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Vegan date brownies were the very first dessert that I made when I became vegan. They also helped inspire the name of this blog, and many date-sweetened desserts that followed! You really need to try them to believe how good they are - decadent and rich without using flour or processed sugar.

These homemade no-bake brownies are incredibly fudgy and rich thanks to hazelnut butter, which also makes them taste like Ferrero Rocher!

a tray with raw brownies and swirled chocolate ganache on top.Pin

I love to frost them with vegan ganache, but you can also top them with homemade nutella, or simply enjoy them as is.

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📖 Recipe Overview

  • Made With Only 7 Wholesome Ingredients - They're made using simple plant-based ingredients, a lot of which may already live in your pantry! They're also naturally gluten-free and grain-free.
  • No Baking & No Oven Needed - There's no risk of burning your brownies with this simple recipe. The food processor pretty much does all the work for you.
  • Fudgy & Rich Consistency - Using ingredients like nut butter and juicy medjool dates keeps these brownies rich and moist without eggs, butter, or oil.
  • Customizable - You can top these vegan brownies with any frosting you like, or switch up the flavors according to your taste and dietary preferences.

🧾 Ingredients Needed

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make my no-bake vegan brownie recipe. Here’s what to grab:

ingredients for no bake brownies measured out in bowls on a wooden surface.Pin
  • Medjool Dates - Use plump fresh dates if you can, my absolute favorite brands to support are Zaytoun and The Date Project. I run through how to select the best dates possible in my chocolate dates recipe.
  • Walnuts - These add some healthy fats and richness to the brownies.
  • Hazelnut Butter - You can use storebought or homemade nut butter. If you're not a fan of hazelnut, almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter are good too!
  • Espresso Powder - This is completely optional, but it adds depth and enhances the chocolate flavor, without making the brownies taste like coffee.
  • Cocoa Powder - You can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a rich dark chocolate flavor, or raw cacao powder for a slightly more bitter taste. Either way, make sure your cocoa is unsweetened.
  • Sea Salt & Vanilla - You can use vanilla powder, vanilla extract or paste, or even scrape out a vanilla pod. Vanilla and salt enhance the sweetness and flavor of the brownies.
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🥣 How To Make Date Brownies

You're just a few simple steps away from devouring these delicious fudgy no-bake brownies, here's how they're made:

ground up cocoa powder and walnuts in a food processor to make no bake brownies.Pin

Step 1: Blitz the walnuts, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and sea salt in your food processor to a fine crumb consistency.

no bake brownie mixture blended up in a food processor.Pin

Step 2: Add the dates, hazelnut butter, and vanilla and blend again until the ingredients stick together to form a dough consistency.

no bake brownies in a tray with pink flowers and a small jar of hazelnut butter in the background.Pin

Step 3: Press the raw brownie mixture into a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Smooth it down using the back of a spoon.

hero shot of chocolate ganache with a spoon showing the texture.Pin

Step 4: Make a batch of vegan chocolate ganache or vegan nutella. Meanwhile, chill the brownies in the fridge to help them firm up.

a tray of no bake brownies being slathered with chocolate ganache using a pallet knife.Pin

Step 5: Spread the frosting on top of the brownies in an even layer using an offset spatula.

raw brownies in a rectangular baking tin with swirled ganache topping.Pin

Step 6: Swirl the chocolate frosting to create a wavy effect using a spoon.

no bake brownies in a tin with ganache and toasted hazelnuts on top and a small jar of hazelnut butter in the background.Pin

Step 7: Top the brownies with toasted hazelnuts and freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries.

no bake brownies in a parchment lined tray with ganache, hazelnuts, and freeze-dried raspberries on top.Pin

Step 8: Chill the frosted brownies for a couple of hours, and then slice them into individual servings.

💬 FAQs

Do date brownies need to stay refrigerated?

I highly recommend storing your brownies in the fridge to help them stay fresh for longer.

They will keep in a sealed container for up to a week in the fridge. But it's absolutely fine to keep them out at room temperature for a day - granted you don't live in a warmer climate!

Can you freeze no-bake brownies?

Yes, these no bake brownies store well in the freezer. Simply place them in an airtight container separated by sheets of parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months.

Can I make these brownies without walnuts?

Absolutely! I often use pecans in place of walnuts depending on what I have to hand at home. I tend not to recommend almonds as they are a very hard nut and don't give the nicest consistency.

a stack of fudgy no bake brownies with ganache and ganache poured on top of them.Pin

🍫 More Vegan Brownies

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📖 Recipe

No Bake Date Brownies

5 from 35 votes
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 16
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Description

No bake date brownies made with minimal wholesome ingredients. These vegan brownies are easy to make, fudgy, and can be topped with chocolate ganache or homemade nutella.

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 200 g (1 ¾ cups) walnuts, or pecans
  • 80 g (¾ cup + 2 tsp) cocoa powder, unsweetened, *see note 1
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 300 g (2 cups) medjool dates, pitted, about 15 dates, *see note 2
  • 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) hazelnut butter, *see note 3
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder, *see note 4
  • 1 batch vegan ganache, for frosting *see note 5
  • toasted hazelnuts, optional
  • freeze-dried raspberries , optional

Instructions

  • Add the walnuts, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt to a food processor and blitz for a couple of minutes until they resemble a fine crumb consistency.
  • Add the dates, hazelnut butter, and vanilla and blend again until the ingredients stick together to form a dough consistency.
  • Press the raw brownie mixture into a baking pan lined with parchment paper, and smooth it down using the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge to firm up slightly for 1-2 hours.
  • Make a batch of vegan chocolate ganache or vegan nutella while the brownies chill and firm up in the fridge.
  • Spread the frosting on top of the brownies in an even layer using an offset spatula. Top the brownies with toasted hazelnuts and freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries if using.
  • Place the frosted brownies back in the fridge for another hour to help the ganache firm up, then slice them into individual servings.
  • Storage: They will keep in a sealed container for up to a week in the fridge. But it's absolutely fine to keep them out at room temperature for a day - granted you don't live in a warmer climate!
    To freeze, place them in an airtight container separated by sheets of parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

  1. Use Dutch-processed cocoa for a deep chocolate flavor, or raw cacao powder for a slightly more bitter taste.
  2. If your dates are on the drier side, simply soak them in boiled water for 20 minutes and drain them before using. 
  3. Hazelnut butter: If you're not a fan of hazelnuts you can make these with any nut butter of your choice. Cashew butter, almond butter, or peanut butter work well. 
  4. Vanilla powder can be swapped for a teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, or a scraped-out vanilla pod.
  5. Ganache: Sub this for homemade or nutella if preferred.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 6mg
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*This recipe was originally published in September 2021. The recipe has since been improved and updated to minimize the ingredients used and simplify the instructions.