Recipe and images courtesy of Rebel Recipes (@rebelrecipes on Instagram)
Rich, fudgy, naturally sweet brownies made with dates, ground almonds, and cacao. The perfect balance of indulgent and nourishing — soft in the centre with a little crunch on top.
Makes: 9 squares
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 200g dates, pitted
- 150ml boiling water
- 100g ground almonds
- 50g plain flour or oat flour
- 4 tbsp raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of sea salt
- 60ml melted coconut oil (or neutral oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 100ml plant milk
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts or mixed seeds, to top
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a small square baking tin with parchment.
- Make date paste: Soak the dates in boiling water for 5 minutes, then blend into a thick, smooth paste.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine ground almonds, flour, cacao, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine wet & dry: Add the date paste, melted coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup to the dry ingredients. Stir to form a thick, fudgy batter. If too stiff, add a splash of plant milk.
- Bake: Spread the batter into the lined tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or seeds.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until just set and slightly cracked on top. Don’t overbake – you want them fudgy.
- Cool completely before slicing into squares.
