🙂
NEVER EAT RAW NUTS! bad for your health!
Can I use coconut flour instead of nut flour?
Hi Ramona – unfortunately, I don’t think that coconut flour will work here. Compared to almond flour (or walnut/pecan/hazelnut flour), coconut flour is much denser. It’s considered “dry flour”, meaning it soaks up loads of moisture. I am sure there’s a way to adapt this recipe to coconut flour (by increasing moisture in this recipe), but I haven’t tried it yet.
All cashews are steamed in the harvesting process, there is a toxic oil that is removed this way. They are called raw cashews as they have not been roasted. In reality they are not a raw food.
Hi Tamara – I am by no means an expert on raw cashews, but the distributors of Real Raw Food do claim that their cashews are hand-opened and sun-dried, never heated above 115 F. You can read about it here if you’re interested: https://realrawfood.com/raw-cashews
Can you please attach a link to a 6 * 8 pan you use? I can’t find one on Amazon
The pan of my oven is 12″ x 12″ 🙁
You might want to look into toaster oven bakeware. I have a 6″ x 8″ steel toaster oven pan. (I just measured it to be sure). Good luck. 🙂 These brownies sound wonderful and I want to give them a try.
I have a toaster oven pan but it’s 12″ X 12″
I just updated the “Tools You’ll Need” section and included the glass dish I used. The outer dimensions are 8″x 6″ but the inner dimensions are actually slightly smaller. You could use any glass dish you have. If you have glass storage containers (I use these ones: https://nutritionrefined.com/food-storage-containers), they would work just as well.
Oh cool, I didn’ think about it! 🙂
Thanks, Petra you are the best
I read your email and am also somewhere between vegan/keto. Not 100% keto, but 100% vegan and incorporating lots of keto into my lifestyle (which is much more difficult as a vegan). Definitely low carb though and have noticed so many benefits since changing my lifestyle. I would love to see more keto recipes from you
Thank you for the feedback, Karin! I appreciate it. Yes, I am planning on posting more vegan keto recipes because a lot of people are interested in them 🙂
As someone with peanut/nut allergies, what would be a better flour alternative? I struggle with substitutions in all recipes for peanuts/nuts.
Hi Sharman – are you allergic to just nuts or also seeds?
That would be wonderful, Petra. Thank you! I enjoy your site soooo much!
Thank you so much, Sue! ❤️
Is there an alternative for almond flour? I m allergic 🙁
Hi Janine – for sure! Any nut flour works here. This recipe is based off of these brownies (https://nutritionrefined.com/raw-brownies/) and in that recipe I use walnut flour, for instance. Just process the nuts in a food processor until you get slightly grainy flour-like texture. (Just be careful not to over-process whatever nut you’re using, so you don’t end up with nut butter). The only thing you’ll have to pay attention is the flavor profile. Almonds are slightly sweet for instance. Walnuts have a slightly bitter flavor (so you might need to add more sweetener). Pecans have nearly buttery flavor (and would work amazingly well in this recipe), etc… Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Thank you, Petra
if I decide to use a nut butter in stead of processing the cashews myself how much nut butter would I need to use?
Hi Del – 1 1/2 cup cashews yield ~ 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. cashew butter. So, about that amount. Store-bought cashew butter tends to be thicker than homemade, so you might need to add a couple of tablespoons of melted coconut oil if the brownie mixture isn’t coming together.
Thank You 🙂
Hi
I can’t find cashew butter where I live. Can i substitute it with almond butter?
Yes! The brownies might not be as smooth (almond butter is sightly grainier) but the recipe will still work 🙂
Just made this recipe. I did not have enough Almond flour so ended up with 1 cup almond “flour” (almond without the shell pulsed in my food processor) + 1/2 cup coconut flour. SO GOOD: GOOEY texture, not too sweet, super easy to make, it is really the best brownie recipe i found on the internet so far.
Thank you !
Yay! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a feedback on my blog. It means a lot! ❤️
I can’t eat cashews because they make me violently ill. What would be a good substitute? I could use any other nut. Only cashews make me sick.
Hi Zing – I just updated the recipe (since many people apparently can’t have cashews), providing alternatives to cashews. Macadamia nuts wold work the best although other nuts will most likely work as well.
