Healthy Date Brownies

Date Brownies are 100% fruit sweetened, but you’d never know just by tasting them. If you didn’t tell me, I’d guess they were the two-bite brownies you can buy from the store.

What’s special about these brownies is that they are made with ridiculously healthy ingredients, like almond butter, flax seeds, and dates. I don’t know why they turn out so much like real brownies when they don’t use butter, flour, or granulated sugar. But, somehow, they just work!

I do recommend using a mini muffin pan for baking these. It prevents the center from sinking and speeds the baking time. As written, this recipe is vegan, Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free, so it’s perfect for those with special dietary needs.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“I have never left a comment on a blog food recipe in my entire life, but these brownies are literally delicious. I can’t believe they turned out as good as they did, it’s shocking.” – Amanda

Healthy Brownie REcipe Ingredients

• Medjool Dates. This recipe works best with soft and squishy Medjool dates. I find the best ones in the produce section of the grocery store, not the bulk bins. When shopping for these, make sure they look plump and juicy, as if you could easily split them with your fingers. (I find the best ones at Costco, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s.)
• Almond Butter. This acts as both oil and flour in this recipe, because it has fiber and healthy fats. Using raw or homemade almond butter will give you the most neutral flavor, but readers have reported using peanut butter in the comments below, as well. (Peanut butter will take away some of the chocolate flavor, though, so I recommend using almond butter if this is your first time.)
• Cacao Powder. I keep raw cacao powder in my pantry, so that’s what I use for all of my chocolate recipes. If you have regular cocoa powder on hand, that should work, too! Since this batter is egg-free and flourless, you can taste test it before baking to see if you need to add a little extra.
• Flax Seeds. If you’re not familiar with flax eggs, flaxseed can act as an egg substitute in baking. It acts as a binder in this recipe, but read the recipe notes below if you want to use a real egg instead.
• Baking Soda + Vinegar. This combination helps the brownies rise in the oven. If you want to use baking powder instead, double it and omit the vinegar.

How to Make Brownies with Dates

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray or oil.

In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an S-blade, add the pitted dates and process briefly until they break down, about 60 seconds. 

Next, add in the almond butter, ground flax seed, cacao or cocoa powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, vinegar, and salt. (The vinegar is here to help react with the baking soda, but you won’t taste it in the final brownies.)

Process again, until the batter looks thick and sticky. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the machine, if needed.

Step 2:

Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the mixture into each slot of the prepared pan. You might not fill all 24 spots; I usually get 18 to 20 brownie bites from this batch. The brownie batter will be very thick and sticky.

Get your fingers wet, then flatten the tops of the brownies. (Wet hands will prevent sticking.) If you’d like to add a few chocolate chips on top, now is the time. 

Step 3:

Place the pan in an oven preheated to 350ºF and bake until the tops look dry, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and let the brownies cool completely in the pan. 

They will be quite fragile while they are warm, but will firm up with a chewy texture once they are cool. 

Run a knife around the edges of each brownie, then use the knife to help you lift it out of the pan. Since these brownies are made without egg, they may sink slightly in the center, but the texture should still be amazing. 

Storage Tip: Store leftover date brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. 

Healthy Date Brownies (100% Fruit Sweetened!)

4.91 from 234 votes

If you’ve tried a healthy brownie recipe before and felt disappointed, don’t give up until you try these date brownies. They’re shockingly good. Made with Medjool dates, almond butter, and ground flax seeds, they are the healthiest brownies I’ve ever made, yet they taste remarkably like the two-bite brownies you can buy at the store. Just read the comments below if you don’t believe me!

prep10 mins cook13 mins total23 mins

Servings:20 brownies

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ¾ cup Medjool dates , pitted (6 ounces)
• ⅓ cup water
• ½ cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 5 tablespoons cacao powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a mini muffin tin with spray oil, or your favorite oil, to help prevent sticking. 
• In a food processor fitted with an “S” blade, combine the dates and water and process until the dates have broken down into a paste. (They may turn into a ball in the processor, which is also okay.)
• Add in the almond butter, ground flax, cacao powder, baking soda, vanilla, and vinegar and process again until a sticky, uniform dough is created. (If you need to add 1 more tablespoon of water to help it blend smoothly, that's okay.) The batter will be thick and sticky. 
• Use a tablespoon or a cookie scoop to scoop the dough into the greased mini muffin tin. Use your fingers to gently flatten each mound of dough. Because the dough is very sticky, it helps to wet your fingers with water before pressing each mound down so they won't stick to the dough. Note: I usually get 18 to 20 brownies from this batch, so you won't fill the entire 24-cup mini muffin pan.
• Bake until the tops look dry, about 12 to 15 minutes. (The centers will still feel slightly soft to the touch.) Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool completely, at least 30 minutes, before attempting to remove them from the pan. They firm up as they cool, but are very fragile when warm. Run a knife around the edge of each brownie to help loosen them to be removed, then serve immediately or store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 20 brownie bites. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Chocolate Chip Addition: If you don’t mind a bit of added sugar, you can add up to 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips to this recipe for a double chocolate brownie. I like to press some chocolate chips on top before baking. 

Update Note: This recipe was updated in January 2023. I decreased the vinegar and vanilla by 1 teaspoon each (the recipe used to call for 2 teaspoons of each) and swapped the cashew butter for almond butter, since brands can vary so much on cashew butter lately. I also started using 1/3 cup water instead of 1/4 cup as previously written, because I always had to add extra water. Feel free to use the original amounts, if you prefer it that way. 

Nut Butter Note: Any nut or seed butter will work with this recipe, but keep in mind that you will definitely be able to taste whichever option you use. So, if you use peanut butter, you’ll have a peanut butter-tasting brownie, and if you use sunflower butter, you’ll have a (nut-free!) brownie that tastes like sunflower butter. So, make sure you love the flavor of whichever nut or seed butter you choose.

Vinegar Note: The vinegar is included to react with the baking soda, causing these to rise as they bake. You won’t taste it, so it doesn’t matter which variety you use. If you want to omit the vinegar, use 1 teaspoon of baking powder instead of the baking soda. 

Nutrition

Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: gluten-free, vegan

Keyword: date brownies, healthy brownies

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If you try this date brownie recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it!