Veggies Don't Bite

Cooking with plants and lovin' it...and ditching the gluten and {refined} sugar along the way!

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Perfect Vegan Caramel Date Sweetened Brownies (Nut-Free, Gluten-Free)

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Irresistible Vegan date brownies with a lot of chew and a touch of fudge. Proof that you can have both healthy whole food ingredients and amazing flavor!

Fudgy Chewy Perfect Vegan Date Brownies piled on top of each other on a white plate

You know the feeling you get when you bite into that perfectly textured baked good and it’s so good you almost want to cry? These vegan brownies were it for me.

I did trial after trial, most of which were very tasty. But none hit the nail on the head until these vegan date brownies happened. Date sweetened, with the absolutely perfect combination of lots of chew and a touch of fudge. These are nut-free, gluten-free, easy to make and so amazing! You NEED these in your life!

Four Vegan Date Brownies stacked on top of each other

We all have different opinions on what is considered the perfect brownie. Some like them cakey, some super fudgy, and some are in the dense and chewy crowd. I am very picky when it comes to texture.

As much as I like fudge, I am not a fan of baked goods with too much moisture. It’s like when you have a sandwich and the bread gets wet. GAG ME WITH A SPOON (did I date myself there?). So when I started my brownie journey, I was hell bent on nailing MY perfect vegan brownie.

I wanted just enough density, with the perfect chewy texture and a small touch of fudge. I wanted my sweetener to be dates, I love the idea of whole foods being my sugar of choice (although I did many trials with coconut sugar and maple syrup just to make sure dates were the best sweetener, they were).

These Vegan Date Brownies Are Out Of This World Delicious!

I also wanted these to be NUT-FREE so that I could bring them to the kid’s school, and for all of you that can’t have nuts out there. You’re welcome.

Bonus, NO COCONUT in the brownie either! My hubby did a happy dance (he hates coconut). And double bonus, you can adjust the sweetness of these vegan brownies with the type of chocolate you decide to use.

Semi sweet chocolate will give you that classic chocolate brownie taste. Throw in the deep dark chocolate and you get a much less sweet flavor but your chewy vegan brownie is still amazing. You decide. You run the show.

Vegan Date Sweetened Brownies with a caramel sauce on top and a bite out

The ultimate ending in these vegan date brownies is the caramel crunch topping. On their own, these are amazing. But add caramel and a cacao nib crunch and these take you to a level of ultimate brownie heaven.

They are insane. I didn’t even get sick of them after I made at least 5 extra trials to make sure they were perfect. I tried these vegan date brownies on friends with double thumbs up all around, and now all I need is for you all to try them!

Leave me a comment and let me know when you do! I’m also on Instagram, so find and tag me at veggiesdontbite AND #veggiesdontbite so I don’t miss it, and on Facebook. So many places to show some brownie love! Now go make yourself some fully chewy, date sweetened, slightly fudgy, thick and amazing vegan caramel brownies.

Process shots of pouring a caramel sauce over Vegan Date Brownies

5 from 2 votes
Fudgy Chewy Perfect Vegan Date Brownies piled on top of each other on a white plate
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Perfect Vegan Caramel Date Brownies (Nut-Free, Gluten-Free)
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Vegan date sweetened brownies with a lot of chew and a touch of fudge. Proof that you can have both healthy whole food ingredients and amazing flavor!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy brownies, healthy chocolate dessert
Servings: 6 servings ( 9 x 9 pan)
Calories: 844 kcal
Author: Sophia DeSantis
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup brown rice flour I use a finely ground brown rice flour
  • 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
  • 2 cups vegan chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 cup tahini room temperature
  • 12 Medjool dates soaked in hot water, plus 1/4 cup of the soaking water
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Caramel Crunch Topping:
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut sugar depending on how sweet you want it
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream the top layer from about a can of full fat coconut milk, stored in refrigerator for 2-3 days or freezer for 2-3 hours
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
  • 1/4 cup cacao nibs
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°C/190°F. Soak dates in hot water, allow to soak while prepping the other ingredients. I soak mine with the pits because it is easier to remove the pits once soaked and soft.
  2. Combine flour, starch, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and whisk to break up clumps. Set aside.
  3. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips with tahini using a microwave or double boiler. If using a microwave, be sure to heat in short 10-15 second increments so you avoid burning it. Stir in between heatings to break down large chunks. It took mine a little over 1 minute to melt, but it will depend on your microwave.
  4. Once melted, pour mixture into a blender or food processor (save the bowl you used for later). Add dates (make sure to remove the pits), 1/4 cup of the soaking water, molasses and vanilla. 
  5. Blend until smooth. If you have some small chunks of dates that’s okay, it will just contribute to the chewiness. Blend until really smooth if you prefer no chunks.
  6. Add in the flour mixture. Blend again to combine.

