My friend Ali has really good taste. So when she deems something her favorite, you pay attention. This all-the-free-froms brownie is no exception. I just had to put my own spin on it because, well, I never can help myself.
p.s. See that really cute paper in the photo? It's my very first product(!) and you can find it here.
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Chocolate Frosted No-Bake Brownies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 Bars 1x
- Category: Brownies
- Method: No Bake
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
You will need a food processor for this recipe.
These also taste amazing made with almonds in place of the walnuts.
As the brownies need to set in the refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight is great, too), this is a perfect make-ahead treat.
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- 2 ¼ cups raw walnuts (250 g)
- 12 pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped (155 - 240 g)
- 2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut (96 g)
- 1 cup cacao powder (96 g)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 TB pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine-grain salt (like table or sea salt)
For the Ganache:
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil (56 g)
- ½ cup cacao powder (48 g)
- ¼ tsp fine-grain salt (like table or sea salt)
- cacao nibs, for sprinkling
- flaky sea salt, like Maldon, for sprinkling
Instructions
Lightly grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides of the pan.
For the Brownies:
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the walnuts until finely ground.
- Add the dates and shredded coconut and pulse until well combined.
- Add the cacao, maple syrup, vanilla and salt and process until a dough forms, about 30 seconds.
- Evenly press the dough into the prepared pan. Set aside while making the ganache.
For the Ganache:
- Wipe out the food processor with a paper towel to remove any large chunks (this helps create an extra-smooth ganache).
- In the bowl of the food processor, add all the ganache ingredients and pulse until nice and silky, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Pour the ganache over the brownies and spread evenly. Generously sprinkle the top with the cacao nibs and flaky sea salt.
- Cover and refrigerate until set, at least an hour, before slicing. Store any extras in the refrigerator. Serve chilled, as these can get a bit messy when warm.
Notes
- Mix it up! In place of the walnuts, feel free to use an equal amount (by weight, i.e. 250 g) of raw almonds. You could also add 1 cup (5 oz) dried cherries to the finished dough - make sure the cherries are juicy and plump and roughly chop if extra large. I first made this with tiny, dried-out cherries and it was not a pleasant experience.
- When grinding the walnuts in the food processor, I add 1-2 TB of the pre-measured cacao powder. This helps absorb the oils and prevents them from turning into nut butter.
- If weighing your dates, be sure to weigh them after they are pitted.
- Cacao powder, called for in this recipe, is minimally processed and contains more nutrients and antioxidants. But, you can definitely use (the less expensive!) cocoa powder instead.
- There is no need to melt the coconut oil before using (if solidified), it will blend beautifully into the ganache once in the food processor.
- I like to wrap individual squares and store in the freezer for easy snacking. Just be sure the bars are chilled when you do this, otherwise you'll have quite the frustrating mess on your hands.
- Recipe inspired by this original.
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