Date Brownies are 100% fruit sweetened, but you’d never know just by tasting them. They are made without flour or oil, and have a rich & chewy texture you’ll love!
Why You’ll Love Them
They’re delicious. These healthy brownies have a rich chocolate flavor, and a texture similar to the two-bite brownie bites you’d find at the grocery store. My kids gobble them up! (And they are quite picky.)
They’re naturally sweet. Dates are the perfect sweetener for this recipe, with a caramel-like flavor that isn’t too detectable. (Unlike banana or applesauce, which would contribute almost too much flavor to a chocolate dessert.)
They’re nourishing. Dates contain important minerals, like iron and potassium, and when you pair them with nutrient-rich ingredients like almond butter and cacao powder, these brownies will help you get more fiber and antioxidants into your day.
They’re perfect for special diets. If you’re trying to avoid added sugar, or are following a Paleo, vegan, dairy-free, or gluten-free eating plan, this recipe is perfect for you! Be sure to check out the substitutions below, if you need to make a swap.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe requires no added sugar– just pitted Medjool dates! You can add in a few mini chocolate chips, if you’d like a double-chocolate brownie, but that’s totally optional.
If you don’t have almond butter on hand, you can use any other nut butter you like, such as peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter, instead.
Note: This recipe works best if your dates are soft and squishy. They should be easy to split apart with your fingers to remove the pit. If your dates feel too hard or dry, try soaking them in a bowl of very hot water for 10 minutes to help them soften up.
How to Make Date Brownies
1. Process.
Add the dates and water to a food processor, and process briefly to help them 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.
2. Scoop.
Prepare a mini muffin pan by greasing it with coconut oil or olive oil. Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop, or a 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.
Get your fingers wet, and flatten the tops of the brownies. If you’d like to add a few chocolate chips on top, now is the time to do so.
3. Bake.
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using a mini muffin pan ensures that the brownies will cook correctly, with a perfectly chewy center. I don’t recommend trying this brownie recipe in square baking pan, unless you’re prepared for a potentially gooey center.
I haven’t tested it that way yet, but if you want to experiment with it, I would try using slightly more almond flour in that case. (I would start with a 1/4 cup more and see how the batter comes together.)
Yes, if you don’t need a vegan recipe, you can replace the ground flax seeds and water with a real egg, instead. In that case, you’ll blend the egg with the dates during the first step.
The vinegar will react with the baking soda, to help the brownies rise without using eggs. You can replace the baking soda and vinegar in this recipe with a teaspoon of baking powder, if you prefer.
Looking for more date-sweetened desserts? Try the Healthiest Cookies Ever, my Healthy Birthday Cake, or Peanut Butter Date Cookies for more ideas.
Healthy Date Brownies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Medjool dates , pitted (6 ounces)
- ¼ 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 1-ounce cookie scoop to help you 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 get your fingers wet with water before pressing each mound down so your fingers won't stick to the dough.
- 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.
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Notes
Nutrition
If you try this date brownie recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
:”) <– This was the face I was making when i dug into the brownies. I'm a total fudge brownie person and I could never find a healthy alternative that satisfied my cravings. BUT THIS. This recipe really came through for me and I totally love that one brownie is merely 49 calories! I can finally eat more than one brownie without feeing guilty. Thank you so so much, I will be making these all the time now!
I´ve just baked these for the second time and I just can´t believe how delicious they are! The first time they fell apart when I tried to remove them from the pan (although I had waited enough for them to cool). This time I greased the muffin tin even more and waited an hour to remove them after they were done. Perfect!!!! But they are really fragile as you said, butworth every bite!
I used tahini for my nut butter and they turned out delish. Took quite some time to break down the dates in my vitamix, but they still turned out really good even with some small date chunks. I made them into cookies since I didn’t have a muffin pan.Will definitely be making more! Thanks 🙂
I made these today with tahini instead of cashew butter and they were delicious. I do not have a mini muffin pan so I baked them on a cookie sheet. I used a tablespoon cookie scoop and left them mounded on the cookie sheet. They turned out great.
Just delicious
Wow, I made these exactly as directed and they are lovely! I can’t believe they don’t have any kind of flour and yet the texture is very soft and fluffy. You can’t take balsamic at all but I will say I think it’s doing something behind the scenes to make the brownie even richer. Will be making these again!!
Love these brownies. They turned out great and I couldn’t get enough. Thank you. I have recently started baking with dates and you are making this process that much easier!
I plan to buy your book as well. Thanks!
OMG! So delicious!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I have a bag of date sugar. Can I use that in place of the dates? Would you know much to use in place of the dates? Thanks.
