Doesn’t matter how many times I’ve made these raw brownies, I’m always amazed how wonderful they are. I’m not exaggerating when I say that these raw vegan brownies will change your life. Seriously. After making this rich, chewy, fudgy chocolate goodness topped with a thick chocolate layer, you’ll never even think about baking brownies again. Why would you?
I have to admit that making vegan, gluten-free desserts (without using any pre-made gluten-free flour mixes loaded with starch and gums) hasn’t been all that successful for me. No structure from eggs and no structure from gluten is a challenge. But raw desserts are a completely different story. They’re so easy to whip up with just a few ingredients, and always taste amazing.
These raw brownies have been a hit at every party I ever brought them to. It’s so rewarding to watch the faces of my friends when they first bite into a raw dessert. Nobody ever believes me when I tell them that these brownies are vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and raw. They’re rich, dense, and so unbelievably delicious! But it’s not just the taste that sets these raw brownies apart, this recipe is unique in the textural contrast as well. As opposed to soft chocolate ganache (which is a typical topping for brownies), these brownies feature classic tempered chocolate. As you bite all the way through the thick layer of hard chocolate, you experience the soft, fudgy brownie base.
Tips for Making Raw Brownies
Credit: the raw brownies recipe has been adapted from Oh She Glows.
Ingredients
I’m a total snob when it comes to dates. There are many varieties of dates harvested worldwide, but the Medjool dates are one of the two of the most commercially produced varieties in the North America. The other most commonly produced are the Deglet Nour dates. Both Medjool dates and Deglet Nour dates work in this recipe, but Medjool dates are far superior. They are sweeter, tender, have a deeper caramel-like flavor, and melt in your mouth. They actually taste like a candy, but in an unprocessed sort of way.
To get the buttery taste and flaky texture brownies are famous for, I use walnuts. They truly work the best so you don’t want to substitute them for any other type of nuts. However, you can substitute the hemp seeds for some more ground walnuts if you’d like.
Finally, the chocolate. If you’re in a pinch, you can buy a tempered chocolate bar in a store, melt it on the stove, and pour it over the brownies base. I do that from time to time and it saves so much time. However, making your own tempered chocolate from scratch is such a rewarding experience. While tempering chocolate isn’t the easiest culinary technique out there, it’s definitely worth mastering.
Technique
You might be tempted to add too many dates because the brownie mixture will be sort of crumbly. But “crumbly” is exactly what you want (as long as the mixture sticks together when you pinch it in between your fingers).
As with many of my raw food desserts, you’ll need a powerful food processor. I use a food processor pretty much every day, for making nut butters, desserts, sauces, burgers and more. It’s great for large batches and dishes that need texture and just makes “cooking” so much faster.
Tools You’ll Need
1. Food Processor (Breville Sous Chef) | 2. Cookware Set (Calphalon, Stainless Steel) | 3. Knife Set (6 Pieces, Utopia, Stainless Steel) | 4. Cutting Board (24″x 18″, Michigan Maple Block, Maple)| 5. Measuring Cups (Set of 6, Bellemain, Stainless Steel) | 6. Baking Dish (3 Quart & 2 Quart, Pyrex, Glass) | 7. Measuring Spoons (Set of 6, 1Easylife, Stainless Steel)
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- 2 cups raw walnuts
- 3 cups Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts, chopped
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- pinch fine sea salt
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Place the 2 cups of walnuts into a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.
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Add the hemp seeds, cacao, cinnamon, and salt and process until combined.
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Add the dates and process until the dough becomes sticky. It should easily stick together when you press it with your fingers. If it's not sticky enough and the mixture doesn't hold together, add more dates.
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Stir in the chopped walnuts until combined.
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Press the mixture into an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper. If it sticks to your hands, wet your hands. Once evenly pressed, place the brownies in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
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Melt the coconut oil over medium heat in a small pot. Then whisk in the cacao powder, maple syrup, and sea salt until well combined.
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Remove the brownies from the freezer and pour on the chocolate. If you have a lot of chocolate, put the brownies back into the freezer for the chocolate to firm up a little bit. Then take them out again and pour on the rest of the chocolate to create even a thicker layer. Place the brownies back in the freezer for about 15 minutes before cutting.
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To cut the brownies, run hot water over a knife for a few seconds and slowly slide the knife into the brownies. Serve immediately.
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Store leftover brownies covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer term storage, freeze in an airtight container for 1-2 months.
Hello,
I’d love to try the brownies. But the hemp seeds are very expensive here, is there any substitution for it?
Thank you so much! xx
You could just add more finely ground walnuts 🙂
I used flax seed and it was great.
Hello, I really want to know how much calories. Thanks
Hi,I am so sorry, but I don’t count calories. However, there are many websites and/or apps that can do it for you. Some of the most popular (and free) ones I’ve heard of are MyFitnessPal, FatSecret, or LoseIt! Hope it helps 🙂
Wow I just tried this recipe and it is amazing!!!! I didn’t have hemp seeds, so i didn’t put any in the recipe but it is just out of this world!!! Def going to do it again!!
