Heavenly vegan date sweetened brownies that are chewy and deliciously fudgy. These are gluten-free, easy to make and amazing! You NEED these in your life!
Originally published June 9, 2016.
I was going through trial after trial of brownies, trying to find that perfectly textured baked good. I finally got it right with these vegan date brownies. These are the perfect combination of chewiness and fudge!
Vegan Date Sweetened Brownies
I really wanted to create a brownie with a date sweetened base, but I wanted the texture to be chewy with a hint of fudge. If you are looking for a classic boxed brownie like texture, check out these vegan gluten-free brownies!
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. Cue the gagging. So when I started my brownie journey, I knew I needed to make 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, they give such a great chewy texture without the need for another sweetener (although I did many trials with sugar and maple syrup just to make sure dates were the best choice, they were).
These are gluten-free and have a nut-free option! Which makes them perfect for school safe sweets without sacrificing on taste and texture.
How do you use dates instead of sugar?
Dates are an amazing natural sweetener! They can be used in a variety of ways, from blended into a recipe like this one, to creating a smooth date paste.
Substituting dates for sugar isn't just about the sweetener, you need to take the other ingredients into account . Since dates are a moist sweetener, you will need to reduce the moisture of the other ingredients if substituting for a dry sugar.
If subbing for maple syrup or other wet sweetener, start with a 1 to 1 ratio and check the texture of the batter to see if you need any more moisture since dates can be less moist than other sweeteners.
Are dates healthier than sugar?
When substituting for white sugar, yes, dates are healthier. Dates are packed with nutrition, but they are still high in caloric intake and natural sugars. So you still are eating sugar, just in a more natural form.
In my opinion, I think it all depends on your intention. I love using recipes with dates when I want an every day sweet treat. I feel better when I am not overloading on white sugar.
However when I go in for dessert, I don't sweat it. But the good news, is these date brownies are the best of both! So indulgent and yummy, but still have less white sugar than traditional brownies.
How long do date brownies last?
Date brownies will still taste delicious for a few days out of the fridge, but after that the texture and flavor starts to be compromised. Once you put them in the fridge, they should last about a week for best results. But are still decent for about 10 days or so.
These should be stored in an airtight container for best results! And you can always freeze them. To keep date brownies best in the freezer, I wrap them in parchment or plastic wrap, then in foil. Then put in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Can you taste the dates?
The greatest thing about chocolate is that is covers up almost any flavor. It's my favorite choice when it comes to getting extra greens into my kids! Especially when I use chocolate chips like I do in this recipe, the date taste is not detectable.
The only thing you may notice here is the texture. Dates have a chewy smooth texture which is exactly what they contribute here. They also give a small caramel like hint to these so it makes them really deep and rich.
How To Make Vegan Date Sweetened Brownies
- Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Put into a baking dish.
- Bake and cover with optional caramel.
Toppings for date brownies
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 brownies on friends with double thumbs up all around!
Some other toppings you could try are:
- More chocolate chips instead of cacao nibs
- Walnuts or pecans with the caramel
- Vegan Chocolate Frosting Recipe
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
What can I mix into these date brownies?
Although these are perfect as is, you can definitely make them more exciting by mixing in a few ingredients. In my instructions, I give the choice of blending all the chocolate chips in or letting them settle so you have a chocolate chip mix in. But here are some other favorites:
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Cacao nibs
- Candy cane pieces
- Peanut butter cup chunks
- Peanut butter or other nut/seed butter
- M & M like candy
- Marshmallows (these vegan marshmallows are my favorite)
- Graham crackers like cookies
- Pretzels
- Oreos
Ultimate Vegan Date Brownies (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown rice flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips , divided (dairy free to keep vegan)
- 1 cup cashew butter , room temperature (or tahini for nut free)
- 12 Medjool dates , soaked in hot water, plus ¼ cup of the soaking water
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Caramel Crunch Topping:
- ¼ - ½ cup coconut sugar , depending on how sweet you want it
- ½ 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
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup cacao nibs
Instructions
- 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.
