Raw desserts are decadent but and wholesome way to incorporate raw foods into your diet. There are so many good raw food recipes, blogs and cookbooks out there, and in all of them you will find a myriad of deliciuos recipes featuring nuts, seeds, dried and fresh fruits, and superfoods like cacao, spirulina, maca and more. But many of these recipes have some core concepts that are illustrated by these simple brownies. These raw brownies feature a crust of nuts and dates, which is perhaps the most common base for raw cakes, bars and crumbles. The topping is a simple ganache featuring rich coconut butter, sweetened with agave, and flavored with awesome, antioxidant rich cacao. Once you learn this simple recipe you can build your raw dessert repertoire by swapping in lemon, maca, acai powder, nut butter and more for a wide variety of flavors and textures.
Looking for other raw dessert recipes to love? In our archives we have a Raw Chocolate Berry Cheesecake, Raw-inspired Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake, Maca Energy Bites, Chocolate Cookie Dough Truffles, and Raw Homemade Chocolates. And here is another awesome raw recipe featuring oats from Oh She Glows: Five Ingredient Date Bars.
Raw Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
For the Brownie:
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
1½ cups pitted Medjool dates
½ cup cacao powder
1 Tablespoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
Pinch of salt
For the Peppermint Fudge:
1 cup coconut butter (learn how to make your own coconut butter here!)
¼ – ½ cup raw agave nectar or honey
¼ cup raw cacao powder
2 teaspoons peppermint extract (learn how to make your own mint extract)
¼ cup shredded coconut, for garnish
- For the Brownie: grind almonds and walnuts to a fine powder.
- Add dates and pulse until the mixture is combined and crumbly. Add cacao powder, vanilla, coconut oil, and sea salt and pulse to combine. The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers.
- Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or waxed paper. Press the brownie mixture into the bottom of an 8×8 pan and set aside.
- For the Peppermint Fudge: Blend coconut butter and agave until smooth. Add cacao and peppermint extract. Blend again, and taste, adding more agave or peppermint to taste.
- Spread Peppermint Fudge onto brownie layer, and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle with shredded coconut, if desired.
- Let Brownies chill in the refrigerator for one hour before cutting. Store in the refrigerator or freezer…if they last that long!
Yield: 16 small brownies
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