I started making these brownies on a busy Sunday when I wanted something chocolatey and had zero patience for the oven. Now there is a pan of them in my fridge almost every week. Soft Medjool dates give them a deep caramel sweetness, oats and walnuts give body, and a thin layer of melted chocolate on top makes them look like they came from a bakery. My kids think they are regular fudge brownies, and I am not correcting them. The whole thing comes together in one food processor, and the fridge does the rest of the work while you get on with your day.
Servings: 12 · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 60 min
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (250 g) Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (85 g) walnuts
- 1/3 cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp (32 g) smooth peanut butter or almond butter
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 3.5 oz (100 g) dark chocolate (70%), chopped
- 1 tbsp (14 g) coconut oil
Method
- Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides so you can lift the brownies out later.
- If your dates feel firm, cover them with hot water for 10 minutes, then drain them well and pat them dry. Soft dates are the secret to a fudgy, sticky texture.
- Pulse the oats in a food processor for about 30 seconds until they look like coarse flour. Add the walnuts and pulse 5 or 6 times, until they are in small pieces but not yet a paste.
- Add the dates, cocoa powder, peanut butter, vanilla and salt. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides once, until the mixture clumps together and holds when you pinch it. If it stays crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of water and process again.
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass. Take your time here, a well-packed base slices cleanly.
- Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Pour it over the base and spread it into a thin, even layer.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the chocolate is firm. Lift the slab out, let it sit for 5 minutes, then cut into 12 squares with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry.
Tips and variations
- Swap the walnuts for pecans for a cozy fall version, or use sunflower seeds to make the brownies nut-free (with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter).
- Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt over the chocolate layer before it sets, it makes the flavor pop.
- They keep 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer. Eat them straight from the freezer for a chewy, truffle-like bite.
Make a pan this weekend and see how long it lasts in your house. In mine, never more than four days. Enjoy!