  7. At this point you can either pour the last cup of chocolate chips into the blender or food processor and pulse to combine, or you can put the mixture into the bowl you used to melt the chocolate in and then mix the chocolate chips in there to avoid any chips getting chopped a bit which may happen if you combine in the blender or food processor. This is just a personal preference.

  8. Pour batter into prepared pan (spray pan with a bit of coconut oil or line with parchment paper) or into a nonstick pan. 
  9. If you spray with coconut oil, wipe down excess. This still makes your brownies oil free as no oil was added to the mixture. I promise the baking police will not get you. You can use either a 9 x 9 pan or an 8 x 8 pan for very thick brownies.
  10. Bake at 375°F/190°C for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a bit of batter on the end. Ovens vary so keep a close eye around the 15 minute mark.
  11.  They cook more as they cool so make sure NOT to overbake. You want the toothpick to be slightly wet when you test, if it is dry you left them to bake too long.
  12. Allow to cool completely, at least an hour but the longer the better, and then cut and serve. These brownies get better the longer they set. I tried them the next day and even the day after that and they just got chewier and fudgier.

If you use the optional caramel crunch topping:
  1. Make the caramel while brownies are cooking. Place all ingredients, except cacao nibs, in a small pot. Whisk over medium heat until you get a rolling boil. Turn heat to medium low, then continue to whisk until slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
  2. Once it is done, allow it to cool in the fridge about 15-20 minutes. Once cool, pour on the brownies, then sprinkle the cacao nibs on the top.
  3. You can also pour the caramel on the brownies when hot, then top with cacao nibs and place the entire pan in the fridge to cool. This may have an effect on the texture of the brownies, so keep that in mind.
Recipe Notes
  • Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature or the melted chocolate will harden and not mix well.
  • The way I measure my flours and starches is I use a separate spoon to spoon the flour/starch into the measuring container, then level off with a knife. This ensures the right amount of product, if you use the actual measuring container to scoop the flour or starch it may end up packing in more that is needed.
  • You can control how sweet these are by the type of chocolate used. For a deep dark flavor, use dark or extra dark chocolate.
  • For a sweet traditional flavor, use regular or semi sweet chocolate. You can also use another variety of dates, just keep in mind the size and sweetness as compared to Medjool to ensure the same results.
  • Tips to prep ahead: Make caramel.
  • Baby/toddler food idea: Good toddler treat. Cut into small bite sized pieces.
Nutrition Facts
Perfect Vegan Caramel Date Brownies (Nut-Free, Gluten-Free)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 844 Calories from Fat 459
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51g 78%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 355mg 15%
Potassium 718mg 21%
Total Carbohydrates 100g 33%
Dietary Fiber 10g 40%
Sugars 65g
Protein 14g 28%
Vitamin A 2%
Vitamin C 2.7%
Calcium 18.1%
Iron 42.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you like this recipe, please consider rating it with the star rating system and leaving a comment below. I love hearing from you and seeing your awesome remakes! Find me on Instagram and tag me @veggiesdontbite and #veggiesdontbite, or you can also find me on Facebook, and Pinterest. Thanks for helping me spread the word about delicious food!

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate. Please read more about that here.

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Comments

  1. Oh … My … God! Sophia, these look so amazing and spectacular. I’ll be definitely making these within the next day or so!! I love the idea of the caramel crunch, that just adds a whole new level of delicousness – how do you come up with these ideas?!?! Cacao nibs … are they supposed to be bitter? I have some and I added them a couple of times to your overnight jar, but I found them to be a little bitter. Maybe being the piglet I am I added too much? I want to add the crunch to this brownie especially as it has antioxidants, but I wanted to get your opinion first on if they’re supposed to be slightly bitter or if it’s just my pack.

