Flourless Date Brownies made with pitted medjool dates, almond butter, pureed pumpkin, cocoa powder, and eggs! This healthy brownie recipe is made with all whole food ingredients and tastes so rich and fudgy.
For my fellow sweet toothed chocolate fiends, something tells me you’re going to want to drop everything and bake a batch of these amazing fudgy date brownies.
They are all things rich and delicious with the added bonus of being made with all wholesome ingredients. Dates are the only sweetener, and there’s no flour, butter, or added sugar! The way I see it, they are the best brownies for the health fanatic.
The texture of these date brownies is moist and fudgy, similar to a classic fudge recipe. For me, they are perfectly sweet, and can easily be made sweeter for those who love their desserts on the sweet side.
Because the recipe is flourless without sugar or oil, we don’t get the same crinkle top and crisp edge as traditional brownies, though I find them to be just as tasty!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for these date sweetened brownies!
Ingredients for Date Brownies:
Pitted Medjool Dates: Rather than using refined sugar, we’re making naturally sweetened brownies using medjool dates. They add stickiness and moisture content to the brownies, too, which provides a chewy texture.
Unsweetened Almond Butter: We’re using healthy fats in the form of almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or peanut butter. I personally love using sunflower seed butter for its added health benefits, but any kind of nut or seed butter works.
Canned Pumpkin Puree: We need some extra volume and moisture, which I like to fill using canned pumpkin. Pureed pumpkin brings a subtle natural sweetness, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and antioxidants. Plus, you can’t taste it.
For sweeter brownies, replace the canned pumpkin puree with 2 additional cups of dates.
Large Eggs: A couple of eggs help bind all of the ingredients together for a fudge brownie texture.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds warm flavor to this tasty treat.
Cocoa Powder: Use your favorite unsweetened cocoa powder for the chocolate portion of the recipe. I like using raw cacao powder because it has a creamier, less bitter flavor.
Baking Soda: The leavening agent here.
Ground Cinnamon (optional): I find the addition of ground cinnamon in brownies to be simply sensational! Skip it if you aren’t into it.
Sea Salt: Salt enhances the chocolate flavor and the sweetness of the brownies, making them taste extra delicious.
Recipe Customizations:
- Replace the canned pumpkin puree with an additional two cups of extra dates (soaked as well), or with mashed sweet potato.
- Mix ⅔ cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans into the brownie batter for a lovely nutty crunch.
- Add ½ cup to ⅔ cup of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks for fudgier, sweeter brownies.
Now that we’ve covered the main ingredients for these healthy date brownies, let’s bake them!
How to Make Date Brownies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can spray the pan with cooking spray.
Heat a tea kettle full of water and transfer the pitted dates to a heat-safe large bowl. Cover the dates with hot water and allow them to sit for 3 to 5 minutes to soften. This process makes the dates easier to blend.
Strain the dates into a colander, then transfer them to a food processor. Process into a date puree (or date paste).
Add the rest of the ingredients for the date brownies to the food processor and process until a smooth brownie batter forms. You may need to stop the food processor several times to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula to encourage the batter to blend.
Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes. 15 minutes results in ultra moist and rich brownies, whereas 17-18 minutes results in brownies that are slightly firmer.
Allow the brownies to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. If you’d like, serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate in an airtight container or a zip lock bag for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer safe container or in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
The next time you’re craving gooey fudge brownies and you’re looking to keep it real, whip up this clean brownie recipe! Between the rich chocolate flavor and the fudgy texture, you’re bound to adore these gluten-free date brownies!
If you love baking healthy desserts, also try out some of my other favorite dessert recipes.
More Healthy Dessert Recipes:
- 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies
- Flourless Pumpkin Brownies
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bread
- Almond Flour Blackberry Scones
Enjoy these fudgy brownies the next time your sweet tooth is talking!
Date Brownies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups medjool dates pitted (16 medjool dates)
- ⅔ cup unsweetened almond butter or sunflower seed butter
- ⅓ cup canned pumpkin puree or mashed sweet potato
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon optional
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Heat a tea kettle full of water and transfer the pitted dates to a heat-safe large bowl. Cover the dates with hot water and allow them to sit for 3 to 5 minutes to soften. This process makes the dates easier to blend. Strain the dates into a colander, then transfer them to a food processor. Process into a date puree (or date paste).
- Add the rest of the ingredients for the date brownies to the food processor and process until a smooth brownie batter forms. You may need to stop the food processor several times to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula to encourage the batter to blend.
- Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes. 15 minutes results in ultra moist and rich brownies, whereas 17-18 minutes results in brownies that are slightly firmer.
- Allow the brownies to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. If you’d like, serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