Hi Petra! I tried this recipe the other day and used store bought walnut flour. I ended up being able to taste its texture/powderiness in the final mixture and it was not too pleasant. Any ideas why that is? The flour itself had a dark brown colour. Otherwise the taste was great! Thank you!
Hi Deni – I am suspecting that the reason for the dry/powdery texture bothered you is that you used store-bought walnut flour. Store-bought walnut flour is made from what remains of walnut kernels after they have been pressed to extract walnut oil. The remains are ground to a texture similar to that of cornmeal. Homemade walnut flour, on the other hand, is made from whole walnuts (with all the oils still present). It’s very soft and moist (it easily turns into nut butter). When I make the brownies, I can’t detect the walnuts at all. Is there a chance you could make your own walnut flour?
Thank you for your reply 🙂 I am in the process of buying a food processor so I can make my own flours and nut butters. Right now I only have a small chopper which pushed the nuts to the side when they get oily and stops processing them, so they don’t get fine enough. I did also use store-bought walnut butter, which also may not have helped. I will definitely give these another try later on!
I totally understand. Store-bought walnut butter should actually be ok (as long as it’s 100% walnuts 🙂
I made this recipe yesterday but substituted the cashews for other nut. What do you think is the best substitution for cashews? I used hazelnuts and it was divine. This recipe reminds of your other raw brownie recipe, which I love too!
Hi Paula – so happy you enjoyed the brownies. I just updated the recipe since a lot of people have asked about an alternative to cashews. My choice would be Macadamia nuts (because they are very similar in texture, color, and even flavor), but any other nut will probably work here.
If I decide to add espresso powder, how much exactly would you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Jessica – when I add espresso to desserts, I use this espresso powder for baking. The amount will really depend on how much you like coffee 🙂 Personally, I would start with 3/4 tsp. and add more to your liking.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It is so delicious and I love it.
I used oat flour cause that’s all I had and it came out perfect
So happy to hear that, Becky! I really appreciate your feedback. Thank you! ❤️
Hi Petra! I have a question about the chocolate topping ingredients. Can I use cacao butter instead of coconut oil? I understand that the cacao butter is harder than the coconut oil at room temperature, but am not sure if it would work with some liquid sweetener… Thanks!
Btw, I love your raw brownie recipe with the nut base, cannot wait to try it out! 🙂
Yes, definitely! You’re right Alex – the chocolate won’t be as melty (not sure if that’s a word?) but it will still work. Mixing cacao butter with liquid sweetener is ok (as long as you’re not making tempered chocolate).
Hello Petra,
I love your blog. I am writing you from France. I would like to try your recipes but I can not do anything with cup quantity. I have looked on the internet and each says something else !!!!! Could you also please write gram? It would be so great. On You tube you are now international and it would be nice to hear from you. Thank you and best regards from Europe.
Ma Taton
Yes, for sure! Each recipe has both imperial and metric measurements. When you scroll down to the recipe box, there is a green link (under the ingredients) that says “Us Imperial – Metric”. Just click on “metric” and the measurements will automatically convert to metric. Glad you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂
Or use this online cooking converter. Just select the ingredient, and quantify the amount in cups, then press “enter”. It will convert it to he measurements you’re looking for.
Ooops, here is the link…https://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking/
I made these tonight. I had black cocoa and it is more bitter. I used a little maple butter to compensate. They are amazing! Thanks so much!
Tom in Palm Springs, CA.
So happy you enjoyed the brownies, Tom! Thank you so much for your feedback.
Didn’t you originally post this using maple syrup? I made this once and when i went to make it again, the recipe seems to have changed. I now wish I’d written it down right away 🙁
So sorry, Kristoffer! I thought I was making the changes on a staging site (I do that when I test different versions). The original recipe is back up.
Hi Petra, I made these brownies yesterday and just wanted your opinion on something. I followed the instructions and ingredients exactly and the brownie base was so dry I had to add more liquid otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to stir it anymore. Today the brownies are absolutely delicious but totally dry. Any ideas where I might have gone wrong?