    Reply

    • Haha!! Honestly, in my sleep. I swear as I lay in bed things just come to me. Lol!! Yes, cacao nibs on their own are bitter. They have no sugar, just cacao. But paired with something super sweet like the caramel they are perfect! If you add them to the oatmeal make sure you don’t add too many if you don’t have much sweet in with them. Let me know how it goes!!

      Reply

    • Surprised everyone is giving such good reviews…I found these brownies to taste more cakey and they were way too strong of a tahini flavor (very bitter) which I found off putting. For how expensive it is to make these I would not make them again.

      Reply

      • Sorry to hear they didn’t work out for you Trish! The bitterness is not something I have tasted in these unless I use really dark chocolate, which in itself is quite bitter and I love the flavor of that bitter chocolate. The tahini also needs to be a good quality tahini as many not so great ones are quite bitter. I definitely have tasted tahini that is very bitter so that would impact the flavor. As far as the texture, they should not be cakey. I have made these over 20 times and never have gotten a cakey consistency. My only suggestion is to make sure to follow the instructions for measuring the flour/starch. Also the brown rice flour type may have impacted your texture. I use a very fine brown rice flour, and I will add that to the notes for the future. Best of luck!

        Reply

    • Lol!! Thank you!!! Isn’t it the best feeling when you nail a texture?! I worked hard to get this exactly like I wanted. I jumped in glee when I did!! Baha!!

      Reply

  3. They look great girl!! Hahaha, remember when we were talking and that’s what I was saying how I HATE those mushy wet brownies where the texture is like hummus, LOL! That has been the way all the sweet potato brownies taste to me…yuck. Brownies should be moist but dense and firm and super rich chocolatey, I can’t stand the lackluster of chocolate flavor in baked goods. I love that you used so many chocolate chips in these to give that sweet chocolatey taste too, yum! I bet these have a strong tahini flavor too, I love tahini!! Great job!

    Reply

    • Hummus brownies?? No thank you!! lol!! Yes, these are the perfect density with amazing chew and touch of fudge! I worked so hard to get what I wanted. The chocolate is a must for me. It’s dessert, that I got nailed using dates, so the more chocolate the better! And the tahini doesn’t actually come out much. My mom hates tahini but loved these. The lots of chocolate takes over well!! Thank you so much for your sweet comment!!

      Reply

  4. “PERFECT” just as the recipe states! I made these & couldn’t wait for them to cool. They are scrumptious!! You surely nailed it & I get my brownie fix in a most delightful way. Thank you for sharing 😉

    Reply

    • I’m jumping for joy that you already made these!!! That’s amazing!! I’m so so happy you loved them, thank you for giving them a try!!

      Reply

  7. These look beyond fabulous! I’m going to make them for my daughter, a self-described brownie snob and see if she can detect that they’re not her typical brownie! My guess is she’ll LOVE them! ?

    Reply

    • Thanks Lisa! I’d love to hear what she says. The texture is my absolute favorite, and depending on the type of chocolate you use they can go from a deep dark taste to uber fudgy and chocolaty. Let me know!

      Reply

    • I strive to create food for ALL types of eaters and prove that healthy is also delicious! Thank you so much!

      Reply

    • Thank you Alisa! I worked hard to get that texture I love! We all have different ideas of the perfect brownie, but I can eat these for days!

      Reply

    • Thank you Linda! They have been a big hit with readers and friends! And yes, I do believe I dated myself with that line. LOL!

      Reply

    • Thanks Jenn, very fudgy indeed!! It’s actually caramel sauce with cacao nibs on the top. So good!

      Reply

  14. A brownie doesn’t belong on my plate unless it comes with caramel! Your recipe certainly fits the bill! I don’t think I would realized these were vegan without knowing the recipe. They look delicious.

    Reply

    • Ha! I would agree, but on the go without the caramel works too, as long as I get one! LOL! And yes, you would have no idea they were vegan!!

      Reply

  17. Hahaaa, brownies times 8 looks much better than just one brownie photo 😀
    Awesome photos and an insanly tasty looking brownie – I’m impressed!!