A friend shared this recipe with me on IG. After reading it, I realized I actually had all the ingredients except for the mini muffin tray so I improvised & used my silicone egg bite container & voila! Worked great!
These are so unbelievably delicious, I can’t even believe it! They have an elevated, rich cocoa flavor as well! A DEFINITE repeat! Kid AND grown-up approved!
Is there another alternative to using balsamic vinegar or even apple cider vinegar? I would prefer neither of these ingredients
You could use baking powder instead of baking soda. You always need twice the amount of baking powder vs. baking soda, and then you can leave out the vinegar.
Amazing recipe! Thanks so much.
I was so pleasantly surprised by how much these taste like normal brownies! I love the simple ingredients and how easy they were to make. A good blender or food processer are essential to making the batter really smooth.
I NEVER MAKE COMMENTS OR GIVE RATINGS ON RECIPES. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME! Y’ALL THESE BROWNIES ARE AMAZING!! I do prefer them with apple cider vinegar over balsamic vinegar but either way they taste great! Thank you for sharing this recipe! Now I’m back looking for new ones😁
So so good! They were moist, fudgy, and delicious! I recommend adding in the peanut butter along with the water and dates, because the water and dates alone weren’t enough for my big vitamix blender to blend. But other than that, they were so yummy! Will definitely be making again! They taste just like the mini two bite brownies from Costco! 😋
I have no problem eating gluten or sugar, but this is my absolute favourite brownie recipe. When I cook them a little longer they are more cake like, and if I cook a little less they are more fudgy. Love them both ways. Have added a few chocolate chips too. Thanks for the great no-guilt brownie recipe.
These are SOOO good!!
These brownies are amazing! My husband, who had a major sweet tooth, request them regularly!
I’ve never commented on a recipe before. My husband and I recently started a refined sugar free lifestyle, but both of us have a major! sweet tooth. I decided to give these a go based off of the reviews, and let me tell you these did not disappoint. It’s all my craving needed. I will make these again and again. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
Are these American or English cups?
Can’t see how these would last 2 days never mind 2 weeks unless I hide them from my family:)
These are absolutely delicious! They taste every bit as rich and indulgent as traditional brownie bites. The only issue I’ve ever had with these (and I’ve made them several times), is that I don’t usually get 24 servings from them. Probably because I like to make them larger than I should. 🙂 Thank you for a great recipe!
Exceeded my expectations. Yum!
This recipe is one of my absolute favorites. I use it just about every time I have people over or go to a potluck – it’s so accommodating of different eating preferences. It’s so simple and knock-your-socks-off delicious!
Ohmigosh these are amazing! I made with sunflower butter and they were delish. Gone off cane sugar recently and these tasted sooooo good. Makes the whole house smell like read deal holy feel brownies y’all. Magic! You gotta try. So much more nutrition than a traditional brownie!
this is one of my favorite (if not my favorite) detoxnista dessert recipes. I discovered it when my mom was getting treated for cancer and she was looking for no added sugar recipes. this recipe really boosted morale. I did a few things differently. I doubled the recipe 😉 I ground up pecans instead of the cashew butter (2 cups pecans to the food processor when you double the recipe),I also used chia seeds instead of flax because that is what I have on hand. Instead of using muffin cups, I just spooned the batter onto a baking sheet and called them “mookies”! My mom was also trying to be oil free and I found I didn’t have to use the coconut oil to grease the pan. Oil is helpful, but the cookies do not stick too badly. thanks Megan for this recipe! 🙂 It saved the day!
I don’t have a muffin tin; could I scoop them onto a cookie sheet and bake them like that?
Sure, I’d love to hear how those turn out for you! They might bake faster that way, like cookies? I’d start with just 10 minutes and see how they do.
Megan! These are the best brownies!!! I love the ingredients. These are my go to dessert. Thanks so much
The best healthy brownie recipe I’ve found! I’m on a no flour, no refined sugar, no dairy…no fun diet?! On the contrary, these sweet treats make it very easy to get through it. I subbed mini chocolate chips (ahem..no refined sugar) for cocoa nibs and added a little cinnamon. Perfection!
Oh! And I used mini cup paper liners instead of coconut oil because the first batch I lost too much brownie for my liking 🙂
These are sooo good! Fudgy and delicious. I don’t like dates, but I’m eating a lot in late pregnancy and this is the best recipe I’ve found for sneaking them in. Healthy too!!! I was skeptical and now I’m a convert.
Might try this again but they weren’t chocolaty enough for me. I only made 10 with this recipe and they were pretty small at that, so I can’t image what a 24th of this batter would look like. I followed recipe exactly, except used large silicone muffin mold.