Yay! That’s so good to hear! Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂
I would love to try these. Can I use chia seeds instead of hemp seeds?
Hi Jayne 🙂 I would just use more ground walnuts instead of the hemp seeds (not chia seeds).
hI, WHAT SIZE PAN? thANKS
Oops, I forgot to write that in the instructions! Thank you for letting me know, Rachel. I normally use an 8-inch pan. However, you could use a bigger pan though if that’s all you have – the brownies just wouldn’t be as tall 🙂
Hello, I’d like to try the amazing brownies! They look so tasty and healthy! Thank you so much for the recipe and looking forward to new goodies!
I am so glad you like the brownies 🙂 Thank you for your comment! I hope they turn out great for you when you get a chance to make them.
Great recipe ! Can i use figs instead of dates ?
Hi Isabella 🙂 Figs will change the taste slightly (just because figs don’t taste like dates 😉 but it will work. So yes, you can!
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What consideration was on your mind when you decided on hemp seeds? Was it texture, taste, crunchiness? Just curious what goes into the decision on such additions to the recipe. Many thanks for the great recipe! I am grateful for your creativity.
Hi Mike – a great question. Actually, none of the above. I am Registered Holistic Nutritionist so I always try to sneak in some extra nutrients into my recipes (or at least as often as I can). Hemp seeds are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids so that’s why I added them in. Those who don’t care for them much (or can’t find them), can substitute them for any other nut/seeds, including some more walnuts 🙂
Hello! I love your recipes. I would like to try this one but I just need to know how should I use the hemos seeds. Are they soaked or dried? With husk or with out it? Please let me know. You look so nice, bye 🙂
Hi Sofia, thank you so much – I am so glad you’re enjoying my recipea! The hemp seeds are dry (not soaked) and hulled (also called hemp hearts). Some people have had a hard time find them. If that’s the case, you can just omit them and add more ground walnuts instead. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Hi may I know the exact grams for the medjool dates you’re using on the above recipe? It stated 3 cup of medjool dates on the recipes does it meant that it’s about 750g of medjool dates?
Hi Fiona – so sorry for the late reply. You can usually fit about 8 Medjool dates in a cup so you would need about 24 Medjool dates total. (since one pitted date is about 24 g, that’s 576 g pitted dates total). Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
I tried them yesterday a they turned out well! Unfortunately, I didn’t have hulled hemp seed so I had to use natural ones and the brownies are so crunchy now! I also had a quite hard time blending the whole mixture together, but I propably have worse food procesor However, they taste great and next time I’ll do them out of a double quantity.
Hi Karolina. I am so glad the brownies turned out well for you 🙂 Yea, whole hemp seeds are definitely CRUNCHY! Hulled hemp seeds were created to make eating hemp seed more appealing and easier to eat. If you make these brownies again (and don’t have access to hulled hemp seeds), you can just use more ground walnuts. The hemp hearts are not an essential ingredient – they are there to add more nutrition.
Hi Petra,
I am planning to make these for Valentine’s Day but I’d love to make them thinner and cut them out with a heart shaped cookie cutter – do you think the brownies will hold their shape? (:
+ the dates I’m going to use are the small-dryish-kind – would you suggest soaking them first?
Thanks so much and all the best,
Helen
Hi Helen – that’s a great question. Unfortunately, I have never tried it so I can’t guarantee it will work. What I would do (just to be on the safe side) is use heart-shaped silicone molds, press the brownie mixture in, and then refrigerate the “hearts” before covering them with chocolate. If you do use the cookie cutter, definitely chill the dough first. Also, the thinner you make the hearts, the less they will hold together nicely. I am sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. All the best and please, let me know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂
Thanks you for your fast answer! (:
I ended up using another similar recipe that doesn’t require Medjool dates just to be sure it will stick togeher when cutting it out with a cookie cutter – it worked like a charm! ^-^
Anyways, I will definitely try your recipe soon – love the addition of the hep hearts and the thick frosting! ♥
Any chance I can use cocoa powder in this? I know it’s not raw (I’m not raw) and not as healthy, but I’d love to try this recipe out. I only have cocoa power on me right now though.
Hi Joey – yes, you can use cocoa powder. Just make sure it’s plain cocoa powder, not cocoa mixes that often contain sugar. It should be regular cocoa powder or Dutch-processed (dark) cocoa powder. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Okay, so I just made these and DELICIOUS! I’m so tempted to eat it all now. Haha. Thank you!
Yay! Awesome! Thank you for letting me know. I know – it’s super hard not to eat all the brownies at once! 😀
Is maple syrup necessary? Also, I melted coconut oil and mixed it with a cocoa. I put that on brownies and put them in freezer, but when I took it out some white things were on chocolate, I guess coconut oil was on the surface. The chocolate came out very messy.