Hi Karin – so sorry you have difficulties with the recipe. I am sure we can figure it out. Let me ask you a few questions. Did you use cashews or macadamia nuts? How many hours did you soak the nuts for? How long did you blend the nuts for? Was the nut paste smooth (nut butter consistency)? Did you use almond flour or different nut flour?
I used cashew nuts, althought not raw as I can’t get hold of them and soakedthem for around 2 hours. Blended for approx 5 minutes until smooth. I used almond flour.
Don’t get me wrong, the outcome is absolutely delicious, the base was just not like anything in your video! If you have some tips I’d be grateful!
Everything you did sounds right. The fix is really easy – you either need to decrease the amount of dry ingredients or increase the amount of wet ingredients. If the brownies are at the sweetness you like them, I would increase the amount of cashews or decrease the amount of almond flour (start with about 1/2 the amount of almond flour and add more as needed). If you’d like the brownies sweeter, you can use more maple syrup or less cacao powder (while keeping the amount of all the other ingredients the same). Would you mind sharing the brand of almond flour you used? Also, did you use maple syrup as a sweetener or a keto sweetener? Thank you Karin!
Can I substitute the liquid sweetener with powder monk fruit?
Hi Vivian – I have never tried it with powdered sweetener, so I’m not sure. However, I experimented with a powdered monk fruit extract and that didn’t work for me. The brownies just weren’t sticky enough to hold together. If you do try powdered the powdered monk fruit, please, let me know how it goes.
Do you think it could be that I used non-raw cashews?
I used maple syrup instead of keto sweetener as I can’t find that where I live (Germany). I don’t think you would know the brand of almond flour – it is “dm”. I will give it a go with a higher amount of liquid ingredients.
Even though the brownies were a bit dry, they were delicious and were devoured by my friends instantly! I would just to be able to make them to look and feel as professional as you! I really like your you tube channel and the recipes you post!
Thank you for the kind words, Karin! Raw or not, the cashews wouldn’t be an issue. You might want to soak them overnight the next time you make this recipe and see if that makes a difference. Haha, I actually know the “dm” brand (if it stands for Drogerie Markt) because I lived in Germany for a while. I have never tried their almond flour though. But yes, I would soak the cashews for longer and either increase the amount of wet ingredients or start with less almond flour (and add more as needed).
Yes, I was talking about dm drogerie Markt!
I adore these! They are super easy to make and delicious! Since your a nutritionist, I was wondering if you could tell me if being vegan is healthier than eating animals(meat)? (I’m a vegan) Thank you! C:
Thank you for the feedback! So happy you enjoyed the brownies 🙂
Hmm, that’s a really hard question. I would need an entire blog post to answer it. But in short, vegan diet is one of the healthiest ways to eat because we know that plant foods are loaded with nutrients. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, an evidence-based review, people who follow a plant-based diet appear to have a lower risk of death from heart disease, lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and lower rates of hypertension, lower rates of type 2 diabetes, lower body mass index, and lower overall cancer rates than meat eaters. But if you’re a vegan and all you’re eating are processed foods (white bread, fries, chips, candies) … are you going to be healthier than someone who always orders a salad with grilled salmon? Probably not. As a vegan, you also have to be very careful in your selection of foods, so you get all the nutrients you need.
Thank you so much Petra for this receipe !! I made it yesterday with cashews and coconut flour, I followed the quantity and instructions, I just added some coconut powder on top, it was perfect, everybody loved it ! i will do it again for sure 🙂
Yay! Thank you so much for the feedback, Marie!! So happy to hear that.
This is SOOO GOOD! I’m not even into Keto, but I gave this a shot because it looked so yummy, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever made. I used pumpkin seeds, didn’t bother to soak them, and it still turned out amazing. Thanks for this share! 😀
Thank you SO much for taking the time to share your feedback! I really appreciate it. So happy you enjoyed the brownies 🙂
I just made these. Perfect and delicious. Will need self control to not eat too much, as they are for others for Thanksgiving!
So happy to hear that Hibber! Thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it. ❤️
We just made the brownies for bringing them to my boyfriend‘s parents. They eat paleo and we prefer vegan, so its a great combination!