    Reply

  20. Sophia, I am not surprised by this creation being complete chocolate awesomeness!! These were incredible tasting, decadently sinful in fact! We liked them both without the topping and with the topping. My oldest commented that plain they were a bit … GASP… chocolatey!! I don’t think she is mine 😀 😀 LOL!! But when she tried it with the topping she said it didn’t taste as chocolatey. These are a must for any brownie lover!!
    Thank you for sharing <3

    Reply

    • I’m dying, that is so funny!!! I think I’d check my child’s temperature if they said that. LOL!! Thank you so much for making these and sharing them with my on Instagram. Your continued support means the world! And you have a beautiful family!

      Reply

    • Hi Jessica! Thank you so much. I’m not entirely sure that you would get the same texture here with AP. I don’t use it so I don’t know how it would bake up. The brown rice and tapioca combo were the only way I could get these perfect after trying many other combos. But I would be curious to see how it works so let me know if you try because I’m sure someone else will have that question!!

      Reply

  23. These are AMAZING!! I made them over the weekend, and holy smokes…soooo good. I was wondering…do you think the chocolate chips that get melted with the tahini could be replaced with cocoa powder?

    Reply

    • Hi Angie! I’m so thrilled you loved them!! I am making them right now for a party for tomorrow. So, I tried so many trials, some with cocoa powder and for what I was wanting I did not get the texture I loved with the cocoa powder. The flavor was good but the texture wasn’t my favorite. I needed the extra fat in the chocolate. Is it the fat you want to reduce or the sugar? If it’s simply the sugar, try using cacao paste or cacao discs. These are pure cacao with no sugar but still in hard form with the fat, not powdered form without the fat. But you can always try the powder and see if the texture is ok with you!

      Reply

  24. Hi Sophia,
    These looks absolutely to die for!!!! I would love to make them today for my mums birthday tomorrow but I do not have tapioca starch!
    Is this a vital ingredient? Any other subs you could suggest??
    Thanks!! x

    Reply

    • Hi Averill! Thank you so much! The starch is needed for the texture, but you can try using another starch. Do you have arrowroot? There’s also cornstarch or potato starch but not sure how anything other than tapioca will work. I say give it a try! The flavor will still be great but the texture may not be the same.

      Reply

      • Hi Sophia,
        Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly! I decided against baking these, as I didn’t have any starch at home and they look way too good to mess with the recipe. Will buy some tapioca starch and make them next weekend 🙂
        Thanks again!

        Reply

        • Thanks so much for letting me know! I actually just took some out of the oven for a party we are going to tomorrow. I promise you won’t be disappointed! They are so so delicious! I just made mine in cupcake cups actually to make it easier for the party. They worked fantastic. I only baked for 12 minutes since they were in individual cups. Nice and fudgy!

          Reply

          • Ooo thank you for letting me know! Little cupcake cups would actually be perfect!! Nice and convenient and more importantly, gives me some portion control!
            How many cupcakes did the recipe make?

          • Well, the portion control may not help with these. I just ate two. Oops…Ha! Mine made 17 and I filled the cupcake cups only half way. I used foil cups and they didn’t stick at all. You could also put them straight into a muffin tin but make sure to do a wipe of coconut oil spray to prevent sticking. Let me know how it goes!

    • Thank you so much Laurina! I tried SO many things to get this texture. Dates definitely were the winner! I love sweetening my desserts with dates and for brownies they helped give that ultimate fudginess too!

      Reply

  27. Omg the most beautiful brownies that I’ve ever seen LOL not even joking I can’t stop staring and dying to make these!

    Reply

    • Hi! You can definitely sub with almond butter, it may yield a slightly different texture but should be close!

      Reply

  29. These are so impressive! I had been hunting for a date sweetened brownie recipe and these not only look delicious, but the taste and texture did not disappoint at all. They are amazing! They are so rich (I used semi sweet chocolate so mine aren’t actually vegan) that a small square is very satisfying. I baked them 18 minutes and they are so gloriously gooey! I also used a rice flour combo I found at Target, and since I didn’t have tapicoa I used arrowroot, which I was a little nervous to do but the recipe is not finicky like some others. Fabulous! Thank you so much for being such a culinary adventurer!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Meg! I am so thrilled you like them! I wanted that specific texture and indulgent flavor without all the usual bad for you ingredients. Thanks for leaving a comment!!

      Reply

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