The maple syrup in the chocolate serves as a sweetener. You don’t necessarily have to use maple syrup, but you do need to use some type of liquid sweetener for the chocolate to be a little bit sweet. As far as the white spots go, it seems like the coconut oil separated from the cocoa. This usually happens because of too rapid changes in temperatures. The easiest way to prevent the coconut oil from separating is to not melt the coconut oil. Instead, use softened coconut oil and whisk is quickly with the other ingredients until you reach a pourable consistency. This should help 🙂
Can you substitute pecans for walnuts? Also could I swap serene seeds for the hemp? I’m trying to use what I have.
Thanks,
Jenny
Oh dear, I meant sesame seeds.
Ooops, just reading this – yes, that’s what I thought 🙂
Hi Jenny – yes, you can swap walnuts for pecans. That’s a great substitution. For the hemp seeds, I would just use more walnuts/pecans. I am sorry, I have never heard of serene seeds. Did you mean sesame seeds? If so, I wouldn’t use sesame seeds because they are quite crunchy. Please, let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Hello! I am planning to try it out, but I have a question: Isn’t it necessary to soak the walnuts first? I,ve heard that they are difficult to digest otherwise. Would it be a problem if I soak them? Thanks!
Hi Ralfy, yes, you can soak them first. However, I would recommend that after soaking you spread the nuts on a cookie sheet (or a dehydrator sheet) and let them dry out. You can use a dehydrator with a temperature set to 115 F, or the oven set to the lowest temperature. If you use wet walnuts, the brownie mixture might be too wet (the ground walnuts are supposed to resemble flour, which might be difficult to achieve with wet walnuts). If drying the walnuts sound like too much work, try the wet walnuts (pat them dry with a paper towel to get as much moisture out as possible) and see how it goes 🙂
Hello! I just made these and they are really fudgey and delicious! Except I substituted the hemp seeds for flax seeds, which didn’t get broken up in the food processor and are rather chewy and crunchy. Only now have I read that I could’ve used more walnuts! Haha, oh well, they’re still good! I love the chocolate layer on top. Thanks so much for the recipe! From Maddie x
Also, I didn’t have medjool dates so I just soaked regular dried dates in some hot water for 5-10 minutes, which worked well 🙂
Perfect! Yea, Medjool dates are super soft and juicy but when you soak regular dates for a little bit, they work just fine 🙂 Thank you for the feedback!
Hi Maddie – you made me laugh. Yes, flax seeds are definitely crunchy when not ground into flax meal. I add the hemp seeds in for extra protein but you can definitely just use more ground walnuts (next time 🙂 I am glad you made the recipe work anyway!
I need to stop making these as I am just not strong enough to keep myself from constantly eating them!!
I tried the recipe today, but I left out the chocolate on top. Instead I rolled the dough into little balls and covered them in cacao powder. They looked like pralines and tasted delicious. Thank you for always sharing such great recipes.
Aw, I am so happy you liked the recipe, Hannah! Thank you for the feedback. I really appreciate it.
I want to try them but my concern is the maple syrup is it sugar free? I am diabetic.
Hi Daelene – maple syrup is very high in sugar. It contains 13 grams of simple carbohydrates per tablespoon, which means that it will raise your blood sugar much more quickly than a complex carbohydrate (like vegetables) would. Since there is no fiber to slow the that sugar down when it enters your bloodstream, I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re diabetic.
Hi; what can I substitute with coconut oil?
I am about to try this but i don’t have coconut oil. Also does the coconut oil suppose to not good for you?
hi;
What can I substitute with coconut oil?
I about to try this but I don’t have coconut oil. Also does the coconut oil suppose suppose to not good for you?
I really want to try it with chocolate top. Just can’t think of any option.
Thank you!
Hi Ness – do you have access to cacao butter? You could use cacao butter instead of the coconut oil. Coconut oil is saturated fat and it is not a whole food. That being said, coconut oil is abundant in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) and research proves that MCT oils can prevent two of the primary risk factors for heart disease: obesity and arteriosclerosis. Coconut oil can also help decrease levels of overall cholesterol and triglycerides. It’s a powerful antifungal and antibacterial that can also help combat disease and slow aging. So, the bottom line is, coconut oil is good for your health but it’s still just a partial food high in calories. So everything in moderation 🙂
Hi; thanks for your reply and suggestion and info. Sorry about sending it twice. I thought the first message didn’t work.
So, I did make the brownie today and I loved it even without the chocolate topping. Delish!!! My husband loved it too! But, he suggested I should go for the topping next time. I didn’t waste any time, went to store and bought the coconut oil (can’t find the cacao butter) I figure why not try. I am not going to use the whole bottle of oil anyway. So there you go. I’m excited to put the topping soon! Thank you again!! Great recipe!!
These were absolutely wonderful! They remind me of a chocolate treat one can purchased by the pound at a mall candy shop
Thank you so much for the feedback, Shaakira ❤ So happy you enjoyed them 🙂