While the base is absolutely perfect, we had problems with the topping. The melted coconus butter just didn‘t want to blend with the cacao so the toping is black & white 🙁
Do you have any tips for next time?
Hi Victoria – just to clarify – did you use coconut butter? If you want to replace the coconut oil, the best substitute is cacao butter (which I mention in the video). Coconut butter is very different from cacao butter (in terms of melting temperatures, amount of saturated fat, etc.), and I don’t recommend using it in chocolate. Please, let me know if you have any questions.
I just checked and the label says coconut oil. Due to the temperature it just looks like butter 🙂
We melted it in the microwave before adding the cocao (slowly while mixing).
We ate the brownies today (after scrapping off the white coconut oil) and they were delicious!
Ok, perfect. So, one more question – did you use maple syrup as a sweetener? If not, what sweetener did you use?
Yes we did (very delicious btw)
It might be a dumb question, but did you use a whisk to mix the ingredients (the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil)? I have never had this problem, so I will need more information to figure this out. Did the ingredients mix and then separated (as the chocolate was setting) or you were never able to mix the ingredients properly? You could use a blender to mix everything (although I never had to do that). Whisk is all you should need. I am glad you at least enjoyed the brownies 🙂
Yes, we first whisked it and them tried the blender (without success). By now I assume that we might have used too much coconut oil or that it was too hot and cooled down too quickly… Because first it blended but then separated again (2/3 chocolate cream, 1/3 coconut oil).
In any case, we loved the brownies so I will definitely try them again 🙂
Thanks do much for your help in figuring this out!
Can peanut butter be used instead of cashew? If so how many?
Hi Rachel – I haven’t tried it with peanut butter, but I’m pretty sure it will work (as long as you use natural 100% peanut butter). The taste will be different, but the texture will be the same. 1 1/2 cup nuts yields ~ 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. nut butter. So, about that amount.
Hi Petra,
This is Yana and I have made these brownies twice and still haven’t perfected it. One thing that always gets in my way is the coconut oil. Does the coconut oil have to be at a cool temperature before pouring into the frosting mixture.
Thank you for all the amazing receipts Petra, I am in love with vegan carrot cake
Hi Yana – so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂 Could you share what issues you are experiencing with the coconut oil? The more I know, the better I will be able to help. No, the coconut oil doesn’t have to be cool. You want it liquid, which is above 76°F/24°C. However, make sure the temperature doesn’t exceed 115°F/46°C, so the chocolate stays raw.
Got it, thank you so much Petra.
Hi Petra, I’m just finding out about Keto and recently started the diet. I’m surprised about the amount of maple syrup. Can you eat these and still be in ketosis? Thank you
Hi Caroline – so sorry for the confusion! I should have been clearer (I will update the post). You will need to use monk fruit sweetener (or some other type of keto sweetener) to make the brownies keto-friendly. I used liquid monk fruit in the video 🙂 Please, let me know if you have any questions.
Delicious, fast and easy to make! I used the Ikea 5″ x 5″ square glass container, two of them. I made a mistake of making it late at night because of course you would not eat something like this before bed. So I put it in the fridge and the cacao topping on top hardened and was very hard to cut the next day. It’s very good even if the cacao topping hardens but I want to try the gooeyness of it so I’ll make it earlier in the day next time. And cut it before I freeze it.
Recipe: I used almond flour and cashews, I made my own date syrup. And made 1/4 cup more for the cacao topping.
Very good points. The chocolate topping does harden because it contains coconut oil. The thicker the layer, the harder it will get. However, as soon as you take it out of the fridge, it will begin to soften and melt (in a good way). Yes, definitely cut it before you freeze it. I recommend using a hot knife to prevent the chocolate from crackling when cutting the brownies. (Simply dip the knife in boiling hot water as you cut. Don’t forget to dry the knife before each cut, so you don’t get water marks all over the chocolate). By using hot knife, you’re essentially melting the chocolate where you want to cut 🙂
Can i leave out on the cashews and macadamia nuts? Im not a fan of nuts.
Hi Ashley – you would need to substitute the nuts with something otherwise the recipe won’t work. You could possibly use sunflower seeds and sunflower seed flour, but the flavor of the brownies will be different.