Enjoy the classic fudgy dessert without any of the butter or sugar with these Fudgy Date Brownies. Just throw all the ingredients in a blender, run it until smooth, and then stir in chocolate chips before baking.
1 ¼cupsemisweet chocolate chipssee notes below to keep this recipe dairy-free, DIVIDED
½cupcreamy natural peanut butter
¼cupmaple syrup
4large eggs
1 ½teaspoonvanilla
1can black beansrinsed & drained
1cupunsweetened cocoa powder
1teaspoonsalt
1cuppitted and packed medjool dates
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and line an 8 x8 baking dish with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper as well.
In a medium-large microwave size mixing bowl, combine the coconut butter, ½ cup chocolate chips, and peanut butter. Melt the butters and chocolate chips in the microwave, heating on 40% heat in 30-45 second intervals, stirring between intervals, or until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is glossy.
Pour the maple syrup, eggs, vanilla and chocolate mixture into the blender. Add the black beans, cocoa powder, salt, and dates (in that order) into the blender.
Run the blender on medium or high speed for 1-2 minutes, tamping the mixture down as it runs, or until the black beans and dates are completely blended into the mixture. The batter will be extremely thick.
Scoop the batter out of the blender and into the mixing bowl you used to melt the chocolate (or a clean mixing bowl, if you prefer). Stir in the remaining ¾ cup chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake the brownies for 33-36 minutes, or until the brownies are a bit puffy, starting to brown around the edges, and the crumbs are still glossy but stick together when tested with a knife.
Remove the date brownies from the oven and let cool on a wire baking rack for 1-2 hours, or until cooled enough to enjoy.
Notes
Use dairy-free or dark chocolate chips to keep this recipe dairy-free. Add the ingredients into the blender in the order listed to keep it from jamming up as you blend.The brownies will keep covered at room temperature for 3-5 days, but you can also refrigerate them covered. You can freeze the brownies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months as well. Check your brownies on the lower end of the baking time range if you bake in a metal pan. Glass pans, like I used, will take a minute or two longer than metal, but you still will want to check them earlier in baking if your oven runs warm.