These are wonderful raw, no-bake brownies that are packed with protein and very little sugar, and can satisfy even the most serious “chocolate and peanut butter” cravings. They are delicious, and each bar has less that one date and ¼ teaspoon of honey. You can make them peanut-free by using another nut or seed butter, or even make them completely nut-free by substituting all nuts and peanut butter with sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter.
Brownie Layer
1 ¼ cup raw walnuts (or any kind of nuts or seeds, my favorites are walnuts and pecans)
1 cup almond flour (or any nut/seed flour)
10 medjool dates (pitted)
½ cup raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (gluten-free variety)
1-2 Tablespoon raw coconut oil, melted (but not hot)
Peanut Butter Layer
1 cup peanut butter (make it nut-free with sunflower butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (gluten-free variety)
1 Tablespoon honey (vary the sweetness as you’d like, some people may prefer 2 Tablespoons but I like to keep the sugar low)
3 Tablespoons raw coconut oil, melted (but not hot)
Optional: ½ cup chocolate chips (Mini Chips by Enjoy Life are soy-free and our favorite)
Instructions
Brownie Layer:
Blend walnuts in food processor until finely chopped, then pour into a mixing bowl. Place pitted dates into food processor and pulse until smooth, if it clumps in processor add a drizzle of the melted coconut oil. In bowl combine walnuts, date paste, almond flour, cacao powder, vanilla, and mix (with a spoon or hands – kids love this step) while slowly adding coconut oil until the cacao powder is blended and no longer powdery (but don’t make the batter too oily either), stop adding the oil once the cacao powder is thoroughly incorporated.
Once mixed, divide batter in half, and press half of the batter into the bottom of a 6 x 8 inch baking pan (no parchment or greasing needed).
Peanut Butter Layer:
Mix peanut butter, vanilla, and honey in a bowl. Next, slowly blend in melted coconut all. Add chocolate chips to batter (optional). Spread peanut butter layer on top of brownie layer.
Place dish in refrigerator to cool and firm up batter. In about one hour, the peanut butter layer should be firm enough.
Finish
Press remainder of chocolate brownie dough on top.
Serve. Keep refrigerated.
Recipe by Julie Matthews, © Nourishing Hope/Julie Matthews
8 servings
90 minutes
If I don’t have a food processor- could you use a vitamin instead somehow?
Hi Jennifer, Yes, you could probably use a Vitamix. You only need to grind the nuts and dates in the food processor. The Vitamix will do a good job with the nuts, and if you add some coconut oil to the dates, the Vitamix will probably work for that too. Try and let us know!