It is no secret around here that I like chocolate. I eat some just about every single day of my life. I think I come by it genetically. The ladies in my family can get down with chocolate. I could probably live without ever eating candy again in my life, but plain chocolate? No way, Jose.
Now, unfortunately, chocolate generally comes with a whole bunch of sugar which makes me feel not-so-great and can lead to increased body fat around the mid-section for me. Bummer. So, I am picky about my chocolate because darker, richer chocolate has less sugar, (no dairy!), and is much more satisfying for me.
Before I get to the recipe, let me just take a minute and vouch for the benefits of raw cacao (used in this recipe rather than cocoa powder), because it is pretty dang good for you! It’s got 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries, the highest plant-based source of iron (even more than beef! What?!), calcium (way more than milk…another reason to ditch that stuff), magnesium (huge fan!), and feel-good, mood-boosting chemicals like serotonin and tryptophan. (I knew I was happier for having eaten chocolate!) Now, note, once they start making traditional chocolate, the heating processes destroy some of these benefits (well, kinda’ cook them out), so your bar of Hershey’s is not quite as nutrient-dense (albeit, tasty!). (That being said, if you don’t have any cacao powder, cocoa powder will work just fine in this recipe!)
That’s why I love this recipe for the use of raw cacao! I use it one-for-one wherever cocoa powder may be called for in recipes for all the chocolate-y goodness and all of the nutritional benefits. I’ve found the best price is definitely this huge bag on Amazon rather than the teensy-tiny little bags you can find at the grocery store.
A friend of mine made these brownies for me, and I was completely sold! They satisfy a craving for something sweet and chocolate-y but are made from real, nutrient dense food! The coconut oil in the frosting and the pecans in the brownie really fill you up, too. Plus, I have zero guilt about giving these to my kids for an after-dinner treat! They devour them, and I know they’re actually getting good nutrients without sending their blood sugar on a roller coaster!
Here are a few notes about the recipe…
- It seems totally weird to measure the dates by number rather than by measuring cups, but it also seems a little easier. I find 40 medjool dates work just as well as 66 deglet noor dates (the smaller kind). Just make sure you take off the little hard stem top things if they have them and peel them open to take out the pits before you start sending them through your food processor.
- I have never tried making this in a high-speed blender, but honestly, I don’t think I’d suggest it. The mixture is just too dry, and I think it would not blend well. This recipe is definitely a food processor recipe.
- Don’t stress about the size of your pan. I make mine in an 8×8 in. pan which I really like, but you could use a 9×11 or whatever else you have. It’s no big deal.
- I’ve kept my date brownies in the fridge for a few weeks at a time, and they were still great. Keep them in the freezer and pull one out whenever you need some chocolate-y goodness for months (if they even make it that far!).
- ¾ c. coconut oil
- ¼ c. + 1 T. honey
- 5 T. cacao powder
- 2+ c. raw pecans
- 40 medjool dates or 66 deglet noor dates
- ½ c. + 3 T. cacao powder
- To make the frosting, combine the coconut oil, honey, and 5 T. cacao powder in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove to a bowl. (No need to clean out the food processor before continuing!)
- To make the brownies, grind the pecans in the food processor. You should have about 1½ cups of ground pecans when you are finished. It does not need to be finely ground.
- Add the dates and cacao powder to the ground pecans and combine until it makes a fig newton type consistency and almost starts to ball up.
- Press the brownie mixture into an 8x8in. pan, cover with wax or parchment paper, and use a mug to press it down.
- Top with the frosting and refrigerate until the frosting is hardened.
- Cut into squares and enjoy!
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