- Combine flour, starch, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and whisk to break up clumps. Set aside.
- Melt 1 cup chocolate chips with cashew butter 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.
- 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), ¼ cup of the soaking water, molasses and vanilla.
- 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.
- Add in the flour mixture. Blend again to combine. If your mixture is too thick to blend, you can also mix in a bowl (this is why I save the bowl I used to melt the chocolate). I usually do a little bit of both.
- 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 do this in a bowl.
- Mix the chocolate chips in well. To avoid any chips getting chopped a bit which may happen if you combine in the blender or food processor, use the bowl method.
- Pour batter into prepared pan (spray pan with a bit of oil or line with parchment paper) or into a nonstick pan. You can use either a 9 x 9 pan or an 8 x 8 pan for very thick brownies.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Ovens vary so keep a close eye around the 15 minute mark.
- They cook more as they cool so make sure NOT to over bake. For fudgier brownies, you want the toothpick to be slightly wet when you test.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature or the melted chocolate will harden and not mix well.
- 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.
- Nutrition facts are for the brownies only. Caramel topping is optional.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Jennifer
If i don't need the brownies to be gluten free, do you have an alternative flour you would recommend? Whole wheat pastry flour? Would I still need the tapioca flour if I used WWPF? And would the amounts be the same? I DID make them as instructed, and they are delicious!!! I'm so glad you mentioned that different qualities of tahini will be more or less bitter. I made sure to taste mine before using it in this recipe...I had two different kinds, and it's amazing how different they taste! Do you have a favorite brand? Thank you!
veggiesdontbite
Hi Jennifer! I'm so happy you liked the brownies! And yes, isn't it amazing how different tahini can be?! I haven't tried them with any other flour, but you could try the pastry flour. I would still use the tapioca. Let me know if you try it!
Meg
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!
veggiesdontbite
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!!
Asadah
Can I use almond butter in place of the tahini? Or maybe half of both?
veggiesdontbite
Hi! You can definitely sub with almond butter, it may yield a slightly different texture but should be close!
Emily Kemp
Omg the most beautiful brownies that I've ever seen LOL not even joking I can't stop staring and dying to make these!
Somer McCowan
These yo. With the salted caramel Nada Moo. FOREVER AND EVER. ??
veggiesdontbite
Um yes, that sounds like something I NEED!!
Laurina Roo @sweetenedbyplants
I just love that these are date sweetened!! and just look at all that fudgyness!!! Whoever doesn't love fudgy brownies like this isn't living!! This is definitely brownie texture GOALS!
veggiesdontbite
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!
Averill
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
veggiesdontbite
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.
Averill
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!
veggiesdontbite
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!
Averill
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?
veggiesdontbite
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!
Angie
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?
veggiesdontbite
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!
Jessica Kennedy
These look awesome! Could I sub ap flour?
veggiesdontbite
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!!
Vegan Heaven
Oh my gosh, you just made me drool, Sophia!! These look AMAZING!! 🙂
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Sina!
Tami
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
veggiesdontbite
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!
Sarah | Well and Full
Oh my goodness. These brownies look absolutely magical!! The texture is just perfect!!! 😀
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Sarah! I worked really hard on the texture!
Bethany @ athletic avocado
I'm literally drooling over these pictures! I need these fudgey brownies in my life ASAP! Seriously perfection!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Bethany!! You would love them! So chewy fudgy. I literally could not get enough!
Hauke Fox
Hahaaa, brownies times 8 looks much better than just one brownie photo 😀
Awesome photos and an insanly tasty looking brownie - I'm impressed!!
veggiesdontbite
Oh yeah, one brownie is never as good as multiple!! Thanks so much Howie!
Mel | avirtualvegan.com
Theres definitely some brownie love going on right here, right now! They look awesome and you like your brownies just how i like mine so I know they will be perfect. Bonus!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Mel! Yep, major brownie love!! I just adore a perfect brownie.