Super easy and so, so delicious, cannot believe they are healthy! I subbed nut butter with tahini, vanilla with orange zest, and melted the 1/2 cup of chocolate , they came out super fudgy. Just one problem: the metric conversion says 110 gr of dates,but it’s actually 170 gr, I checked because the dough wasn’t sweet enough.
Wow!
Was not expecting something this good.
I find most recipes have either flour, Splenda (or other substitutes I never have on hand anyways) or some sort of dairy or egg.
This recipe has only good stuff in it and it really satisfied my craving for something sweet but yet healthy.
Thank you I will make it again for sure!
Can you substitute lemon juice for the vinegar?
These were a HIT! My new go to brownie cookie recipe! I used 1 tsp of baking powder instead of baking soda and vinegar. I did not have a mini muffin tin so I put them on a cookie sheet which I greased with coconut oil and baked at 350 for 15 mins. Let them cool on the sheet for atleast 15 mins (would have done longer but limited to time constraints). Next time I am going to add chocolate chips! I can’t believe how much they tasted like a brownie. The were firm enough to hold a shape but gooey and delicious!
These are delicious and were a big hit! Thanks so much for your detailed directions.
Thank you for this great recipe! I made them using tahini in place of the cashew butter. I also don’t have a mini cupcake pan so I used my cookie scoop to drop them onto a parchment lined baking sheet. They came out like brownie cookies (they only spread a little). The texture is light and fudgy. I got about 15 with the cookie scoop taking the time to really get everything out of the food processor with my rubber spatula.
Thank you for such an amazing recipe! Only variation I made was using apple cider vinegar instead. It was so fabulously easy and I love how they rose up in my muffin tin. They taste and look amazing!!! As we are on a very strict regime for health reasons, this recipe was such a blessing to find! Thank you so much for sharing!
Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic?
Yes, that should be fine!
It was great!. I used Wow Butter (soy) and to not burn out my appliance used 1/2 a cup of water to blend the dates. They were just like two bite brownies. My son snagged most of them. As those dates are particularly expensive (and frankly I like to snack on them) I am going to try it with pressed dates and fresh hot coffee to soften them for blending. I may have to add a tbsp of monkfruit sweetener though as they are not as sweet (no snacking on those).
It is odd but with the extra water I had no gooey center issue and I didn’t even need to grease my non-stick mini muffin pan. Even went out and bought another pan (as mine is only a 12) since it fits perfectly in my chefman air fryer. I did diffuse the fan for this with a pan on the top rack and preheated so as to get maximum rise.
Thank you so much, the recipe also neatly solved my son’s constipation. Not enough fiber on Dad’s week.
Your recipes never cease to satisfy! I am always pleased when I try them and this one is no different!
I made my own cashew butter, because I only had whole cashews on hand. I doubled the recipe, and I couldn’t find my flax seeds so I used eggs. I ended up putting half the batter in an 8×8 pan lined with parchment. Cooked for about 20-25 min. Then the rest in mini muffin tins. I love the nutritional value in this dessert! I don’t feel guilt satisfying my craving for brownie with these. They are perfect!
The batter is sooo sticky. I used chocolate balsamic vinegar. I’ve been trying to find uses for it. I was pleasantly surprised I found the perfect recipe for it.
I was a little disappointed with this recipe. I think I was expecting it to be sweeter but it has a bitter taste. I used almond butter from Trader Joe’s. Next time I will add a little coconut sugar and mini chocolate chips.
Made these today with tahini instead of almond butter so they would be ok for school. Wasn’t sure if the kids would give them thumbs up but they did! They noticed the different taste but still liked them enough to eat 3 at a time 😂. I really enjoyed them. Moist and tasty! Thanks for a great recipe. Hopefully there are some left for school lunch tomorrow for a treat!
Could you use reconstituted peanut flour (pb2)?
I was shocked at how fantastic these turned out! Usually baked goods (especially healthy ones) don’t turn out as advertised but these are phenomenal!
I’m pretty careful about the added sugar I consume but my body still isn’t liking when I occasionally do, so I’ve been trying to find alternatives for treats and this recipe did not disappoint! My boys were licking the crumbs out of the muffin pan 😂
Do you think I could use chocolate protein powder in place of the cocoa? I’m trying to get more protein in my diet.
That will totally depend on the flavor of the protein powder. Cocoa powder is dark and quite bitter, with no sweetener added, so it could affect the overall flavor of the brownies if the protein powder doesn’t taste similar… but feel free to experiment with it!
I made these today and can’t believe how good they are!! I love that they do not have oil or refined sugar/syrup. My husband agrees they are great. I will make a double batch next time. Do you know if they freeze well?